Dream Casting Disney's 2019 Live-Action Lion King!!!

So first off, I would like to thank everyone for the incredible support to the last post I put up! I have honestly been doing this for coming up to 3 years, and still enjoy doing it, but haven't received much in way of feedback across that time. To have some of you guys respond, and tell me that you enjoyed it, was truly an amazing feeling and it's great to know that you are actually enjoying this, especially on a post I considered a little more risky than my usual content. Anyway, thank you so much for your continued support!

I don't think I've said it enough, but Disney are on a roll on all fronts right now. Their animated features are receiving critical acclaim across the board, with both Moana and Zootropolis last year garnering high praise, while their live-action efforts are also going down a treat with audiences. With that said, is it any surprise that a live-action Lion King is being fast-tracked, announced this week for a July 19th, 2019 release date! It's a great time to be a Disney fan for sure. We already have 2 cast members confirmed: Donald Glover for the adult Simba (which is phenomenal casting), and a returning James Earl Jones as Mufasa, which was music to the ears of all fans of the original version. So, I thought I'd take another risky post and take a stab at casting the main players of the new version of the movie. Since James Earl Jones is coming back, there may be a few familiar faces on the list as well. You might say that's cheating, but this is a wish list, and it would be incredible to see the few inclusions return for this version. With introductions out of the way, let's jump in!

Young Simba - Caleb McLaughlin

Now, here's a name that only really became known to the world last year after starring as one of the main kids, Lucas, in Netflix's excellent 80s-throwback show "Stranger Things". In that show, Caleb McLaughlin showcased himself as an extremely talented young actor, not coming across as annoying at any point across the eight episodes of season one of that show, and demonstrated his dramatic, comedic, and emotional capabilities all at once. If this isn't a perfect fit for the young Simba, then I don't know what is. Not only does his voice perfectly fit what you might imagine a young Donald Glover to sound like, but he also comes across as the sort of mischievous character who would have some playful banter with the King's aide and possibly sneak off to visit an Elephant Graveyard. With the comedic talents for this and the emotion for the events towards the end of the childhood section of the movie, if Disney are looking for a name to play young Simba, I would say this is a good place to start.

Young Nala - Auli'i Cravalho

Another young name from last year who had an impressive first impact on the film world, Auli'i Carvalho entered the spotlight after starring as the titular character in "Moana", one of Disney's hits from last year. Those credentials alone make her perfect to be the young Nala. Although she is a little bit older than Caleb McLaughlin, she is still a young actress and it wouldn't be hard to imagine that the two were close in age at least, particularly when we are only hearing their voices, not seeing their faces. One of the big advantages of this casting is Carvalho's beautiful and impressive singing voice. Although young Nala does not really show off throughout the movie, Disney will of course have to expand on the material and not giving her a chance to show off again (particularly after Moana) would be a massive missed opportunity. Not only that, but she has the comedic and dramatic timing to bounce perfectly off of a young Simba, and enough emotional resonance in her voice to allow the audience to establish a connection to the character when her best friend leaves without a goodbye, and Scar takes over the pride. Basically, Disney, this would be perfect casting.

Adult Nala - Lupita Nyong'o

Admittedly, this is a very popular piece of casting on many wish lists concerning this movie, although it is certainly for good reason! Beyoncé is one name who has been surrounding this part recently, and that probably would not end up being as painful a performance as some might predict (she genuinely wasn't terrible in Steve Martin "Pink Panther" movie), and she of course has the singing voice to carry the part. However, it still has an element of stunt casting about it, and Lupita Nyong'o is simply a far more impressive and exciting name to associate with Nala. Ever since her Oscar-winning turn in "12 Years A Slave", Nyong'o has went on to take on a number of memorable roles in a few big movies, from Maz Kanata in a little movie called "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and mother wolf Raksha in last year's excellent "The Jungle Book". Her voice certainly matches the part of Nala, and has an appropriate mix of hope, honour, and strength to carry the character in her adult years. She has also ready proven her ability to work with and break through CGI in "The Jungle Book", and the emotion that will hopefully match her first meeting with Simba in adulthood once again. The only question mark here that isn't with Beyoncé is her singing voice, but actors have been trained to be singers before, so why shouldn't that be the case here?

Ideal Scar - Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons returning as Scar is number 1 on my wish list for this movie as a whole. Irons brought such phenomenal menace but at the same time a charming humour to the villainous Scar the first time around, and still stands as one of Disney's best villains to date. Irons is still an incredible actor today, and continues to turn in show-stopping performances in a great deal of his movies. There is no doubt that he would be able to bring Scar to life again even 25 years after the original release of the animated movie. Also, come on, it would be spine-tingling to here him perform "Be Prepared" all these years later. With that said, although this is the ideal outcome for me, I do not think it is very likely. Although James Earl Jones is coming back as Mufasa, he ultimately is not in the film for very long and it could be that he is being cast for nostalgic purposes. Scar is a much larger part, and so Disney might want to separate themselves from the original as far as possible by casting new actors, which is why you can see my second pick for a new Scar here as well.

New Scar - Benedict Cumberbatch

This is hands down what I would consider the most predictable entry on this list. When people think of Scar, they think menacing, a strong dramatic voice, and British. Put those 3 together and look for a modern actor, and Benedict Cumberbatch is going to come out at the top of any list. And for good reason! Cumberbatch in my mind absolutely has the acting chops to match Irons' performance and reinvigorate the character of Scar. Although it would undoubtedly be compared to an unfair extent to the original version and be practically identical in a number of areas, that might not necessarily be a bad thing. Cumberbatch is a reliable performer, and has yet to turn in a truly terrible turn in any movie or TV show, so his casting as Scar would be an excellent (if perhaps overly safe) piece of casting on the part of Disney.

Zazu - Rowan Atkinson

There are certain roles that you just cannot replace. Although Jeremy Irons is perfect as Scar, there are other actors that can take up the mantle. Zazu is one role that cannot be replaced, and Rowan Atkinson absolutely must be brought back to reprise the part. I say this because, although I thought long and hard about it, I could not think of someone who could step into this part's shoes and fill the character with the same sass, attitude, humour and loyalty Atkinson brought to the part in the original version. So I cheated and just included him here. Sorry. Let's face it though, Rowan Atkinson's voice has not really aged much over the years, and he absolutely still has the acting ability to inject a live-action version of Zazu with the same energy and fun to the part in 2019, 25 years after he originally played the part.

Timone - Simon Pegg

Timone the meerkat is a difficult character to bring to life but, if I had to pick a modern comedic actor, then who better than Simon Pegg? Pegg is a recognisable household name these days, and has the witty, sarcastic tendencies that may make him perfect to tackle Timone. His humour and fun personality are of course the main selling points of this casting, not to mention that it would simply be really interesting to hear Simon Pegg's rendition of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" In all honesty, however, I do believe that he could pull off the song. As I've already noted, actors can be taught to sing, so why not Simon Pegg? Of course, the classic danger of this casting is that he will bring partner in crime Nick Frost along for the ride to take up the role of Puumba, which would be an instant negative. If Disney can avoid that scary possibility, then this casting would be much more attractive. (Just as a quick side note, I am predicting that this and Puumba below will be the most controversial castings here, but it's not like Disney are going to use my list for reference for their castings, so I don't think there's anything to worry about).

