Coming up...

Well, we're well into December now and I've got a lot on my plate, both to review and outside this hobby of mine. But, if you're coming to this blog at all, you're probably more  interested in the reviews so I thought I'd tell you some of my ideas on what could be coming next.

Movies

I'm sorry that it took me so long to get the Mockingjay review out but more are coming. This list isn't in any order but I can tell you that the first one is definitely getting reviewed when I see it:

• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• The Lego Movie
• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
•  The Expendables 3
• Into the Storm
• Maleficent
• Batman: Assault on Arkham
• Man of Steel

That's about all just now for this short update. Oh, and one last thing. I'll be making top 15 (maybe 20) anticipated movies of 2015 list very soon. I'm just looking into the movies now. OK, see you later and keep checking back for these reviews, coming VERY soon.

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" Review

Do you know what, Hollywood? I am sick to death of your use of gimmicks to expand your franchises in order to make more money, whether it be pointless spin-offs, reboots far too early, or, in this case, the splitting of a final entry to the series into two parts! Now, in some cases, I get it. Potter deserved to have its final entry divided due to the size of the book and the amount of detail that would be missed out if it was only one part. But doing it to Twilight, Divergent, and now, The Hunger Games, is simple money-grabbing! Do it where necessary but do not do it if it is not needed! OK, rant over, so let's actually get to "The Hunger Games:  Mockingjay, Part 1." I have enjoyed seeing this dystopian future come to life over the past two years in a different way to anything that we've seen before. Normally, the future is portrayed as a magical place filled to the brim with technology that we can only dream of today. The Hunger Games has shown that in the Capital but has focused on the oppressed people of the Districts and the revolution sparked by the defiance of Katniss Everdeen. 

Katniss stands in the middle of the destruction caused by the Capital as the unwilling symbol of the rebellion

It is very easy to be wary of the approach this movie takes. Having escaped from the Capital and the Games with the help of Haymitch, Finnick, and revealed revolutionary Plutarch Heavensbee, but at the expense of Peeta, Katniss finds herself being forced to become the symbol of the revolution, headed up by District 13 leader, Alma Coin. Jennifer Lawrence is one of the best and most popular actresses in the business right now and her performance here only continues to prove that that reputation is well-earned. She puts in a powerful performance as the unwilling Mockingjay symbol, conveying that the character is really mentally fragile after her ordeals and does not want to be in this position. Liam Hemsworth also gets more of a chance to shine in this movie as Gale as Josh Hutcherson's Peeta takes more of a back seat. The same can be said for Woody Harrelson's Haymitch and Elizabeth Banks' Effie Trinket,  who provide some well-needed comic relief at points, contrasting with the overall dark tone of the movie. I also enjoyed watching Julianne Moore's adaption of President Coin, who comes across as extremely unlikable at first, but as her motivations are revealed, you really connect emotionally with the character. Unfortunately,  the supporting cast, besides a great performance from the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, do not fare so well. Sam Claflin, who plays Finnick, easily the most likable character from the last movie, has a greatly reduced role while I cannot even remember a few character names, such as Coin's right-hand man.

Remember the really likable Finnick from "Catching Fire?" Yeah, he's not in this one nearly as much.

As previously said, the movie deviates quite drastically from the formula the previous two films have had, acting as more of an insight into what makes these characters tick, rather than partaking in more action sequences than are needed. That's not to say there aren't any as Katniss gets out in the field for the revolution in one of the most visually striking  sequences of the series, as a hospital comes under attack. The effects here are beautiful and look incredibly realistic. Of course, that is helped by the staging created. The costumes and make-up are some of the best that I've ever seen, and this all helps to immerse you in this world of death and disaster. The music is also very impressive, being intense during action sequences and downbeat during the various emotional moments. It's also become something of a trend to bring in real singers to add a movie's soundtrack nowadays, and "Mockingjay, Part 1" has up and coming singer Lorde, whose single for the film "Yellow Flicker Beat" has recently been nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. I'll post a link to the song after my rating so you can hear it for yourself.

Katniss and Gale run through the destruction of the Districts, trying to get to the shops before the pre-Christmas sales end.

In a world where so many teen books are being adapted into movies, including "Divergent", "The Maze Runner", and the now-finished but still hugely successful Potter saga, "The Hunger Games" still manages to prove to me that it is one of the best in film. Made special by its stellar cast, headed up by Jennifer Lawrence, gorgeous effects and incredible soundtrack, but unfortunately let down by only a few poorly developed side characters and at some points its pacing, "Mockingjay, Part 1" is worth seeing right now as it will amaze you visually and emotionally pull at your heartstrings at the same time.

