Sony Pictures has released the first trailer for Nicolas Pesce’s “The Grudge,” the reboot of the 2004 Americn remake of 2002’s “Ju-On: The Grudge”.
The new film, which will be rated R, will focus on a house cursed by a vengeful ghost that dooms those who enter it with a violent death and will reportedly take place around the same time period as the events in the original.
John Cho, Demian Bichir and Andrea Riseborough co-star while Sam Raim and Rob Tapert are producing. Pesce and Jeff Buhler co-wrote the script and the film opens January 3rd 2020.
Now playing in select cinemas and ahead of its launch on the streaming service next week, Netflix has released the final trailer for “The King,” a new film adaptation of parts of the latter parts of The Henriad by “The Rover” and “Animal Kingdom” director David Michod.
Timothee Chalamet and Joel Edgerton lead the cast which blends Shakespeare’s two-part Henry the IV plays and Henry V into one narrative and changes the dialogue to make it more accessible.
Chalamet will play the young disgraced Henry V who inherits the crown during a rocky time in English history and must learn how to be king with the help of Falstaff (Edgerton).
Robert Pattinson plays French prince The Dauphin, Ben Mendelsohn is King Henry IV, Lily-Rose Depp will play French Princess Catherine, Tom Glynn-Carney is Hotspur, and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie is Philippa. Edgerton co-wrote the script with Michod.
Annie: [Looking at a picture in the Necronomicon of Ash himself] “In 1300 AD they called this man the uh, ‘hero from the sky’. He was prophesied to have destroyed the evil.”
Ash:“He didn’t do a very good job…”
Released recently for the first time onto 4K is the now classic low budget horror/comedy sequel “Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” (1987) which after more than thirty years remains timeless as well as unique within the horror genre.
The movie opens with a brief (and altered/reimagined/truncated) recap of the first movie. Ash Williams and his girlfriend, Linda, take a romantic vacation to a seemingly abandoned cabin in the woods. While in the cabin, Ash plays a tape of archaeologist Raymond Knowby, the cabin’s previous inhabitant, reciting passages from the Book of the Dead, Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, which he has discovered during an archaeological dig. The recorded incantation unleashes an evil force (also known as the Kandarian Demon) that kills and later possesses Linda, turning her into a “deadite”. Ash is then forced to decapitate his girlfriend with a shovel and bury her near the cabin.
Technical review
Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings Evil Dead II to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack. The dual-layered UHD66 disc sits comfortably opposite a BD50 disc inside a black, eco-cutout case with a glossy slipcover. The aforementioned Blu-ray appears to be the same 2011 25th Anniversary release with the same set of supplements, but it includes bonus material from the European Special Edition.
Video Review
“Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” arrives on Ultra HD with an exceptional HEVC H.265 encode that will be the preferred choice over the already released blu-ray.
Presumably coming from the same 4K remaster done by StudioCanal earlier this year for their European release, the 2160p transfer is remarkably sharper with far better detailing throughout. The movie comes with a fair amount of blurry, soft segments, which are related to the condition of the source and the original photography. There are also minor instances of negligible aliasing along the sharpest edges and very mild moiré patterns. Nevertheless, the picture quality is stunning and highly-detailed for a majority of the runtime.
The 4K video also has improved contrast and brightness for the first time on the big screen. Since most of the movie takes place at night, the 1.85:1 image is continuously showered in velvety, raven shadows, providing a lovely, three-dimensional cinematic quality during some of the presentation’s best moments. The movie continues to impress with a Dolby Vision HDR presentation that delivers a vibrant, dynamic array of colors throughout.
Audio Review
“Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” packs the same DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack enjoyed on the Blu-ray. This lossless mix remains a strong audio presentation with a sharp and expansive mid-range, delivering excellent clarity in the upper frequencies and during the loudest segments. This produces an awesomely broad and highly-engaging soundstage with distinct, well-prioritized dialogue reproduction and a potent, terrifically responsive low-end.
Special Features
4K Ultra HD Disc
Audio Commentary: This hilarious conversation features Bruce Campbell, director Sam Raimi, make-up effects wizard Greg Nicotero and co-writer Scott Spiegel. This is simply one of the best commentaries around because the four men have such an amazing, easy-going camaraderie that we can’t help but feel we’re part of the gang joining the fun. Campbell does most of the talking, which consists of funny remarks and jabs at everyone else, especially Raimi, but at the same time, the group does great at dissecting the movie and offering lots of insightful anecdotes surrounding the production. This is not only for fans. The track is an awesome listen for all!
Bloody and Groovy, Baby! (HD, 53 min): Produced by StudioCanal in 2018, the documentary is an entertaining tribute to Sam Raimi and Evil Dead 2. Pieced together from recent interviews with Guillermo del Toro, Roger Corman, Edgar Wright, Marcus Nispel and many other filmmakers and writers, each participant reminiscences on the first time watching the movie, share their thoughts on the production and even analyze the film’s lasting impact.
Blu-ray Disc
Swallowed Souls (HD, 98 min): Broken into seven pieces that can be watched separately or sequentially, each looks at various aspects of the production, and they feature cast & crew interviews reminiscing on their participation and share thoughts on its lasting impact.
Cabin Fever (SD, 30 min): From special make-up effects creator Greg Nicotero’s personal video library, these five segments are recordings during the creation, prep and shooting of the creature work and other make-up monstrosities, finishing with some deleted footage.
Road to Wadesboro (HD, 8 min): Filmmaker Tony Elwood, who also worked on the production, takes viewers on a tour of various shooting locations.
Behind the Screams (SD, 17 min): Narrated by Tom Sullivan, who worked in the special effects department, this featurette is essentially an assortment of stills of the creature and make-up work done in the movie. It’s interesting stuff, but not wholly exciting.
The Gore, the Merrier (SD, 32 min): A much better short doc about the production from the point of view of the special effects crew: Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman and Greg Nicotero. While offering some praise to Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Mark Shostrom, it’s an enjoyable piece from three men with very fond memories of working on the film.
Trailers (HD, SD): Along with the original theatrical preview, the disc concludes with a series of trailers from the Lionsgate catalog.
Terrence Malick’s acclaimed WWII drama “A Hidden Life” has scored a new trailer from Fox ahead of its U.S. limited release starting December 13th.
The project marks a long-awaited return to a more scripted and semi-plotted approach like Malick’s early work, as opposed to his recent trio of contemplative, improv-heavy, low-key indie dramas that received mixed reviews.
August Diehl stars as Franz Jagerstatter, an Austrian peasant farmer who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. Faced with the threat of execution for treason, his unwavering faith and his love for his wife Fani and children keeps his spirit alive.
Valerie Pachner, Maria Simon, Tobias Moretti, Bruno Ganz, Matthias Schoenaerts, Karin Neuhäuser, and Ulrich Matthes co-star.
Featuring: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran and Kate McKinnon
Ellie Appleton: “Miracles happen all the time!”
Jack Malik:“Like what?”
Ellie Appleton: “Benedict Cumberbatch becoming a sex symbol!”
Critical Commentary
Released into theatres this week is the Richard Curtis penned “Yesterday” (2019) which on paper must have seemed like a good idea as well as a title that would capture the feeling of a high concept romantic comedy that had a genre twist, coupled with a back catalogue of Beatles music which would set up the Danny Boyle film as a critical and box office hit but actually lands with a thud which is a feat indeed considering the music must be the most beloved of all time. Interestingly “Yesterday” definitely feels like a Richard Curtis movie, it combines a love story, music, comedy, drama as well as a the feeling of originality but in fact comes off as a man in his sixties attempting to recapture something that has been lost, which is kind of the way the main character comports himself until he lucks on a situation where he is able to exploit the knowledge of the love people will have for an element that has either been forgotten or in this case, lost. Curtis has made a career out of romantic comedies, his best efforts have been coupled with directors who are able to filter his scripts into very special films such as the timeless “The Tall Guy” (1989), “Four weddings and a funeral” (1994) and his last good screenplay “Notting Hill” (1999). At some point however when he was able to gain enough power and success to parlay his screenplay success into a directing career cracks started to appear in his work, beginning with “Love Actually” (2003) which I found problematic but continues through to this movie where he has some very odd choices that characters make, in particular there is a theme of not only dishonesty but coercion which many seem to gloss over. Curtis also increasingly co-opts music in a way that is manipulative which has culminated with this movie, in the taking of the Beatles catalogue eschewing any real originality and using it to make a fairly standard genre movie involving alternate universes and the idea that what someone is looking for has been with them the entire time, certainly one of the most overused trope laden ideas in cinema history.
In my mind it is readily apparent that the most obvious element of this movie in terms of its production is the fact that Richard Curtis is not directing this movie and that Danny Boyle has been enlisted to take the reins which could have been a very good decision but early on it seems like Boyle has little emotional connection to the script. For a rom-com that has heady musical aspirations there really needed to be something unique as well as special for this to succeed which “Yesterday” lacks on almost every level. At its most basic this a movie that concerns the idea that what someone has been looking for has been in front of them the entire time which is a such an overused cliché that for this to be the central idea behind the narrative is frankly insulting as well as juvenile, something Curtis has been doing in film for what seems like his entire career. In fact Curtis as well as Boyle seem intent on hiding this central premise behind doors as well as attempting to disguise the unoriginality of the plot with not only the music of The Beatles but with recasting what may have been a white man with an Indian, increasing the amount of humour to such an extent that the characters portraying this humour seem like outlines of real people and of course casting Ed Sheeran as himself which seems like such a stunt that it is distracting, although maybe that was the point. All in all, as I have stated it seems like this is a movie made for old people, created by old people but with younger actors cast to portray some kind of idealised version that would be palatable to any audience.
This movie revolves around Jack Malik a struggling singer-songwriter from Lowestoft, supported by his manager and childhood friend Ellie. After Jack is hit by a bus during a global blackout, he discovers that no one else on Earth remembers the Beatles. Jack begins performing their songs, claiming he wrote them, and records a demo with local music producer Gavin.
Even though I have an issue with the actual movie there are some performances that are worth praising, in particular I found the performance of Lily James who after a slight stutter to the beginning of her career has recovered nicely to the point that routinely she is often the best part of any movie she appears in, almost always instantly memorable as well as being able to portray very interesting and real characters. Of course, James has to portray a character here who is nothing more than a shadow, a woman who would fit into the late 1990s or early 2000s not a fully formed person who should be seen now. The main character portrayed by Himesh Patel does an admirable job of leading the movie, but he is essentially one note, much like his performances of the music throughout the movie, even the last musical performance on a rooftop (really!) seems one note. As is de rigueur, this movie is peppered with some great character actors in the form of Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Dominic Coleman, Sarah Lancashire, Justin Edwards and import Kate McKinnon, but none really stick as they all seem present to prop up stereotypes and caricatures. Frankly the stunt casting of Ed Sheeran and James Corden seems a reach, unnecessary and a wink to audiences that is not required at all.
This is such a flawed movie that the message if there is one is lost in its own love for what it is doing through a plot that makes littles sense wrapped in a narrative that struggles to know what it is present for. The idea that any kind of media is more important than human life is patently ridiculous, that because some music is absent from the world means that there is a hollowness to life itself is frankly juvenile. This is a movie that also comes from another time, one where Richard Curtis was in his twenties not the age he is now. This is a movie that centres on a fairly ordinary genre idea that is never fully expounded on, that is never analysed, is just accepted by the central character (and a few others) with little other consequence, except for some side scenes and comments regarding Coke and smoking. There is no wider analysis carried out by anyone which renders the plot almost pointless.
That is not to say that if you turn your brain off you will not enjoy the movie but that comes from the fact that it is peppered with Beatles music, to get an audience to have fun with that music is a low bar, to me “Yesterday” belongs in yesterday.