Puumba - Kevin James

Hang on, hang on, put your torches and pitchforks down and just hear me out for one second! Where do we mostly know Kevin James from? That's right, bad Adam Sandler movies, and that is the perception we all have of him when we hear the name! Outside of those movies, however, he's actually a great comic, and has put in some good, heartfelt performances in other movies. James certainly has the voice to bring Puumba to life and the...let's say, physical presence to pull off a motion capture performance for this particular character, should Disney be looking for a motion capture performance, which is likely after the success of Jungle Book. Puumba is one of the original's more underrated heartfelt heroes, and, if you move past the initial fat joke wall Adam Sandler has unfortunately built in front of him over the years, he might be perfect for brining the role into the modern era. Probably the least likely casting on this list, but a fun proposition all the same.

Rafiki - Idris Elba

This is the casting I struggled the most with, but I've ultimately settled on a rising star in terms of British actors right now. Idris Elba is beginning to be recognised worldwide, particularly for his roles in blockbusters like "The Jungle Book" and "Star Trek Beyond". He can give very soft, emotional and dramatic performances in addition to his villainous turns in those two movies, however, and I think that he will be able to channel that to reinvent Rafiki for this live-action take on The Lion King. Rafiki has always been portrayed as the eccentric mystic and wise man of the animals who use Pride Rock as their home, although he has usually been shown to be an older animal as well. Not only could Idris Elba's voice fit the character perfectly in the usual incarnation, but who's to say that director Jon Favreau wouldn't be willing to change the character slightly to make his voice even more fitting? Either way, with his soft delivery and emotional capacity, Elba would be a great, fun addition to the cast ranks.

Rafiki (Second Choice) - Forest Whitaker

That said, I had two thoughts for Rafiki, and this one is far more traditional. What if Disney want a wise, mentor character who can give character a distinct voice and personality? Then Disney might as well call up Forest Whitaker and offer his the part on the spot. As he has shown over the years, Whitaker is more than capable of imbuing a part with intense levity and gravitas, and will only be able to give every line real weight to it. As for his voice and mentor qualities, I refer you to his (small) role as Saw Gerrera in last year's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". That role alone should serve as great experience for those personality traits. All in all, I would be happy to see either actor here cast as Rafiki. It all depends on whether Disney want a traditional version of their mystic mandrill, or are looking to take the character in a different direction this time around.

The Hyenas - Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Martin, and Jim Cummings

There's honestly not much to say here. These are iconic characters to many people who grew up with the original movie and all of the actors still have the talent to reprise their roles as the characters. It would be a dream to hear their voices again in these roles, but with a live-action setting. Make it happen Disney!

Sarabi - Viola Davis

This is the final entry on my list, and is all about Simba's mother. A small supporting character in the original movie, but a character who had their role significantly expanded in the musical, so it's absolutely possible that this is going to transfer into the live-action version as well, particularly if the runtime is going to have to be expanded to fill a full 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hour time slot. In saying that, Viola Davis is perfect in my mind to take up the role of Sarabi. Davis is able to deliver emotional and dramatic performances in whatever role she has taken on, but also has a tougher edge. In the musical, Sarabi leads the lionesses of the pride, and is crucial is standing up to Scar's tyrannical rule and helping Simba in his revolt against his uncle in the finale. All in all, she comes across as the perfect actress to significantly expand on what is little more than a bit part in the original, and give it the heart and soul of the hero's mother deserves.

My Top 20 Favourite Episodes of Doctor Who!!!

On Saturday night, Doctor Who returned to our TV screens with a great, solid start to the new series. While I won't be tackling each individual episode on here, I did get talking with some friends in some group chat about the episode, and one of them asked a question: what was each of our all-time favourite episodes of the show? Honestly, I answered with a top answer and runner-ups quite rashly, and don't think the answer I gave was particularly informed. Sure, I like the episodes, but were they the best? Not by a long shot, I decided, and so I decided to write this list. Shout out then to those friends (you know who you are), you inspired me to do this (and your suggestions might have reminded me of some episodes here and there). A few little things before kicking off. First off, besides one exception at the number two slot because I literally couldn't rank the two episodes because they were equally amazing to me, each episode here is being examined on it's own individual merit. Two or three-parters are not being grouped together generally, so an episode does not get disregarded because it's set-up or follow-up with disappointments. Second, this is MY OPINION. It feels pretty important to stress that here, if you don't like these episodes, or think others are better, that's fine. You enjoy those episodes, and chances are I'll enjoy them as well, I love this show. That said, I can't make a top 100. Honestly, a top 20 is pushing it. Alright, with that out of the way, let's jump in!

20. The Unicorn and the Wasp

What a place to start, a standalone murder mystery where the Doctor teams up with Agatha Christie to stop a shape-shifting giant wasp in the midst of the 1920s. Certainly a unique prospect, and one which is executed in an incredibly fun, but also tense way. This is an episode which knows how silly the idea is and embraces it wholeheartedly, poking jabs at the clichés of murder mysteries, as well as referencing Christie's own work. The chemistry between David Tennant and Catherine Tate is also on full show here, leading to some of the episode's funniest moments. That said, the mystery is also kept as the main focus, with clues being scattered throughout to let us figure out who did it, while also having a number of tense sequences, the dinner party and the climactic lake chase being only two examples. Overall, a crazy, but decidedly fun, adventure, especially in comparison to the dark tone other series tried to adopt where it didn't really pay off.

19. Mummy on the Orient Express

God, is this episode ridiculous. I mean, even considering the standards of this show in particular, this is a silly idea on paper. An ancient mummy comes to life on a cosmic version of the Orient Express, with the Doctor and Clara trying to bring the monster down before it kills again. A concept as stupid as they come right? It's a testament to the show then that this is actually transformed into an intriguing "who dunnit?" type mystery, with the revelation of the use of the mummy as a weapon, which in turn had a surprising but equally satisfying resolution. Not to mention the colourful cast of characters and the only-in-Doctor-Who type setting of a space train sets this episode far apart from anything we've seen before. All in all, a very enjoyable episode, if only for it's absolute insanity.

18. Smith and Jones

This episode is simple, and that is the beauty of it. A hospital gets transported to the moon, where the Doctor, posing as a patient, must team up a medical student to track down an alien that feasts on blood, all while avoiding space police who look like rhinos. Ok, it's not that simple, but it is definitely a great premise for an episode. "Smith and Jones" introduced Martha Jones, one of my favourite companions to have ever travelled with the Doctor. Funny, brave, and intelligent, she proved herself to be more than a match for David Tennant's returning Doctor, as fun a presence as ever, but now a more solemn one after losing Rose. What this episode is best known for, however, is the introduction of the Judoon, the fantastic space rhinos. These characters have went on to become a memorable part of the Tennant era, and I'm still holding out for their return at some point down the line. Cool aliens, a memorable chase and setting, and extremely funny dialogue, "Smith and Jones" marks itself as one of the great companion and series introductions in my mind.

17. Voyage of the Damned

The first of two Christmas specials to break this list (not that there's that many good ones in all honesty), "Voyage of the Damned" might not be the most obvious episode to include on here. Honestly though, it's hard for me to think of anything this episode really gets wrong. The characters and acting in the episode are all on point, even Kylie Minogue's seeming stunt casting. The location of the episode is again really fun, and the Christmas setting is put to good use, not only in the form of a brief trip to Earth, but also to create a truly intimidating physical foe in the form of the Heavenly Hosts. The writing is both dramatic and extremely funny, and the visuals are also great. What's not to love? Not to mention that it includes this truly epic moment:

The Tenth Doctor is as great at giving speeches as Matt Smith; here is the proof.