Rating : 8/10

Original Release Date: November 10th, 2014

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson,  Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

"Yellow Flicker Beat" link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnoXecGpq6g

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Speculation

Well done, J.J. Abrams. Thanks to you, I've got Star Wars fever and that's not going away for a while! So I thought that if I can't get rid of it, I might as well embrace it and go back to look at the rumoured plot and character details for Star Wars: The Force Awakens while taking into account info from the recently released teaser trailer (go check out my reactions to that if you want to hear them). So, without further ado, let's get started and look at the cast so far announced and who they might be playing.

The Cast

 

Look, I'm not going to waste my time or yours here analysing who the returning cast are playing because we all know. We've got Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia (so, is Leia technically a Disney princess after this?). Also returning are Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, and Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker as comedy double-act C3PO and R2D2. So let's move onto the newcomers starting with who we saw in the trailer a few days ago. 

Two of the main actors in the movie can be seen to the right, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley who were both seen in the brief teaser. Boyega appeared in the Stormtrooper outfit near the beginning of the trailer. I would like him to be playing an Imperial trooper rather than doing a Luke and Han and just dressing up like one from "A New Hope" so that we can see some events from the Empire's perspective , so I think that's who he's playing. Ridley, on the other hand, appears to be a Tatooine native, and the leader of the new trilogy. Rumours have been circulating that she is playing Han and Leia's daughter, possibly called Kira. That seems like a very plausible option and the one I'm rooting for to be true.

Now I'm going to talk about this sinister character for a while. This would appear to be our Sith for the movie and my bet's on this being Adam Driver, who has long been rumoured to be the villain. However, I doubt he is the only villain and I'm hoping that the rumours of the three Jedi Hunters, called Inquisitors, are true, with Driver, Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o and another playing them. I also doubt that it is Driver doing the voiceover in the trailer, talking about the "awakening of the force." Speculation has exploded on the Internet about this with lots speculating that this is Benedict Cumberbatch in a secret role. Now, I love Cumberbatch as an actor and have seen lots of his work, but, while the voice kind of sounds like him to begin with, I don't think this is him. My theory is that this is Max von Sydow, one of the first actors announced who would be great at being the big bad of these new movies. Everyone else doesn't seem to be thinking the same though with lots thinking that this could be mo-cap actor Andy Serkis. I don't think so but it could be.  

I don't think I need to talk too much about who Oscar Isaac is playing judging by his getup here. It seems pretty safe to assume he is or will become a Rebel soldier as he is here piloting one of the classic X-Wings and rocking the Rebel uniform. Other cast members include Domhnall Gleeson and Gwendoline Christie but I'm not sure who they're playing right now although I think Christie could be the third Inquisitor while Gleeson could also be part of the Rebel forces. That's all I have to say on the announced cast so let's move onto some of my ideas on the potential plot before wrapping up here.

The Plot

It's difficult to say anything about the plot at this point but I'll give it a go anyway. Boyega will likely be the focus of the film as an Imperial trooper at the start and we'll see some battle scenes from the Empire's point of view. He'll soon end up on Tatooine where he will meet Daisy Ridley's scavenger/junker daughter of Han and Leia. She will probably be the one who turns him to the good side against the Empire, leading to the, both being trained by Luke as Jedi and in the Force. However, the Inquisitors, led by Adam Driver, are on the hunt for Luke on the orders of new Imperial leader and super Sith Max von Sydow as he is their greatest threat. Luke will probably lead Ridley and Boyega to the Rebel base where they will meet Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson but the base will be attacked by the Inquisitors. Luke will fend off two of them but will ultimately be killed by Driver's character in a show of power. This would basically act as a catalyst for Boyega and Ridley to fight against the Empire and the Inquisitors over the course of two more movies.

So, those are my theories on the plot and characters of "The Forc Awakens." It is clear that anticipation and excitement are high for this particular movie in a year of blockbusters next year and, whatever happens, I'm pretty sure it's going to be awesome!

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Trailer Reaction

It's finally here! After months of waiting and speculation, J.J. Abrams and Disney have finally released the first trailer for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens!" Is it as nostalgic as the "Jurassic World" trailer? What do the cast look like? Does it even look good? Watch below (I'll put a link to the YouTube video for mobile users and anyone experiencing trouble) and then I'll tell you what I think.

For mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOVFvcNfvE

Unlike "Jurassic World" and particularly "Pan," my thoughts when it comes to this are clear: it just looks really, really good. The trailer itself does not reveal a lot about the plot or narrative itself but, honestly, that's the way trailers should be. Trailers are there to get you excited for the movie by showing a bit of what is happening and snippets of the action rather than the whole thing. The biggest offender of showing the whole movie is the more recent "Amazing Spider-Man 2" which had a trailer that clocked in at 4 minutes! That gave Sony enough time to basically give away the entire plot of the movie! When I came out of seeing that one, I felt like I could have just watched the trailer and not had to pay to see it because it gave everything away! That's just one of the things this trailer did right so let's take a look at a few others.

Check out the new lightsabers! Sure they look cool but this villain is eventually going to cut his own hand off using this...

A few months ago, Disney released the main cast list for Star Wars: Episode VII (now subtitled "The Force Awakens") which included John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, the main original cast of Star Wars, Max von Sydow, and legendary motion-capture actor Andy Serkis. I had hoped to see the cast in full makeup in this trailer as was rumoured numerous times. Unfortunately, you don't always get what you want so we only see a few members of the cast and one is hiding his face! We see John Boyega in one of the new Stormtrooper outfits (a nice callback to the original), Daisy Ridley (I hadn't even heard of her before this) on a speeder, Oscar Isaac (maybe) in a starship,  and one of the villains rocking a new (but a bit impractical) lightsaber. OK...not as many people as I wanted to see but this is a teaser trailer after all so I'm sure we'll see more of the cast as the trailers go on.

This is Disney saying "STAR WARS IS BACK, BABY!!!"

As for the effects, well...did you expect anything less from a Star Wars movie? Their effects have always been impressive but here, they're really showing off what they can do with the new technology. Lightsabers, lasers, and the Millenium Falcon itself have never looked better and I can't wait to see them in action even more. John Williams is back to score as well, and it is so clear throughout the trailer with the classic Star Wars music playing as the action progresses.

Everyone: meet Disney's next big toy seller after "Big Hero 6", "Inside Out", and "The Good Dinosaur."

Well, there's not much left to say. I think I've made it clear that I am REALLY excited for this movie! The effects, cast, and music all signal that director J.J. Abrams and his team know what they're doing here. Come on, J.J., don't let us down.

 

"Pan" Trailer Reaction

Nipping at the heels of Universal and the "Jurassic World" trailer, Warner Bros have just released the first trailer for their upcoming origin tale, "Pan." You can check out the trailer below. Mobile users might be having trouble with this so I'm going to put a link to the YouTube video anyway. So have a look and then I'll tell you what I think.

For mobile users : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHl8F60t-ss

Unlike the "Jurassic World" trailer, where I knew that I liked it at the end, I am still not sure what to make of  this. One thing is clear though: this sure isn't going to be the Peter Pan we all grew up with. There is some things to like about that and some things to be really annoyed about. Let's take a look.

Blackbeard's ( and probably one day Hook's) flies into the beautiful world of Neverland. Wait, that ship didn't fly until THE END of Peter Pan...

First off, the starting tone of the trailer is great. I personally like movies that go for the darker tone and this trailer seemed to have lots of it. The pirates dropping down from the ceiling, Peter's mother leaving, the orphanage setting. It all created this tone which is very different to any Peter Pan flick we've seen before. But of course that all falls apart as soon as Hugh Jackman's goofy and way over-the-top Blackbeard (who doesn't even have a full beard, by the way!) appears on screen, signalling our descent into crazy land. The darker tone falls apart by the second when the trailer enters Neverland, with lots of bright, flashy colours and more strange performances. It almost seemed like Warner Bros had changed what movie they were advertising halfway through!

See what I mean?

The acting, as I said, is very goofy here, but it DOES actually have some potential. They were able to show off the four principal actors in the movie in full makeup, although some did get more screen time than others. I'll put the character posters at the end of the post and my thoughts so you can see them for yourself. Hugh Jackman (seen above) is in the movie as the "menacing" Blackbeard. He's not shown in the best way here but Jackman is a good actor and will probably be able to pull through. New actor Levi Miller stars in the movie as the young Peter Pan. Now, I don't like child actors in general but this kid could be very good in the movie if this trailer is anything to go by. Rooney Mara and Garrett Hedlund also star in the movie in their roles as warrior Tiger Lily and a young pre-Captain Hook respectively. I'm not familiar with a lot, if any, of Mara's work but I have come across Hedlund before in 2010's "Tron: Legacy" where he played the lead. "Legacy" is not the best film but Hedlund was a good lead and hopefully he will be good here too. Now, my concerns are not with the actors themselves, but with what they will have to work with in the so-far underwhelming script. For example, at the very end of the trailer when Blackbeard asks Peter if he is going to kill him, Pan replies that he "does not believe in bedtime stories." I understand that could have been taken out of context or from somewhere else in the conversation but, if it has not, that is worrying. How is that a valid response to a yes/no question? Am I missing something? 

