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I am a reviewer of films and television at Spryfilm.com and I upload stories to thisissouthtaranaki.com.
  • Movie review: “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019)

    Movie review: “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019)

    “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019)

    Action

    Running time: 129 minutes

    Written by: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers

    Directed by:  Jon Watts

    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.”

    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.

  • DVD review: “Lost in Space” (2018 – )

    DVD review: “Lost in Space” (2018 – )

    DVD review: “Lost in Space” (2018 – )

    Science Fiction

    stars-2-5

    10 Episodes

    Based on an original idea by: Irwin Allen

    Developed by: Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless

    Featuring: Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Ignacio Serricchio, Taylor Russell, Maxwell Jenkins, Parker Posey, Mina Sundwall, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

    Robot:“Will Robinson… Danger.”

    “Lost in Space” revolves around an extinction level event caused by a celestial object crashing into Earth, threatening humanity’s survival. By 2046, mankind has launched a number of Jupiter Colony ships, taking selected families to colonize other worlds. The Robinson family is selected for the 24th such mission, but before they can launch from the mother space station as scheduled, an alien robot breeches the station’s hull which forces all the families to evacuate early in their Jupiter crafts. However, due to the mayhem and chaos, the Robinsons’ Jupiter 2 and other craft fall through a rip in spacetime and crash land on an unknown but habitable planet. The Robinsons and other colonists battle the strange new environment and their own personal demons as they attempt to escape the planet.

    So another week goes by it this must be the time for a new Netflix television show, this time a kind of reboot or reimagining of the classic show “Lost in Space” (1966 -1968), this is the third time at relaunching (a movie, a previous TV effort) what was a very successful property for its time. Now however there have been some added twists, mostly as you would expect, an expanded cast, aliens and the entire first season acting as a kind of warm up to the originals general conceit – a family (as well as to hanger ons) lost in space. In much of the execution this is an almost perfect Netflix show which tends to mitigate all of the negative aspects – actually of almost any Netflix television show unless it is out and out bad, I am looking at you “Iron Fist” (2017 – present). This is a show that Netflix has thrown a huge amount of money at, it shows, although I suspect this was an easy way to attempt to cover plot holes as well as hammering over any perceived taking from other similar genre properties. This is a show with not only huge amounts of CGI, but vistas that look like they come from some big budget films, with sets and costumes to match.

    Set in the almost near future, with technology that makes little sense as does the design of almost everything we see, this new “Lost in Space” eschews any kind of man-made disaster for something more other worldly, so already there is no real parallel to our present with global warming or any other man-made disaster which for me is a missed opportunity, something the movie from the turn of the century did not miss. Other alterations are the empowering of the rest of the cast away from the core of Will Robinson, Dr. Smith and the Robot which if a new show is to survive it cannot revolve around those characters – the inward looking plots of the past will not wash with new millennial audiences.. On the surface most of this new show works fine, sure it could have been more compact, there really is not enough story for ten episodes at an hour each, also it is not really bingeable as if too many episodes are watched in a row, the cracks will definitely show. If you dig beyond the surface there is not much there, especially when the creators have not only co-opted the original show, but many many other genre properties as well, I will not say ripped off, but it is definitely more than homage. These influences are everywhere, “T2” (1992), “Battlestar Galactica” (2004-2009), “Westworld” (2017-present), almost any ‘Star Trek’ franchise and a lot more besides.

    I am not going to endlessly compare and contrast the differences in this new version of “Lost in Space” to the previous ones but will highlight some of the better as well as some of the not so good aspects of this new show.

    One of the biggest revelations which actually ends up driving the show for almost all of its ten episodes is making the classic robot an alien invention that causes the stranding of the Robinsons and friends on anunnamed planet. This robot has unclear motives as well as equally unclear abilities which come and go as the season progresses. It has self-repair functions that come and go as needed as well as shifting loyalties that occur seemingly at random, which as a viewer frustrates me immensely. Not only do arbitrary rules smack of lazy storytelling they also mean that nothing that happens really matters as some magical aspect of the environment could end up saving everyone from disaster or punishing people that need it. Indeed, this happens multiple times throughout the season when the group of stranded humans seemingly come across solutions as quickly as problems occur – witness the never-ending search for fuel, the kind of obstacles are video game like, but then maybe that is the point for some inevitable tie-in down the road, maybe? The other aspect of the show besides the bulging cast, is I guess, the casting of indie star (and I suppose now veteran) Parker Posey as the nefarious Dr. Smith who for at least the beginning of the show is akin to Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker from “The Dark Knight” (2008), which I was loving and thought was a true villain to fall in love with. Smith was changing her back story to fit circumstance, I thought she was going to be like the Joker an unknowable character, one we would be kept in the dark about, guessing her true motivations, but of course as is the case with television we get a thorough back story which was about the time I lost interest in the character, judging by Posey’s performance so did she.

    This actually leads me nicely to the directors of this show, the first two episodes are the best, unsurprisingly these are directed by the great Neil Marshall who has been around film and television for some time, I don’t think it is any coincidence that Smith’s character devolves into caricature after he leaves, without a steady hand to control the scripts or Posey’s performance. The very different directors that are involved I believe are the reason the show is uneven and becomes trope laden from episode three until the experienced David Nutter takes control to right the ship and leave us on a cliffhanger that might actually move this story forward in episode ten.

    My biggest issue with the “Lost in Space” is the treatment of Will and the robot, not only as characters but from where their arc’s end up going, as well as many of the plot points of the show that are derived from them. It is obvious from the jump that the robot is just a terminator, while Will is a poor excuse for John Connor or even Sarah Connor from “T2” (1991), which in my mind is not only theft of a central part of that movie, but is not done here with any finesse or attempt to homage that great movie. Will not only turns the killer of humanity into a kind of pet by pulling a thorn from his paw but starts to teach him how not to kill people, then the robot turns on him but at the last moment finds redemption and death in not only saving Will but his Mother – stop me if any of this starts to sound familiar. Now I would not have a huge issue with this if it was within a different story but it is the central focus of the entire first season, this is something new that was not present in the three previous versions of the “Lost in Space” property. When I watch a television series or for that matter movie I ask for one thing, originality, something that is sorely missing in “Lost in Space” – which is a shame for two reasons, it potentially spoils the first season and could be off-putting for viewers who want to return – it also dissuades a second watching.

    The news is not all bad though, on the acting front there is much to like with the casting of some new blood as well as experienced actors, who have been around genre properties previously. There is no doubt that the stars of this new show are Parker Posey as Dr. Smith and what could have been a disaster the casting of Will Robinson, who is played by the surprisingly great Maxwell Jenkins. Jenkins is absolutely perfectly cast, he seems to know how to portray this character from the start , with three main costars, a CGI robot, Parker Posey and the rest of his family, he holds his own easily with all three threatening to steal almost every scene he appears in, I am looking forward to his return in the next season, if it happens. The series is undeniably anchored by two veterans in Molly Parker and Toby Stephens as Maureen and John Robinson respectively, who both get to shine in their own stories as well as together, they have great chemistry, it is not difficult to imagine them married which is what is required. The rest of the family is rounded out with Taylor Russell as Judy and Mina Sundwell as Penny Robinson two sisters who are as different as could be but are also capable young women with minds of their owns and are unafraid to make decisions – something that is a requirement for female characters in a post-Harvey world, they are their own three dimensional people that lack nothing, proving it in every episode.

    What I see as the greatest weaknesses of this show which is not only the general story but the narrative as well smacks of concentrating too closely on the development of the characters, leaving the story to take care of itself fitting into previously seen genre tropes and norms. This is not the kiss of death for this show as heading into a second season the heavy lifting has now been done, as has the monetary investment, so now the writers/producers/directors can hopefully turn to creating some original storylines that will leave the rest of the first season in the rear vision mirror. This first season is not without problems; however I do recommend watching it but I would also say let each episode breathe and maybe watch each episode separately and do not binge it, I think there will be not only more enjoyment but the holes will not be as obvious.

    Episode One: “Impact”

    Directed by: Neil Marshall

    On the way to a space colony, a crisis sends the Robinsons hurtling towards an unfamiliar planet, where they struggle to survive a harrowing night.

    Episode Two: “Diamonds In The Sky”

    Directed by: Neil Marshall

    Another crash brings more travelers to the planet, as the Robinsons work to salvage their ship with help from their mysterious new companion.

    Episode Three: “Infestation”

    Directed by: Tim Southam

    Flashbacks reveal clues to Dr. Smith’s past; The Robinsons contend with a new threat as the ship’s fuel supply starts dropping – fast.

    Episode Four: “The Robinsons Were Here”

    Directed by: Alice Troughton

    The Robinson’s make contact with another family of survivors; Will races to protect his friend after Judy learns what happened aboard the Resolute.

    Episode Five: “Transmission”

    Directed by: Deborah Chow

    As the team builds a tower to signal the Resolute, Maureen investigates a planetary anomaly, and Will braces for a tough conversation with his dad.

    Episode Six: “Eulogy”

    Directed by: Vincenzo Natali

    Maureen debates whether to share what she saw in the sky, Don leads a mission to find fuel, and the robot’s presence stokes tensions within the group.

    Episode Seven: “Pressurized”

    Directed by: Tim Southam

    Judy and Don race home across the desert with their precious cargo. John and Maureen are dealt a heavy blow. Penny does her best to comfort Will.

    Episode Eight: “Pressurized”

    Directed by: Stephen Surjik

    Maureen find a solution to the fuel issue , but putting her plan into action proves trickier than expected. Dr. Smith realizes her cover his blown.