16. The Power of Three

I bet you forgot this episode existed. The fourth episode in series 7, this was billed as the episode where the Doctor came to stay with Amy and Rory while becoming frustrated at the slow invasion of mysterious tiny black cubes which appeared overnight across Earth. The cubes are not why I love this episode, however, nor is the mystery, the aliens, or the return of UNIT, but rather the Doctor, and the exploration of his relationship with Amy and Rory, particularly as they consider leaving the TARDIS behind. The Doctor's confession of his fear of losing people, hence his continuous running to things before they "flare and fade forever", partnered with his talk with Rory's father about losing companions, enhances the emotional follow-up of the departure of the characters from the show, and proves how far they have come. That and this episode is genuinely very, very, funny. The Doctor going keepy-uppies in the back garden and playing tennis on the Wii? It's definitely worth a watch.

15. The Empty Child

Well, this episode is terrifying. "The Empty Child" is the only episode from the brief Christopher Ecclestone era, but it has had a lasting place on many "Top X Scariest Monsters Lists", and for good reason. Not only is the World War II setting a general nightmare scenario, particularly during the Blitz, but the Empty Child themselves is a truly terrifying force, particularly when we see how other's react to it and when we don't know a lot about it in this first part. How could things get worse? How about throwing some gas mask zombies into the mix, that's sure to add to the nightmare fuel. The episode is also known for the first appearance of Captain Jack Harkness, a fan favourite character who even eventually went into his own spin-off. However, it is the horror of the episode, and how iconic it has remained since 2005, 12 years later, that really earns it's place on this list for me.

14. Listen

The second Capaldi era episode to make an appearance on this list is also one of the scariest on it. Steven Moffat excels at taking primal and natural human fears, and turning them against the audience (another example is coming up later, and it's an episode you might already have guessed). The concept of there always being something behind you, something that makes the hairs on your neck stand up is simply ingenious, and stands as one of the great unknown mysteries of Doctor Who to date. What was under the bedsheets in the orphanage? What was banging on the walls of a space module in the dead of night, at the end of everything? The episode is kept fantastically ambiguous, so we'll (hopefully) never know for sure. This also stands as one of the great Clara episodes. Like a few of my friends, Clara is probably my favourite companion to have travelled with the Doctor since Chris Ec's time in the TARDIS (honestly, between her and Martha), and this is an episode where Jenna Coleman really shines. Her relationship with the Doctor feels genuine, heart-felt, and truly builds her connection to this new version of the character. A fantastic character episode, with some genuine scares, "Listen" is classic Doctor Who.

13. The Stolen Earth

The ultimate cliffhanger took place in this episode, the moment where the Doctor was killed by a Dalek and began to regenerate in the TARDIS, with absolutely no warning having been given tot he public beforehand. Had the BBC down the unthinkable, and actually cast a Doctor behind all of our backs, to make a sudden debut in the finale? Although it was soon to be undone in "Journey's End", it was an excruciating wait to see what the outcome would be. It achieved everything a cliffhanger should. Not only this, but everything else about the episode works well together. It brings together all of the Tenth Doctor's companions in a satisfying way, largely separating them from the Doctor and forcing them all together on their own. The return of Davros and the Daleks truly set the stakes for the epic finale to the series, forcing the Doctor and his "Children of Time" up against a full-fledged Dalek Empire at the height of its power. It was the perfect set-up to a finale, and is a great story for the Doctor, his companions, and the Daleks.

12. Flesh and Stone

The Weeping Angels. Has there ever been a scarier creation in the history of Doctor Who? Yes, they have become slightly less serious as they went on (I mean, come on, the Statute of Liberty? Really?), but at the beginning they were straight-up terrifying. The second story they featured in with Matt Smith's Doctor kept them as horrifying as their first appearance. "Flesh and Stone" is the second part of that story, and moves the action of the previous episode to a forest in the heart of a spaceship. This is a fantastic setting to explore the Angels, with so many blind angles and sides allowing the Angels to move virtually as they wish, forcing the Doctor, River and Amy to run from an army. The sequence of Amy moving through the forest with her eyes closed as well while being pursued by a slower band of Angels is also an extremely tense scene. We as an audience are truly kept on edge for the entirety of the episode, and it makes up for the slight lack of humour throughout the episode. All in all, a tense and extremely enjoyable episode.

11. Silence in the Library

Another terrifying concept I actually link back to a fear of the dark I had for a while as a kid. The library is a brilliantly scary setting for the episodes right off the bat. In addition to that, the slow reveal of the Vashta Nerada and the murderous shadows is brilliantly tense, as the Doctor slowly comes to a terrifying realisation of what is stalking them through the bookshelves of the library, even admitting that all they can do is run. It truly sets the stakes for the episode when the Doctor admits that all they can do is make their way to the TARDIS and run for their lives. The episode also introduced us to River Song for the first time, and addresses the really interesting question of when time travellers meet. Alex Kingston brings a great deal of emotion to this first outing as River, particularly in the moments where she realises that the Doctor has no idea who she is, a heartbreaking moment considering who she is later revealed to be to him. That said, the episode also has a strange amount of humour to it, which works considerably well, especially given the tense and horrifying nature of the rest of the episode. One of the show's scariest episodes for me and a truly memorable one-off monster, "Silence in the Library" remains one of the only episodes that still chills me watching it.

10. The Sound of Drums

John Simm as the Master is simply casting genius and this episode proves it. Rather than an over-the-top or hilarious insane performance it would have been so easy to resort to, Simm gives a restrained but equally unnerving performance throughout the entirety of the episode, all building from his early murder of the Cabinet to his takeover of Earth with the Toclafane spheres at the end, removing the Doctor's ability to regenerate in the process, killing Jack (temporarily of course), and sending Martha on the run. The Doctor and his companions have never been in a worse place in the penultimate episodes of a series, with no TARDIS, forced underground, and with the Master taking things to a personal level by arresting Martha's family during his reign as Prime Minister. Seeing the Doctor in a weak and broken position with no real power over his enemy is a tragic sight, but works as a way to cement the Master as his greatest foe for a new era. Even when the Doctor thinks he has an advantage, the Master appears 10 steps ahead. Why is this episode here and not the finale? The answer is simple: it is incredible for the entire duration and lacks the confusing logic and plot holes of that finale.

09. A Good Man Goes to War

This episode is so high on the list because it takes the time to explore the impact of the Doctor on the people of the universe. How would others view someone who came to their planets and has even killed some of their people in some circumstances, when they viewed what they were doing as fair and just? They would view him as a terrifying warrior, a one-man army, and that side of the Doctor is what the writers take the opportunity to show us in this episode. After taking over an entire military base in a few minutes and calling in favours from all over space and time, we are introduced to this concept of the Doctor and it is difficult to not view the character in a different light after seeing him as a military commander, despite Matt Smith's usual snarky comments and quirks. Moreover, the episode climaxes in a great action sequence for Doctor Who, pitting a number of the Doctor's comrades against the fearsome Headless Monks, and the reveal of River Song's true identity as Amy and Rory's daughter (Melody Pond, get it?). It was an episode which had big implications for the rest of the series to come, but one which also stands as a strong outing for the show in it's own right.