Pan (Levi Miller) hides from Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) and his terrible wig

Where this trailer does succeed though is showing off how beautiful the effects are in the movie. Neverland looks stunning using technology never utilised in a Pan film before and adds to the fantastical feel the world is meant to have. Makeup is spot on as well, with the warrior tribe you can spot is the trailer being particularly well done. My final thoughts on "Pan" though are undecided. Bits of the trailer were good (the effects) and others not so much (the often terrible dialogue). I'm sure I'll go to see it anyway, assuming the next trailer isn't awful in every way, but this has not done anything to convince me "Pan" is Academy Award, BAFTA, or Golden Globe potential.

NEXT UP : "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Trailer Reaction when it releases tomorrow (this                               sure is a trailer week, isn't it) 

Character Posters, as promised

 

"Jurassic World" Trailer Reactions

Well, the first trailer for the highly anticipated "Jurassic World" as finally hit but, rather than me breaking down the entire trailer in pictures, here's the full video (which I'd recommend putting in full screen) and then we'll move onto the reactions and my own thoughts.

Hmmm......It's a difficult one to make up your mind on, isn't it? For one, the new cast and effects are gorgeous but there does seem to be a heavy reliance on nostalgia of the previous films with a few old similarities. Kids trapped on the island. Yep, got that. Raptors chasing people. Check. Heck, you could even argue that that shark being dangled over water for that dinosaur resembles the lowering of the goat into the cage from the original classic "Jurassic Park!" My personal opinion is that it is great. And here's why.

Pratt plays dino dentist Owen in the movie. Only kidding, his name's not Owen.

The new cast is an exciting one because of one actor. Chris Pratt. Most recently seen in Guardians of the Galaxy as leading man Peter Quill AKA Star-Lord, and before that Emmett in the Lego Movie, Pratt is certainly moving up in Hollywood. And no wonder! The man is extremely talented, able to pull off a healthy mix of serious and comic in the same movie. Other cast members are quite unknown. The kid from Iron Man 3 is in it. I know that much. 

Go, go, Team Velociraptor!

The plot is also a new direction for the franchise. Rather than being trapped on the island, people are willingly going there now as Jurassic  Park, now named Jurassic World, is open for business. Pratt's character, Owen, who takes care of the dinosaurs, has some reservations when the scientists decide to genetically create a new dinosaur from scratch, though. They do it anyway. Three guesses what happens. Well, you've watched the trailer, so if you didn't say "everything goes horribly wrong", you're clearly not paying attention. It looks like an action-heavy plot but interesting at the same time although it can be said that it does look very serious. Maybe even too much so.

I guess executive producer Steven Spielberg decided it was time to kill Jaws once and for all. And how better to do than by having the shark eaten by a giant dinosaur!

The effects are also awesome, with the Dinos looking as good as they did 30 years ago, although the team working on the film did make the controversial decision to CGI the Jurassic World gate and it does look a little strange. In the end, though, this trailer was awesome and it makes me really excited to see a potentially good Jurassic Park film return to our screens (2 and 3 don't count). It could, of course, all go horribly wrong but I doubt it will and I am definitely going to be seeing this one next June.

"THE IMITATION GAME" Review

Albert Einstein. Nikola Tesla. Sir Isaac Newton. All of these are names that we would associate with the word "genius." This film opts to take a look into what just may be one of the most under-appreciated brainboxes in history, Alan Turing. Only just posthumously pardoned and honoured by Queen Elizabeth II last year, Turing was the man who assisted the British government in one of the pivotal roles of World War II, breaking the German code, Enigma. With 159 million million settings (that's 18 zeroes, by the way), the task seemed impossible, with the puzzle only solved by Turing's invention of a machine which went through every possible combination. They later became known as Turing machines. Today, we call them computers. However, the war fades into the background of the film later on as Turing's homosexuality comes to the forefront. This turns the movie more into a tale of the hypocrisy and warped sense of morality humanity often displays. This prosecution led to Turing's suicide and this adds to the shock and horror at the choices we made.