    Episode Nine: “Pressurized”

    Directed by: Tim Southam

    Judy sets out to find Maureen, while Will and Penny lead an expedition to the caves. Dr. Smith pursues a new escape plan.

    Episode Ten: ” Danger, Will Robinson”

    Directed by: David Nutter

    The Robinson family scrambles to launch from the Lost Planet, stage an impossible rescue, and reach the Resolute before it leaves orbit for good. Unfortunately, some have other plans.

  • DVD review: “Jack Ryan” (2018)

    DVD review: “Jack Ryan” (2018)

    DVD review: “Jack Ryan” (2018)

    Television/Drama

    images

    Eight Episodes

    Created by: Carlton Cuse & Graham Roland based on charaters created by Tom Clancy

    Featuring: John Krasinski, Abbie Cornish, Wendell Pierce, Ali Suliman, Dina Shihabi, Amir El-Masry

    Jack Ryan: “I am just an analyst.”

    Reinvention is a word that is as good as any to describe the new series about the now seemingly ageless Tom Clancy created hero Jack Ryan who returns to the small screen this month in the new series from Amazon Studios who are hopeful of a hit that can become a long terms series much like their rival, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” (2011-2019). They seem to have, initially anyway, hit all the right notes by casting a youngish lead in John Krasinski who is extra hot right now because of his role as star/writer/director of one of this years movie hits “The Quiet Place” (2018) as well as experienced show runner Carlton Cuse and talented director Morten Tyldum. It is evident that the entire production team has taken some time to ensure that this new version, of a thirty year old charater, is not only relevant but is refreshed with a step away from his origins while maintain the very things that made him such a popular character in the late 1980s through to the 2000s in film as well as most importantly in the novels that he appeared within.

    This first season follows the titular CIA analyst as he is wrenched from the security of his desk job into the field after discovering a string of dubious bank transfers, which is being carried out by a rising Islamic terrorist named Suleiman.

    Some of the constructed narrative within this new show should be familiar to those that have followed at least the movies which is fun to see but also is a nod towards those important movies that helped make Ryan such a popular character within pop culture. One of the most obvious elements is that like the character from “The Hunt for Red October” (1990) he cannot keep his opinions to himself, this happens in this reboot at least twice which is a fun callback to the Alec Baldwin interpreted character, which made him come to the attention to all of the big brass at the hastily convened meetings in both versions.

    The strength in this new series as well as reboot of the hero is to totally reconstruct his origins so he fits within the new paradigm that exists within the military as well as politics and the intelligence agencies since September 11th..  The show runners have these factors as the very reason for Ryan’s existence as well as the age he is now, where his career has taken him and his driving force for working within the CIA at all. Also there is a strong element of family that exists within the narrative of both the terrorist as well as the protagonists which is evident from the opening scene set in the 1980s. There is also a strong thread related to a Middle Eastern terrorist plot that is tied to the migration of refugees through Europe. In a little bit of unoriginality there is also an often told theme that revolves around the idea that the US has created its own enemies through intimidation, the interference in other nations as well as the number of wars it has fought, killing innocents thereby creating their own enemies such as the brothers that exist in this first season.

    Another aspect of this season is the introduction of the US drone pilot which becomes a third tier plot to the main narrative. We witness this person at work as well as the stresses, pressures including his impotence that comes his role, as they have less actual freedom in their rules of engagement than the ‘boots on the ground’ soldiers may have which in this show leads to some very unusual as well as cathartic decision making by the pilot. This is not the first time that drone pilots have been the basis of television or film, there has been “Drone” (2017), “Eye in the Sky (2015) and “Good Kill” (2014) to name just a couple but here in “Jack Ryan” it works much better as part of a bigger story that may continues into a second season, which I for one hope it does.

    As the character of Jack Ryan has been around in film sice 1990, played so well by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck as well as to a lessor extent Chris Pine this new incarnation was always going to be a challenge for the producers as well as the actor who eventually took on this now well known role. The trick, which has been carried off was to cast an actor of an appropriate age, as well as talent who would not overshadow the character of Ryan himself. I have never really seen John Krasinski appear in anything that I would have thought would translate to “Jack Ryan”, but after “The Quiet Place” I found myself coming around, seeing him in action I am a convert. Krasinski seems to have taken the best parts of the previous portrayals, then with this new story morphed them into an original character who is not just one thing, but a real mixture that makes you believe he may really exist. Not only that but having to portray someone with very physical scars as well as mental/emotional ones means he has to walk a tightrope over eight very tense episodes that are never about one story but many elements that make up a whole. What the writers and producers have given Krasinski to play to is an actual arc that sees him start of at one point in his life but end up at a very different one that also hints to a future that many now established characters can be a part of. The two main supporting characters are also familiar in the Tom Clancy world they are James Greer and Cathy Mueller portrayed here by Wendell Pierce and Abbie Cornish respectively who are given something previous incarnations have not, that is something very different play as well as the gift of being able to butt heads and question the almighty Ryan in ways that question his motives as well as his right to be the central part of his won story. Pierce and Cornish bring their immense talents to this series that are welcome with their own arcs in play that are not completely resolved but you know they will be returning fully loaded for a series 2.

    The decision to limit this new series to only eight episodes is one that is welcome after all the streaming shows that are now produced which are bloated so that there is too much filler, making them tedious, instead of leaving audiences wanting more there is a feeling of offering them less tighter narratives and a definite needing to a plot or plots. This first series really does introduce the titular character to a new audience as well as an old one hoping that this will stick, and that we will have an actor as well as producers that recognise how important it is to not only be in the present but to have an eye firmly on the future, oh and if you could keep Krasinski that would be helpful as well.

    Whether or not this new series hangs together fully at this stage does not matter, it is an introduction to a character many know from books or movies, its success largely rests on the leading man, his support, the conflict he encounters and if there is enough believability to push forward into subsequent seasons, I believe it does. My only concern is that with the way this seasons story has been taken from current events (at least they were when production began) that if this is the course that continues then it can almost be seen as a little redundant if only because of the news media covering the same thing but in real time. With the next season possibly taking place in, or involving Russia the story has to be tight but a bit more original so as to keep a fresh feeling that will keep audiences engaged but I am sure the producers realise this after these initial eight episodes.

    If you are looking for an engaging story that is able to be digested over a relatively short amount of time this is for you, it has great actors, engaging characters as well as a pretty good relatable and mostly current story which is a change from superheroes and cop shows that permeate the environment currently.

    “Jack Ryan” is streaming on Amazon right now.

    Episodes:

    1. Pilot:Low-level CIA financial analyst Jack Ryan comes to believe that $9 million of aberrant financial transactions are connected to a new Yemeni terrorist leader named Suleiman. Jack meets medical doctor Cathy Mueller before James Greer, his tough new boss in the Terror, Finance, and Arms Division (T-FAD), whisks him away to Yemen, which is part of the Counterterrorism Center (CTC) of the CIA.
    2. French Connection:Jack reconnects with Cathy, and Suleiman’s wife Hanin is concerned about the armed terrorists he has brought to their home. Jack and Greer figure out that their target is Mousa Bin Suleiman, a French national. His phone records lead them to an apartment outside of Paris, where Suleiman’s brother Ali is transferring funds
    3. Black 22:In pursuit of Ali, Jack and Greer learn that he is traveling to a rendezvous point in southern France. Hanin escapes with her daughters, but Suleiman sends men after her. One kills the other and attempts to rape Hanin.
    4. The Wolf:Suleiman starts an insurrection within ISIS and imprisons its leader, consolidating control of the organization and taking control of 12 hostage physicians from Doctors Without Borders. Jack and French intelligence officer Sandrine Arnaud track Ali to a remote gas station; Sandrine is killed in a shootout with Ali, whom Jack shoots and kills in self-defense.
    5. End of Honor:Hanin requests political asylum for herself and her daughters in a refugee camp in Turkey, naming Suleiman as her husband and attracting the attention of the CIA. In the aftermath of the Paris church attack, Jack manages to make contact with Suleiman using the messaging board on a video game, posing as Ali. Suleiman detects the ruse, but Jack confirms that Hanin has indeed left her husband, and tells Suleiman that Ali is dead.
    6. Sources and Methods:Jack and Greer, with aid from a Turkish sex trafficker, track Hanin and her daughters to the Turkish coast, where they dispatch Suleiman’s henchman who has been pursuing the women. Greer reveals that he was PNG’d from Karachi because he had killed his asset, a Pakistani army officer, who was going to turn him in to the authorities to be tortured and killed. Meanwhile, Victor learns that one of his “terrorist” targets had been misidentified, and travels to Syria to make amends with the family.
    7. The Boy:Cathy is questioned about her Ebola report, and is furious to discover that Jack works for the CIA. Meanwhile, CIA officials debate on whether to capture Suleiman or kill him in an airstrike. Jack and Greer try to convince their superiors to settle on a covert ground assault to do the former, as well as extracting Hanin’s son, Samir.
    8. Inshallah:Pickett, as well as other high-ranking government officials, is quarantined for exposure to Ebola. Suleiman arrives in the US with Samir to carry out another attack, this time a release of cesium into the ventilation system of Washington Memorial Hospital, where Pickett is being confined.
  • Trailer: “Doctor Sleep”(2019)

    Trailer: “Doctor Sleep”(2019)

    Trailer: “Doctor Sleep”(2019)

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    “Doctor Sleep” continues the story of Danny Torrance, 40 years after his terrifying stay at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson and newcomer Kyliegh Curran star in the supernatural thriller, directed by Mike Flanagan, from his own screenplay based upon the novel by Stephen King.

    Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality.

    Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before—at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.

    DOCTOR SLEEP stars Ewan McGregor as Dan Torrance, Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat, and Kyliegh Curran, in her major feature film debut, as Abra. The main ensemble cast also includes Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind, Bruce Greenwood, Jocelin Donahue, Alex Essoe and Cliff Curtis.

    DOCTOR SLEEP releases in New Zealand in theatres on November 7, 2019.

  • “Annabelle comes Home” (2019) – Growing Up Warren Featurette

    “Annabelle comes Home” (2019) – Growing Up Warren Featurette

    “Annabelle comes Home” (2019) – Growing Up Warren Featurette

    “Annabelle Comes Home” is the third instalment of New Line Cinema’s hugely successful “Annabelle” films starring the infamous sinister doll from the “Conjuring” universe. Gary Dauberman, the screenwriter of the “Annabelle” films, “IT” and “The Nun,” makes his directorial debut on the film, which is produced by Peter Safran, who has produced all the films in the “Conjuring” franchise, and “Conjuring” universe creator James Wan.

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    Determined to keep Annabelle from wreaking more havoc, demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren bring the possessed doll to the locked artifacts room in their home, placing her “safely” behind sacred glass and enlisting a priest’s holy blessing. But an unholy night of horror awaits as Annabelle awakens the evil spirits in the room, who all set their sights on a new target—the Warrens’ ten-year-old daughter, Judy, and her friends.

    ANNABELLE COMES HOME stars McKenna Grace as Judy; Madison Iseman as her babysitter, Mary Ellen; and Katie Sarife as troubled friend Daniela; with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprising their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren. 

    ANNABELLE COMES HOME releases in New Zealand in theatres on June 27, 2019.

  • Movie review: “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” (2019)

    Movie review: “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” (2019)

    “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” (2019)

    Action

    114 Minutes

    Written & directed by: Simon Kinberg

    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!”

    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.

  • Movie review: “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019)

    Movie review: “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019)

    “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019)

    Action

    130 Minutes

    Written by: Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields

    Directed by: Michael Dougherty

    Featuring: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe and Zhang Ziyi

    Senator Williams: “So you’d want to make Godzilla our pet.”

    [laughter]

    Dr. Ishiro Serizawa: “No. We would be his.”

    This week sees the release of one of the more anticipated blockbusters of the US Summer proper in the sequel “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), which also is the third part of the Warner Brothers ‘monsterverse’ and is a taster for next years “Godzilla vs. Kong” (2020). Of course, one of the main differences in using Godzilla as either a protagonist or antagonist is that for any audience that is clued into this character realise he has been around for over fifty years appearing in a multitude of movies from Japan as well as remakes from the US which can be a positive as well as a negative. Of course being a sequel as well as being linked to “Kong: Skull Island” (2017) means that this new instalment needs to not only up the ante on expanding the world but it also has to attempt to correct some of the criticism of the previous movies, which to its credit is accomplished by creating more tension, introducing new characters as well as incorporating some more of the ‘Godzilla’ lore from its Japanese origins in embracing some of the more iconic monsters from Toho, the original production company that still retain the rights to their entire monster catalog. 

    “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” is a major step up from both previous movies, the lack of actual monster action that seemed to be part of “Godzilla” (2014), which was seen as a weakness has definitely been addressed here as the action sequences in this new movie are nothing short of breathtaking with not only monster on monster battles galore but human against monster as well which as you would expect  become futile as you begin to expect the main titular character will need to sort out his unruly brethren. The other aspect of that movie as well as the follow-up “Kong: Skull Island” was that the human characters were either dull, unlikeable or caricatures, here the writers and directors have attempted to right that ship as well with a more complex human story as well as much more humour and a narrative that at times feels like there are stakes involved as we do see some key people being killed. Unlike the previous two movies where most of the human cast that were killed were either pale imitations or over the top, the victims here have been built up so that we feel some real emotion when they meet their end. The actual narrative of the movie which is a little muddled is framed around overpopulation, global warming and the general nature of our planet with humans being at the centre of the problem and solution. On the smaller side it is about a family coning together after the loss of a child as well as a sibling which for the most part rings true, that is, in a fantasy action movie. 

    This new movie is based around the efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

    “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” has been co-written and directed by Michael Dougherty who has a background in horror, although both his previous efforts have been tinged with humour as well as based around two major US events, those being Halloween and Christmas in the excellent “Trick ‘r Treat” (2007) and the underrated “Krampus” (2015) respectively. Doherty while not the most obvious choice to direct a US$200 million movie but he does fit the mould of the other directors in this Universe with all of them originating from low budget genre movies in Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Gareth Edwards and Adam Wingard. What was extremely pleasing for me was the way Dougherty used his effects team to deliver on a promise of Earth-shaking action that involved one monster we had seen before (Godzilla) and a host of other monsters that had their own signatures and personalities which come to the fore almost immediately. As this is set up as a major tentpole movie there are certain aspects that are de rigueursuch as the involvement of children, a family dynamic, large special effects, a third act that is over the top and involves resolution. Now to the credit of Dougherty he has included all of these but has also included some other elements such as some truly city destroying effects that for me felt more real than the last movie, not only that but this movie actually sets up an alternate Earth where monsters are the new normal, there is no hiding from them or the consequences of their actions which set up the sequel that will arrive next year. 

    Like so many Hollywood Summer blockbusters there is a tendency to cast well-known actors to bring some cachet to a movie, however what “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” has opted to do is to cast Millie Bobby Brown the face of super hit series “Stranger Things” (2016-present) as the heart of this movie, luckily she has the talent to pull off the performance although I would have preferred less screaming as after a while this does become repetitive. In support we have some talent that plays second fiddle to the effects which is a shame as Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe and Zhang Ziyi all deserve better than what they receive but they all do have their own moments one way or another. It is actually surprising there is enough time devoted to the actor with so many action set pieces going on at any one time something that again goes to the skill of the director.

    This movie goes a long way to not only tip its hat to “Kong: Skull Island” with its continual reference to many conspiracy theories such as the hollow Earth and crypto-zoology theories but it also warms the audience to the re-introduction of Kong net year which at times is heavy handed but the film-makers are at pains to point to the fact that these two monsters share the same world, even though it has obviously changed a lot. It is unfortunate then that “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” does have some major flaws which all mostly derive from the logic that the human characters go through to get from point A so that separate story elements are possible which is a shame as more thought and care could have gone into this aspect of the production, but it is by no means surprising. These logical gaps are not the sole domain of this movie, they exist in almost all modern blockbusters, it seems that in creating these behemoths that it is required that all human characters need to either be stupid or have never seen a movie before, those characteristics are present here which is a real shame as it means there is complexity to the people we are viewing onscreen. 

    All in all, though I had low expectations of this movie but I was wrong, this was a wild ride that I enjoyed immensely it was everything I hoped in terms of action which was spectacular, but it did have human elements that I thought were very good. There is no doubt that the strengths of this movie lie in the monster battles and special effects that have been utilised to hammer home the size and destructive force of the all the monsters which look amazing. It keeps the emotion dialled up and there are more narrative twists than one might be expecting which is welcome, some an audience may not see coming. I would say this is a movie that would be great to see on a Friday or Saturday night with a group of people who should love what they have been offered, it should not let anyone down, if it does then you have missed the point of the entire exercise.

  • Trailer: “The Kitchen” (2019)

    Trailer: “The Kitchen” (2019)

    The gritty, female-driven mob drama “The Kitchen,” from New Line Cinema and BRON Creative, was written and directed by Andrea Berloff, who was nominated for an Oscar for the original screenplay for “Straight Outta Compton.” 

    “The Kitchen” stars Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss as three 1978 Hell’s Kitchen housewives whose mobster husbands are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little but a sharp axe to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia’s matters into their own hands—proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to taking out the competition…literally.

    THE KITCHEN also stars Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d’Arcy James, with Margo Martindale, Oscar winner Common, and Bill Camp; as well as Jeremy Bobb, E.J. Bonilla, Wayne Duvall, Annabella Sciorra, and Myk Watford.

    THE KITCHEN releases in New Zealand cinemas on August 29, 2019.

  • Trailer: “The Goldfinch” (2019)

    Trailer: “The Goldfinch” (2019)

    From Warner Bros. Pictures and Amazon Studios, “The Goldfinch” is the film adaptation of Donna Tartt’s globally acclaimed best-selling novel, which won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.

    Theodore “Theo” Decker was 13 years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day…a painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch. The Goldfinch.

    THE GOLDFINCH is directed by John Crowley and stars Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Ashleigh Cummings, Willa Fitzgerald, Aimee Laurence, Denis O’Hare and Boyd Gaines.

    THE GOLDFINCH releases in New Zealand cinemas on September 26, 2019.

  • Trailer: “Rambo: Last Blood” (2019)

    Trailer: “Rambo: Last Blood” (2019)

    Trailer: “Rambo: Last Blood” (2019)

    The fifth and final installment in the series sees Stallone reprising his role of John Rambo who is now living on a ranch in Arizona, trying to pick up casual work wherever he can. Soon his friend and estate manager informs him that her granddaughter (Yvette Monreal) went missing in Mexico.