08. The Waters of Mars

Another episode which has went down as one of the scariest across all 9 series since the show's revival, "The Waters of Mars" takes a seemingly generic setting for the genre - a base on Mars - and makes extremely effective use of it. The whole episode has an extremely claustrophobic feel to it, both in terms of the small spaces the crew are confined to while facing off against an all but unstoppable virus, as well as time closing in on those characters and the Doctor, with the latter knowing they are doomed to die on Mars on that particular day in that moment. Exploring the Doctor and his dynamic with Captain Adelaide (played perfectly by Lindsay Duncan), Russell T. Davies delves into one of the most complex questions for a time travel show: what if something which impacted the future so much was altered? This is one of the only times the Doctor breaks one of his rules, and he pays the ultimate price for it. A deep and meaningful exploration of time, paired with a terrifying threat and great characters. "The Waters of Mars" is Doctor Who at it's finest.

07. The Girl in the Fireplace

This episode is just straight up fun. A perfect blend of sci-fi and historical drama, the episode sees the Doctor, Rose and Mickey (another fan favourite) land on a stranded spaceship in the far future on the other side of the universe, but with a number of time windows all over the ship leading to eighteenth-century France and the live of Madame de Pompadour, who is being hunted down by some fashionable clockwork droids. The droids themselves were a fantastic adversary for the show, especially when their true purpose is revealed, and the mix of the two, distinct settings, a futuristic space station and the palace of Versailles, works surprisingly well. This is another episode where the writers explore the Doctor's impact on people (you're probably beginning to notice a recurring theme with these episodes), and his relationship with Reinette is one of the most believable pairings in the show, helped in no small part by David Tennant and Sophia Myle's phenomenal chemistry. This is a very funny episode (shout out to Arthur the horse), and everything absolutely bonkers about it is precisely why I love it so much. Only in Doctor Who could you see this.

06. The Satan Pit

The episodes which I rashly said were my favourite episodes to my friends on Saturday night were "The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit", and I decided that the latter part of the episode should make the list. While the first part is more about setting up the danger and establishing the characters (as is required), the second part brilliantly divides between Rose and the crew's battle with the famous Ood (remember the horrifying chase through the ventilation tunnels, with how fast the Ood could move unlike other monsters in the show), and between the Doctor's confrontation with the Beast, or Satan, or the Devil, or whatever you want to call it. The Beast remains for me one of the great one-off Doctor Who villains, with the monster having both the physical intimidation factor, and the intelligence to match the Doctor. The moment where the Beast challenges the Doctor's views on religion through the video surveillance footage in particular stands in my mind as a high point, and is one of the main reasons I chose this episode. In short, a smart, great story that deserves such as high place on the list for me.

05. The Day of the Doctor

Honestly, I don't think that they could have pulled off a 50th anniversary special for Doctor Who any better than they did with this episode. Bringing Matt Smith and David Tennant together, alongside John Hurt's brand new version of the Doctor from during the Time Lord, as well as Jenna Coleman's Clara and Billie Piper looking like Rose but actually a Time Lord weapon called the Moment, the special stands as a fitting tribute to the show. The Doctors all have fantastic chemistry together, coming into conflicting but equally have a great number of fun moments together. Who could forget the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors walking into a room together, working and moving in complete unison? The episode is jam packed on action, humour, and emotion, bringing together 50 years of the show's history. Finishing off with a moment bringing all of the Doctors together, including first glimpse at Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, as well as an incredible Tom Baker cameo, "The Day of the Doctor" embodies everything great about this show for me.

04. The Eleventh Hour

Like everyone going into this episode, I had my doubts about Matt Smith as the Doctor. All I knew him from was one of those anti-bullying videos they had shown us in school. Not really Doctor potential. However, he had firmly shown me his capabilities by the end of the episode. This was clearly a very different Doctor to who we had seen before, and worked as an accessible, fun version of the character to introduce a whole new legion of fans to the show. Not only that, but we were introduced to Karen Gillan's Amy Pond, who we are ingeniously introduced to as a child before flashing forward with the Doctor to her as an adult. In doing this, we know this new companion on a very personal level immediately, having seen how the Doctor impacted her life from a young age. Amy was a great addition to the show, and this stands for me as the best companion introduction for the show (although Clara is still my favourite overall). Throw in the intimidating Prisoner Zero as a villain, the incredible rooftop "I'm The Doctor" moment, and you get my favourite episode across all of Matt Smith's time as the Doctor.

03. Heaven Sent

I never thought I would rank a Peter Capaldi episode higher than any episode of the Matt Smith era. However, with that said, and all things considered, no episode Matt Smith was in compares to the penultimate episode of the ninth series of the show. Practically a one-man episode for Peter Capaldi, the actor gives a powerhouse performance as the Doctor, spending the majority of the episode on his own. It is an emotional, and equally angry, performance that is truly a reference point for people who abandoned the show after watching one episode of Capaldi's early days. However, the point that cements this episode into greatness is the final 10 minutes, which sees the Doctor repeating the same painful sequence of events, for what we later learn is over 2 billion years, to escape this prison. Paired with Murray Gold's incredible score, the finale sequence of the episode is one of the best moments Steven Moffat has ever written for Doctor Who. When I first watched this scene, I dare say I didn't want to blink. 

02. The End of Time

Have you guessed yet that David Tennant is my favourite incarnation of the Doctor? Although an unpopular opinion in a few groups chats I'm a part of, I still hold that Tennant brought a humour, quirkiness, and hero type element to the role that has been unmatched by his predecessors. However, the true defining factor of the Tenth Doctor's era is what truly separates him from other Doctors, especially Matt Smith: tragedy. This Doctor revealed the true nature of the Time War to us, lost nearly all of his companions, and these episodes were a truly fitting send-off. Following an incredible confrontation with John Simm's iconic Master and the Time Lords, the Tennant era closed off with the Doctor visiting his friends, once described to him by Sarah-Jane as "the biggest family on Earth". After seeing everyone he has helped and impacted, the Doctor stumbles through the snow and regenerates in the TARDIS...alone. His loneliness is the true symbol of the tragedy of the Time Lord. No matter how many people he has travelled with and became friends with, in the end, he outlives and loses them all. Paired with David Tennant's tear-inducing performance, this episode is one of my favourite Doctor Who memories, and undoubtedly one of the most powerful in the show's history.

01. Blink

I thought long and hard about this. Went through every series episode listing, where each and every episode might rank. I thought about a few episodes which could take number 1. But at the end of the day, what else was going to be here? "Blink", a Doctor Who episode with far less Doctor than a normal episode. That fact contributes so much to enhancing the fear for the first appearance of the Weeping Angels, undoubtedly the scariest monster created in the history of the show since it's revival. This monster preys on a primal fear in us all, that things move behind us, move when we aren't looking, and then strike. It is a magnificent episode, spectacularly led and acted by human characters, and it stands hands down as not only my favourite, but rightly also as one of the most universally adored episodes in the history of this show.

Apes, Vultures and a Scary Ass Clown - Trailers of the Week Reactions and Reviews!

So this week was CinemaCon in Las Vegas, which is one of the many conventions through the year where the various Hollywood studios try to be the coolest kid in the playground and show off their various projects coming up through the year. What does that mean for us? Well, lots of trailers! Good and bad, but still lots of trailers! First off, I'm not going to be talking about Justice League here, despite my superhero movie love. The reason? Because it's an oversaturated topic and, even though all I do is talk about oversaturated topics, I don't like to feed that idea. So, there were 4 main trails to stem from this convention so far, so let's jump right in!