Technical Commentary
“Yesterday”arrives on 4K UHD packaged in a standard case inside a sleeve with raised lettering. Video codec is 2160p/HEVC H.265 and default audio is Dolby Atmos. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the full-motion menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.
Video
“Yesterday” has a sharp 2160p/HEVC H.265 encode and looks fantastic in 4K UHD. The smooth, grain-free presentation provides a crisp yet warm picture with only a couple of brief instances of judder and motion blur. Sometimes digital photography can result in a cold, uninviting image, but Christopher Ross’ cinematography welcomes us in and often exudes a film-like feel. All in all, this transfer provides an immersive experience.
Audio
“Yesterday” has a Dolby Atmos mix, most impressive are the overhead channels, which really kick in during the song and concert sequences to provide completely enveloping sound. Superior fidelity and tonal depth heighten the impact of the music, but atmospherics come through well, too. The rear speakers get a lot of activity as well, but it’s more subtle, and distinct stereo separation across the front channels nicely widens the forward soundscape.
Extras
Audio Commentary – Director Danny Boyle and writer-producer Richard Curtis sit down for a jovial, enjoyable commentary that’s short on substance, but long on camaraderie and good humor. The two men know each other well and their potent chemistry makes this discussion fly by. The duo provides a scene-specific chat, remarking on various locations, artistic decisions, and favorite moments and choices, and they share a few behind-the-scenes anecdotes, but there’s not much background info on casting and development or any thematic or character analysis. As a result, it’s a pretty skippable track.
Deleted Scenes (UHD, 23 minutes) – A whopping 12 excised scenes comprise this surprisingly entertaining collection. Though some of the sequences are superfluous and were wisely cut, several are quite good and would have been welcome additions to the film. Length and pacing considerations most likely sealed their fate, but they’re still worth checking out.
Alternate Ending (UHD, 3 minutes) – This ending puts a different spin on the story and it just doesn’t work. Some might feel differently, but I think Boyle and Curtis chose the right way to end their film.
Alternate Opening (UHD, 5 minutes) – The same holds true for this alternate opening, which lacks the vitality of the opening in the finished film.
Live at Abbey Road Studios (UHD, 10 minutes) – This trio of music videos features Himesh Patel performing “Yesterday,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and “Let It Be”at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
Gag Reel (UHD, 2 minutes) – This collection of bloopers and break-ups is about as funny as most of these compilations, which means it’s only mildly amusing at best.
Featurette: “A Talented Duo” (UHD, 3 minutes) – This piece salutes director Danny Boyle and writer-producer Richard Curtis, and includes testimonials from Patel, McKinnon, James, and Sheeran, among others.
Featurette: “Playing for Real” (UHD, 6 minutes) – This featurette covers the casting of Patel, his intense musical preparation for the film, the decision to perform all the songs live, and the actor’s talent and instinctive interpretive ability.
Featurette: “Soul Mates” (UHD, 5 minutes) – Lily James and Himesh Patel discuss the relationship between their characters and working together as actors, while Boyle, Curtis, and McKinnon laud their performances.
Featurette: “Ed Sheeran: From Stadium to Screen” (UHD, 3 minutes) – The singer/musician talks about his connection to the material, his excitement about acting, and the song he wrote on the fly for the movie. We also learn the Wembley Stadium sequence in Yesterdaywas shot immediately following an actual Ed Sheeran concert using the same massive crowd.
Featurette: “Agent of Comedy: Kate McKinnon” (UHD, 3 minutes) – McKinnon praises the Yesterday script, recalls her intense desire to play the role, and relates what The Beatles mean to her in this breezy featurette, which also includes some rehearsal footage of the actress.
Featurette: “A Conversation with Richard & Ed” (UHD, 3 minutes) – Curtis and Sheeran reminisce about their mutual connections to Suffolk, England and how Sheeran snagged his part in the picture…after Chris Martin of Coldplay couldn’t do it.
John Baxter:“Christine is dead. She is dead! Dead! Dead! Dead! Dead! Dead!”
Released recently on Blu-ray and re-mastered is the now timeless Nic Roeg directed gothic horror “Don’t look now” (1972) a film that holds a special place in many hearts and minds as a true modern masterpiece that at points defies genre and description as an original piece of art that remains watchable fifty years after its first appearance.
There has been so much written about “Don’t look now” over the intervening decades that I am not sure what I would be able to add but I will say that I love the use of color throughout especially of course red which is used throughout. I also love the idea of a couple left hanging after the death of their daughter, they are caught in a limbo that exists right up until the climax of the film which is at least as shocking as the opening.
Sometime after the drowning of their young daughter, Christine (Sharon Williams), in an accident at their English country home, John Baxter (Donald Sutherland) and his grief-stricken wife Laura (Julie Christie) take a trip to Venice after John accepts a commission from a bishop (Massimo Serato) to restore an ancient church.
Marketing:
For the 2019 restoration of “Don’t look now”, StudioCanal went back to the original camera negative which was scanned at 4K resolution in 16-bit and created the following: 4K DCP, UHD version and a new HD version which were produced with the same high technological standards as today’s biggest international film releases. The restoration and new UHD version was color graded and approved in London at Silversalt by the BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer, Anthony B. Richmond.
Richmond said of the restoration: “It was very exciting to come over to London to color correct the restoration of “Don’t look now”. The important thing for me was to make it look like the original print. I think with the help of Silver Salt Restoration and colorist Steve Bearman we have succeeded in doing that. For me personally it’s incredible that having shot it in 1973 it’s being released in the cinema again in Dolby Vision. “Don’t look now” is as strong and haunting now as it was when it was first released.”
Julie Christie said of the film’s re-release in cinemas: “Venice was a magical place to film, even waiting hours for the next shot was exciting because the surroundings were so mysterious and sensual. My dear Nic, Tony Richmond and myself were old friends from previous films and always had a lark whenever we worked together. Of course, I didn’t know what was in Nic’s mind when he was creating the film but when I did see it I was amazed at his extraordinary creations. A very precious time of my life.”
Special Features:
NEWPass The Warning: Reflecting on Nic Roeg’s masterpiece: new documentary featuring interviews with David Cronenberg, Danny Boyle, Brad Bird, Andrew Haigh, Stephen Woolley, Peter Bradshaw and more.
NEWA Kaleidoscope of Meaning: Color in Don’t Look Now – Featurette
NEWThe New 4K Restoration – restoration featurette
Audio commentary with Nic Roeg
Interviews with Donald Sutherland, Pino Donaggio, Allan Scott, Tony Richmond, Danny Boyle
Trailer: “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)
Disney Pictures has released the full trailer for the J.J. Abrams-directed “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”.
The project marks the ninth and final installment in the current Skywalker saga and the third and final one in the current series that began with ‘Force Awakens’ in 2015. The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron’s journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Dominic Monaghan, Matt Smith, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams star while the role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage.
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” opens in cinemas December 20th.
“Watchmen – Episode One: It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice” (2019)
Drama/Science Fiction
8 Episodes
Developed by: Damon Lindelof based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Directed by: Nicole Kassell
Featuring: Regina King, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Andrew Howard, Jacob Ming-Trent, Tom Mison, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, Louis Gossett Jr. and Jeremy Irons
Rorschach’s Diary:“Soon they will shout, ‘Save us!’ And we will whisper, ‘No.’”
The Story so far…
The Watchmen series is based on the comic of the same name, taking place in an alternative, contemporary reality in the United States. Masked vigilantes became outlawed due to their violent methods. Despite this, some gather around in order to start a revolution while others are out to stop it before it is too late. In this reality, the Watergate scandal never happened, allowing President Richard Nixon to dismiss term limits and run for five terms and lead the United States to a decisive victory in the Vietnam War with help of some of the vigilantes that sided with the government. The comics events end in 1985 after Adrian Veidt, a former vigilante known as Ozymandias, created a fake alien attack in New York City with millions dead in the resulting psychic shockwave, leading to a new accord between the United States and the Soviet Union ending the Cold War and avoiding a potential nuclear holocaust. Veidt asserts his actions were for the greater good, but they disgust his former allies; Rorschach seeks to tell the world of Veidt’s misdeeds but is vaporized by Doctor Manhattan before he can do so, after which Dr. Manhattan decides to depart Earth, seeking a place less complicated than Earth. Unaware to them, Rorschach had sent his journal to be published before he accosted Veidt.
Now…
The first episode of the new HBO series “Watchmen” has aired, while acting as a sequel of sorts to the original graphic novel, but now set in 2019 the indications, albeit very early ones, seem to be positive as well as something to look forward to for the next two months or so. Of course the first time this property was adapted was with the Zack Snyder “Watchmen” (2009) which suffered from a myriad of issues most common to the director himself. It was with some trepidation that HBO announced this new series created and run by screenwriter Damon Lindelof who, in my opinion, is one of the most overrated talents going in Hollywood, he has never stuck a landing or added anything new to any property he has ever worked on and there have been more than a few.
However judging from the first episode, “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice”, it seems that any issues with Lindelof may seem to be unfounded as this was not only a very good first episode, setting up just enough to keep audiences guessing but also framing this new alternative present enough that we know how thins world works, this is a fine balancing act that is executed in a subtle yet deliberate way by not only the writer but director Nicole Kassell.
Within this first episode there is much to unpack, I am not going to offer any spoilers but to be honest there is quite a bit of plot within this narrative so that will not be an issue this early on. Some of the themes that occur within this first episode are of course some of the same that we face today, politics, social commentary, past actions having real effects on the modern world, the reliability of news, forgiveness, racism, left versus right and one of the more important, that of decision making and the outcomes of those decisions. There are of course a multitude of others which will become apparent on repeat viewings and as the episodes unfold from week to week.
Some important aspects to consider in this alternate present:
The series takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma;
Vietnam is now a U.S. state;
Fossil fuels have been eliminated by Dr. Manhattan;
Robert Redford is the President and has been in office since 1992, he is now the longest-serving President.
There is an Act named as the ‘Victims Of Racial Violence Legislation’ designed to give reparations for those affected from past racial injustice, which is seen as unfavorable by a large portion of the white population.
The ‘Seventh Kavalry’, a white supremacy group in Tulsa has taken to the writings of Rorschach and use masks similar to his own.
Laws are passed to allow the police to take extra precautions to protect themselves and their families, including wearing their own masks.
Whilst there have already been readings of this being about possible white power as well as a variety of what could be called anti-left stances this is far too simple. This new world is not just a place where we have back versus white, but there are serious political, economic and social realties that have come to the fore which like today is something that divides people along rigid lines. Unlike the world in which we live where there is a right wing President in office who seems at peace with disrupting the left as well as behave like some new millennium Nixon this new one is run by the left, so a figurehead like Robert Redford is apt to be able to embody this for all audiences who know his obvious allegiances. This is a world we can see what would happen to the right if the left were in charge, making laws that were not agreed with and where the price for disagreement can be ultimate. We live in an age where right wing politicians globally are making a comeback in many countries and hard liners are making their feelings grow. At the same time we are also seeing the lot flex their own muscles in social media where they are negating others opinions so that wokeness and SJW are able to influence where there should be none, these are juxtaposing narratives which exist in “Watchmen”. I am looking forward to how these dichotomies shake out in weeks to come and if they can be brought together somehow, unlike in real life.
This, and the the next episode has been directed by Nicole Kassell who was responsible for the excellent “Woodsman” (2009), that actually covered some similar themes around identity, responsibility as well as payback. Since her debut she has almost only worked on television which is a great loss, but with this episode she flexes her muscles creating a look, feel and style that I hope continues through to the rest of the season.