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    This leads to Rambo heading south and teaming up with a journalist (Paz Vega) whose half-sister has also been kidnapped. They uncover a sex-trafficking ring and Rambo has to use all his skills to save the girls and bring down a vicious crime lord (Sergio Peris-Mencheta).

    Adrian Grunberg helms the film with Matt Cirulnick (“Absentia”) writing the screenplay. “Rambo: Last Blood” hits cinemas on September 20th.

  • Movie review: “Rocketman” (2019)

    Movie review: “Rocketman” (2019)

    “Rocketman” (2019)

    Musical

    121 Minutes

    Written by: Lee Hall

    Directed by: Dexter Fletcher

    Featuring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and Bryce Dallas Howard

    Bernie Taupin: “Don’t you want to just sing without this ridiculous paraphernalia?”

    Elton John: “People don’t pay to see Reg Dwight! They pay to see ELTON JOHN!”

    There has rarely been a movie like this week’s rock biopic “Rocketman” (2019) that attempts to capture a feeling of growing up and becoming one of the major figured in popular music over the past fifty years, this is less a traditional biopic, more a rock musical that is not only R-rated but at least attempts to address some of the more colourful and scandalous parts of Elton John’s early life and career. “Rocketman” could also assist from the huge box office, as well as awards success that last years “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) reaped although other than the subject there could not be two more movies that are completely different in terms of the way truth and fiction are portrayed to an audience through very different narratives that make the focal point the music, not necessary the person about whom the movie is primarily based on. In this case “Rocketman” does make Elton John the focus but frames his story through his own fantasy thereby making the truth malleable which means there are events in this movie that never happened or occurred differently other than what we see onscreen, which is an authentic device that can be forgiven.

    Of course, like “Bohemian Rhapsody”, this new movie has an X factor that will play a large part in its success, that is the music that has permeated popular culture since the early 1970s which means that audiences that view the movie will recognise one of the major framing devices. I believe that the very defining feature as well as the reason for “Bohemian Rhapsody” to be the global success it was came down to audiences loving the music, it was not only an entry point but something that was engaging. Whilst Rocketman” does not have any of the actual magic of a tune like ‘We will rock you’, ‘We are the champions’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ or ‘Radio Ga Ga’ it does have some truly beautiful lyrics unlike many songs before or since, like John’s music it is also this movies strongest asset. 

    “Rocketman” also has many more elements that lends to its success, two of these are director Dexter Fletcher and screenwriter Lee Hall who have been around for quite some time, Fletcher firstly as an actor and now an accomplished director and Hall who has been behind some very good movies, but his breakout was the international success, “Billy Elliott” (2000). What is unique with this movie is how the director has embraced the screenplay as well as the music to deliver something that is unique, a story that is contained to mostly John’s rise as well as the many mistakes he made through to an obvious close in his battle with sobriety that marked a new beginning for him. Fletcher uses all his skill and the technique he has learned with his previous efforts in creating a movie based around music in “Sunshine on Leith” (2013), using a true story in “Eddie the Eagle” (2015) as well as using comedy to hit home serious points throughout a narrative that at times delves into fantasy. It is not an understatement to make the point that it seems like this is the movie that Fletcher has been working towards his entire life. 

    “Rocketman” tells the story of Elton John’s life, from his early years in Pinner, Middlesex as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music, through his influential and enduring musical partnership with lyricist  Bernie Taupin, as well as his struggles with depression, substance abuse, and acceptance of his sexual orientation.

    To portray Elton John as well as really sing many of his signature hits would have initially been a dauting task but to say they sound their man in Taron Egerton is an understatement. Egerton has been making movies for some time now, but to think that he had a performance in him that is seen in “Rocketman”, few could have seen this coming. Not only does he inhabit the true person whilst not doing a pale imitation, he also sings the songs himself which in a two-hour movie that is mostly music is no small task. This is a movie that is loaded with stunning performance such as Bryce Dallas Howard as John’s mother, Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin not forgetting Steven Mackintosh as John’s Father, Stephen Graham as Dick James and a huge amount of others. This is the first movie that I have seen Bryce Dallas Howard appear in where I have completely believed who she is appearing as, here she has built a character from the ground up, completely inhabiting it as well as giving a tour de force performance that I believe will be awarded in the year to come. The other stand out is Jamie Bell as Taupin who has the most chemistry with Egerton as well as the most screen time. Ever since his breakout performance in “Billy Elliott” Bell has proven himself to be a versatile performer but here he plays a true person with originality, spontaneity as well as singing which again is something to be admired.

    Even though this is a movie that defies its genre as well as dipping many tine into fantasy the events of the film are told in flashback with the frame narrative of Elton in an alcoholics anonymous meeting. One of the aspects of this narrative is how it legitimises the idea of recovery, analysis as well as the nature versus nurture elements that come into play, also the old adage of you can’t pick your family but you can pick your friends. It also delves into the changing nature of what it means to be gay and how that has changed in terms of the reflection of that with society in general. A large part of the narrative is also given over to the music of John to reflect what is occurring in any given scene which may seem an obvious thing to do, but the fact that this happens is a nod to the great song writing that was accurate at the time of writing to show what John and to a lesser extent Taupin were going through at the time. 

    In terms of authenticity what makes this movie different to other biopics is that for a large part of the running time we are living a fantasy, that is we are inside John’s mind, everything is interpreted through his filter.  What this means is that events as well as relationships and any meaning can be warped but without artistic loss which is something that does not happen with other biopics, of musicians or otherwise. This kind of distinction only assist when evaluating the merits of this movie especially when there can be an argument about what the movie means. 

    Whilst I am not the biggest Elton John fan I not only loved this movie but thought it was a vast improvement over “Bohemian Rhapsody” in many ways. It not only spoke to a deeper truth but it explored the same kinds of themes but in a much more natural way that explains much in the way John lived his life with a burden that few can really understand. It also illustrates mental health in a way that says its ok to ask for help no matter who you are, that driving people away is something humans do, but we also forgive as well as welcome new experiences that can shape not only our future but others as well. This is a very positive movie experience that offers audiences no matter if they are fans of John’s music or not something memorable in almost every way imaginable. 

    Soundtrack:

    The Bitch Is Back (Introduction)

    I Want Love

    Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)

    Thank You For All Your Loving

    Border Song

    Your Song

    Amoreena

    Crocodile Rock

    Tiny Dancer

    Take Me To The Pilot

    Hercules

    Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – interlude

    Honky Cat

    Pinball Wizard – Interlude

    Rocket Man

    Bennie and the Jets

    Don’t Let The Sun Go Down – Interlude

    Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word 19. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

    I’m Still Standing

    (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again

  • DVD review: “The Alienist” (2018)

    DVD review: “The Alienist” (2018)

    DVD review: “The Alienist” (2018)

    Drama/Mystery/Television

    images

    10 Episodes

    Produced by: E. Max Frye, Steve Golin, Rosalie Swedlin, Chris Symes, Jakob Verbruggen, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Eric Roth

    Featuring: Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, Brian Geraghty, Robert Ray Wisdom, Douglas Smith, Matthew Shear, Q’orianka Kilcher, Matt Lintz, Dakota Fanning

    Kreizler[to Sara]: I’ve made my life’s work the study of the human mind. And now my own mind deceives me. I have cause to hate God for what he did to her, and yet I find myself believing in him, humbled by his awful mystery.

    The psychological thriller drama, “The Alienist”, set in 1896, where a series of gruesome murders of boy prostitutes has gripped New York City, frightening many of the populace in this burgeoning city. Newly appointed police commissioner Teddy Roosevelt calls upon Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a criminal psychologist and newspaper illustrator John Moore to conduct the investigation in secret. Joining them in the probe is Sara Howard, the headstrong secretary to the police commissioner, as well as the Jewish twin brothers Marcus and Lucius Isaacson, both detective sergeants in the NYPD.

    This is the first adaption of a Caleb Carr novel, probably his most well-known as well as a book that predates the way in which narratives are structured within the confines of the television crime genre that has become not only commonplace but immensely popular among the masses. The novel was unique as is the adaption of confining it’s time to 1896 New York featuring some of the real people that helped usher in what is now known as the modern New York. We have as central figures Theodore Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan whose names are still talked about to this day. Of course, we all know Roosevelt who became the 26thPresident of the US, what many may not know was that he served in the office of what would become known as then Police Commissioner of New York. This central conceit of real events and people taking place in a real city that are narratively held together by a serial killer is one of the shows greatest strengths, but at times can actually become a flaw, if you know some of the history it will become clear that some characters while being placed in jeopardy are quite safe, historically speaking. For me as a fan of the novel this did not affect by enjoyment at all, this is a television show I have been looking forward to for years, it did not disappoint, in fact it was a refreshing look back in time not only in its location but its meaning that joins psychoanalysis, film, woman’s rights, politics, the coalescence of the public works as well as the evolution of the police force.

    As with most good adaptations this television series has the very feel of New York and the Five Points that exist today – the five points was famously the setting for Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York” (2002). There is no doubt that this looks like an authentic piece of history and maintains some of the ideas that Carr had in his mind when writing the book, that is that the people of 1896 are not so different to the people of 2018. The population are making their own very unique ways through life, there is crime as well as extreme gaps in wealth, the burgeoning class system is on parade as is the extreme social differences between men and woman, whites and all other cultures and many more issues that are alive today in one form or another. Of course, these issues are not new, having been covered in all forms of media since time immemorial, which may seem to make “The Alienist” a little behind the times, which it is. However, what is unique about it is the fact that these issues segue in and out of the main narrative, which is primarliy the hunt for a gruesome killer, by a team of seemingly disparate individuals who through different means and methods strive to save not only lives but their beloved city as well. They are under pressure from all quarters of the city, of course those same quarters seem intent on covering up very dirty laundry.