Cumberbatch and the rest of the talented group attempt to break the unbreakable code, Enigma

The acting in this movie is incredible. Simply incredible. Benedict Cumberbatch leads as Turing himself. Cumberbatch puts in a powerful performance as the mathematician and his interactions his other people feel appropriately awkward and uneasy. The end of the movie showcases the actor's ability to show emotion brilliantly as well. Cumberbatch is one of Hollywood's rising stars and I will be amazed if he does not receive a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars for his spectacular performance. Keira Knightley, who I have not really seen for a while, co-stars in this movie as Joan Clarke, a genius level woman who is restricted by the social limitations of women at the time of the film's events. Knightley's performance is also stunning, especially in one of the final scenes of the movie with Cumberbatch, which is amazing to watch and pulls at the heartstrings. Supporting actors Matthew Goode, Mark Strong, Rory Kinnear, and Charles Dance (notice there are not many women in this picture) also deliver excellent performances.

Enigma's solution is destined to become one of the most groundbreaking inventions in history and something we still use today.

There are also many other elements which add to the enjoyment of the film I experienced. Composer Alexandre Desplat has done an incredible job with the score, with the music spiking up during intense sequences of suspense but dipping down to a slow tempo in the emotional scenes. Effects are not something this kind of film really needs but they are shown off in the few wartime London and attack moments there are. Make-up is another area where the film excels, really bringing the time period and dress sense to life, which is important for the immersion of the audience. However, the only complaint I may have is with the narrative structure used. The film has opted to switch between different points of Turing's life to show his persecution at these times, from his childhood to the war to just before his tragic death. I personally had no trouble with this but other may find this slightly confusing.

The brilliant set design and makeup succeed in immersing the audience in the time period.

It is not an overstatement to say that director Morten Tyldum has done a fantastic job in putting together this biopic concerning Alan Turing. This is the definitive account of Turing's life, brought to life by Benedict Cumberbatch's electric performance and the rest of the stellar cast, as well as the amazing score and high sense of immersion created by the set designers and makeup artists. This is guaranteed to make an appearance at the Oscars next year in many categories and I urge you to not let this film pass you by as you are distracted by "Interstellar" or "The Hunger Games."

Rating : 9/10

Director : Morten Tyldum

Starring : Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, Mark Strong, Rory Kinnear

Original Release Date : 14th November, 2014

"Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2" Reaction

Are you kidding me? What is the world coming to when THIS movie exists? I swear, it's not a joke. THIS IS REAL! THE TRAILER IS LIVE NOW! In fact, do you know what, here's the link. Go watch it and then come back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1oi-RkCLNM

Did you see what I saw?!?! Looks like this movie is just going to be fat jokes, fat jokes and...you guessed it, even MORE fat jokes! What else do you need? Actual humour? Nope. Well-developed character? Why would you need them? A plot? The first one didn't have one but it still made a worldwide total of $183 million!!! I just can't get my head round this. I can't imagine what the Sony executives were thinking when they gave the thumbs up for this to be put into production. But we're all going to go see it. All of us. We went to see Grown Ups 2. We went to see Jack and Jill. Some of us went to see That's My Boy. So we'll see what happens but I'm putting the money on a 1/10 right now. 

"Doctor Who : Death in Heaven" Review

As per usual with TV reviews, be warned:

Well, Peter Capaldi's first tour in the TARDIS has ended, with a fairly mixed series of some good and many bad episodes. So it's needless to say it was necessary for this second part to the finale to pay off. And pay off it did. Big time. With Missy revealing herself as the Master at the end of last week, an army of Cybermen made up of the dead, and a master plan (pardon the pun) falling into place, I actually struggled to comprehend how the Doctor would overcome this threat. Head writer Steven Moffat had a heck of a job on his hands to come up with a good solution

Each of the actors here deliver incredible performances in an incredible finale

The actors continue to be on top form this week, with Peter Capaldi and Michelle Gomez being the stand-out performances. Their chemistry on screen as best friends turned enemies is undeniably fantastic. As I said in my last Who review, I have very much enjoyed Capaldi's run and his acting. His acting as been emotional and intense whenever needed and I look forward to seeing more of him in the future. Michelle Gomez is brilliant as Missy, a psychotic Mary Poppins-esque character, and has the best scenes of the episode. There is a particular moment featuring Ingrid Oliver's Osgood that results in the character's death, where Missy is so cruel, so evil that the mental state of this character is conveyed quite clearly. Besides the two lead characters, Jenna Coleman is also brilliant. Again, it has been a great series for the character of Clara, as she has received a lot of character development. Her acting is spectacular here as her emotions and anger are shown brilliantly. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters pulled the short straw. Remember Seb from last week? Criminally under used. Remember Kate Stewart, the scientific head of UNIT? Useless. Steven Moffat, improve your supporting characters. Now.

Missy is quite angry at how she ends up when the story finishes.