Ferdinand

Bet you didn't know this movie was coming out? Me neither, but apparently it is. There's honestly not much to say here. This is the latest effort from Blue Sky, the company behind the awful Rio movies and the in my opinion not great (although this may prove controversial) Ice Age 5-movie series. From what we've come to expect from this company, it just looks like more of the same. The animation is nice, but there is something incredibly off about the voice work being provided here and the story looks like it is going to be incredibly clichéd, and somehow entirely nonsensical at the same time. Not in the way that animals can talk, but in the sense that I guarantee this character goes from not wanting to be a fighting bull to being all for it in the space of 3 scenes. This is also perhaps the worst music editing for a trailer I've ever come across, and I mean ever. The trailer is cut incredibly sloppily around Ed Sheeran's "Castle on the Hill", and it cut incredibly awkwardly, not to mention that the song choice makes no sense. Ultimately, not a lot of good comes from this trailer for me except the laugh I got when John Cena's name popped up on the voice case. Obvious stunt casting, but funny stunt casting nonetheless. Not to mention, this movie is coming out in December, 3 days before a little independent project called "Star Wars: The Last Jedi". Sure this one will do swimmingly at the box office then.

Release Date: 15th of December, 2017

Starring John Cena (yes, really), Kate McKinnon, David Tennant, Bobby Cannavale, and Gina Rodriguez

It

The trailer game now steps up quite a bit as we turn to 20th Century Fox's trailer for the week, the remake of Stephen King's "It", made iconic in the 1990s by the original TV mini-series and Tim Curry's performance as the creepy (but hilarious) Pennywise the Dancing Clown. I had my worries for this remake before seeing this trailer. Would newcomer Bill Skarsgård's performance live up to Curry's? Would it be scary? How much would be changed? Well, after seeing this trailer, I think we all had one thought: this looks scary as all hell! Ultimately, this looks very different to the original, with a much more bleak colour palette, and the extension of Pennywise's wrath to the adults of Derry, not just the children. Pennywise himself also seems to be much deadlier and more physical in this version. Whereas Curry's version seemed content to play mind games with the children for a while before striking, this Pennywise seems constantly hands on, striking at the minds of the kids with their worst fears, and that, along with his intimidating physical appearance, promises to make this remake a more tense and scarier version than before. The only thing I didn't like about the trailer was the predictable jump scare ending it had. This seems far more clichéd than the rest of the trailer, which built atmosphere and tension. I have my prediction that will not go as the trailer might make it appear, and Pennywise will have some trick up his sleeve, but we'll see. All in all, an encouraging first teaser for the movie.

Release Date: 8th of September, 2017

Starring Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Steven Williams, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wyatt Oleff, and Lack Dylan Grazer

Spider-Man: Homecoming

OK, I'm not talking about Justice League here, but I'm not going to get through this set without one superhero movie, much less my most anticipated Marvel movie of this year. There are no two ways about it: this looks like the best Spider-Man movie we could have asked for. This is exactly what the character needed: an overhaul on the high school elements of the character's backstory, with more emphasis on the hour of the character. Tom Holland is perfect for this character, and the rest of the cast looks spot on as well. Michael Keaton as the Vulture looks like a suitably intimidating villain compared to how some have portrayed the character in recent comics, and he seems to have a genuine motivation in this movie. His hatred for Tony Stark seems like it will have some emotional resonance to it, allowing us to connect with this character, hopefully along with the rest of his junkyard crew, on a deeper level than any other Marvel villain before. Pretty much every other aspect of the movie from a filmmaking perspective seems on point as well, from the effects (just look at Vulture, again) to the cinematography to the set and costume design. Probably the big problem with the trailer is that it perhaps shows too much, almost like it shows the movie from start to finish, including the action sequences in chronological order. Hopefully this isn't a similar case to "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" where we've seen the movie going in, but, overall, I'm very excited to see this one.

Release Date: 7th of July, 2017

Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Laura Harrier, Jacob Batalon,  Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Donald Glover, Jon Favreau, and Robert Downey Jr.

War for the Planet of the Apes

Now we come to the best trailer of the week, and honestly of the entire year so far. The rebooted Planet of the Apes series has been a prime example of how to do a rebooted franchise right, and this new movie looks to be continuing the trend. From this trailer, this is an angrier, more brutal Caeaer than we've ever seen before, but equally the character is backed up with the same emotion than Andy Serkis has always brought to the character. On the opposite side, Woody Harrelson is a perfect human counterpart to Caesar, once again bringing an interesting moral and philosophical argument into the mix of the plot, but without the possibility of peace that we always felt with James Franco and Jason Isaacs in the previous movies respectively. The action also looks incredible as always, with the Caesar's group now facing both Harrelson's regiments and the fragments of Koba's followers from the last movie. The setting is incredible, with the snow draped mountain providing a different, artistic setting to the franchise. All in all, I cannot express how excited this trailer makes me. It makes none of the mistakes a trailer, such as those above, might make. We don't see the whole movie, the cast and plot are spot on, and it seems to avoiding stereotypes throughout the whole movie. Roll on July!

Release Date: 14th of July, 2017

Starring Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary, Judy Greer, and Amiah Miller

"Power Rangers" Movie Review - It's Rebootin' Time

I told people that I was going to see this movie this weekend. I told people I had booked to see it and was going to be seeing this before I saw the new "Beauty and the Beast" movie. Somewhat expectedly, a few people questioned this decision to put it mildly. Why would I choose to see something that looked so decidedly average over the latest live-action Disney movie, or even another movie like "Life" which looks pretty interesting actually? My answer? Honestly, nostalgia is my primary reason. I sincerely enjoyed the old Power Rangers series. I remember them fondly from my childhood, and was actually quite excited by the prospect of the Rangers being brought into the modern day. Another reason might have been because I sometimes like to see bad movies and the trailers were not the best but who knows? Well, I saw the movie on Saturday. My thoughts? Well, this movie was absolutely, no word of a lie...actually quite good. The movie is a lot of fun for the entirety of its runtime, and does a lot of things rights, subverting expectations from the often dreadful marketing campaign. That said, there are still some stupid things about this movie as you might have predicted, and I'll mainly be getting those out of the way briefly to kick things off. With all that said, let's all get nostalgic and jump into "Power Rangers"!

There's no kind way of starting this review off so I'll just put it plain: the story of the Power Rangers has become bland and clichéd. Stop me if you've heard this one before (or move onto the next paragraph in this case, I suppose). 5 teenage misfits are struggling with their stereotypically teenage lifestyles: sports, friends, relationship, and family troubles plague all of them. Suddenly, they discover that they were destined for something greater, eventually coming across a crashed spaceship and becoming the newest iteration of a team of warriors known as the Power Rangers. Struggling to learn how to control their new abilities and learn to stand as one efficient unit, the Rangers must now unite to fight against the evil Rita Repulsa (played with delightful menace by Elizabeth Banks) before she can destroy the world with her generic, bland monster henchmen, the Putties. Standard stuff, all things considered. Unfortunately with this movie, it's business as usual with this particular story, there are not a great deal of twists and turns to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. There is one scene in particular which did not end in the way I had predicted it would, and actually shocked me a little bit that they had dared to shake up the status quo like this scene did. However, the resolution and aftermath of it are still relatively predictable and it doesn't take long for the diversion to come to an end and the story to get back on the road to the feel-good conclusion. Be sure, it's not that the script doesn't have fun sometimes. There is plenty of humour scattered throughout the movie, plenty of which actually lands and is effective given the chemistry between the actors on screen. Unfortunately, it's just the curse of the reboot and the plague of the original story rolled into one again. The movie simply comes to a grinding halt in the second act with an overabundance of training sequences, and there isn't nearly enough Ranger action before the third act for the likings of many children who will see this movie I would predict. In fact, there is so much focus on the human side of the characters with very little action for the first half (which is not necessarily a problem) that you might question whether or not you are actually watching a certain John Hughes classic set in a high school detention area with a gang of misfits. I'm nearly done with the story but one other thing I just have to mention is the abysmal, often hilarious product placement in this movie. Why am I mentioning it here? Because I just have to wonder how much a certain doughnut brand had to give to Lionsgate to have their stores incorporated into the script in the most self-glorifying way possible. Executives of this movie, if you are reading this, I would like a look at your original script, because I am genuinely interested to see if it reads "[insert product placement here]" at quite a few points. You'll know them when you see them.