Episode One: It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice
During the Black Wall Street massacre at Tulsa in 1921, a black child loses his parents in the ensuing chaos and escorts an orphaned baby to safety. Flash forward to an alternate 2019 in which police officers wear masks to conceal their identities; Officer Charlie Sutton is hospitalized after being shot by a member of the Seventh Kavalry, a white supremacist group influenced by Rorschach. Chief Judd Crawford calls for retaliation to hunt down the shooter. Angela Abar, a policewoman who “retired” and “runs a bakery”, catches wind of the shooting and hunts down a suspect under her secret persona of Sister Night. Using help from another vigilante, Looking Glass, she elicits the shooter’s location at a cattle ranch with other Kavalry members. Angela, Judd and other officers hunt them down, instigating a shootout that results in all Kavalry members’ deaths, including the shooter. Some time after the shootout, Judd runs over a spike strip while driving to the hospital to visit Sutton. Angela receives a call from someone who instructs her to find something at a countryside tree. She heads to the location, where she sees an elderly black man in a wheelchair below a lynched Judd. Meanwhile, an old lord at an unspecified country estate celebrates an “anniversary” with his two servants.
Sony Pictures has premiered both the domestic and international first trailers for “Bloodshot,” the new Vin Diesel-led adaptation of the famed Valiant Comics title.
Diesel plays Ray Garrison, a marine who is murdered and resurrected by a secret team of scientists (led by Guy Pearce). Enhanced with nanotechnology, he becomes a superhuman, biotech killing machine – Bloodshot. As Ray first trains with fellow super-soldiers, he cannot recall anything from his former life.
But when his memories flood back and he remembers the man that killed both him and his wife, he breaks out of the facility hellbent on revenge, only to discover that there’s more to the conspiracy than he originally thought. Sam Heughan, Eiza Gonzalez and Toby Kebbell co-star.
Created, written and Directed by: Stefan Golaszewski
Featuring: Lesley Manville, Peter Mullan, Sam Swainsbury and Lisa McGrillis
English television shows about singular characters are not new or even that original especially in this day and age which means that if you are wanting to watch new similarly themed shows then they had better have something to say that is at least original, hopefully compelling to audiences that may have at this stage feel like they have seen it all. This brings me to the new series “Mum” (2016-2018) which has just been released on DVD in New Zealand and Australia in one set containing both series.
The show concerns a sixty-year-old woman who has become a widow in a time of her life where she should be enjoying not only her life but the remainder of it with her partner as well as her family and friends. It also shows how life can pass people by, one day they wake up, they are getting old, wondering where their life went as well as the shock that what they may have expected has been taken away in a very real way that signals the finite state of our existence. Of course these are pretty serious themes that are explored but are done so within the framework of what is a fairly standard British comedy framework that has been seen numerous times over the past decades. So the question that really needs answering is does this show succeed, is it worth watching and is it funny?
“Mum” is a 2016 British sitcom written by Stefan Golaszewski centred around recently widowed, suburban 59-year-old Cathy (played by Lesley Manville) and her family, during the year following her husband’s death. Each episode is named after a calendar month in this year. Each episode is set in Cathy’s house and features her supportive lifelong friend Michael (played by Peter Mullan), and her family: son Jason and his girlfriend Kelly, Cathy’s brother Derek and his new partner Pauline, and Cathy’s in-laws.
There is no doubt that this show is made all the better by the lead performance of Lesley Manville who has always been a great stage and screen actress but there gets to play a real person as well as being funny in a very dry kind of way, it is truly a subtle performance. It’s a quiet triumph, made all the more affecting by its attention to small detail next to the exaggerated portraits of those around her. It’s very funny, very affecting and reveals real insight into the ways humans covers up pain with brashness, silence, laughter or a smile.
This show really looks at what happens when a partner dies and your life is changed forever. Consequently, a person may feel like they have also lost their purpose, certainly, there is a large element of confusion about what role you should play in the world going forward. The redefining of life after loss is one of the more overwhelming aspects of losing a spouse. As part of the grief process, it’s necessary to accept that your life will never return to the way it was before your loss.
While you may have to figure out “what to do” rather quickly, figuring out the “who you are now” is usually a slow process. Often, it starts to happen naturally less from any deliberate actions that are taken consciously. So there may be an identifiable way that dynamics of old time friendships begin to shift. Beyond relationships there are other facets of life that people need to change. There is a bottom line – grieving is hard, and the inevitable changes that come packaged with your initial loss make it even harder to bear.
There are elements of “Mum” that do seem out of place or reactionary, also sometimes the show does not seem to know what it is in terms of genre so there can be some inconsistency in terms of feel as well as humor. Is this a love story, a drama, a comedy, a social or political commentary, who really knows, these are things that should have been sorted out in the creation, maybe it will be something that is ironed out as the show movies forward, I hope so as the actor’s are better than the material for long stretches.
The real reason to watch the show is Manville who has been such a great actress, it is easy to see why she is Mike Leigh’s most used actress, she adds some realism to the show that is needed, in a way I do wish that this was a one person show where we witness who journey after the loss of her husband with small appearances from her support people. This would really make the show about something many of us have or will go through at points in our lives, but it would also fit thematically as if this happens we are ultimately left alone no matter how many friends or family we have, we are the ones that either have to move on or remain stuck in some sort of limbo, which is what this show is about.
I do recommend this show as a very good entertaining watch that does show there is life after sixty as well as life after the loss of a persons partner in life.
Episodes:
Monday: Cathy and her family gather at a house in the countryside for Derek’s birthday.
Tuesday: A hungover Cathy pieces together the events of the previous night. Kelly suffers from bad morning sickness.
Wednesday: The family prepare to leave the house for a walk in the countryside. Jason confronts Michael about his feelings for Cathy.
Thursday: After a meal out, Pauline has had too much to drink. Cathy comforts Jason.
Friday: It’s raining and the family are stuck inside. Cathy looks to tell Jason about her relationship with Michael.
Saturday: Derek’s party arrives and Cathy decides to put herself first for once.
Featuring: Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Sonja Richter, Søren Pilmark, Pilou Asbæk, David Dencik, Danica Curcic, Pål Sverre Hagen and Jakob Ulrich Lohmann
Børge Bak:“Do me a favour… if I get murdered… don’t investigate my case.”
It is fair to say that television crime dramas, in particular foreign language crime dramas are now a dime a dozen, they exist in almost every language covering a variety of normally brutal and heinous crimes. These international television shows seemed to begin with the Nordic Noir genre that started with the excellent “The Killing” (2007-2012) from Denmark which itself was re-made in the US as a hit there. What followed was a myriad of not only crime, but political stories primarily from those Nordic countries that attempted to originate new stories as well as sympathetic flawed people who were only one step behind their quarries. These whodunits spread throughout the world expanding beyond their origins with many variations on a theme, one of the most successful English language versions being “Broadchurch” (2013 -2017) from the UK featuring David Tennant and Olivia Coleman.
What all of these shows have in common in terms of plot and narrative is rather simple, with most of them obviously created with an ending in mind, sometimes that ending (as well as revelation) can be shocking enough to come out of left field where no viewer may expect the story to end up. The other thing that these narratives have in common is an almost endless supply of red herrings that keep an audience guessing throughout what can seem like an endless amount of episodes. As a viewer I find not only the amount of episodes as well as the endless amount of suspects exceedingly frustrating.
This new series of movies are all based around the books of Jussi Adler-Olsen who is not only an experienced author but has had is work turned into movies before. Adler-Olsen in his work shows an empathy for all his characters even though his main protagonist has issues in dealing with other people, which is the hook that all these stories are based on.
These movies are all expertly directed as well as being beautifully photographed, taking into account the grand geographic location of the local countryside, as not only a unique backdrop for the action but also incorporating it as a character to visually show the audience the kind of isolation that each of the separate characters are going through as they progress through the main story as well their own separate narratives.
As well as the characters being spot on, the cast has been chosen very well, in particular the two leads in Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares who are as different from each other as any two leads could be. It is inspired casting having a native Dane who is out of his depth with almost everything but the tracking down of killers and solving crimes. Whereas Fares Fares is middle eastern who seems more at home in a foreign land than his own partner but needs pushing to solve the cases that are bestowed on them by corruption or laziness.
The writing on this show is actually one its top strengths which may seem obvious but in fact by time something this complex gets to the screen the heart of it can be removed by over zealous producers and directors, but that is not the case here. This has as I have said great characters but it also has them making honest decisions, in particular the son of one of the suspects has some incredibly hard things to come to terms with, and i think his performance for me is the most real as is the conclusion he comes to – that is all down to the decision made by the writers.
As I have already stated this is a really good crime series with very little in the way of false leads or starts, it ratchets up the thriller aspects while never coming up short on plot elements that propel the story along, at times very quickly. It also creates space for real character moments that ring true not only to the story but to each of the characters that they interact with. As with any modern crime story the ‘heroes’ are flawed but find their way through life by clinging (desperately sometimes) to positive aspects of life whereas the similarly flawed ‘villains’ are almost nihilistic in nature, illustrating there is indeed a thin line between the good and the bad. This is a show that is easily re-watchable, unlike other genre shows due to its fast pace and relatively short episodes both the number and length. I recommend this highly not only to watch but is well worth the investment to own a copy.
The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013)
Carl Mørck is demoted to Department Q, the cold case unit, after a raid goes wrong. One case, a suspected suicide, piques his interest. His investigations suggest that the woman, a rising politician, was actually kidnapped. Mørck ruffles feathers, and is told to halt the investigation, but he and his colleague Assad continue. A car crash leaves the children from two families without one or both parents and siblings. One of the children, a boy, grows up to seek revenge on a woman who as a girl caused the crash. The man blames the woman as she covered her dad’s eyes as he was driving, which caused the crash.
The Absent One (2014)
The story centers around the murder of twins in 1994, one of whom was also raped. At first unwilling to get involved in the case, Mørck changes his mind after their father commits suicide after approaching him one night and leaving behind a box of material on the case he has been collecting for years. Dept Q’s investigation leads away from the young man originally convicted, towards a group of students from a nearby boarding school who became pillars of the Danish establishment.
A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)
An 8-year-old message in a bottle, written in blood, leads Detective Carl Morck and his assistant Assad to a series of child abductions from religious communities throughout Denmark. The majority of these abductions have not been reported for some reason, and some of them are suspected to have ended in murder
The Purity of Vengeance (2018)
A series of mysterious disappearances in 2006 are eerily connected to the same institution.
Featuring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff and Bill Skarsgård
With all the doom and gloom over the past ten years regarding the lack of audiences attending cinemas there always seems a need for something new to draw people in, that is why in the space of just two years the environment that this second part of “IT” (2017) the aptly titled “IT – Chapter Two” (2019) has been released is almost entirely different, much like this new instalment that in ways is a nice bookend to one of Stephen Kings more revered books but also disappoints in ways only a movie like this could with all the build-up as well as the promise of a truly satisfying ending to something most people didn’t even realise they needed.
The original arrived in an absolutely dreadful Summer at the US box office, the King horror redeemed it somewhat as the prestige film season began in earnest – that is the horror remake/adaptation of one of Stephen Kings most famous (and largest) novels, ‘It’ written in 1986, adapted once already as a television mini-series in 1990. Whilst the miniseries was set up in the present and told in flashbacks that featured the now infamous ‘Pennywise the Dancing Clown’ played with inimitable ferociousness by the great Tim Curry – leaving a mark on a generation as one of the most terrifying clowns in either TV or cinema – this new movie tracks slightly differently in tone as well as its narrative structure.
