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The Twelve. Television Drama Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * *

Cast: Sam Neill, Brooke Satchwell, Kate Mulvany, Damien Strouthos, Marta Dusseldorp, Catherine Van-Davies, Nicholas Cassim, Pallavi Sharda, Brendan Cowell, Gennie Nevinson, Ngali Shaw, James Lugton, Hazam Shammas, Bishanyia Vincent, Mandela Mathia, Daniel Mitchell, Toby Blome, Lee Robinson, Warren Lee, Amy Kersey, Jenni Baird, Hamish Michael, Matt Nable, Louisa Mignone, Silvia Colloca, Ben Mingay, Alastair Bradman, Victoria Bradman, Gilbert Bradman, Sheridan Harbridge, Jade Potts, Fayssal Bazzi, Frances O’Connor, Myles Pollard, Anthony Hayes, Tasma Walton.

The Twelve. Television Drama Review. full post

(531 words, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

Renegade Nell. Television Series Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Louisa Harland, Frank Dillane, Alice Kremelberg, Enyi Okoronkwo, Bo Bragason, Florence Keen, Nick Mohamed, Adrian Lester, Jake Dunn, Joely Richardson, Jodhi May, Pip Torrens, Ashna Rabheru, Daniel Rigby, Joe Dixon, Ryan Gage, Mark Heap, Rosalyn Wright, Bronwyn James, John Arthur, Craig Parkinson, Art Malik, Ramon Tikaram, Ruth Madeley, Lenny Rush, Oliver Lansley.

The allure of the highway man has been such that since the tales of Dick Turpin were eulogised by the English Historical novelist William Harrison Ainsworth in the 1834 gothic novel Rookwood, the public has been entranced by the dark side of 18th Century Britain’s justice system and the inverse of the heroic story attributed to those who otherwise would have garnered the nation’s affections.

Renegade Nell. Television Series Review. full post

(413 words, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

Belinda Carlisle: Decades Volume 3: Cornucopia. Box Set Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

A missed opportunity or a solid finale to a series of re-releases, Decades Volume 3: Cornucopia treads a path for Belinda Carlisle in such a way that the chance to hear and reflect on songs that never made it to albums, to run through the songs released from the eight studio albums, a small set of new recordings, and live recordings that made it on to the B sides of seven inch singles is a perfect way to sign off on a project that details the entrancing career of the former Go Go’s vocalist; or in some eyes as a release too far, not enough emphasis on the live experience, perhaps even just one whole cd dedicated one of the concerts she gave at the height of her fame as a solo performer…unless that is the plan and a fourth release of her works is even now being planned.

Belinda Carlisle: Decades Volume 3: Cornucopia. Box Set Review. full post

(400 words, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

John Jenkins: I Don’t Want To Be That Guy Anymore. Single Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Whilst nobody else watches us struggle with today’s angst and the shifting patterns of torment that comes from opening our heart to the world, we can take solace in that we ourselves believe our truth, that our cry, whether in silence and overwhelming tears, or in full throated declaration and an intent to shake the universe, the opportunity to change and be that man that says I Don’t Want To Be That Guy Anymore is one to be taken notice of, to be admired, to be respected.

John Jenkins: I Don’t Want To Be That Guy Anymore. Single Review. full post

(324 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)

Professor T. Series Three. Television Series Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Ben Miller, Emma Naomi, Francis de la Tour, Barney White, Douglas Reith, Sarah Woodward, Andy Gathergood, Juliet Aubrey, Ben Onwukwe, Rupert Turnbull, Juliet Stevenson, Sunetra Sarker, Lee Ross, Jeany Spark, Richard Lintern, Roger Barclay.

Reason is the greatest weapon in any detective’s arsenal, the ability to see through the conflicting lies and deceit with just the use of the mind is enough to elevate any investigator in the eyes of the public. Surveillance, the reliance on electronic snooping on a suspect in any criminal case is all well and good to dot the I’s and cross the T’s in the courts of law, but it is the intuition, the logic and wit of those who devote themselves to the dogged truth that prove a lawbreaker can be caught with sound judgement at all times.

Professor T. Series Three. Television Series Review. full post

(517 words, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

Tina Turner: What’s Love Got To Do With It. Box Set Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Love, Ms. Turner sings, is a second-hand emotion, which to her fans, supporters, and admirers, is arguably a redundant statement, but deep down as the soundtrack album that bears the name What’s Love Got To Do With It resonates through the earphones and the surrounding air, it is emotion of abuse, of mistreatment, survival, and eventual breakthrough that handles the heart, Love plays its part, but love can be blinded by mistreatment, it can wear you down as you attempt to find the pedestal that you were once held so upon, and in which neglect and violence exploited your value to the point where control is the only emotion left standing.

Tina Turner: What’s Love Got To Do With It. Box Set Review. full post

(455 words, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

Adrian Edmondson: Beserker. Autobiography Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

The reader will always understand that to read an autobiography at times will leave them curious as well as informed. The willingness to immerse yourself into another life through the painted verbal tales is one of sharing, of commitment, perhaps a smidgen of questioning interest at the beans they wish to spill on their time at top, but you never expect to be completely broken by a passage that becomes the backbone of the book.

Adrian Edmondson: Beserker. Autobiography Review. full post

(545 words, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)

Blancmange: Everything Is Connected. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Longevity dictates either what you have done and continue to do resonates with a section of society that will love you no matter what, or that you maintain the ability to be chameleon like, that you can be all things to all people at some point or another. How you master such an issue of consequence is down to the ethic and strength you muster every day, how much the human spirit insists you create.

Blancmange: Everything Is Connected. Album Review. full post

(442 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Shogun. Television Drama Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Cosmo Jarvis, Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai, Nestor Carbonell, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira, Tommy Bastow, Fumi Nikaido, Tokuma Nishioka, Hiroto Kanai, Yasunari Takeshima, Moeka Hoshi, Yuki Kura, Ako, Ned Dennehy, Hiromoto Ida, Toshi Toa, Takeshi Kurkawa.

James Clavell’s seminal novel Shogun is arguably one of the reasons that the West became more than enamoured with Japan’s almost secret history, that the role played by the country in World War Two could be, if not forgiven, then explained in a deeper context of a period of time in which its present was heavily dictated to, and inspired by its honour, as well as what could be seen as its brutality.

Shogun. Television Drama Review. full post

(389 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

Beyond Paradise. Series Two. Television Drama Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Kris Marshall, Zahra Ahmadi, Sally Bretton, Dylan Llewellyn, Felicity Montagu, Barbara Flynn, Melina Sinadinou, Jade Harrison, Peter Davison, Jeff Rawle, Joe Barnes, Paul Bradley, Danny Webb, Kevin Bishop, Nicholas Woodeson.

Whether Kris Marshall’s popularity as DI Humphrey Goodman in Death In Paradise was enough to see him take the lead in a spin off could be up for debate if it was completely obvious that the actor not only belongs on television, but his reading of the character of the loveable but often disorganised detective blends seamlessly into the south west way of life, the sense of calm meeting a warm chaos is roundly to be applauded, and with a great cast adding a measured approach to story-telling, it is with little wonder that the second series of Beyond Paradise is as equal to anything its parent show delivered.

Beyond Paradise. Series Two. Television Drama Review. full post

(405 words, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)