    This is a big budgeted adaptation, it would have to be to have the correct set decorators, locations, costuming and of course the right actors to play period roles believably as well as the chemistry to believe that some have known each other for years. The cast is led by three main characters, that of Daniel Brühl as Alienist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Luke Evans as John Moore an artist and Dakota Fanning as Sara Howard a woman of modernity if ever there was one. All three of these accomplished actors have led major motion pictures on their own so it is a coup to have them in what is a transplanted gothic horror. They share the screen together and apart, if this show is based around any one person it is Brühl’s Doctor who is not only a practitioner of a new science, psychanalysis, but also like his patients hides much beneath the surface. These secrets are slowly revealed, or at least brought to the surface as each new episode not only reveals something about him, but the killer as well as New York itself. In somewhat subordinate roles Luke Evans is drawn into a cat and mouse game not only with the killer but his costars as well, he pursues both Kreizler and Sara in different ways for very different reasons, like his co-stars he is stuck in a kind of limbo that he is able to break out of because of the killer they are all in pursuit of. However, the character that breaks against the grain of the age is most definitely Sara who is a kind of woman out of time, not only is she forward thinking, she also takes control at every moment she is able to in a competent way, Sara is possibly the most honestly assured character in the show, besides the killer of course. In fact, Sara teaches the men in her life lessons about not only being men, but also how she should be treated as well as listened to, Sara is a catalyst within the narrative of the show at points driving it forward, not being dissuaded by failure or setbacks like the men are at almost every turn – she is possibly the bravest individual within the show as well Kreizler and John Moore are battling their own demons both physical and mental.

    On the production side of things “The Alienist” has some exciting producers, writers and directors that really lend the show some impressive credentials indeed. Initially brought on as the main director, the creator of the first season of the excellent HBO “True Detective” (2016 – present) Cary Fukunaga is aboard as producer and writer, his stamp is all over the series, it really is a loss not to have him at the helm of all the episodes. Master filmmaker and storyteller John Sayles is also present as writer, once again Sayles is an experienced writer/director who not only understands character but in harnessing those characters into the narrative of the show feeding back into the plot. There are of course other writers, directors and producers involved, they are all listed above and below, doing sterling work. The main reason that this show holds together in look, feel, thematic explorations and a myriad of other accomplishments is because from one episode to another all of the parts come together not straying or deviating from an obvious plan, so that these ten episodes play very well together, which means it is eminently bingeable, so be warned, once you begin this journey it will be very hard to pause it even for a short time.

    What is interesting is that in the viewing of this taught adaptation the viewer will easily recognize aspects of “The Alienist” that are at once familiar, in that there are tropes associated with the genre that fit into a modern narrative vernacular. There are many examples of this throughout the plot, one of the biggest involves the real character of Teddy Roosevelt who is attempting to bring the police department into some sort of regimented force that will serve the public good, he is unable to investigate directly so has two outsiders, the aforementioned Kreizler, John Moore and to a lesser extent Sara. Roosevelt is also fighting against the upper class that exists and is protected by politicians and others which he too is trying to break free of. In fact, Roosevelt is a maverick of sorts who is incorruptible much like the men and women who are investigating the killings, he actually recognizes what they are doing and so lets them have their way with their investigation. One of the great aspects of the show is Roosevelt who at the outset may seem like a shill for the powerful, but quickly you understand that he may be the purest person in the entire story, what you see with his character is what you get – it is no wonder he was able to become the US President. There are many other examples of tropes, one of the more obvious and fun is a section where Kreizler and Moore pay a visit to a prison where a child rapist is being held, this is straight from Thomas Harris’ novel (later to be filmed) ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ where Clarice Starling visits Hannibal for some possible lead in her own serial killer case – coincidentally it was filmed as a gothic prison eerily similar to the one in “The Alienist”.

    This is not to say that the recognition of tropes is a negative aspect of this production, it is true that normally if a story is filled with recognizable tropes it has a knock-on effect to the production, it can mean for example that the series lacks originality or there are short cuts being taken for a variety of reasons – sometimes budgetary or sometimes to create narrative links. However, in the case of “The Alienist” these tropes, in my mind, are presented so blatantly for very different narrative reasons. What we are witnessing is a proposed first time for these tropes, in a setting over a hundred years ago with the possibility of the first serial killer, as well as the littering of mentally ill individuals scattered throughout New York high as well as low society. The types of people that litter these tropes are truly original as we see how easy it was to get away with crimes for long periods of times. We also see something that I always enjoy the ‘murder board’ that is common place in nearly all crime shows, here though we are seeing the map of madness through the eyes of a psychiatrist – it is excellent storytelling.

    One of the more interesting aspects of this show as well as the novel upon which it is based is the incorporation of psychology and the new technology of cinema, something that has been replicated in other stories. It is no coincidence that psychoanalysis was born around the same time as moving pictures, specifically the mass audience experience that we witness early in the series. There is no doubt a link between psychoanalysis, dreams and the way in which Freud worked, asking his patients to describe scenes of their past or what was occurring in their dreams. In fact, in “The Alienist” we see Moore at the movies then later have a particularly personal dream – a coincidence? There is no such thing.

    On the surface “The Alienist” may seem like a run of the mill period piece about a serial killer but it is so much more than that, I would go so far as to say it is one of the best new television series this year. It has many themes that are not only as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago but it combines it without preaching or sermonizing in ways some current television could learn from. The expert way in which narrative devices are balanced with tension as well as the incorporation of new and interesting characters is so well done it will remind you of a series like “True Detective”, the first series that is. In my opinion this is a must watch, seek it out immediately.

    Episode One: “The Boy on the Bridge”

    Written by: Hossein Amini/Directed by: Jakob Verbruggen

    The discovery of the mutilated corpse of a boy prostitute leads a psychologist to link the crime to the earlier murder of a child patient. He enlists the help of his college friend, a newspaper illustrator, to gather evidence in the case.

    Episode Two: “A Fruitful Partnership”

    Written by: Hossein Amini and E. Max Frye/Directed by: Jakob Verbruggen

    Kreizler looks for other victims of the serial killer. Sara brings in a vital clue. Kreizler treats Sara, Moore, Marcus and Lucius to Delmonico’s and informs them they will be teaming up to catch the killer.

    Episode Three: “Silver Smile”

    Written by: Gina Gionfriddo/Directed by: Jakob Verbruggen

    Use of the innovative new procedure of fingerprinting leads the team to discover crucial evidence is missing. Kreizler and Moore interview a witness to find out what happened to Moore at the brothel.

    Episode Four: “These Bloody Thoughts”

    Written by: Gina Gionfriddo and Cary Joji Fukunaga/Directed by: James Hawes

    Sara and Kreizler posit on the ability to kill. Moore goes on a date. Byrnes and Connor eye potential suspects. Roosevelt is under scrutiny from the public.

    Episode Five: “Hildebrandt’s Starling”

    Written by: E. Max Frye/Directed by: James Hawes

    The team build a profile for the killer. Moore and Sara share an intimate moment. Kreizler gets advice from an old mentor. Roosevelt finally takes action.

    Episode Six: “Ascension”

    Written by: E. Max Frye/Directed by: Paco Cabezas

    The team set a trap to catch the killer. Moore visits a friend. Kreizler is filled with self-doubt over the investigation. Roosevelt is part of an event with the city elite. Sara looks into Kreizler’s past.

    Episode Seven: ” “Many Sainted Men”

    Written by: John Sayles/Directed by: Paco Cabezas

    Kreizler and Moore follow a new lead. Sara visits a hospital which forces her to confront her past. Cyrus recovers from his injuries. Byrnes and Conner are plotting against the team. Marcus and Lucius follow a clue.

    Episode Eight: “Psychopathia Sexualis”

    Written by: John Sayles/Directed by: David Petrarca

    Kreizler and Moore travel to DC. Sara goes rogue in her pursuit of the truth. Lucius confides a secret to Marcus. Byrnes and Connor tighten their stranglehold on the investigation

    Episode Nine: “Requiem”

    Written by: Hossein Amini/Directed by: Jamie Payne

    Kreizler mourns Mary’s death while Sara pushes the team to forge ahead. Moore believes the killer is poised to strike again. Cyrus seeks revenge.

    Episode Ten: “Castle in the Sky”

    Written by: Cary Joji Fukunaga & John Sayles & Chase Palmer/Directed by: Jamie Payne

    Kreizler confronts the demons of his past. Moore tell Sarah the truth. Conner takes matters into his own hands. The team closes in on the killer as time is running out.

  • Blu-ray/DVD review: “Green Book” (2018)

    Blu-ray/DVD review: “Green Book” (2018)

    “Green Book” (2018) 

    Drama

    Running Time: 130 minutes

    Written by: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie and Peter Farrelly

    Directed by: Peter Farrelly

    Featuring: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Aliand Linda Cardellini

    Dr. Don Shirley:” So if I’m not black enough and if I’m not white enough, then tell me, Tony, what am I?”