How times have changed as this new movie arrives in one of the better Summer movie seasons ever with box office returns in a healthy position after a run of massive movies that have also been very good for blockbusters, with the vast majority being produced by Disney. Now with “IT – Chapter Two” which seems the antithesis of a Disney movie, Warner Brothers have offered an R-rated scare fest not made for an audience of children, even though they feature throughout. This new movie also is unable to ride the success of previous 1980s themed movies and shows as it is very much set in the present, it has to earn its scares as well as its narrative shaped around a plot that feels much like a re-tread of the first movie. While the first movie lived up to the hype with great reviews and a bumper box office this new movie seems like it has attempted to up the game by lengthening the running time to almost three hours, stunt casting instead of character casting and at times seems a little to smart for its own good.
“It – Chapter Two” is set in 2016 Derry, Maine, Adrian Mellon is beaten and thrown from a bridge, then killed by Pennywise. Mike Hanlon overhears the incident on a police scanner and rushes to the scene. Upon realizing that It has resurfaced, he calls the other members of the Losers—Bill, Ben, Beverly, Richie, Eddie and Stan—back to Derry. All are amnesiac about their childhoods and disturbed by the calls, but agree to return. Stan, however, commits suicide. The remaining members reunite at a local restaurant, but the night goes horrifically when monstrous conjurings and taunts emerge by It, before they are informed of Stan’s suicide. Richie and Eddie decide to leave while Mike reveals that he met with a Native American tribe who showed him the Ritual of Chüd, a way of destroying It once and for all. Bill and Mike convince Richie and Eddie to stay and finish what was started. A flashback shows Henry Bowers escaping the sewers but getting arrested for the murder of his father. In the present, Bowers is in a mental hospital and escapes with It’s help.
Originally set up at Warner Bros. with Cary Fukunaga as the both writer and director, after his huge success with the first season of HBO’s “True Detective” (2014 – present) he was the top choice, as well as Will Poulter as Pennywise this seemed like a slam-dunk. But as with many modern big budget films, or when studios have second thoughts Fukunaga left over differences, Poulter quickly followed suit, it looked like the project may be dead, but in stepped relative newcomer Andy Muschietti and Pennywise was recast with another gamble in the form of Bill Skarsgård. The challenge was always going to be how to condense a thousand page book into a possible two hour running time, but this I am happy to say has been solved in what must be one of the greater leaps of faith for a studio to make with unproven talents in front and behind the camera.
The plot has been split between the younger and older selves of the book with the first film serving as a period piece set in the 1980s and this sequel is set in modern times (2016) with a few flashbacks to either add to the modern story or to remind viewers about previous key events.
This is actually quite a unique film, particularly in the horror genre in that it has a large budget (compared to the cost of modern Horror movies), is based around children, but does not treat them as such, in fact they are for all intents and purposes the adults of the film – as well as all of this the film is aimed at an adult audience not the PG soaked one that has to be pandered to with only small amounts of violence, gore and coarse language. One other aspect of this film that I loved was the choices that each of the protagonists makes, they seem to be honest, as well as real in terms of the world they are inhabiting, something that is from the novel as well as the miniseries. If you have seen recent horror movies like “Annabelle: Creation” (2017) you will know about illogical, nonsensical decisions that are the inciting incidents that make absolutely no sense.
This film is well directed by Andy Muschietti, whose only other movie was the 2013 horror hit “Mama” produced by Guillermo del Toro based on his own short film. Here Muschietti must bring a well-loved book to the screen with not only a sense of style, but an inexperienced cast as well as having one eye on the future, but always maintaining that this movie live in its own present. He has done an excellent job by marshalling his cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, who brings a fresh originality with his work on his South Korean movies that mix genres as well as acting and directing styles. The film is not without its tropes and this is probably as a result from a mix of screenwriters that have taken passes at Fukunaga’s original script to try and boost parts that the studio thought were appealing – luckily though this is a visual film with many thrilling elements to hide any narrative flaws, which do exist.
“It – Chapter Two” is the very definition of an ensemble film with the adult cast made up of character actors or aspiring leads who all have to fight for space, although this is much easier as this sequel is much longer than its predecessor. Most obviously the leads are Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy who both are coming off the disastrous”X-Men: Dark Phoenix” (2019), here they show why they both in demand, although their child counterparts seemed to be more present in their roles, I found myself wishing for more time with them than their adult versions. This is something I found for most of the film, it was not just a longing for the child actors but for the first movie as a whole which generally I found tighter, more logical and it also had more of a plot.
This movie works well, although not as well as the first one, it feels overlong, bloated and a bit more showy seemingly feeling the need to make an excuse for audience to not only come to this one but for it to seem bigger, which in my opinion was a mistake. The entire movie seems forced, especially in marrying the child actors to the assault ones which needed to occur but with a subtly that is lacking here.
I do recommend “It – Chapter Two” to you if you love Stephen King, horror movies or just a good film; it looks great on the big screen with performances that really jump off the screen with scares as well as humor. What this isn’t is a stand alone movie, it requires the first one to set it up, but does so clumsily and attempts to shoehorn in far to much from the original novel, some of which did nothing for the plot, the same can be said here.
Featuring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham and Marc Maron
Arthur Fleck: “I used to think that my life was a tragedy, but now I realize, it’s a comedy.”
Released in theaters last week was the global phenomenon “Joker” (2019) which offers some kind of insight into a version of the origins of the titular character and Batman arch enemy as well as attempting to offer some insight into not only why this man became who he became but is a reflection of at least part of the world we inhabit today. As with the origins of this character the origins of this film are unique as well with some unorthodox people behind the camera as well as in front of which may help to explain why this film seems fresh especially after all the misfires that have been produced by Warner Brothers under their DCEU banner. There are few linkages to the wider comic book universe as well as no attempt at all to link it to any other comic book movie that has come before, with this baggage jettisoned what audiences are finding is something that requires little first hand knowledge but is still recognizable in the wider DC universe, although with a much harder edge as well as some true social and political commentary. The other major element, one that really makes the film watchable even if you either do not enjoy the political/social commentary, or agree with where the narrative takes the plot is the singular performance of the main actor, Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck who firstly devolves into someone he hates, then evolves into the identity of Joker, where of course he remains for the rest of his life.
Wisely the filmmakers, basically Todd Phillips, have taken the city of Gotham, transposing it to the beginning of the 1980s as well as making it a cypher of the then New York. At the time New York was known as a crime ridden, dirty place that was filled with crime, over 250 felonies a week were committed as well as rampant crime being the main form of employment for the underclass. “Joker” explores that as well as making it a motif for the background and foreground, almost everything has a layer of dirt, nothing is clean, in fact the same thing can be said for almost all the characters, especially Arthur and his mother who both hide secrets that are revealed by the end of the film. In terms of narrative this is an extremely busy film with multiple storylines that do reach their conclusion, but those elements are the weakest of the entire film, as is the shoehorning of the Waynes, which seems like something mandated, not natural at all. I would have been much happier if Bruce and his cohorts had been left out of this film completely, these all rang hollow, becoming distracting to the main plot which is completely fascinating made almost perfect because of the skill of Phoenix to break down a charater onscreen, then rebuild him in front of your eyes.
This film also owes a huge debt to Martin Scorsese in not only its portayal of Gotham as New York, but also in three of his finest films in “Mean Streets” (1972), “Taxi Driver” (1975) and “The King of Comedy” (1985) all quintessential New York films and perfect examples of character pieces built around Robert De Niro in his prime. What is refreshing is that Phillips and Phoenix have not just copied these examples but have used them as starting points to create something that is almost as good as advertised, the weakness is of course that this is still a comic book movie so it falls into some predictable tropes as well as far too much winking at the audience. In other regards “Joker” nods its heart towards David Fincher’s adaptation of “Fight Club” (1999), it can be no coincidence that this arrives twenty years after that similarly themed film, looking back it was far ahead of its time in response to the intervening years that have passed.
Of course the other main segment of this movie is the narrative that is used to wrap the plot up in which is a little murky to say the least. This film strives to encompass so many parts of todays society in terms of politics, religion, the media, social justice, mental health, homelessness, degradation, social media and of course the true power of personality that we see all over this film as well as all over the media landscape today. What the filmmakers have done is to wrap their story up into not only a comic book movie, but also a period piece and a character study that in some cases acts as a reinforcement for some of the more problematic movements existing in 2019 such as incels, personalty politics, fake news, the woke movement and of course one of the underlying issues in existence, social media.
No matter what your opinion is of co-writer/director Todd Phillips who up to now has been known for the broadest, crudest and the most male dominated comedies, here he has pivoted to take much of his past and pouring that into a drama that is still a fairly run of the mill comic book origin story. Many of the differences within the style of “Joker” are what make it compelling with the vast amount of wide shots, coupled with the use of the slow push in which offer an insight into the main characters mind. Not only that but we see long shots on the main character that drive home the idea that this is his story which are designed to also make the audience as uncomfortable as possible as he is deconstructed before our eyes. This is a finely honed film from its casting, to its use of mise en scène, costuming, locations, scripting and its (possible) setting within the DCEU, so the fact that it has been a worldwide box office phenomenon made on a relatively modest budget speaks to an audience crying for something that is contained within this story, Phillips and his crew have been able to expertly tap into this which speaks to the talent of the director as auteur.
“Joker” is ostensibly set in 1981 and is based around the character of Arthur Fleck who works as a clown-for-hire and lives with his mother, Penny, in Gotham City. The city is collapsing under unemployment, crime, and financial ruin, leaving segments of the population disenfranchised and impoverished. Arthur suffers from a neurological disorder that causes him to laugh at inopportune times, and regularly visits a social services worker to obtain medication. This is a very different origin story but does follow a heroes journey of sorts that is warped to fit this newish paradigm of story telling. Needless to say there is a point the narrative that folds in a Batman story as well as his origin which really is the only weak part of this film.
As I have mentioned one of the main reasons to seek “Joker” out is the central performance of Joaquin Phoenix who has proven himself through the years to be one of the greatest modern onscreen actors of modern times. Here Phoenix carries out exactly what he does best, that is take a unique possibly misunderstood charater, breaks him down then puts onscreen something truly unique even though we have seen the same character through many different incarnations. I have no doubt that there will be at the very least an Oscar nomination on the horizon for Phoenix. Wisely Phoenix is not left to carry the film on his own with excellent performances given by Frances Conroy as his mother, Robert De Niro in a scene stealing turn as a talk show host and up and coming Zazie Beetz as a somewhat love interest.
Whilst “Joker” has indeed dominated the box office as well as critic lists for the past three weeks it is by no means a perfect film, for all its commentary on a variety of issues it still remains a comic book movie, and an origin story with all that entails. We see the rise of the main character through adversity, the discovery of his true purpose as well the invention of a nemesis which really offer nothing new at all within the genre, which on the surface I found profoundly disappointing. All of the tropes from similar genres are there, you could even tick them off they are that predictable. There are, however a few elements that are present that make this a step above almost all other comic book movies, they are the obvious performance of Phoenix which is by the greatest singular performance in a comic book movie ever, by a lead. The other two elements are the relaxed but definite style by which this film has been produced, coupled with the distinct lack of special effects and CGI, lending this film to be adult oriented than many before it. Couple that with the obvious messages around social media, cult leaders and followers as well as the kind of politics that we find ourselves in, this new “Joker” not only deserves to be seen but in cinemas to gain the full impact of the themes and messages buried within.
Developed by: Jennie Snyder Urman, Jessica O’Toole and Amy Rardin
Featuring: Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, Sarah Jeffery, Ser’Darius Blain, Ellen Tamaki, Rupert Evans and Nick Hargrove
Macy Vaughn:“What do you think mom would say if she saw us standing together right now?”
Mel Vera, Maggie Vera: “Your differences are your strengths, and nothing’s as strong as your sisterhood.”