The Rangers ready up in their state-of-the-art Iron Man suits

So it's true, the writing does not serve the plot particularly well, but what about the characters? Somewhat surprisingly, they all come across remarkably well-rounded and likeable for the most part. Each of the Rangers is given a reason to care about them on an emotional level, and are given relatable, understandable backstories and motives for their behaviour throughout the movie. The acting on the part of each of the Rangers is also solid for the most part. Probably the most troublesome performance in the entire movie is Dacre Montgomery as Jason, the Red Ranger. Unfortunately, his performance comes across as considerably more generic and wooden than the rest of the cast, especially when acting alongside his cohorts. Thankfully, the rest of the Rangers do not suffer from similar problems. RJ Cyler is the heart and soul of the movie as Blue Ranger Billy, now re-worked to include a maturely handled autism element to the character. Naomi Scott is great fun as Pink Ranger Kimberly, who goes through an unexpected but satisfying character arc. Becky G is great as outsider Trini, the Yellow Ranger, and her story of learning to fit in with the Rangers is an enjoyable if slightly familiar story (although her character is also re-worked to include a current issue in movies). Ludi Lin gives possibly the most well-rounded performance of the Rangers as Black Ranger Zack, initially a stereotypical bad boy but a much more emotionally relatable character as his backstory is revealed. The main five are also supported by Bryan Cranston as mentor Zordon and Bill Hader as resident eyesore Alpha-5. Honestly, neither of them give terrible performance, and are only weakened by their underwritten characters. Hader gets some funny lines as Alpha and is intended to be comic relief of course, and Cranston's Zordon is given some interesting background details throughout the movie, including some that actually bring him into conflict with one of the Rangers, an interesting proposition that hasn't really been explored by any Rangers movie or series before that I can think of.

Can't tell which Ranger is which? Look at the colours of their clothes, that always helps

However, with all that said and done, the true star of the show is Elizabeth Banks as the villainous Rita Repulsa, a name which is undeniably silly by even Power Rangers standards. Don't let the name fool you though, this Repulsa is a force to be reckoned with. This is not the old Rita with her absurd costume screaming orders from the moon; Banks gives this character an intimidating, and even I dare say terrifying, edge for a great deal of the movie. To start, she is possibly one of the best written characters in the movie, being given an intriguing backstory right out of the gate, and a revamped design which may or may not tie into a certain fan theory that's been doing the rounds. I'm saying nothing. Repulsa makes a full appearance in the present day as you might expect at the start of the second act after the Ranger set-up, and it is her short appearances through this part of the movie that really kept me invested and interested to see where the writers would go with the character. However, it is in her confrontations with the Rangers that Banks really shines. Her bedroom fight with Trini glimpsed in the trailers really sells the willingness of the character to take the fight to the Rangers on a personal level, while her power level is shown in it's entirety in the finale. Admittedly, some aspects of the direction of the performance and the delivery might come across as a bit over-the-top on occasion, but, for me at least, this just added to the fun of this character. The original Rita was always ridiculous and off the wall, and it's great to see this character retain that brilliance in this iteration. That said, it is the fear, conniving nature, and straight-up nastiness that Banks brings to this character that makes her such an engaging part of this movie.

Elizabeth Banks plays the creepy (and often scary) Rita Repulsa

The action sequences of the movie are where the heart of this movie is, and these are a lot of fun. As I said, there are surprisingly few set pieces in the movie where the Rangers actually wear their suits (now given a modern overhaul to look more like Iron Man than the old-fashioned morphsuits), but there are still small scenes pieced throughout the movie to keep the action fans in the audience entertained for the entirety of the runtime. The stunt work in these sequences is excellent, and the performers do a solid job of convincing the audience that they are actually fighting real beings, even though they are unfortunately only being faced down by disappointing CGI monsters the majority of the time. The fights involving Repulsa are also a joy to watch on screen, particularly when the Rangers are not in their suits. It is at these moments where the stakes feel real for the team. They are not protected by their suits and can barely work as a functioning unit for the first two thirds of the movie, so the weight of their every action is felt as they face the trained and considerably more experienced Rita as is the pain of each injury they suffer as a result. The movie surprisingly (but gratefully) does not shy away from the impact the fights have on these characters as teenagers. They are not trained fighters or durable people. They are young, and so the injuries are going to have much more of an effect on them. They are even shown to take serious physical damage from the training sequences, making the real action against Repulsa and her forces more intense and enjoyable as a result.

Meet the Breakfast Clu...I mean, the Power Rangers

The effects work in the movie is on point thankfully. The Zords in particular look excellent while on the movie and in battle with the monsters and Rita's primary giant force, which is to say the gold monstrosity glimpsed in the trailer. I call this a monstrosity if only because it is an incredibly poor rendition of one of the monsters from the show known as Goldar. Although the new monster looks good enough, look up the two versions on Google and honestly tell me which version you would rather see on the big screen. Of course, the Megazord (in typing this I am getting sick of the apparent spelling errors that keep popping up with this review because of these names) also makes an appearance and looks great on the movie and when the Rangers are practically at war with Rita and Goldar in the finale. I have seen many different reviews complaining about the look of the Megazord in this movie, but my response is the same that I have when I hear complaints about the new suits. This is a reboot and so the designs have to match up with this new technological, alien aesthetic that the writers have chosen to commit to with this version of the characters and the source material. These designs are considerably more modern than the old versions that simply would not have worked as well on the big screen. The Megazord in particular looks more realistic and efficient than the old toy robot used in the TV show (let's be totally honest though, that's a budget issue). The main point I'm making here though is that these effects are always effective and realistic enough to never break the immersion of the audiences in what is happening on screen. The cinematography of the movie is also well done, and luckily refrains from cutting too much between shots unnecessarily. Consistently clear and steady, the camera work throughout the movie is handled as well as the effects work, and the two work in perfect harmony throughout.

Apparently the Rangers walked onto the set of "Man of Steel"

Honestly, there is one factor which I cannot deny might have played a big part in me enjoying this movie to the extent that I did, and that is the nostalgia that I experienced watching this movie. The Power Rangers were a massive part of my childhood, from the original Mighty Morphin' to some of the later shows (personally, I still remember "Dino Thunder" and "Mystic Force" fond but that's just my opinion). The references scattered throughout the movie make it clear that the writers and crew of the movie have the utmost respect for the legacy that this show has built and the place it holds in the hearts of so millions of people worldwide. These references range from the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers to even some of the later shows which I didn't pick up on on first viewing but gathered after doing some reading online about the movie and was impressed by how the writers have put these in. For readers and audiences too afraid that the crew of this move had completely lost touch with the fun and meaning of the show: rest assured, they haven't. A few classic lines in particular are uttered, you can hear the iconic "It's Morphin' Time" in the trailer above, and there might be a few others throughout the movie. Maybe, maybe not. As I said, I'm not saying anything. The only other crazy piece of nostalgia which sticks out in mind as myself and my two friends almost cheered when it came on was a particular song began to play at the most opportune and perfect moment in the movie. The original, unedited version of this song from 1995, no problems like the "Ghostbusters" movie had last year with the theme. This song (I'm sure you've guessed what it is by now but for spoilers sake I'll refrain from mentioning it by name) created one of the best images of the movie and is sure to get the nostalgia of any Power Rangers fan, long-term or short-term, going. There is a mid-credits scene as well, so be sure to wait a couple of minutes for that.