    Every year around awards time many films are released to try and sway voters of various organisations to give them their support so as to create the message of a quality movie for people to go and watch in theaters, or in any number of ways, depending on its release strategy. The new film, “Green Book” (2018), featuring Viggo Morten senand Mahershala Ali in lead roles is just one of those films, it sets itself out to be a true story,  a period piece, it is about class, race as well as viewing a segment of society, in the Southern States of America and the racist way in which they would lead their lives, with absolutely no shame. This movie, named after the The Negro Motorist Green Book (at times styled The Negro Motorist Green-Book or titled The Negro Travelers’ Green Book), which was an annual guidebook for African-American roadtrippers, commonly referred to simply as the Green Book. It was originated and published by New York City mailman Victor Hugo Green from 1936 to 1966, during the era of Jim Crow laws, when open and often legally prescribed discrimination against non-whites was widespread. 

    There are two main ways to view this movie, either as a true story about two men from different worlds who together enter another world where they must navigate some extremely serious issues that still exist in society today, if you watch the movie this way that is completely fine but there are some concerns that have to be addressed which I will bring up here but will not go into what is right or wrong, as this is up to the viewer. The other way to view the film is to not take it literally, using the characters that exist as cyphers who represent some broad societal issues that, again, still exist today, but who change in ways you want them to change so as to represent the best of humanity, as well as the possibility that all people are able to change, grow and accept things about themselves as well as each other. It could be seen as a kind of road trip fairy-tale, not unlike “The Wizard of Oz” (1936) which this movie borrows from in the best ways. In simplest terms this is a well made movie that points out that there is more than one thing that defines us as human beings, we are complicated beings who for the most part are ruled by emotions that most of us do not understand, not only that but those emotions can have effects in the real world that lead to us perpetuating falsities as well as treating others less than what they deserve to be treated. This is of course the main the main thrust of the Viggo Mortensen character who really is the heart of “Green Book”.

    “Green Book” has been co-written and directed by Peter Farrelly who up to this point in his career has been linked to his brother Bobby Farrelly, over the past twenty years they have directed some of the biggest as well as crudest comedies that have been seen in cinemas, not only that they have also been incredibly successful. So it is with some surprise that the director of “Dumb and Dumber” (1995) has created one of the more positively critically reviewed dramas of the year, not only that but it is a kind of civil rights movie that has so far collected some very serious awards notice. What Farrelly has been able to do is to harness three very good performances in Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini coupled with a very trope laden story to bring to the screen a so-called true story that does a very good job in reminding us how far we have come, as well as how far there is to go especially in a story that is told from a white point of view. This is for the most part a road movie, so as the trip unfolds so does the narrative which takes the audience to a few very different places, not all of them work, this is a flawed film that is not surprising as Farrelly is not adept at this genre, nothing in his past even hints at him being interested in anything but gross out comedies. 

    New York City bouncer Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga is searching for new employment after his nightclub is closed for renovations, eventually landing an interview as a driver for “Doc” Don Shirley, a famed pianist. Their first encounter does not go well, as Tony’s flippant, uncultured behavior clashes with Don’s sophisticated, reserved demeanor. However, Don eventually hires Tony on the strength of others’ word, as he needs someone who can help him stay out of trouble during an eight-week concert tour through the Deep South. They embark with plans to return home on Christmas Eve. Tony is given a copy of the Green Book by Don’s record studio: a guide for black travelers to find safe havens throughout the segregated South.

    The two leads of the film in “Green Book” are the excellent as well as supremely talented Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali who have over the years proved they are both assured as well as excellent actors, in this movie they are no different. When I first watched the trailer I was not sure if Mortensen could be believable in playing a mobbed up New Yorker with all that entails, especially the accent, without coming off as a parody of a real person. What Mortensen does is play the part broad so as to embrace the character of Tony completely thereby bringing the audience in on his performance as well as honouring the real person that he is playing, he is as he has been throughout his career just a wonder to behold reminding audiences why he has been nominated for Oscars twice as well as playing very different people over the course of his career. Ali on the other hand is the foil that Mortensen has to spar with for almost the entire running time of the movie. Ali must be more nuanced as he reveals his character slowly through the narrative, as well as playing someone portrayed as tortured but the audience must never feel sorry for him as he is a strong man navigating the world, like many others he never is really able to reveal who he really is for fear of being persecuted, by almost every segment of society at the time.

    “Green Book” is an enjoyable movie, there is nothing wrong with enjoying it for what it is, a drama about two men who are from different cultures, backgrounds and have very spate family upbringing and support. This is also a deeply flawed movie with a narrative told from one point of view, that is a white one, with little depth to the African American character which for a movie like this is unforgivable. However this does not make it a bad movie, it just does not make it a great one. This is a message movie with obvious plot points related to the southern states of the US as well as the overtly racist attitudes that exited there, which we see both characters come across, for one it is how he always is treated for the other with his own attitudes towards non whites it is a way for him to walk in someone else’s shoes. Now there were ways for this movie to have been executed in a better way, but this would have taken time as well as making the piece itself into something the writers and director did not want to produce, which is their prerogative, but that is not the world that exists at the moment. 

    Even taking that into account there is still much about “Green Book” I would recommend, it is a snapshot of history, it is reflective of our current times, it has a character who is not only a minority, but a minority within a minority. There are three great performances from the leads, they are fully committed, and like many other movies they rely on those to carry audiences through the parts of the movie that are either light on story or at times may make little sense because of flaws in the actual plot. This is a good family story that demands to be talked about, what more could people want from a movie but something that sparks conversation as well as further research into this story.

  • DVD review: “Mars – Season 1 & 2” (2017-2018)

    DVD review: “Mars – Season 1 & 2” (2017-2018)

    “Mars – Season 1 & 2” (2017-2018)

    Television Drama

    12 Episodes

    Created by: Ben Young Mason & Justin Wilkes

    Directed by: David Yarovesky

    Featuring: Ben Cotton, Alberto Ammann, Anamaria Marinca, Clémentine Poidatz Jihae and Sammi Rotibi

    Released this month on to a DVD box set is the Nat Geo series “Mars – Season 1 & 2” (2017-2018) which attempts to blend documentary with a narrative story, one set in the future and one in the present which works in a very mixed way, but comes off as muddled as well as the feeling that there were far too many cooks in the kitchen to really illustrate something new and inventive.

    In the year 2033, a crew of six astronauts launch from Florida on a journey to be the first people to set foot on Mars. During the descent into the Martian atmosphere, there is a malfunction with their spacecraft, the Daedalus. They land 75.3 kilometres away from their planned habitat. On Earth their progress is being monitored. In the second season, the story jumps ahead several years into the future after the Daedalus astronauts have built a full-fledged colony called Olympus Town. Having established mankind as an interplanetary species, Season 2 examines the impact that humans have on the Red Planet and the consequences the planet has on us.

    Intermixed with the story are real-life interview footage from the present, of the crew, and their mission control; there are interviews with various public figures, including scientists and engineers, such as Elon Musk, Andy Weir, Robert Zubrin, and Neil deGrasse Tyson, about the difficulties that the crew might face on a journey to, and living on, Mars.

    The six-part event series obscures a reasonably engrossing, science-star-studded documentary about future exploration of the Red Planet with a far less interesting scripted drama about Mars travel. It takes a while to settle into the structural and narrative rules of this show, by the end of the second episode, it becomes apparent that the scripted segments do little to enhance the documentary, whilst the documentary was just being utilized as an emotional cheat for the scripted story.

    The 2016 documentary material initially isn’t revelatory, but it’s consistently informative and accompanied by reliable archival space program footage and future-skewing blueprints.

    The documentary narrative is meant to be juxtaposed with the fictionalized story, but only exposes how limited it is. The first episode parallels that SpaceX rocket test with a Mars landing that presumably is only possible because of Musk’s advancements, but while I found myself rooting for the SpaceX test, the fictional landing stirred up nothing for me. Similarly, in the second episode, I didn’t care at all about Sawyer’s life-and-death medical struggle — he’s introduced in rough shape in the premiere, so that’s not a spoiler — but Kelly’s actual mission and particularly the interviews with his young daughter Charlotte got me choked up.

    There should be push and pull between the two segments. The 2016 stuff should add factual credibility to the 2033 speculation and the quick-cutting mixture of tense close-ups and reasonably decent special effects in the 2033 segments should add urgency to the 2016 parts. Instead, it’s a one-way street. The 2016 stuff delivers factual grounding, which is fine, but it’s also forced to humanize one-dimensional scripted characters, which ought not be the case. That’s what the writing is for.

    The blending of scripted and non-scripted elements in Mars is supposed to be what sets it apart as innovative, but some viewers will remember that NatGeo initially approached its Killing franchise in the same way, with both talking heads and reenactments, neither completely successful. NatGeo subsequently figured out that adapting Bill O’Reilly’s series with scripts was the correct approach. I get that the producers of Mars didn’t want this event pigeon-holed as “another NatGeo docuseries,” but there’s much to be said for identifying what works and emphasizing it.

    Episodes:

    Season One

    Novo Mundo: In 2033, the first human mission to Mars enters its atmosphere with the commander being injured saving the ship. In the present, SpaceX is attempting to land the world’s first reusable rocket.

    Grounded: The Daedalus crew battles harsh Martian terrain to reach base camp. Command changes with the death of the original commander. In reality, NASA Astronaut Scott Kellyundergoes a mission on the International Space Station, which will be the longest number of continuous days a human has spent in space.

    Pressure Drop: In 2033, the Daedalus crew struggles to find permanent shelter, which hinges on locating a water source. Currently, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos partner to launch an orbiter.

    Power: In 2037, four years after Mars colonization, a massive electrical storm threatens the outpost. In reality, Antarctica serves as a parallel for remote human settlement.