Released recently on DVD, “Charmed- Season One” (2018) is the reboot of a much beloved and long running show of the same name featrubg three witches who are sisters living in San Francisco, fight evil, living life and who also ran a nightclub which would feature a new musical guest each week. There really can be few shows on television that are ready to grab the cultural moment with questions being asked about the roles of men and woman, their places within structures and how best to deal with these elements from both sides, especially young and female.
There are some very real issues with the show in terms of special effects, chemistry, villains and the day to day activities each character has to go through, however over time some of these will be overcome especially with experience and a break between Season One and the now airing Season Two.
Set in the fictional college town of Hilltowne, Michigan, the series begins with sisters Mel (Melonie Diaz) and Maggie Vera (Sarah Jeffery) living with their mother Marisol (Valerie Cruz), who shortly afterward is attacked and killed by an unknown dark force. Three months later, Mel and Maggie discover that they have an older half-sister, Macy Vaughn (Madeleine Mantock), who was kept a secret by their mother for years but recently moved to Hilltowne to accept a new job at the local university. After the first time the sisters are under the same roof, they unexpectedly start exhibiting new magical abilities; the eldest Macy receives the power of telekinesis, middle sister Mel can freeze time, and the youngest Maggie can hear people’s thoughts. Soon afterward, their Whitelighter—an advisor who protects and guides witches—Harry Greenwood (Rupert Evans) gathers all three sisters together and reveals to them that they are witches, as was their mother. Marisol had bound her daughters’ powers when they were each born to protect them and let them live normal lives, but was in the process of unbinding their powers on the night she was murdered. The sisters ultimately accept their new destiny as The Charmed Ones, the most powerful trio of good witches who protect innocent lives from demons and other dark forces in Hilltowne.
The reboot changes several elements from the original Charmed series, including moving the fictional setting from San Francisco to Hilltowne; making the middle sister a lesbian; giving the youngest sister the power of telepathy instead of premonition; changing the family name from Halliwell to Vera; and having all three of the sisters’ alliterative names begin with ‘M’ instead of ‘P’. Additionally, the reboot has a more ethnically diverse cast: Mantock is Afro-Caribbean, Diaz is Puerto Rican, and Jeffery is African American, English and Indigenous Canadian. However, in the series they all play Latina sisters, with Mantock’s Macy and Jeffery’s Maggie both being Afro-Latinas.
Episodes:
Pilot: One night, Maggie and Mel Vera come home to discover that their mother, Marisol, has been murdered after receiving a frantic text ordering them to come home. Three months later, the sisters are estranged, with Mel blaming Maggie for Marisol’s death and Maggie deciding to leave their home for a chance to join a sorority. At the same time, Macy Vaughn, a molecular geneticist, is hired to work at Hilltowne University under Thaine, a professor recently reinstated after being accused of sexual harassment. Macy introduces herself to Maggie and Mel as their older half-sister, and the three are then brought before Harry Greenwood, who introduces himself as their “Whitelighter” and explains that they are witches and that their mother had been trying to undo the binding spells she placed to hide their powers before she was killed. He gives them 48 hours to decide whether to accept their powers or return to their original lives. After Macy helps Maggie exorcise a demon from her ex, Brian, they realize that everything Harry told them is true. The next day, Mel is lured into a trap by Thaine, who reveals that he is really the archdemon Taydeus. Macy, Maggie, and Mel are able to use the “Power of Three” to kill Taydeus, but learn that he is not the demon who killed their mother. Later that night, Mel finds an ouija board that the sisters use to contact Marisol’s spirit. In turn, she warns them not to trust Harry.
Let This Mother Out: After Harry warns them that ouija boards are easily manipulated by evil spirits, the girls decide to use a truth serum to determine whether or not he’s lying. While obtaining an ingredient for the serum, Macy learns about a “black blob” that escaped from the university lab. Maggie increasingly finds that her power makes it difficult to have a social life. Mel uses the board against Harry’s instructions, and Macy is forced to destroy it to protect her; this drives a wedge between them. The truth serum is accidentally given to Niko instead of Harry, and she admits to cheating on Mel with her ex-fiancee. Maggie persuades her sister to help her cast a spell to free Marisol’s spirit from the board. She reveals that Harry killed her, and that he plans to steal their powers. The girls are told to use the Prism of Souls to trap him, but Mel becomes doubtful and stabs Marisol, exposing her as a demon. Maggie then destroys her by using her phone as a mirror. Harry decides to start training the girls, and informs them that the blob is a form of the Harbinger, the demon whose arrival foretells the beginning of apocalypse. The Harbinger is then shown choosing a coma patient, Angela Wu, as its host.
Sweet Tooth: Harry’s training is not going well, especially since Maggie is juggling both her commitment to her sorority and her duty as a Charmed One. Harry also forces Mel to wear a special talisman that allows him to track her as punishment for misusing her power. The girls craft a plan to find the Harbinger, but when Maggie uses magic to throw a party at their house, she persuades them to use it as an opportunity to lure it out. She also tries to help Macy spice up her costume for Gavin. After learning that three virgins have been killed and drained of their blood, the girls and Harry try to seal off the house, though not before Angela, now a full demon, enters. Mel tells Harry that she feels smothered because she has never had to hide who she is from others. The protection spell fails, exposing Angela’s presence; Macy, a virgin, uses her own blood to lure it outside. The binding spell fails (due to the consequences of Maggie using magic for personal gain) and Mel casts a forbidden spell to defeat Angela, nearly killing Macy as well. Harry reveals that he is protective because another witch he served, Fiona, killed herself after being institutionalized. The girls then chain up the Harbinger in the attic until their superiors, the Elders, arrive.
Exorcise Your Demons: Niko and her partner Trip visit the girls to question them about Angela, but the arrival of Elder Charity Callahan throws them off the trail. Charity explains that Angela is beyond saving and has to be killed using the Power of Three. Mel and Maggie are against the decision, but Macy supports it. Lucy asks Parker to help an overwhelmed Maggie study for her midterm. Mel discovers that Angela’s soul is still intact, meaning she can be saved. Charity refuses to permit an exorcism, so Mel and Maggie abduct Angela and drive off. Harry tracks them down, but agrees to help once he learns that Angela’s soul is still alive. Charity reveals that, years ago, she cast a spell on Marisol that erased her emotional pain from abandoning Macy. The sisters learn that their mother wrote a secret spell of exorcism, based in Santería, that only they can use. When Parker unexpectedly shows up, Maggie kisses him and he leaves. The girls recite the spell and exorcise the Harbinger; however, Trip, who had been following them, is killed by flying debris. Maggie decides that she wants to study for the midterm on her own. Through Niko, Mel learns that Charity covered up Trip’s death by framing him for Angela’s crimes. Later, a mysterious man uses a hypnotic suggestion to compel Charity to give him the vessel holding the Harbinger.
Other Women: Mel is worried about Niko’s state of mind after Trip’s death and invites her over for dinner. Macy meets billionaire Alistair Caine, who has an interest in her work, and learns that Galvin has started a relationship with another woman, Summer. Parker dumps Lucy, who asks Maggie to help find the girl he “cheated” on her with. Niko reveals that, before his death, Trip was looking into a link between her mother’s death and two other murders; Mel tells her to drop it. A shapeshifter working for Caine, Hunter, steals Trip’s identity in order to trap Niko. He leaves Niko to die in a fire, but Mel saves her and later thwarts another attempt on her life. Summer turns out not to be a succubus, but Macy notices a strange mark on Galvin. Harry recommends using the Power of Three to change history so as to prevent Niko and Mel from ever meeting, but warns that doing so will erase every trace of their relationship. The spell goes through, and Mel is left heartbroken. Maggie admits that she kissed Parker to Lucy, and gets expelled from Kappa. Mel learns that, as a consequence of the spell, she missed an important interview and no longer has a job at the university. Alastair Caine tells Hunter, who turns out to be his son, that they must acquire DNA from the sisters in order to steal their powers.
Kappa Spirit: Harry looks into Galvin’s mark, believing it to be demonic in nature. He also arranges for Mel to interview for an administrative job in his office. Crane orders mandatory blood tests for everyone in the university lab. Lucy falls under the influence of Brenda Mancini, who fell to her death while drunk in 1989 after being rejected as a pledge and has now returned as a revenant. They also see a memory of their mother pregnant with Macy, and fearful for her health. Mel and Maggie find the pledges tied up, and suspect that Brenda plans to use Lucy to take revenge on Jenna, the girl she blames for her death. Jenna reveals that since Brenda’s death, there have been multiple deaths at Kappa resembling hers, leading the girls to realize that she intends to make Lucy the next. Macy decides to contact a Yoruba priestess for help; she is warned that Galvin’s mark indicates a “darkness” within her, one that has been present since her birth. Maggie and Mel attempt to destroy Brenda with a spell, but it fails. Lucy attempts suicide, but Harry saves her and Maggie earns her forgiveness, taking away Brenda’s power. Afterwards, Maggie agrees to give Lucy some space until she’s ready to fix their friendship. Hunter steals Macy’s blood sample from the lab, and Macy finds a key hidden behind a plaque at home.
Out of Scythe: Maggie debates whether to drop out of college to focus on her spell craft. The new lab director, Wagner, offers Macy a position as supervisor, but only if she dismisses Galvin. A satyr, Leon, visits the sisters with news that a shadow demon has stolen his shard of the Scythe of Tartarus, which, when reassembled, has the power to release any imprisoned demons. Parker takes Maggie out on a date, but when they kiss, she reads his mind, revealing that he has a secret. When she goes to find him, she catches him using what seems to be drugs. Another shard is stolen from the fertility goddess Sela, and a swarm of insects leads the girls to the third and final shard. Using Macy’s key, the sisters discover that the final shard is a beacon. The girls set a trap, but the demon manages to reforge the Scythe by calling the pieces together. A mysterious girl then steals it and disappears, while the demon escapes. The sisters promise to be more honest with each other from now on. Macy persuades Wagner to let Galvin stay on. Maggie decides to stay in school, but Mel chooses to leave. Parker explains that he has an autoimmune disease that will cut his life short, which is why he needs the drugs. He then visits his father, Alistair, who berates him for his failure to retrieve the Scythe and tells him to stay close to Maggie.
Bug a Boo: While on the hunt for the mysterious girl, Mel scours the Book of Shadows with Harry and Charity looking for clues. As if that isn’t enough, they discover that a group of cicada demons are using a dating app to attract new prey. When Macy is ensnared, the girls rescue her and kill the queen, saving the other victims. Parker tries to convince Maggie to take an internship at his father’s company since all interns must submit a blood sample for testing, but fails. Alastair rebukes Parker, reminding him that the serum they are working on is the only thing that can reverse his condition; Hunter defends Parker from their father’s harshness. Macy learns from Galvin that his research has been cut, and that he and Summer have ended their relationship. Parker tells Maggie that he needs a plasma transplant for his condition, and she agrees to help him. The mysterious girl later approaches Mel, introducing herself as Jada, a member of the Sisters of Arcana (Sarcana), a rogue group of witches. She states that Marisol was an ally of the Sarcana and that they used the Scythe to free a powerful witch, whom the Elders imprisoned. Mel later discusses these revelations with Charity, who, along with the Elders, instruct her to join the Sarcana so that she can spy on them. Macy decides to rekindle her romance with Galvin, only for him to be struck by a car.