You know those toys with the pins you push through to make a shape? Zordon's changed

A movie with it's ups and it's downs to be sure. On the one hand, the writing is not great in the story department on this film, not that time has been particularly kind to the now slightly clichéd story of the Rangers anyway. There isn't nearly enough Ranger action to maybe keep kids entertained for the entirety, and the product placement is simply too hilarious and off-putting to not mention. With that said, the characters and the cast are handled with much better care, particularly the Rangers themselves and villain Rita. The effects are great, the action is unashamedly over-the-top, and the nostalgia I got from the movie was unlike any I have experienced in one of these reboots film studios have become so fond of to date. Like I said, this movie has a legacy to pay respect to, given that the show has been running in it's different iterations for a jaw-dropping 24 years now. The Power Rangers have always had a silliness to them. Make no mistake, with it's returning dinosaur robot vehicles and ridiculous martial arts action, this movie is silly too, and that is it's greatest strength. There are far too many reboots which try to go "darker" with the source material, and in doing so lose whatever it may be that people love about a certain franchise. This movie has a different edge to it, absolutely, but it retains the fun, the craziness, and the humour that we loved from the old series. If you hated those shows, you might be able to find some fun here (although I honestly doubt it). If you loved them or never watched them but you're willing to take a gamble on the Rangers, then chances are you'll find something to enjoy in this, and it'll be well worth you giving it a watch.

Pros

• Unashamedly fun, cheesy action
• Great effects
• Solid acting and characters
• Well filmed
• A great nostalgia road-trip

Cons

• Absolutely senseless, but it tries to have some
• A slow second act
• More Breakfast Club than Power Rangers most of the time
• The worst (but possibly best) product placement ever put to film

Rating: 7/10

Original Release Date: 24th of March, 2017

Starring Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, Elizabeth Banks, Bill Hader, and Bryan Cranston

"Kong: Skull Island" Movie Review - A Crumbling Throne?

Could you name a movie monster more iconic and significant in pop culture than King Kong? Since his first appearance in the 1930s, Kong has become an instantly recognisable feature, and has hardly been challenged for the throne of the King of movie monsters for years (the only one which poses any significant threat is Godzilla, and that fight will literally be settled in 2020 when the two cross paths once again). However, the last time we saw the ape on the big screen in 2005 with Peter Jackson's "King Kong", and he hasn't returned since. With movies like "Pacific Rim" and 2014's "Godzilla" having been released since, is it possible that the throne has been toppled, and Kong is no longer the grand figure that he used to be? Well, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is aiming to put the oversized monkey back on top with "Kong: Skull Island", which promises more monster mayhem featuring the titular Kong, interestingly dropping the royal title this time around. So, does it deliver? While the movie is certainly a visual spectacle and is certainly enjoyable as a standard popcorn flick, the movie is plagued with writing issues that seriously distract from the rest of the movie and put the throne of Kong more at risk than ever before. Let's jump in.

Let's start with the story of the movie, and straight off the bat this is nothing you've not seen before. At the beginning of the movie, John Goodman (I call him John Goodman to emphasise that you will not remember his name at the end of the movie - don't worry, I'll get to the characters later) goes to the government for funding for an expedition. The basis for the expedition is that this island is entirely uncharted, and Goodman's organisation speculates that they may be able to locate new energy sources or fuel on this island. However, they have the hidden agenda, which will be revealed as the plot progresses. Oh, and they are given a military escort. Why? The only reason I can think of is that the plot demands this to provide more lifeless drones to be brutally eliminated when they reach the island. The crew for the island is then assembled: Goodman's scientific crew, a military unit led by Samuel L. Jackson's Colonel Packard, with further additions Conrad (a former SAS agent played by Tom Hiddleston), and pacifist war photojournalist Weaver (played by Brie Larson). Of course, when they reach the island, they discover a slight issue to their operation in the form of a gigantic ape which the locals call Kong, along with a slew of other menacing creatures. The rest of the story then involves their attempt to escape the island, while attempting to avoid death at the hands of the monstrous inhabitants of the somewhat appropriately named Skull Island. Do you think you can predict where the rest of this story goes? There is a very good reason for that. This is no plot that we have not seen before. It's a very familiar structure, particularly in the monster movie arena: nameless grunts go to dangerous place, encounter monster, grunts die, a few characters played by well-known actors survive, rinse and repeat. For those of you reading this and taking that as a spoiler, don't worry, I haven't spoiled the entirety of the movie. It's true that there are some small moments and surprises along the way which were unexpected and enjoyable, but it is the overarching story that is the issue. This is all the more confusing given the unique setting of the movie. Other Kong movies have visited the island briefly, but this is the first movie set almost exclusively on the island, in addition to the 1973 timeline, at the end of the Vietnam War. It almost seems like the writers did not want to take advantage of these factors in the story and were content with relying on a tried and tested formula.

Don't get too attached to the nameless drones - this is a monster movie after all

Now, I briefly mentioned the characters of the movie above. What we are largely faced with here is an onslaught of nameless and utterly forgettable scientists and soldiers. They are here to die for the most part. Plain and simple, and exactly what you'll probably be expecting going in. I actually wouldn't be particularly annoyed by this in normal circumstances, because of course monster movies always need a bit of cannon fodder, but this is such a blatant waste of talent. John Goodman really contributes nothing to the movie except to push the plot forward. Toby Kebbell is actually in the movie for a fair portion, but is never given anything to do, a waste of Kebbell's acting and creative talents. Scattered throughout are plenty of other actors who you may recognise, none of whom are put to good use. There are only 3 main characters in the movie who are somewhat interesting. Samuel L. Jackson who is playing Colonel Packard, a stereotypical army leader. The setting of the end of the Vietnam War make this character arc all the more predictable, but Jackson injects the character with enough personality to make him an enjoyable presence throughout he movie. In fact, all of the acting in the movie is largely on point, making the waste of talent throughout the movie all the more infuriating. The second character is the main focus of the trailers in terms of the human cast, Tom Hiddleston as the tracker, Conrad. This character is given a small bit of depth with regards his personal life throughout the movie, but this is wholly insubstantial for the most part. The character was clearly written to give the film the checklist attractive, currently "in" male lead. This character is most interesting in his interactions with character number 3, Weaver, played by Brie Larson. This is, in my opinion, the best character in the movie because she actually feels like a human being. She is not a blatant stereotype and undergoes an interesting character arc throughout the movie. Her interactions with all the characters are enjoyable to watch (although she always seems to bring out either the best or the worst in whoever she speaks to), and Larson's performance is impressively emotive throughout the movie, even in her interactions with CGI creations such as Kong himself.