    Darkest Days: In 2037, 8 weeks into the dust storm, the colony is on lockdown. Psychological pressure takes its toll as the crew is trapped in the habitat. The dust storm is in its 2nd month and the base commander has to ration power. The temperature in the habitat has dropped and the doctor is checking all crew members. A botanist who loses his grip with reality, due to the decimation of his crops and the disintegration of his marriage, opens an airlock killing himself and several others. In 2016, NASA performed the simulation “HI-SEAS MISSION” in Mauna Loa, Hawaii to test the effects of isolation and the psychology of a crew living closely together for a period of 12 months.

    Crossroads: In 2037, a devastating tragedy in the colony forces everyone to question the mission. On Earth an upcoming statement (presumably about the mission ending), results instead with an announcement of the discovery of life on Mars. In the present, SpaceX attempts another pioneering launch.

    Season Two

    We are not alone: It is April 2042, five years after “Crossroads”. Terraforming of Mars has started with the arrival of a group of highly skilled astronauts/miners working for a for-profit corporation called Lukrum specializing in natural-resource extraction. The people at Lukrum’s base request water and know Commander Hana Seung of Olympus Town can’t say no. Dr. Amelie Durand plans to go back to Earth. In the real-world footage, the episode shows many people, including Neil deGrasse Tyson, Andy Weir, Elon Musk and Kim Stanley Robinson talking about capitalist pursuits on Earth of Arctic oil.

    Worlds Apart: In May 2042, Lukrum finds water on Mars and Marta Kamen demands to study it, before Lukrum can damage any potential life living therein. Dr. Amelie Durand finds out she’s pregnant, maybe ending her plans to go back to earth. Hana Seung and her sister Joon Seung are reunited, but not in the way they had hoped for.

    Darkness Falls: By August 2042, Amelie and Javier have found out that they are having a girl. A solar flare strikes Mars, knocking out power and communications to both Olympus Town and Lukrum. Marta was outside looking for life, and becomes stranded as a result of the power loss, putting her life in extreme jeopardy. Commander Seung is distracted by her grief regarding a recent personal tragedy.

    Contagion: Twelve hours after finding Marta, a mysterious illness kills one person in Olympus Town and makes half of Lukrum sick. Before asking the Chinese government for help, IMSF and Lukrum think of public relations to the news of a new disease on Mars. Not one to wait, Cmdr. Seung calls the Chinese orbiting space station asking for help for medication, which later arrives and prevents any more fatalities both in Olympus Town and with Lukrum. Lt.Cmdr. Mike Glenn, 2nd in command, questions Seung and asks the IMSF to be in charge of Olympus Town.

    Power Play: By November 2042, Lt.Cmdr. Glenn’s request to be in charge of Olympus Town is denied by the IMSF. Lukrum and Russia make a backroom deal and the IMSF are powerless. Hana Seung and Robert Foucault search for water, and Robert tells Hana he is quitting Olympus Town to work for Lukrum. Both try to kindle a budding relationship, which fails as Hana is devoted to the mission. Glenn cuts power to Lukrum after exceeding the power agreement, unknowingly jeopardizing the entire Lukrum base. When Cmdr. Seung later finds out, Lt.Cmdr. Glenn is confined to his quarters. Amelie later goes into premature labor two months early and gives birth.

    The Shakeup: By December 2042, Lukrum uses an underground explosion to succeed finding liquid water but this action also causes quakes. Lukrum colony gets hit worst with several dead, including their commander who searched the wrecked station for survivors and was asphyxiated when his spacesuit was damaged. On Earth Lukrum’s CEO tries to downplay the cause of the quake and buys his way into IMSF, only to get stumped by IMSF director Richardson who hands the show to Olympus Town where Seung reveals the truth about the quake and Amelie and Javier present their baby, Gabriella Delgado Durand, to the audience on Earth. In the final scene three years later in May of 2045, the team looks at the first cloud on a satellite image and celebrates evidence of their efforts in terraforming Mars.

  • DVD review: “Tin Star – Season Two” (2017-2020)

    DVD review: “Tin Star – Season Two” (2017-2020)

    “Tin Star – Season Two” (2017-2020)

    Drama

    10 Episodes

    Produced & Created by: Rowan Joffe

    Featuring: Tim Roth, Christina Hendricks, Leanne Best, Christopher Heyerdahl, Roark Critchlow

    Angela: “He tried to hang herself, Jim. Because of what you did. Because of Jack.“

    This month sees the release of “Tin Star – Season Two” (2017-2020) on DVD after a run on television which sees the continuation to a story that actually exceeded expectations in the first season, but for me comes to a crash in this very mixed second season.

    There is a popular term being used at the moment, that this is the ‘Golden Age’ of television, which is a ridiculous thing to say, as that age was in the 1950s, when the idea of what television could be started to take shape. That was when some of the most original and cutting edge television was made, watching some of those programs can be very refreshing. There is also the attitude that we are in the best time of television where writers are the kings of the medium – this might be truer, but it is not a new idea. One thing is for sure, there are more scripted shows than ever with a few of them being great, a larger number being very good, but a large amount being a complete waste of time. The trick is of course knowing which ones to start viewing as well as when to give up or stay with them. The beauty is that many of these series are only normally up to ten episodes so it’s not a long-term commitment if they do not follow through on their initial promise.

    That brings us to the latest drama featuring Tim Roth in the main role as an English police officer who has been transplanted to the Canadian Rockies, something that is already an original idea. Couple that with the opening ten minutes of the first episode, this is a show that digs its hooks into you and will not let go for its first season.

    “Tin Star” is based around former London police detective Jim Worth is the new police chief of Little Big Bear, a small town in the Canadian Rockies, where he has moved with his family to escape his past. The influx of migrant workers because of a new big oil company, headed by the mysterious Mrs. Bradshaw, forces Worth to confront the resulting wave of crime that threatens the town. Worth’s stand against the criminals results in vigilante groups attacking him and his family, leading Worth to slip into the violence of his past.

    Many modern police dramas, particularly those on pay sites or cable channels will touch on family matters as well as any home life – this is mainly to broaden the main character’s appeal, as well as give depth to his life, making him three dimensional. The show may even create some kind of drama at home, making this an integral part of the plot. What “Tin Star” has done is to integrate the home and work life, making them interwined in a very natural way that causes almost all of the players to, at some time, interact with everyone else. It also negates the reason for the main character to have some kind of double life separating his work and home. This also means he can be as honest as he can be with the people most important in his life – this is something many stories will not do. Honesty in a television drama is something that is normally not used as a narrative device, in fact what this main character finds is that honesty is all he has left after the first few episodes. This is a person that has made some mistakes as well as lied to many people, this show illustrated in a stylised way what can happen when the chickens come home to roost.

    “Tin Star” involves many different genres, it is political, it is definitely nourish, has action, involves minorities and uses its landscape as a fully fledged element that is rarely seen in this kind of show. What it doesn’t do, which many many shows do, is make the actual story a ‘slow burn’, the narrative moves along at a surprising pace. I found this refreshing, not only did it keep me interested but it also helped to maintain the point of the story – which I can say is very good. The main part of the story is completely resolved by the end of the last episode, as well as many of the subplots are fully explained. What is done, however, is that if there was a second season (which I believe there is) there is enough in the closing minutes to continue some kind of story – which is pretty fantastic.

    The casting of the show, in part due to the nature of the transplanting of an English family to Canada is just great, and it may be in part due to the juxtaposition of many English accents around so many Canadian, as well as Native American, accents that seems to keep the show fresh each episode. With Tim Roth in the lead as the Sheriff you get immediate legitimacy as well as an actor that knows his craft, can play many different emotions as well as someone who is extremely physical both being able to inhabit a space specifically as well as not being afraid to really commit to a part in a unique way. The cast is expansive but I loved seeing Christina Hendricks playing someone who is more than the she seems, particularly in the first few episodes. In fact she has such a good story arc that I hope she returns at some point for any subsequent seasons. Lastly, there is the Canadian charater actor Christopher Heyerdahl, who genre fans will know from his years of work on many different science fiction and horror shows, here he plays a man who has secrets that are revealed slowy and as such subtle changes in performance is required, Heyerdahl is more than capable of showing us these.

    Rowan Joffe the creator of “Tin Star” is an experienced writer/director, who has worked with many top talents as well as being behind some pretty good movies. He has created a show that is compelling, as well as fitting in with his previous work. His work often involves people that have become isolated for a variety of reasons, that incorporate a variety of genres, which is unique in itself. This is probably why “Tin Star” has been such a success in terms of the finished show – he has also used the location as well as showing how this landscape affects the characters as well as the motivations behind some of the arrivals to the town. Some of the same themes that are presened here are also in the new film “Wind River” (2017) to a lesser or greater extent – I am sure that is a coincidence.

    Episodes:

    Prairie Gothic: Following directly on from the events of My Love is Vengeance, Jack lies bleeding on the mountainside, having been shot by Anna. Terrified by her own actions, a confused Anna flees, swiftly pursued by Angela, who leaves Jack to die. Anna reaches an Ammonite community on the border of Little Big Bear, where she tries to commit suicide; but is saved from death by teenager Rosa Nickel, daughter of the local pastor. Meanwhile, Jack awakens from a period of unconsciousness and manages to make his way into the forest, where he sets alight to Whitey’s cabin to signal for help.