Jingle Hell: The Caine brothers break into a church in Romania and steal a powerful amulet from the body of Saint Dragos, which was guarded by a priest whom they kill. The sisters prepare for Christmas, only for an injured Galvin to show up looking for Macy. Wagner tells her son, Parker, that he must use the amulet to drain the sisters’ magic and save his life. Jada inducts Mel into the Sarcana. Macy notices Parker reacts adversely to Galvin’s mark, and suspects his demonic nature; Hunter then ties her up and takes her place. Mel notices the artifact, but Maggie refuses to accept that her boyfriend might have evil intentions. Unable to live with his deception, Parker removes the amulet, restoring the stolen magic. Hunter confronts his brother, revealing that the amulet is necessary to turn him into the “Source”, a being of pure darkness. He then tries to kill the sisters, but Parker fights him off and Mel uses her new Mark of the Sarcana to summon a flock of crows, driving him away. Parker carries Maggie off to explain, but she rejects him. Jada tells Mel that the Sarcana tried to protect Marisol, but failed. Hunter returns and the sisters banish him to Tartarus with Parker’s help, but Harry and the staff are pulled down with Hunter, and Galvin discovers their secret.
Keep Calm and Harry On: The Elders refuse to help the girls rescue Harry, so Charity encourages them to work on other priorities. Maggie is heartbroken over Parker’s betrayal, so she uses magic to take away her pain. Mel learns from Jada that the nearest gateway to Tartarus is guarded by a demon named Dante and that the Sarcana need Hellfire to heal one of their own. To secure Harry’s release, Mel decides to offer the Harbinger to Dante as a trade. After Galvin accepts that Macy is a witch, he helps her break into Wagner’s office, where they find evidence that she is experimenting with demon DNA. Meanwhile, Charity reluctantly gives the sisters the vessel holding the Harbinger, but when they give it to Dante, they discover the vessel to be empty. Maggie’s powers falter and a furious Dante traps her in Tartarus. To save her, Mel and Macy get Parker to help them steal the Harbinger from his father; Mel also steals some Hellfire for the Sarcana. Alistair compels Wagner to reveal what happened to Hunter, and he intercepts the sisters just as they rescue Harry and Maggie. Through love, Maggie creates a new spell that nearly vanquishes Alistair before he escapes. Charity reveals to an emotionally distraught Harry that his son, who he thought had died years earlier, is still alive. Mel gives the Hellfire to Jada and they kiss, which Niko secretly records. Galvin shows Macy files indicating that she and Maggie share the same parents, while Mel only shares a mother.
Witch Perfect: Maggie plans to audition for the Hilltones, the university’s acapella group, where she reconnects with Lucy. Macy shares Galvin’s findings with her sisters, but neither takes it well. Through magic, Macy learns that Marisol and her father Dexter secretly kept in touch until he died. Feeling betrayed, Mel comes clean to Jada about her mission, and shares a kiss with her that Niko photographs. The choir director, Mr. Miranda, cuts the Hilltones’ soloist; when she complains, he steals her soul using an enchanted pitch pipe. Maggie accidentally touches the flute, arousing her suspicions. Macy and Harry realize that Miranda has turned the Hilltones into sirens, so he can absorb the souls of the entire audience at their show. Mel helps Jada expose a sexual predator, interrupted only by Niko, who now works as a PI trying to track down Jada. Maggie rallies the Hilltones to disrupt the spell. Using the Power of Three, the sisters release the demon controlling Mr. Miranda while Galvin imprisons it in the pipe and frees the soloist. Harry decides that he no longer feels fit to serve as a Whitelighter. While reading Dexter’s letters with Macy, Maggie finds out that he and Marisol resurrected Macy from the dead when she was still a child.
You’re Dead to Me: Wanting answers, Macy performs a ritual to call forth Knansie, the necromancer who resurrected her, unaware that doing so has broken a spell shielding her from Cyd, a witch who seeks to kill her. Despite Maggie’s warnings, Mel meets Niko and learns that wiping her memory caused her to quit the force. Macy bonds with Knansie, learning that necromancy can “turn” (corrupt) resurrected beings. Harry accidentally strands himself and Mel in Manchester, forcing him to reveal that his powers are unbalanced. Rather than lose him as a Whitelighter, she agrees to help him find his son. Cyd attacks the house, but Macy subdues her. Maggie goes to a party where Parker is bartending, but she refuses to forgive him. Cyd takes Maggie hostage to force Macy to give her Knansie. Harry and Mel find church records revealing that his real name is James Westwall, and that his son is named Carter. Macy nearly kills Cyd in anger before Maggie stops her, and she explains that Knansie has been using her power to turn everyone she resurrects as part of a demonic pact; Parker tricks her into breaking the pact and she turns to dust. Harry sees Carter as an old man, and decides that is enough. Macy makes a deal with Wagner to remove her darkness. Unknown to Maggie, Alistair tasks Lucy, who secretly serves him, to ensure that she and Parker get back together.
Manic Pixie Nightmare: Parker asks Maggie to look into the death of a classmate who killed himself, only to have the same thing happen to another man right in front of her and her sisters. The culprit is Chloe, a pixie in human form; however, Harry remarks that pixies are normally benevolent creatures. Galvin asks Macy to help him contact the spirit of his late grandmother for help combatting her darkness, and she explains that Galvin must learn how to perform a cleansing ritual. Chloe goes after Parker, whose powers have been suppressed by his mother, and Maggie barely saves him from walking in front of a bus. Jada informs Mel that her parents, who adopted her, want to meet. The girls try to trap Chloe, but she hypnotizes Harry and uses him to escape. It turns out that Zack, a luckless film student, is controlling Chloe and using her to dispose of his classmates, and now intends to sacrifice Harry so that he can steal his magic. Maggie and Parker manage to break Chloe’s hold over Harry, while Mel frees her from Zack’s control. After sending Chloe on her way, Mel uses a Sarcana hex to compel Zack to turn himself in. Maggie kisses Parker, admitting that she is ready to forgive him even though she still fears his demon half. At the place where Jada and Mel are supposed to meet Jada’s parents, two witch hunters ambush them and wound Jada.
Touched by a Demon: Following the attack, a remorseful Niko asks Jada for help setting a trap for the hunters. Macy burns her hand without feeling it, which Harry divines as a sign of demonic influence. Upset, she accidentally brings Gideon and Levi, two angels from the 90s TV show Heaven’s Vice, to life. Maggie finds that she is too emotional to get intimate with Parker, which annoys him. A demon from the show escapes and Macy defeats him by convincing him that he isn’t real, which the brothers overhear. Macy persuades them to return to their show, but Levi, tired of being good, sends her and Harry back instead so he and Gideon can be free. Jada and Mel use magic to defeat the witch hunters, with Jada taking the opportunity to point out to Mel how little the Elders have trained her. With only fifteen minutes before the show ends, Macy has her sisters capture Gideon and Levi, while she and Harry allow themselves to be captured by the show’s “devil” so they can kill him with his own horn. Mel opens a portal for the brothers to go back, and Macy decides that she will ask Charity for help; a distrustful Mel refuses to have any part. Maggie and Parker finally have sex, only for Parker’s powers to transport them to a chamber beneath the house while a mysterious blond woman awakens next to a raven.
Switches & Stones: While meeting with the Elders, Charity and Macy are summoned by Harry to the chamber Maggie and Parker ended up in, which turns out to be a “Vortex Viribus”, a place of intense magical power, beneath the sisters’ house. Jada reveals to Mel that the Keeper of the Sacred Flame, an ally of the Sarcana, is really Fiona, Charity’s missing sister. The Vortex Viribus enhances Maggie’s powers, causing her to switch bodies with Mel. Macy discovers that her powers may have turned a man to stone, but Harry determines that another demon is responsible. Mel finds herself having to attend sorority events on her sister’s behalf while Maggie takes the opportunity to spy on Jada and comes around to accepting her as Mel’s girlfriend. Macy learns that the demon is Medusa, whom Charity wants to kill over Macy’s objections. The sisters discover that a pledge named Daphne summoned Medusa to take revenge on the people who slut-shamed her. Macy realizes that Medusa does not curse those who look at her, only those who look away, and convinces her to restore her victims and leave the mortal realm. Mel gets Parker and Lucy to expel the frat boys responsible for Daphne’s shaming. Macy asks Charity if she could learn to use her demon powers for good; using them again leads to the revelation that Charity was responsible for Marisol’s murder.
Memento Mori: Rather than kill her, Charity uses her magic to wipe Macy’s memories. The sisters agree to keep Fiona’s secret. When Macy starts regaining her memories, Charity mind-wipes her again and lies to Macy that her demon side is growing stronger. Parker learns that his mother is close to completely erasing his demonic side. Macy and Harry discover the body of Elder Priyanka Bari in the attic, and Macy is convinced she killed her. Charity proposes binding Macy’s powers, but Harry warns that doing so could permanently destroy the Power of Three. After discussing the matter, Mel and Maggie decide to go against Charity’s instructions and consult Dr. Wagner, which only feeds their doubts about the situation. Macy recovers her memories and realizes that she anticipated Charity wiping them. Charity then appears, seals Macy in the Vortex, and tries to kill her. Macy manages to distract her by mentioning Fiona, just in time for Mel and Maggie to reach her, subdue Charity, and use the Vortex to strip her of her powers. The sisters discover that Charity killed Marisol to stop her from unbinding their abilities, but that Marisol was able to finish the spell with her dying breath. Fiona arrives to taunt the fallen Charity for her crimes. Lucy poisons Parker to force him to seek his father’s help. Alistair rescues Charity from being sent to Tartarus.
Surrender: The Council scapegoats Harry for Charity’s actions, stripping him of his powers and immortality. Niko contacts Mel, asking for help with Scarlet, a young woman who ran away from a cult led by the demon Viralis, who feeds on women to maintain his virility. Dr. Wagner tells Maggie that only demon blood can save Parker. Harry returns home, and informs the sisters that his body is rapidly aging, requiring a new Whitelighter to be appointed. Jada refuses to help save his life, so Mel ends their relationship. Instead, she uses her powers in public to force the Council to summon them, only to be reprimanded and sent back. Scarlet is abducted, and the sisters learn that Viralis can only be killed with his own knife. Maggie offers herself as bait assuming that Viralis cannot control her, but he does and escapes. Harry arrives, and uses a spell to allow the sisters to track him. Viralis feeds Maggie his blood and sends her to kill them. Fiona tries to read Harry’s mind, but cannot as he no longer has his magic. Macy defeats Viralis and Maggie gives the demon’s blood to Wagner. Fiona defies Jada and restores Harry’s immortality so she can probe his mind once more, but he resists. Furious, she teleports away with him.
The Replacement: The Charmed Ones meet their new whitelighter, Tessa. Galvin returns having found a way to cure Macy of her demon side but Tessa learns a customs official he met has been killed. Macy and Mel go to Madame Roz for advice, wondering if one of the Yoruba artifacts Galvin brought back is responsible. Mel has to tend bar at Niko and Greta’s bachelorette party, while Maggie learns she has to pay tuition fees now that Marisol no longer works at the university and is uncomfortable with using her black heritage to apply for scholarships. Galvin turns out to be possessed by a demon and kills Madame Roz. Maggie and Mel find her body and Maggie uses her expanded empathy powers to communicate both with Roz’s departing soul and Galvin’s displaced one. They deduce Galvin is controlled by an Akibu demon, a parasite who can find a permanent host in someone who died as a child like Macy. They go to her rescue and Macy forces the Akibu out of Galvin by temporarily stopping his heart. Maggie makes the demon visible with fire extinguisher foam, allowing Mel to kill it with Roz’s dagger. Macy tells Galvin she no longer wants to be rid of her demon side; he is unable to cope and breaks up with her. Niko tells Mel the Sarcana’s hideout has been ransacked and Mel tells her she is a witch. She finds the Sarcana massacred by Fiona with Jada the only survivor, who confirms Fiona had Harry under her control.