Obviously, the story continues from last week and it is soon revealed that Missy plans to use something the Doctor dubs "cyber-pollen" to turn dead people into Cybermen instantly. Whose idea was this? Clara also pretends to be the Doctor to escape the Cybermen. Facepalm. The Doctor is also elected President of Earth with full control over everything. He's not even human....The Cybermen are also defeated in the most Moffat way possible...love. As you can see, there is a lot wrong here but it unbelievably works WELL on screen.  It is action-packed with a great set-piece on a UNIT plane with Missy and the Cybermen as well as great and hard-hitting emotional moments. Special mentions go to Jenna Coleman and Samuel Anderson in the scenes with Clara and Cyberman Danny. And then he goes and kills the Master at the end. Why can no writer in Doctor Who deal with the character of the Master without killing them? The character is actually smart, you know. Otherwise, Moffat has done well here to write an engaging and interesting story. Well done, Mr. Moffat.

The Cybermen return in their first actually GOOD appearance in years

This series has been mixed, no doubt about it. There have been some great episodes (Listen) and some terrible ones (looking at you, Robot of Sherwood). But this was an excellent finale with a mature and intriguing script and characters, as well as excellent effects and music. Moffat is known for his fairy tale approaches to episodes but he has done well here. I actually thought he had changed until the bewildering scene at the end when Santa Claus, played by Nick Frost, invades the TARDIS, asking the Doctor what he wants for Christmas, in a set up for a special that looks like it's straight out of Ridley Scott's "Alien." Weird, for sure. This Christmas should be interesting.

Rating : 9/10

Original Air Date : 8th November, 2014

Starring : Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Samuel Anderson, Michelle Gomez, Chris Addison 

"THE LAST AIRBENDER" Review

A shorter review this time because I cannot talk about this particular movie for too long. It's that bad:

This is quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. If you thought "Batman and Robin" or "After Earth" was as bad as it gets.....then,oh boy, are you in for a shock. Based off of the popular Nickelodeon TV series, "The Last Airbender" revolves around a young boy who is able to wield the power of all four elements (the Periodic table will tell you there are more but this movie ignores all physics and science entirely so it doesn't matter) and must battle the evil fire nation with the help of his friends. I refuse to believe that the TV show is this bad. There is no way that a TV show this popular could spawn this abomination.

TERRIBLE ACTING ALERT!!!!

What makes it so bad I hear you ask? EVERYTHING!!!! This movie suffers from every problem possible! There is laughable acting all the way through from inexperienced child actors who convey no emotion, no personality, and only come across as bland people. Mind you, the script gave them practically nothing to work with. It is very difficult to be drawn into and immersed in this world where people can control earth, water, fire, and air and the writing for every character is just hilarious. It makes characters say the most stupid things and the decisions are hilariously pointless. They have no overall impact on the outcome of the movie and the characters never change before and after anyway! The choreography is poor throughout, another thing which makes it difficult to be immersed in the world when NOTHING LOOKS REALISTIC! The effects are satisfactory when the characters are standing still but when they are moving, everything just falls apart immediately.

This is seriously as good as it gets in the effects department. I am not joking (believe me, I wish I was)

This is a terrible movie in every way, as if I have not been trying to drill that in for the entirety of this review, and you should avoid seeing it at all costs! This movie unbelievably tries to set up a sequel but, if that ever got approved by executives, I and everyone else who has seen this movie would be questioning their sanity!

Rating : 1/10

Original Release Date : July 1st 2010

Starring : Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Dev Patel, Jackson Rathbone, Shaun Toub

"Doctor Who : Dark Water" Review

Before we get into this, I think I should say:

Well, that was quite brilliant wasn't it?

After a frankly mediocre series of episodes, Steven Moffat has finally pulled through had give us something decent in the form of penultimate episode "Dark Water." An emotional rollercoaster mixed with intrigue and a whopping twist at the end, it is easily one of, if not THE, best episode of the series so far. So let's not waste any time, and get stuck into "Dark Water!"

The Doctor and the not-so-mysterious Missy stand together as the Cybermen emerge from a familiar location.