All Hail the King

When I came out of this movie, I told my brother that this movie confused me, something he was immediately puzzled by, given the extremely simple plot and nature of the movie as I've already said. However, this is not something that it going to annoy a lot of people, but this movie is confused tonally. What I mean by this is that, as you might guess, when writing a movie, writers will always have a demographic in mind for the movie and this will determine what they write into the movie. A movie for kids will have more humour and light-hearted moments; a movie for teens will have more action and visuals on the screen to keep them engaged while also keeping humour and light-hearted moments included to make them laugh; movies for adults alone will still have some humour, but are generally able to be much darker, grittier and dramatic without the impact of this being lessened by the use of humour. The list goes on. The underlying problem with Kong is that I am struggling to identify exactly who this movie is made for, and what tone the writers were attempting to achieve throughout the movie. It is a confusing creative choice all together. I understand that they want to appeal to audiences of all ages, but the stark contrast of the humour with the shocking and brutal violence makes the humour feel incredibly out of place, particularly in the case of John C. Reilly's character, who arrives around half way through the story. If I had to guess the root of this problem, I would tie it to the likely studio interference (something DC fans will be well aware Warner Bros have bene guilty of before). When a studio is investing $200 million into a movie with no guarantee that it will be a successful venture, of course they will want to take steps to try and ensure that they will at the least make their money back. However, there should be a limit to this. I guarantee that the various drafts of this movie's script implemented more and more humour, no matter how out of place it may seem, in an attempt to draw in teens and new viewers, as well as the adult audience already familiar with Kong. The problem is, jokes about a creature name (you'll probably have seen the Skull Crawler name joke in the trailers already) are going to feel very out of place when a scene shortly before had a soldier being impaled though his mouth by the leg of a giant arachnid, spider-like creature. Worse still, the humour in the movie is simply not funny! As if we needed more evidence that humour was forcefully implemented into this story, which clearly was much darker in the director's initial vision.

Well, everything looks fine here...

Anyway, about time I stopped taking shots at this movie and talked about what it did right. Believe it or not, I actually did enjoy watching this movie. The effects of the movie are somewhat predictably on point. Of course, Kong, the star of the show (as it should be, Godzilla) looks incredible throughout the movie. Kong is given an incredible amount of detail, with the team taking every opportunity to show off with the injuries and scars of the ape, which beautifully worsen and grow as the action progresses and Kong finds himself in more fight sequences. This is particularly impressive given the amount of screen time where he is interacting with actual human beings and real objects or environments. The other monsters in the movie also look appropriately terrifying and realistic. From the peaceful bison-like creatures which appear in a swamp early on in the proceedings, to the horrific spider creatures which fight the soldiers later (the close-up was not a pleasant one for someone with arachnophobia), to, as the trailers have shown, the vicious Skull Crawlers which essentially serve as the primary antagonists to the titular ape. The latter creatures are of course the stars of the supporting cast of monsters and nasty beings. Every detail on the creatures is perfectly rendered, with every scar, dirt mark, and wound being crystal clear across the board. It is a true credit to the effects crew that they kept the visuals of the movie consistently realistic throughout. Without achieving this, there was every possibility that the peril and fear the audience is meant to feel along with the characters in the movie would have been drastically reduced. Tension is key in several sequences throughout the movie, and thankfully the effects team did not break the atmosphere during the action.

An intimidating sight to say the least

In addition to this, the action of the movie is absolutely phenomenal. Admittedly, it is ridiculous and reaches new heights of absurdity in the finale. That, however, is the greatest strength of this movie. It knows the action we are seeing on screen is crazy and absolutely bonkers, and it takes the greatest pride in showcasing that. Kong rips the environment to shreds, bending it to his will. There is a great image of Tom Hiddleston slashing through toxic green case with a katana to kill some bugs that are attacking. A Skull Crawler swallows a camera and the tension is in the team trying to keep track of it by the flash going off in the fog. Tense, but hilarious to be sure. Heck, there is a scene near the end when Kong uproots a tree, de-branches it, and uses it as a baseball bat. This is how crazy the action becomes over the course of this movie, but it is simply a lot of fun to watch. If you turn off your brain, and go into this movie expecting just this, nothing more than what it has been advertised as, then chances are you are going to have a lot more fun than I did when watching this and thinking back on it. The action is the most memorable part of the movie, certainly, and it is the area where the technical team behind the production were clearly in their element.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore"

The cinematography of the movie is also on point, clearly remaining in focus and carrying out many impressive shots. An early sequences which is incredibly well shot is the initial helicopter action sequence Kong is involved in. The intensity of the shots and the camera work of the movie adds to the peril the soldiers are in and allows the audience a real insight into the fear of the soldiers they would understandably be feeling when facing up against this beast. The lighting of the movie and the use of colour is incredibly artistic as well. Watch closely during the night shots of even the trailer, which are all the more impressive in the context of the full movie. The use of the moonlight in particular is excellent (although I can safely say that not much of this will be practical but it is still excellently implemented), and a fight towards the end involving fire. The contrast of the flame, the moon, and the dark blue and green of the environment is truly a sight to behold. Another factor of the movie which is excellent is the music. Now, I'm not talking about Henry Jackman's (admittedly good although unmemorable) score, but rather the use of time appropriate songs and artists, such as Black Sabbath and David Bowie. It's a credit to the editing team to make these songs work within the story and tie in well to the action sequences of the movie, making already impressive scenes all the more enjoyable. These songs work incredibly well in the movie and actually help to build the time and setting at the beginning of the movie rather than feeling like a distraction as they did in, say, "Suicide Squad". As a side note, has anyone noticed how many movies have began to implement this throughout their movie and marketing since "Guardians of the Galaxy" in 2014? This doesn't really matter, it was just a small thought.

Call it - by every cliché, who dies first?

I'm conflicted with this movie, I truly am. On the one hand, I don't want to take this movie overly seriously. After all, it is a KING KONG movie! It is a movie about a giant ape fighting other giant monsters on an island in the Pacific. I'm not expecting Oscar-worthy writing and characters. The action in the movie is great, and is only enhanced by the impressive visuals of the piece, a must for the number of different monsters on display throughout. The acting is also very good, as I've said, although the characters they are portraying on screen are incredibly weak. Make no mistake, this is an extremely enjoyable popcorn flick. If you go to this movie not expecting anything more than what the trailers are showing it to be and nothing more, then I imagine you will enjoy it far more than I maybe did on first viewing. That being said, there is simply no looking past the flaws of this movie. The writing in particular is cause for concern. No character in this movie is particularly interesting, and I can hardly remember any of their names (no, Kong doesn't count). The plot is also nothing original. Perhaps the worst problem of the lot, however, is the clear studio meddling in the movie, and nowhere is this more obvious than it examining the tone of the movie. The gritty and often horrifying violence of some sections of the movie were evidently the sort of movie the director was trying to create, thus making the flat humour of the movie stand out even more than it already would. In fact, it was the jaw-dropping and stomach curdling violence of these segments that impressed me the most, and the small character moments in between, particular between Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson, were the most effective scenes. This franchise (which is all building up to Godzilla vs Kong in 2020 believe it or not) needs to build on this. Without taking advantage of the human elements of these monster movies, it is going to be difficult for Legendary Pictures to continue to make these movies particularly interesting to audience, and maintain Kong's throne as the King, not only of Skull Island, but of movie monsters in general.

Pros

• Dumb but very fun action
• Solid acting for the most part
• Great effects
• The soundtrack

Cons

• Generally poor characterisation
• A cliché plot structure
• Confused tonally

Rating: 6/10

Original Release Date: 10th of March, 2017

Starring Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Jing Tian, John Ortiz, Toby Kebbell, and John C. Reilly