Source Material: The Charmed Ones tell Tessa that Harry is alive and with Fiona, hoping to follow her to them, but when Tessa gives Mel the slip, she accepts Niko’s help to track her down. Julia has nearly made Parker fully human but he suffers a reaction to the last treatment and appears to accidentally kill her. Macy and Galvin find her body and Galvin is disturbed when Macy covers the death up, later telling her he is joining Doctors Without Borders. Macy’s uses her evil sight to uncover the truth; Caine has had Charity free Hunter from Tartarus, after which he killed Julia, impersonated her to inject Parker with demon blood and then impersonated Maggie so Parker would think she had rejected him. The Charmed Ones and Tessa find Fiona forcing Harry to help her retrieve the Origin Dagger, which she intends to use with the Flame of All Power to destroy all magic. A fight sees Tessa killed and Fiona escape, although Harry is freed. Caine retrieves the dagger and the Charmed Ones and Harry realise the Flame and the Source are the same thing. Niko tells Mel she left the police because of a nervous breakdown she believes was supernatural. Parker goes to Caine and embraces his demon side.
Ambush: Elder Devorah Silver turns to the Charmed Ones for help after several Elders were found dead. They reveal what they have learned about the Sacred Flame and the Source of All Evil. Macy finds a spell in Galvin’s objects that will help them remove Fiona’s immortality, but when she casts it, Fiona fights back, prompting Macy to use her demon side to make it happen. Alastor convinces Fiona to help him take down the Elders. Niko tells Mel she has been thinking about her and they kiss. More Elders turn up dead, prompting the remaining Elders and the Charmed Ones to take action, but the plan goes awry when Hunter shows up and kills most of the Elders, leaving only Elder Silver. The sisters find a secret basement which their mother prepared weapons for them in the upcoming battle, and they use them to vanquish Hunter. Elder Silver still dies, and the Harbinger is released from within Hunter to unleash its deadly virus on humans. Mel tells Niko about their history, and soon Niko collapses. Fiona goes after Charity as she is the last remaining Elder, but Charity escapes.
Red Rain: Galvin calls the Charmed Ones to the hospital to investigate a series of Hilltowne students who have fallen ill from the Harbinger’s deadly virus. Niko is transported to the same hospital, but Harry believes her condition is because of Mel telling the truth, which made her brain unable to cope with memories from two separate realities. Parker reaches out to Maggie and tells her to find Charity as she is the last Elder. When they do, Parker reveals himself in demonic form and fights Mel and Maggie before the latter brings out his human side. As more people fall to the virus, Galvin and Macy work on the Haitian spell to extract it from the victims, but at a price: Galvin’s life. Fiona kills Charity, and Alastor takes Maggie hostage. When they reach the enemy’s destination, Fiona ignites the Sacred Flame, but without her immortality, she is killed in the process. Parker wants to save Maggie; Macy, with her demon side, takes the Origin Dagger from Parker and absorbs the Sacred Flame to become the Source. With her newfound powers, she vanquishes Alastor and removes everyone’s memory about the recent incident. She then goes to Galvin’s body and resurrects him.
The Source Awakens: Mel, Maggie, and Harry express their worries about Macy’s new condition. Galvin is feeling out of place, and some of the victims from the Harbinger’s virus die as consequence of Macy bringing Galvin back. When they express this concern to Macy, she begins rewriting realities to bring back Marisol. When they meet, Marisol dies and her sisters turn on her, prompting her to rewrite it again. This time, Mel is the one who grew up without her family. She meets Harry in Seattle, and their memories collide, prompting them retrieve their rightful memories and find Maggie. When Macy finds out about this and almost kills Mel with telekinesis, Harry orbs them away. Macy accidentally kills their mother when she teleports home with a strong wave of power. She then rewrites history again; this time in a world where she remains dead. Mel, Maggie, and Harry retain their memories, and have Marisol help them return to the moment when the Power of Three shattered. After much struggle, they convince Macy to give up her powers. The magical community, among which are Leon and Chloe, congratulate the Charmed Ones and wish for them to take over as the new Elders.
Featuring: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J. B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei and Jake Gyllenhaal
Nick Fury:“We have a job to do, and you’re coming with us.”
Peter Parker:“There’s gotta be someone else you can use. What about Thor?”
Nick Fury:“Off-world.”
Peter Parker: “Captain Marvel.”
Maria Hill:“Unavailable.”
Peter Parker:“I’m just your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.”
Nick Fury: “Bitch, please! You’ve been to space.”
Critical Commentary
It may be difficult to believe but the year is only just past the halfway mark and audiences are staring down the barrel of the third MCU movie released this year after the middling but box office hit “Captain Marvel” (2019), the global blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) which also acted as a full stop on the previous twenty MCU movies as well as a send-off for a few beloved characters, directly illustrating what is possible when a vision is enacted as well as followed through on in what must be the biggest franchise in movie history. Now the second Tom Holland ‘Spider-Man’ movie as well as the second Jon Watts directed entry is released with “Spider-Man: Far from Home” (2019) which also acts as an epilogue to the events in a post ‘Iron Man’ world with a definite eye on the future with the guarantee that Spider-Man will remain a firm fixture in the MCU no matter the plans property owner Sony has for the supporting characters such as ‘Venom’ and the forthcoming “Morbius, the living Vampire” (2020) movie. “Spider-Man: Far from Home” also pushes the overall narrative of the character further in one movie than the previous Andrew Garfield efforts was able to do with some great character moments interspersed with the action that as you would expect in a MCU movie is massive. Of course, this is far from a perfect movie with a villain that seems a little underserved even though actor Jake Gyllenhaal gives it his best with a performance that illustrates how gifted he is with a broad canvas to paint on. The other major criticism is that like the previous movie “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017) it sometimes feels that the titular character is a guest star in his own movie, however with some of the third act revelations it appears now that the next movie will definitely be completely ‘spider-centric’.
After the previous iterations comes the newly crowned Spider-Man in the form of young English actor Tom Holland who is probably the closest in age to Peter Parker than either Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield ever were, as well as being fresher of face and quite an original choice. After the two failed “Amazing Spider-movies” both critically and ultimately financially, it seemed rights owners Sony had dug themselves into a bit of a hole – with that desperation Kevin Feige pounced (him the overlord of the MCU at Disney) was able to strike a deal that allowed Disney to use the character in (introducing Tom Holland) “Captain America” Civil War” (2016), then steering the direction of this new Spider-Man movie into a much better proposition – one that people will actually like as well as making money at the box-office – it would seem they have succeeded in both. I have to say here that is not only a great Spider-Man movie but an exceptional comic book movie, something Warners could still take a lesson from after the last half hour of “Wonder Woman” (2017).
This movie begins in In New York City, at the Midtown School of Science and Technology which restarts its academic year to accommodate the students who were among those resurrected by Bruce Banner eight months earlier. The school organizes a two-week summer field trip to Europe. From this point there is much to unpack in terms of plot as well as setting up a story that unfolds quickly with a movie playing respect to what has gone before in the wider MCU Universe as well as paying off some of the leftover parts of “Spider-Man: Homecoming”. We see real relationships forming as well as new characters introduced that will pave the way for the future, in this way it is a little like a lot of setup with threads left dangling, something it has in common with many superhero movies. This is not a negative at all but it is the world we live in with many superhero movies taking a page out of their comic book counterparts in segmenting a larger narrative.
I do have to admit that when the original creative team was announced I was not looking forward to the result, the director Jon Watts, was yet another independent film maker, as well as the writing team of Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. With this new movie that director has returned as he should as with that original effort Watts does a great job of managing the action, the narrative as well as the plot which is layered and it has to set up quite a bit for the coming sequels as well the wider MCU which it does especially with the two post credit stings which have become de rigueur as well as expected in this day and age. The screenwriters have been replaced in the form of Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers who are already a part of the MCU in that they penned “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018). In terms of the plot and overall narrative there is not much to separate it from other MCU movies, however where “Spider-Man: Far from Home” excels is in the character moments especially with Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jon Favreau and Marisa Tomei who all are dealing with very different issues as well as the aftermath of the death of Tony Stark. However where the movie does slip is the writing of the main villain as well as all the associated parts that are tied to this narrative strand which seems a little rushed as well as not completely thought out, this could be due to a rushed production schedule as well as reducing this to a straight genre movie, in turn this could be a reflection of super hero fatigue as well as the experience of the main screenwriters.
As with all Marvel films (the Disney ones anyway) the casting is perfect, with Tom Holland in the title role who gives as much of his performance as Peter as he does as Spider-man. If you have seen Holland in his breakthrough performance in “The Impossible” (2012) you will know he is a young man with an incredible talent that will only grow in time – the only question is can he be the lead in a major motion picture, that question is answered about half way through the movie as you can see he is relishing this worldwide stage to give one of the more fun and personal performances yet in the MCU. It is so much fun to see Spider-man being played and enjoyed, much like Tobey Maguire did in “Spider-Man 2” (2004), just an actor having a great time with one of the more original characters created by Stan Lee. The rest of the cast lend some great moments as I have already mentioned, however it is great to see the younger actors take centre stage as well with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon illustrating their comedic chops, this movie would not be the same without them. I also loved seeing stalwarts J B Smoove and Martin Starr in supporting roles not quite fully-fledged characters but again being superb in smaller roles.
One of the great aspects of the movie is that no one or nothing out shines Tom Holland as the centre piece of this movie – it may have been tempting to give others the emotion thereby protecting the young actor, but this is not the case and he shines under his own steam, this is to his merit for such a young man – Holland like this new Spider-Man is the real star and revelation in this true Summer blockbuster.
Of course the real story here is how this new film fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as well as how fans have been wanting a combined story with all the Marvel characters – if this is a success (there is no doubt people will love this movie) maybe we will see the Fox Universe, with all its X-Men make an appearance, so far the word is no, but really this film was not on the cards just a few years ago. The great thing is that Tom Holland will be making appearances in upcoming Marvel movies which is an injection of youth these films required to stay current as well as attracting new audiences – it also gives Sony its third platform to launch some more Spider-verse characters – let’s hope they don’t stuff that up – their track record has not been great.
This new movie offers much in the way of story, as well as some twists on some previous storylines, we also see the return of some MCU characters that maybe we though were done with – I found those to be a welcome return. What this film does is give a nice first outing while re-setting some of the older Spider-Man characters, as well as introducing old favourites directly from the pages of the comics as well as hinting at some future characters that will make a splash in the inevitable sequel. What this movie does not so, and I am thankful for that, is to keep us guessing or clumsily setting up a sequel – the people behind this were not counting their chickens, which is something the MCU learnt from “Iron Man 2” (2010).
All in all this is a fantastic film, one that will stay with you after it is over, you may even want to revisit it in the cinemas – I know I will be. All in all, this is far superior to the two Andrew Garfield outings, is ahead of “Spider-Man 3” (2007), but just lacks something to put it ahead of “Spider-Man” (2002) – of course the benchmark is the great “Spider-Man 2” (2004) which remains one of the finest comic book films ever made.
Technical Commentary
Video
Sony’s 4K UHD transfer of “Spider-Man: Far from Home” arrives on Dolby Vision HDR that, despite being a 2K upscale, offers improvements over the Blu-ray.
The Dolby Vision presentation is amazing, revealing more colors that are rich. The increase in detail gives way to authentic facial features on all of the actor’s faces. You can more clearly see the scars on Nicky Fury’s face.
There were no major issues with banding or video noise, but a small hint of aliasing cropped up around the halfway mark, but quickly went away. With apparent upgrades in both color and detail, due to this amazing Dolby Vision option, the 4K version is the web you want to sling.
Audio
“Spider-Man: Far from Home” has a Dolby Atmos track, like many Disney tracks, this Sony-released audio mix sounds soft, making me turn up the volume higher than I should ever need to adjust it.