The acting this episode is on level with many of the other episodes this series. Which is pretty good. Peter Capaldi's Doctor has received mixed views (some Americans have complained that they cannot understand his accent) but I personally like it. Portraying a "darker" version of the Time Lord than in the past, Capaldi has brought the intelligence and detachment of the Doctor to the screen but also the emotions of the character when faced with so-called impossible decisions (Moffat does like to use the word "impossible" even when the situation isn't that bad, doesn't he). It has also been an incredible series for companion Jenna Coleman, who has finally received some decent character development. Her acting is particularly impressive in one of the earliest scenes of the episode when she tries to get the Doctor to change time and bring boyfriend Danny back to life (he dies in the first five minutes, by the way) and the emotions shown by both characters is very realistic and well written. Capaldi's "Thick Of It" co-star Chris Addison also stars in this episode as Nethersphere caretaker Seb and is in practically every scene with Danny. The character comes across as very clever and funny, but also insane. However, the stand-out performance is that of Michelle Gomez, who portrays Missy, a psychotic Mary Poppins character, whose final reveal is the big twist. Her chemistry with Capaldi is beyond excellent and she is the perfect villain to the series.

Old enemies return to face the Doctor, although this wasn't surprising as we knew it was going to happen months ago.

The story revolves around Clara and the Doctor going to find out where people go when they die after Clara's beau Danny bites the dust after five minutes. I'm not kidding. It's not long before they encounter the mysterious Missy and Dr. Chang at the 3W institute where dead bodies are kept in exoskeletons (three guesses what the exoskeletons are) in an attempt to keep the dead safe because apparently people stay conscious after death. This is a rather unfortunate choice of topic when you think about it. It's no wonder that the BBC have received over 100 complaints about this! You'll see why or you know why is you've seen the episode. Later, the Cybermen emerge into London from St. Paul's Cathedral. This is a great callback if you understand it from a classic Doctor Who story and it is incredible to see again. And then the twist happens. The clue was in the name the whole time, wasn't it. Missy is the Master. Yep. The Master is now a woman and is back for revenge after the Doctor abandoned him on Gallifrey. I LOVED this. The idea of the Master being back is enough and how insane Gomez can be just adds to my excitement to see Missy fully in action in the second part. On the other hand, I can't help but feel that this was a test for the BBC to see if we would be fully able to accept a female Doctor. I like this but I know lots of people don't so we'll see what happens.

Chris Addison and Peter Capaldi reunite as hero and villain respectively, with excellent performances form both actors!

Once again, Murray Gold delivers a solid soundtrack with intense and emotional music fitting in perfectly to whatever scene they are needed in. Overall, this was an incredible episode with stunning performances from all of the cast. The episode kept the excitement and pace, never letting up, and I am very excited for part two despite the perhaps unwise topic chosen and portrayal of it by Steven Moffat.

Rating : 9/10

Original Air Date : 1st November 2014

Starring : Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Samuel Anderson, Michelle Gomez, Chris Addison

 

"SPIDER-MAN 3" Review

Well , I've been doing mostly positive reviews so far so I think it's time to change things up a bit. Unfortunately, that means reviewing...*sigh*...this:

Do you know how much this film reportedly cost to make? $258 million. That makes "Spider-Man 3" one of the most expensive movies ever, only lagging behind "Tangled" and the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" film. There is even speculation that it cost more than this and could be THE most expensive movie ever. Let those facts and figures sink in and then consider the finished product. How is it possible that a film with this high a budget could fail on so many levels? The main glaring problem is the overabundance of villains.

Sam Raimi clearly wasn't flexing his film-making muscles as Spider-Man shows off his real ones.

Sandman, a relatively minor villain from the comics, has, for some unknown reason, been upgraded to having a hand in Uncle Ben's death, purely so that the villain can have a connection to the hero. Why was this necessary? Harry Osborn, who has had three films worth of character development, makes more sense as a villain and has fair motivations and a link to Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker. However, James Franco's performance is so devoid of emotion and personality that none of that matters! The biggest offence, however, goes to the shoehorning of fan favourite Venom into the movie. Now, I actually feel sorry for director Sam Raimi here as he was actually under pressure from Sony executives to put the character in but that does not stop my anger at the casting of Topher Grace as Eddie Brock AKA Venom ( who, guess what, also has a connection to Peter!). Grace is so skinny and weak that it is hard to imagine him as the hulking bodybuilder character from the comics. The only saving grace ( sorry for the pun there) of Venom and the other villains is that they look fantastic. These effects cost a fair bit to put into practice and, for once, it was not for nothing.

Looks intimidating here, right? As far from it as you can get in the movie itself.

The casting in the movie as a whole is weak, never mind just the villains. I have always thought that Tobey Maguire was a terrible Peter Parker and Spider-Man, losing Spider-Man's cocky attitude and humour from the comic books, although he did pull of the short time as a geek in the first one well (if you want a good Spider-Man, go and watch Andrew Garfield's performance in the new reboot films). Kirsten Dunst brings absolutely no personality to the Mary-Jane character and she just comes across as plain annoying. JK Simmons is the only good actor in the production in his hilariously over the top performance as newspaper editor J Jonah Jameson, bringing all of the anger and humour of the character to the big screen. As I said before, the effects are one of the only good things about the film but that cannot carry the whole movie and sometimes the fighting does not even look as good. 

