thesandfly77 Reviews

3 Body Problem (2024)

No Problem

[8/10 · 30 March 2024]

As adaptations go, this month (March 24) has been a real winner. Firstly Dune Part 2, blockbustering it's way beyond all expectation whilst maintaining the essence of the book, and now 3 Body - potentially a disaster - succeeding against the odds.

To compress the concepts, relocate much of the action, and condense the character range into a dynamic, watchable and comprehensible series really is quite a feat.

Numerous changes (but nothing essential) to the OG Chinese hard scifi thrills have worked; all round fine acting seamlessly merges drama and science for any casual audience to engage.

Of course, book fiends will have contentions - there's a few missing things I'd like to have seen myself regards the science expo - but overall it's credit where credit's due in pulling off a startlingly fine 8 episodes that cover the first book, and leave a buzz for what's to come.

I watched the 30 episode, faithful, Chinese language adaptation by Tencent last year and can recommend it as well for a more measured, detailed beat by beat telling of the first book. A good comparison for this Netflix exercise.

So I sincerely hope Netflix go ahead with the rest of the trilogy because it'll be quite a challenge to translate the futuristic, epoch-spanning events into relatable episodic TV.

God knows we need some quality among the streaming service dross. After this pretty scintillating start to an 'unfilmable' literal epic, I'm looking forward to Season 2 immensely. Hurry up and announce it.

Altered Carbon (2018–2020)

From Gold To Garbage

[8/10 · 16 February 2024]

8/10 season 1.

1/10 season 2.

S1 - glorious inventive scifi sourced from a marvellous novel. Far flung futurism - like Bladerunner evolved - adult and credible and exploring base humanity from a scaleable murder mystery set many centuries hence.

Every sophisticated concept makes sense, or is made to in subtle, or impactful, exposition. Acting is admirable and a fit for the outlandish characters of this wild dystopian world, painted in vivid, engaging realism.

A brilliant, contained watch in 10 enthralling episodes. Don't miss this mad ride into immortality.

S2 - Dear God, this was Westworld S2 levels of letdown. The worst writing since my high school year 3 play; And that's probably insulting to every dedicated afterschool thespian.

Characters become ciphers, wokeisms infect the narrative, ridiculous emotional interludes take priority in the midst of mortal danger...

So bad it's almost worth watching (nah, please don't...) just for the stilted cringeworthy dialogue ('That's enough!' "Enough? Enough of what? '" Enough of... ") and the risible teenage-melodrama tropes it descends into.

Once-logical fight scenes descend into balletic choreography displays between invulnerable combatants with boundless energy. Coincidences and contrivances substitute for plotlines and the cast deliver their lines in one-dimensional bursts of wooden intensity. The only notable exception is Poe - miraculous job by the actor to cultivate emotion and gravitas from his lines; award-worthy, relatively speaking.

So there it is - savour fantastic scifi in the compete S1 tale.

But quit there. Dont punish your cultural sensibilities with the infantile crap of S2. I did, and now I'm off for an eyeball scrape and a mindwipe. If only we had that technology - I'd be resetting my stack back to before I watched it...

Foundation (2021– )

Found A Major Winner

[9/10 · 2 February 2024]

Okay, you know the score - no direct faithful adaptation of a classic trilogy, BUT...

... An INTERPRETATION that enhances and swashbuckles hard ci-fi concepts and prose into living futuristic adventure.

High-adventure at that, as we time and galaxy hop across an enthralling universe as Foundation gets all Star Wars-ey but in a GOOD original Star Wars manner with added gravitas and sinister undetones; quirky characters betray darker sides, roles turn out to be not what they seem, events take shocking turns, evoking many a wtf?

It could be said Apple did with this what Lucas did with Dune, but with added Kubrick-esque class.

Top craftsmen Jared Harris and Lee Pace chewed up space-time continuims and spat out thrilling drama.