    Resist Not Evil (Elizabeth and Johan’s Story): Anna begins to integrate with the Ammonite community, being baptised by Father Johan in a desperate attempt to leave her former life behind. Elizabeth and Angela continue to hide out at her company mansion, which has now been cut off from the grid. Father Johan struggles to conceal a shipment of cocaine that he has smuggled across the border from Mexico for a cartel of dangerous criminals. A deranged Jack continues to cause misery amongst the Ammonite community with his tirade of abuse, climaxing with him driving his police truck through the community church in the middle of a service.

    Consequences: Johan panics when the cartel come calling for the drugs, but they are nowhere to be found. Jaclyn manages to track down Elizabeth and Anna and demands $100,000 in return for her silence. As Elizabeth tries to raise the required funds, she finds herself unwittingly caught in the middle of the feud between Jack and Frank.

    Jack and Coke (Jack and Angela’s Story): As the same day plays out from the perspective of Jack and Angela, Angela approaches Jack for help in an attempt to help a desperate Elizabeth. Jack concocts an elaborate plan to mix Johan’s drugs with baby powder in order to double the quantity, but when Frank refuses his offer of a deal, he decides to rob Randy’s Roadhouse, unaware that an illegal poker game involving several wealthy townsfolk is taking place in the backroom.

    The Bagman Cometh: Anna pleads with Jack to help Johan out of his predicament. Jack offers to help on the understanding that Johan opens up to his family about his secret life. Sarah questions Johan’s motives for smuggling cocaine, to which he reveals that he was forced into a life of crime after the cartel murdered his brother as repayment for an unpaid loan taken against diesel supplies for a harvest crop which failed, leaving the family penniless and unable to pay back what they owe.

    Age of Anxiety: Jack comes face to face with the cartel’s bagman, who after fearing retribution from his superiors, decides to take his own life – but not before telling Jack that ‘Liverpool’ is coming for him. Denise interrogates Elizabeth over the disappearance of Jaclyn, prompting an unexpected accusation of murder towards Jack and Angela.

    Subterranean Fire: Jack negotiates the safe return of the drugs, allowing Johan to meet with the cartel to give them what they are rightfully owed. Sarah organises for Rosa to leave the colony to spend him with her cousin in Nelson. Jack, continually haunted over Whitey’s death, decides to extract the truth from Frank once and for all.

    Wild Flower: As Jack, Angela and Anna prepare to flee back to England on false passports, they come across Rosa’s lifeless body on the roadside. Whilst re-uniting Rosa with her family, Jack receives an unexpected delivery containing photographs of his loved ones. Aware that the threat against him is edging ever closer, Jack approaches the colony for help in slaying all of his demons once and for all.

    The Unseen: As Jack’s past finally comes back to haunt him, he executes his plan of action with the help from an unexpected source.

  • Trailer: “Terminator: Dark Fate” (2019)

    Trailer: “Terminator: Dark Fate” (2019)

    Trailer: “Terminator: Dark Fate” (2019)

    Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as the T-800, and Gabriel Luna serves as the new Terminator antagonist in this. Diego Boneta and Natalia Reyes co-star.

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  • Trailer: “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” (2019)

    Trailer: “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” (2019)

    Trailer: “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” (2019)

    Sony Pictures has released the red-band full-length trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s ninth directorial feature – the Los Angeles 1969-set noir tale “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”. The trailer launches right as the film is in the midst of its world premiere at Cannes.

    The story follows a washed-up ex-western actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double (Brad Pitt) trying to make it in the movie business, and they end up trying to score the help of their neighbor Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie).

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    Timothy Olyphant, Al Pacino, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Damian Lewis, Luke Perry, Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning, Clifton Collins, James Marsden and Scoot McNairy co-star in the film which opens July 26th.

  • Featurette: “Child’s Play” (2019)

    Featurette: “Child’s Play” (2019)

    Featurette: “Child’s Play” (2019)

    A contemporary re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic film, CHILD’S PLAY follows Karen, a single mother who gifts her son Andy a Buddi doll, unaware of its more sinister nature.

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    CHILD’S PLAY is directed by Lars Klevberg and stars Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman, Brian Tyree Henry and Mark Hamill.

    CHILD’S PLAY releases in New Zealand cinemas on June 20, 2019.

  • Movie review: “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019)

    Movie review: “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019)

    “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019) 

    Action

    Running Time: 131 minutes

    Written by: Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams

    Directed by: Chad Stahelski

    Featuring: Keanu Reeves,  Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston and Ian McShane

    The Director: “All of this for what, because of a puppy?”

    John Wick: “It wasn’t just a puppy.”

    This week see the release of “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019) in what may be the final instalment of this franchise or possibly just the first story at an end. The first “John Wick” (2014) was a surprise but modest hit at the box office, the second instalment was a larger hit with the character as well as the movies having a string following for a variety of reasons, those being the incredible stunts, fight sequences, great character actors, a follow through on the story and finally the most important element that of its star Keanu Reeves who has bought into the idea of these movies and the genre, he is truly something special to see I each of these movies. Both first movies had just enough of a following so that this ramped up sequel was produced and so far has been the critical and box office hit that will probably lead to, hopefully some more movies but if not then it has been a great ride, all thriller no filler. 

    The first film also saw the return of Keanu Reeves to a high-profile action film the seemed to be what audiences were waiting for, and he was excellent as the single minded hit man seeking revenge for the death of his puppy, a gift from his now deceased wife. With Keanu now embracing his inner-Wick as well as seemingly waiting to make a sequel that ups the stakes without alienating the fans of the first and second film we see what is possible when you have a great script, a director who is not only willing to trust that script but also want to put his leading man front and centre, and finally an actor who has embraced the ethos of the genre, as well as handing his extreme talents to a director that can handle the kind of film that is to be produced. This film is a step up in every way from both previous movies, the budget has increased, new as well as experienced actors have been cast, the sets, cars and guns have all been upped and finally the mythology has expanded to such an extent that it is its own Universe – with a prequel television series rumoured to be in the works.

    “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” is now a marked man on the run in Manhattan. He is declared “excommunicado” by The High Table which places a $14 million contract bounty on his head as a result of Wick’s unauthorized killing of High Table member Santino D’Antonio.This story has now become a sort of road movie where Wick must cash in chips he has kept secret as well as travelling the globe with the help of a mysterious friend, played so incredibly well by Halle Berry. 

    To say that this film ups the ante in terms of action, violence, story and world building is an understatement, it is refreshing to find a sequel that not only increases the action and violence but also offers more of a peek into this hyper stylized universe of assassin’s that seem to populate this world.

    Screenwriter Derek Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski return from the first two movies to really get their teeth into the story along with star Keanu Reeves who seems really invested in the character of John Wick, as well as the way in which he embraces a philosophy that defines the world he inhabits. I believe it only assists the new film that there is a continuation of talent that moves from film to film to keep the idea of a what a John Wick film is and can be as well as how the films keep getting produced.

    The action in this new chapter has been upped as has the body count, there has also been more humour and over the top scenarios introduced just to make sure we all know that this movie is not only fictional but at times absurd in the way it treats what Wick is able to do and get away with. Both this film and the previous one have to be the greatest pure action films of the past ten years at least. They both do what primal action films at their best do, they keep moving forward and never let up, even if you think they are.

    The star here is of course Keanu Reeves, who has proven time and time again he is a force to be reckoned with, particularly where you may have a tendency to underrate him. His best performances have been in films where you may think he is not the right choice; even those films that may have been unsuccessful have more than likely aged very well. Reeves has a knack for choosing not just good but great projects to be a part of. The ‘Wick’ films are no different and with the possible announcement of a third it may mean that Reeves will have his own franchise that is not overblown with ego and special effects. One of the great things about these films is the use of CGI, there is very little which is refreshing for action films in this new millennium.

    The supporting cast sees holdovers from the first film making very welcome reappearances, Ian McShane playing Winston the father figure/mentor to Wick who offers advice as well as offering exposition to the audience, Lance Reddick as Charon the hotel manager and all-round cool guy. As mentioned Halle Berry plays a huge part in this movie with her in an action role that kicks as much butt as Reeves himself. There are a few more surprise in terms of support and they all ring true with one of my personal favourites Saïd Taghmaoui as a key member of the High Table who offers a Wick a chance to get out from under his own contract.

    In terms of action and story this is a movie that offers more of a look behind the curtain as well as moving the story forward in a way that sees John Wick having to make sacrifices in some pretty large ways. When it comes to the action which occurs in between the narrative part of the movie there is much to contend with. The best and most original sequences are a particularly incredible knife fight that wants you to think it is one shot, a quick motorbike versus horse battle, anything involving  Mark Dacascos who almost steals the movie, a high speed sword/motorbike fight and of course the finale which by now is de rigueur for this series of movies. There are also questions around identity, honour as well as what do we do after loved ones die, this has become a very existential series, a new kind of action movie for a new age.

    If you enjoyed the first two movies then this is a step up in the way this world operates, it offers more of a glimpse behind the curtain that John Wick operate in as well as broadening the existing characters and seamlessly introducing new ones. Of course the standout is Reeves but kudos need to be paid to the producers, writer and director for all the new characters and the casting of those characters. It feels to me like there are no miss-steps or issues at all. 

  • Trailer: “Midsommar” (2019)

    Trailer: “Midsommar” (2019)

    Trailer: “Midsommar” (2019)

    Jack Reynor and Florence Pugh star in the film as a couple who travels to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown, famed for its mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic vacation soon turns into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.

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    Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper, Ellora Torchia and Archie Madekwe also star.