Oh no, not another rubbish romantic subplot! Now featuring terrible acting!

The plot is just stupid as well, with a lazy script relying almost entirely on coincidence and downright ridiculous decisions. Where did the Venom symbiote come from? Why did the scientists not check the test site Sandman fell into? Oh, Harry got amnesia and forgets Peter is Spider-Man. That was lucky! These are just a couple of examples of the stupid decisions and plot conveniences present throughout the entirety of it's 2 hour running time (which they showed you all of in the trailer by the way). Trust me, it feels even longer. This is a bad movie, plain and simple. The lazy script, terrible acting and pointless villains all make the two hours you would spend watching this feel even longer as you wish it would just end. It was good of Sony to end this now and not let it continue to get worse in order to reboot the franchise and do Spider-Man some justice.

Rating :  3/10

Original Release Date : April 17th, 2007

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Topher Grace, 

JK Simmons, Thomas Haden Church

Marvel Phase 3 Movie Announcement Reaction!

Marvel is just doing brilliantly right now, isn't it? They just took a risk with "Guardians of the Galaxy" and it paid off massively. Then they released the "Avengers : Age of Ultron" trailer and it has so far been watched more than 52 million times! And now this! Marvel has just released their entire Phase 3 lineup (yes, I know it was a few days ago but I've been busy)! It is an impressive lineup, with some great choices and some massive risks, one in particular bigger than "Guardians of the Galaxy!" So let's take a look at what Marvel has in store for us up until 2019!

First up is the third Captain America film subtitled "Civil War!" This was a highly anticipated announcement after recent news that Robert Downey Jr. had signed on to play Tony Stark AKA Iron Man in the third Cap film. For those of you who don't know, Civil War is one of Marvel's biggest and most successful comic stories where Captain America and Iron Man formed separate teams of heroes and villains to battle over whether or not superheroes should reveal their identities. Obviously they can't do that exactly here as nobody in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a secret identity but expect to see teams of heroes and villain duking it out in an event so massive it may rival the previous year's "Age of Ultron!"

 

Next up is one we have known about for a while but it's still nice to get official confirmation and a release date on it : Doctor Strange. Earth's Sorcerer Supreme will finally be making his big-screen appearance after that awesome name-drop in "The Winter Soldier!"  A big name who has been linked to the role recently is Benedict Cumberbatch, most well known for his leading role in the BBC's incredible "Sherlock". I personally think Cumberbatch would be perfect for the role with his ability to portray a cocky and intelligent character but also a heroic one (seriously, go watch "Sherlock" if you don't believe me!), which is exactly the character of the Doctor in the comics!

Guardians 2. A movie Marvel are so confident about that they went and announced it even before the first one was actually released. It better be good. Not much else to say on this front. Moving on.

Cap's not the only one getting a threequel in Phase 3 as Thor returns for another outing. The word "Ragnarok" refers to the end of all humans and gods in a cataclysmic event before they are reborn again. Get ready for a dark movie with lots of destruction. Basically every movie in this Phase so far.

 

Here's one of those big risks that I was talking about. Not a lot of people know who Black Panther is but that's OK as he will already have been introduced to us in Captain America : Civil War so that the character is not completely alien to us. Another thing is he's already been cast! The actor is Chadwick Boseman (I don't know about you but I said "who?") and he is a mostly TV based actor but has starred in two biopics in the last year, earning critical praise. Seems like another case of perfect Marvel casting. The concept art for the character can be seen to to the side.

Marvel then decided to follow  up on their announcement of a Black Panther film with their first female-led superhero film, "Captain Marvel." This is another massive risk but the character of Carol Danvers, who is yet to be cast and will become Captain Marvel, may have already been introduced in another movie or even the SHIELD TV show so we'll see what happens on that front.

You'd be forgiven for asking "who?". This is one of Marvel's least known properties without a doubt the biggest risk they have ever taken. I have no idea what is going to happen here but we can rely on Marvel to still deliver something great.

And here it is. The big one. The thing we have all known was coming since Thanos reared his ugly head and smirked to the camera in the Avengers post-credits scene. Every character introduced so far and hereafter comes together for what is sure to be the mother of all superhero movies. And it's in two parts! It's going to be even better! The only problem is that they're going to make us wait a year for the second part! 

Well, there you have it, a breakdown of all of the Marvel Phase 3 announcement. I am super excited for this and it can't come quick enough in my mind!