JH is sublime in whatever he turns his skills to, but a special nod to Lee Pace playing multiple versions of the same character - the nuances he applies to distinguish Day from one incarnation to the next are the tools of a special actor.

He also had me laughing out loud at an incredibly powerful moment of great epic melodrama with the finest juxtapositioned facial expression ever cut to in such a monumentally emotional scene; just a classic 5 seconds of genius from him and the director.

Undoubtedly the most wickedly amusing villainous character since Negan rocked up in the Walking Dead. Also took part in the most watchable fist fight I've seen in any drama for years; a hell of a scrap in S2Ep9.

Special mentions too for the 3 main actresses, particularly Demrezel; evoking memories of both Daryl Hannah and Rutger Haier in Bladerunner; chillingly engaging.

Yes, I had a thoroughly great time with this, revelling in the high concepts and marvellous production; tech designs, ships etc, absolutely tremendous.

For sheer thought-provoking entertainment and visual delights, treat yourself to a Foundation binge.

Only problem is, after 20 roaring episodes, I'm now a year out from season 3 and there's no damn cryo-pods or jump-ships to get me there quickly enough...

The Walking Dead: Rest in Peace (2022) Season 11, Episode 24

Heartbreaking

[9/10 · 20 December 2023]

From a small scifi TV, 6 episode production only watched for its notable source material and Frank Darabont's involvement provoking curiosity, to one of the world's best loved TV shows and epic character arcs.

Suffered at the altar of woke trash for a while in 7-8 before getting its mojo back to go proper retro WD for a crashingly good final season 11 and a chokongly sentimental, completely heartbreaking finale. Goddamn, you killed the pretty one... Place cemented in all-time classic box-set, binge-worthy, riveting scifi-horror. Thank you for the mostly stunning and addictive ride. Will never forget discovering the first season and a hunger for more of this weird and wonderful survival horror that eclipsed any ravenous walker.

Will never forget the incredible Negan entrance and that screaming nihilism that blew minds and tolerance levels wordlwide; has there ever been such a wickedly entertaining yet dastardly uber-villain in a TV drama? Someone you hate that you cannot help but like; the amazing dichotomy of that character portrayal; superb.

So many moments over the years. So much enthralling drama. So it goes... RIP GOAT.

Invasion (2021–2024)

Quality Scifi, Not For Tiktok Generation

[8/10 · 26 August 2023]

Slow burn Sci fi done properly - take this review as a whole season endorsement.

7.5/10 for me; unusual to see such depth and metaphysical entanglement amid well played-out tropes.

This had the feel of some scifi from the late 60s/70s, when cerebral involvement was as crucial to the experience as action. Popcorn junkies will bemoan the pacing; not me - refreshing to have to anticipate along with the players in this drama.

Little dramatic irony is afforded to satiate the audience's curiosity, they build it by putting you in the midst of the nightmare, discovering the terrible truth along with the characters.

Revelations are often perplexing in a good way; puts you in the mindset of traumatic, impulsive, survival situations.

Probably too frustrating for many spoon-fed disposable viewers of today but rewarding ultimately for those who like their storylines by osmosis for a change.

The organic method of telling this global apocalyptic tale worked for me; refreshingly intense. I expected weary tropes but found interesting direction and efficient writing delivered fresh perspective.

Acting was well-pitched, depth enough; portrayals of harrowing times carried well by every spoken part. English kids were particularly fine.

Enjoyed all segments of the story and the development of each main character's part stayed compulsive viewing.

Aliens themselves suitably nightmarish - excellent design, given we've about seen it all since Geiger's Alien (late scenes hark back to that very classic) and the hints of more to come were thrilling enough with subtle reveals. No overload of cgi required.

As stated, this had the feel of classic scifi and maintained it through 10 episodes. Well done, a terrific surprise. Looking forward to the 'difficult second album'. Hope they play it as cool as this one.