T he directionality and movement of voices and ambient noises of people on the street all sound robust and come through the rear speakers often. Again, you’ll have to turn up the volume a bit to hear any of it.
Lastly, the dialogue and musical cues never approach a reasonable volume at a normal level, but when cranked up, you’ll be able to hear these audio characteristics just fine, though you’ll always be wanting something bigger, given this is part of the MCU.
Extras
There are about 86 minutes of bonus feature included on this 4K Ultra-High Definition release. Most are just promo pieces of fun with no real insight or information available.
Peter’s To-Do List: A Short Film (HD, 4 Mins.) – A fun little look at Peter preparing for his big overseas trip.
Gag Reel and Outtakes (HD, 4 Mins.) – A montage of missed cues, flubbed lines, dancing, and laughter from the set, which has a couple of good moments between Gyllenhaal and Holland.
Deleted Scenes and Alternate Scenes (HD, 6 Mins.) – There are five total scenes here, none of which have any major developments.
Teachers’ Travel Tips (HD, 5 Mins.) – A short scene where the two teachers have an embarrassing moment at customs.
The Jump Off (HD, 7 Mins.) – Here is a cool look at Holland’s physical traits and his stunt work.
Stepping Up (HD, 4 Mins.) – This focuses on Peter Parker’s growth in the MCU and in this film.
Suit Up (HD, 5 Mins) – All of the Spider-Man suits are discussed and seen here from the film.
Now You See Me (HD, 7 Mins.) – The villain Mysterio is talked upon by the cast and crew.
Far, Far, Far from Home (HD, 5 Mins.) – The European locations and sets are the main feature here.
It Takes Two (HD, 3 Mins.) – Tom Holland and director Jon Watts had a lot of ideas for the movie and some of them are discussed here.
Fury and Hill (HD, 4 Mins.) – The two co-stars are front and center on this extra.
The Ginter-Riva Effect (HD, 2 Mins.) – A super minor character from Iron Man is talked about in this movie.
Thank You, Mrs. Parker (HD, 4 Mins.) – Aunt May is in the spotlight here.
Stealthy Easter Eggs (HD, 5 Mins.) – A few cast and crew members show you some hidden easter eggs throughout the film. If you blink, you might miss them.
The Brothers Trust (HD, 12 Mins.) – An all too long advertisement for the charity The Brothers Trust, which Tom Holland is a part of.
Select Scene Pre-Visuals (HD, 9 Mins.) – A few scenes are shown with CGI animatics against the final movie.
Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema have released a new full trailer for the Bill Condon-directed thriller “The Good Liar” featuring acting legends Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen.
Based on the novel by Nicholas Searle, the story follows a career con artist Roy Courtnay (McKellen), who can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish (Mirren) online.
As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life.
The film also stars Russell Tovey, Jim Carter, Mark Lewis Jones and Laurie Davidson and is produced by Condon and Greg Yolen. “The Good Liar” opens in cinemas November 15th.
Netflix has released the first trailer for the second season of its “Lost in Space” reboot, announcing that the ten-episode season is set to premiere on Christmas Eve.
With the Jupiter 2 stranded on a mysterious ocean planet without their beloved Robot, the Robinsons must work together, alongside the mischievous and manipulative Dr. Smith and the charming Don West, to make it back to the Resolute and reunite with the other colonists, but they quickly find all is not as it seems.
The new season introduces a series of incredible new threats and unexpected discoveries emerge as they look for the key to finding Robot and safe passage to Alpha Centauri.
Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Maxwell Jenkins, Mina Sundwall, Taylor Russell, Ignacio Serricchio and Parker Posey star while JJ Feild has joined the cast in the recurring guest role of AI specialist Ben Adler.
STX Films has released the trailer for “Snatch” and “Rocknrolla” Guy Ritchie’s return to the crime caper comedy genre with “The Gentlemen” which opens January 24th.
Matthew McConaughey plays American expat Mickey Pearson who has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.
Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Lyne Renee, Chris Evangelou, Eugenia Kuzmina and Jason Wong co-star in the film which Ritchie helms and wrote the script with Marn Davies and Ivan Atkinson.
Universal Pictures has released the official trailer for Sam Mendes’ “1917,” a World War I epic built around a central idea – the entire film unfolds as one unbroken camera shot.
Set at the height of the war, two young British soldiers – Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers – Blake’s own brother among them.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Richard Madden, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Daniel Mays, Adrian Scarborough and Jamie Parker co-star. Mendes wrote the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.
Universal Pictures will release the film domestically in limited release on December 25th and wide on January 10th 2020.
Featuring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp and Jessica Chastain
Erik Lehnsherr:“The world is on the brink!”
Professor Charles Xavier:“I’m sorry, I didn’t stop this sooner…”
Erik Lehnsherr:“You’re always sorry, Charles. And there’s always a speech. But nobody cares!”
Critical Commentary
Has there ever been a movie more that spelt ‘contractual obligations’ more than this weeks “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” (2019) which sees the final movie in the cycle that began with Matthew Vaughn’s divisive “X-Men: First Class” (2011) which at the time acted as a reboot/reset of the franchise after the terrible “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006) which coincidentally saw a ham fisted adaption of the most iconic storyline in X-Men comic lore, the cosmic set ‘Dark Phoenix Saga’ which in the 1980s was not only proof of Marvels dominance in comics but solidified the popularity of the mutants setting their future for the next fifteen years. Now this seventh movie attempts to close out the series mainly due to the fact that 20thCentury Fox is now owned by Disney, with many picking that the mutant characters will be absorbed into the successful MCU with new production staff as well as actors to portray some of these iconic characters. Not only that but as can be witnessed with this movie the writers and producers seem to have not only run out of steam but are bereft of any original ideas. Finally, many of the actors involved seem to be tired of what have become one note cyphers that at one time stood as the ‘other’ in society now seem to be cut out characters that barely have anything new to say about the world they inhabit. I have to also be at a loss as to why anyone would attempt to bring the ‘Dark Phoenix Saga’ to the screen after it had been attempted before and so badly that it ended the original cycles run.
Back in 2011 it seemed like a fresh idea to set an X-Men movie in the 1960s casting young actors who were being set up as the future of the franchise in a time when the original characters were crested. It was also a way to ignore what had gone before so that audiences could re-embrace what they loved about the first two movies, while at the same time introducing new characters that would broaden the plots as well as pay some fan service to those who were fans of the comics. This was also a time when the three leads, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbenderand Jennifer Lawrence were starting to come into their own, fresh faced and Lawrence would go on to be awarded with a best actress Oscar, it seemed prescient in these choices. Now almost ten years later all three seem to be sleepwalking through their parts, Lawrence who was forced into a lead has seen her star dim a little so you can tell she wants out as you can see onscreen since the abysmal “X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016). Not only that but the once bright star in director Bryan Singer who is facing serious sexual allegations has been jettisoned, replaced as director by screenwriter Simon Kinberg who has never proven himself to be a great writer and with this new movie proves he is not a very good director either.
The movie itself is set in 1992, the X-Men respond to a distress signal from the space shuttle Endeavour, which is critically damaged by a solar flare. While the X-Men save all of the astronauts, Jean absorbs the solar flare in her body. Her psychic powers are greatly amplified as a result. From here the plot combines not only the ‘Dark Phoenix’ storyline from the comics but actually incorporates “X-Men: The Last Stand” which to me is baffling. Not only that but it seems like Kinberg wanted to inject some ‘original’ material so there are also strands of some kind of alien invasion plot which makes little sense, but then it has that in common with the entire movie. If you thought the rebooted “Fantastic Four” (2015) was terrible this is a movie that rivals it, at the same time making both “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “X-Men: Apocalypse” actually look good.
What 20thCentury Fox attempted to do was to pivot this movie towards the even younger stars in Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp and in particular “Game of Thrones” (2011-2019) star Sophie Turner who has turned into a very good actress but the problem here is the material which is routine, substandard and mediocre at best so in effect nobody is served well, not the new actors, not the experienced and not new to the series Jessica Chastain, who deserves so much better for someone of her calibre. It is unfortunate that Sophie Turner has to not only attempt to carry the movie but also has to spout some of the most hackneyed, obvious and clumsy SJW dialogue ever put to screen. Some of the same themes here have already been seen in the MCU movie “Captain Marvel” (2019), say what you want about the themes present there, at least they made sense, had a point to the arc of the character and went somewhere with the story. Here Turner and to a lesser extent Jennifer Lawrence have to make points about women hood, power and emotions that you can tell were written by a man who was attempting to grab onto some issue of the day but is nothing but poor lip service.
The way “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” has been constructed with a narrative that moves along far too quickly so that any consequence is not profoundly looked back on means that there are no serious repercussions from any previous scene. The way in which Jean movies from ‘hero’ to ‘villain’ to ‘hero’ happens with such speed one may wonder what they are watching, what the actual objectives of people are and where is this story heading. The answer is that it appears that movie was such a narrative mess that plot elements from a variety of sources were thrown at a wall, whatever stuck was incorporated, that is why the movie movies all over the place with little rhyme or reason. It is also why characters replicate their personalities from previous movies (no movement or growth) as well as others changing at a drop of a dime, witness Magneto first protect Jean, then fight her then once again protect her. This is the the least successful X-Men movie to date, which is saying something, but the good news is that ina a few years this will all be rebooted, hopefully in a good way by Disney into something that more represents what the X-Men could be, not this derivative nonsense that we have had to put up with for the past five years.
Technical Commentary
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment brings“X-Men: Dark Phoenix” to Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack. The dual-layered UHD66 disc sits comfortably opposite a Region Free, BD50 disc inside a black, eco-cutout keepcase. At startup, the UHD goes straight to the main menu screen with full-motion clips, the usual options along the bottom and music playing in the background.
Video
“X-Men: Dark Phoenix”arrives on Ultra HD with a great looking HEVC H.265 encode that rises above the Blu-ray and even surpasses it in several areas. The biggest and most noteworthy improvement is the contrast and brightness balance, which is where the 1080p HD version faltered somewhat.
Black levels are significantly richer and inkier with excellent gradational differences between the various shades. The HDR10+ presentation showers daytime interiors in silky shadows, and visibility in poorly-lit interiors of the X-manor is outstanding. Better still, the pitch-black darkness of space or at night penetrates deep into the screen, providing the 2.39:1 image with appreciable dimensionality and a lovely cinematic quality. The boost in contrast is more subtle, but whites are nonetheless crisper and more vivid, allowing for outstanding clarity in the distance and dynamic pop in the daylight sequences. Likewise, specular highlights are a tad more intense with a better, narrower glow from light fixtures, the gleam of sunshine off metallic surfaces, in Storm’s thunderbolts and in Phoenix’s super-psychedelic light show.
Shot on the Arri Alexa camera system, capable of up to 3.4K resolution but was mastered in 2K digital intermediate, the upscaled transfer also shows a slight uptick in overall definition, exposing a bit more in the thick stitching and threading of the uniforms and other clothing. Admittedly, it’s not a significant jump over HD SDR counterpart, but this 4K video arrives with stronger, noticeably sharper lines.
Audio
“X-Men: Dark Phoenix” is much better than its DTS-HD MA counterpart with a more impressive, reference-quality Dolby Atmos soundtrack, adding a small layer of enjoyment to an otherwise plodding movie.
Extras
Audio Commentary: Writer and director Simon Kinberg is joined by co-producer Hutch Parker
Rise of the Phoenix (HD, 81 min): Exhaustive five-part making-of documentary looking at various aspects of the production and made of cast & crew interviews and lots of BTS footage.
How to Fly Your Jet to Space with Beast (HD, 2 min): Brief chat with Nicholas Hoult.
Deleted Scenes (HD, 8 min): With optional commentary by Kinberg and Parker.