Andor (2022– )

I'll Keep This Brief

[8/10 · 30 October 2022]

This is THE show anyone who grew up with classic Star Wars needs to see. 'Mature' Star Wars, if you will.

Maintains the aesthetics of Rogue One and has a quality of writing to shame recent pathetic efforts. Stands as a great little sci-fi adventure on its own, within the Star Wars universe.

Terrific production, script and depth of accomplished acting performances - tremendous - give it a gravitas to have you salivating if you ever so much as tingled at any great Star Wars movie.

One particular visual snippet as an example - S1E06 'The Eye' has Tie Fighter pilots scrambling into their machines. Mere seconds of screen time but a scintillating burst of realisation that such dynamic moments have never been 'authentically' presented to you before. Ally that with engaging and stimulating dialogue, and it delivers some great stuff.

Treat you inner kid and impress your critical adult: don't miss out on giving this quality production the attention and admiration it deserves. This is Rogue One (the 3rd greatest Star Wars movie behind IV & V) expanded. 8/10 and climbing.

2012 (I) (2009)

Now A Classic B Movie

[7/10 · 4 July 2020]

Over a decade on, I re-watch 2012 with my kids and, well, if it doesn't just pop that big bubble of pretentiousness the triggered carry in their narcissist manbags. It's pure theme park, big action movie nonsense with a sweet ironic undercurrent of conspiracy theory and biblical theme. How any movie fan cannot enjoy this testament to mad, overblown creativity beats me. Overacting by notable actors, demented cgi that still holds a wow factor all these years and advances later - this is just damn good fun. Kick back, unclench your critical sphincter and revel in the mentalness of unhinged ridiculousness; this is movie-making on cocaine speedballs served up with a pitcher of JD and an acid dessert. Cinema to make you shake your head with a grin.

Homeland: Prisoners of War (2020) Season 8, Episode 12

Right Up There

[9/10 · 29 April 2020]

Now place Homeland in an exclusive Canon of shows that bookended multiple seasons with quality. A fitting finale played out with requisite tension and pleasing denouement that I've come to expect and love from Homeland this past 8 years. As for today's tiresome politics infesting every show with woke ideology and utter blandishments passing as creativity, HERE is your finest female lead without the need to push agendas; Claire Danes Carrie has been a wrangled genius mess of flawed superheroine in for 8 seasons; a protagonist that evokes the finest response to her sex in the mind of the viewer - that I couldn't have cared less about her gender as I was just watching a terrific character played by a terrific actor wrestling with some terrific writing and direction. Thank you Homeland, for consistent reward; shaming the fall of GOT with simple faith in your characters and plots. That was how to do it. I'll miss it. And I'll be forever delighted I gave it my time.

The Mandalorian (2019– )

Spaghettilorian

[8/10 · 13 November 2019]

Thank God. At no point in this surprisingly good opening episode did anyone sit down with diversity hire number 5 and chat about their feelings, perform astounding feats obviously beyond their character's remit or seek counselling for troublesome interpersonal relationships. So we got a well-paced, 40 minutes of beautifully shot, classic Star Wars channelling Spaghetti westerns. It felt at one point someone took a turn in Mos Eisley 1977 and began following the helmeted dude down the side street rather than Luke to the bar, so nostalgic was the setting/feel; but in no forced way as per J. J Abrahams sytle. This felt like some sort of parallel New Hope tangential fare. The Mandalorian himself came across as a tremendously spartan composite of the Man With No Name and Judge Dredd. Great intruguing climax to set up the following 7 episodes. A stimulating watch for anybody who ever had affection for the original SW trilogy, brilliantly minus the SJW travesty. See what I did there, easily triggered snowflakes? Fingers crossed the season maintains such positive momentum. Fine start.

It Chapter Two (2019)

IT Evolution

[8/10 · 8 September 2019]

33 years I've waited...

..Since reading the book in 1986, then again twice over the decades.

The 1990 miniseries was kitschy treat, making an icon of Tim Curry's Pennywise and introducing stubborn non-reading retards to a slice of the wondrous freaked-out cosmic horror hidden within the novel's 1100 pages; at school I was failed in a term exam for an essay on IT by a teacher who labelled it 'Satanic drivel', yet professed to never having read it :)) Yes, the world's full of them...

2017 IT was a surprise - a realy great surprise as it delivered sometihng akin but deliciously different to the original adaption. Trouble was...

They created a monster all over again. In this age of connectivity, IT - Pennywise - became a juggernaut of cultural reference, almost ubiquitous in everyday lives, instantly recognisable to multi-millions of consumers however invested in the actual story they were. He was the original killer clown and he had returned to take over the world.

So how the hell do you conjour a second part to the tale, remaining faithful to the source material and somehow incorporate this all-pervading pop-culture icon without it becoming a blandishment of clown-memes?

Well, they certainly went for an angle, and I commend the reach - further than I thought they would go but not as far as I would have liked.

Pennywise was never going to have the same chiller-killer impact of 2017 so the move towards lashings of dark humour infused with the shlock-horror was a brave one and very meta - recognising the part that clown has come to play in the consumer psyche.

So we get something that echoes the original Evil Dead series for sardonic black comedy and still manages to hold together the book's struggle of mere humans battling cosmic evil.

Most admirably, they managed to make it entertaining over the 3-hour run-time. Pennywise gets a slew of great moments and each adult actor is given the chance to inhabit the grown-up Loser to the best of their abilities; and note that they all do a splendid job.

The effects are absolutely fine - lol at the facebook-smart intellectuals who parrot the 'poor CGI' line; you gotta ask why none of those creative geniuses didn't step in and offer their services to save the day. They'll be sat on the couch with the 'look at me, I'm not scared' crew when the DVD comes out.

Some people just don't get it, or IT...

The dread of IT was always beyond impactful first-level boogeyman frights - as soon as the book opened up the exposition into realms of ancient inter-dimensional cosmic horror I was blown away. Stephen King, brilliantly drug-addled, took us on a trip into primeval darkness, from the unsettling events in a small American town to the abyssal terrors of the universe itself. The reach was epic and they made a grab for that here too, almost fulfilling the wishes of many who wanted the deep lore, the trippy light-fantastic backstory revelations of the novel.

So very nearly, but this cultural monster had to deliver at the box-office, had to sate the demands of the casual jump-scare popcorn junkie and so the compromise was reached; entertaining, chilling, sentimental and twisted, comedic and vicious, with a shot of lore to add some depth.

They managed to keep a lot of the plates spinning and deserve praise for never allowing the span of the film to lapse into dreary segments of character development or predictability - there's always something round the corner, even if you're expecting it, you're still guessing it. I though the pacing was excellent for the most part.

Ultimately, you can criticise IT chapter 2 for its level of personal-expectation fulfillment - e.g was the end true-form reveal a cop-out, a compromise or a clever concept? - but you can't criticise the crew's commitment to doing a classic book and cultural phenomenon justice over what is a sprawling but consistent and worthwhile epic movie.

Thank you, Andy et al, I very much enjoyed your celluloid realisation of decades of wonder.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Star Wars Schadenfreude!

[8/10 · 23 December 2017]

Well, well, a Star Wars for grown-ups.

Speaking as one of the generation who has seen every Star Wars movie in a theatre, I must say this last week of fanboy outrage has been a devilish indulgence.

Finally, a rebel Star Wars film - not kow-towing to the gigabites of bandwidth wasted on predictions, plot speculations and character assassinations by the entitled generation of demanding, new First Order smartasses.

And how it slaps down and pokes a finger in the eye of every know-all on the web forums and tube sites who now seek a safe-space to nurse their wounded egos and ferment about big bad Disney corporations 'betraying' the 'fanbase'. Spoiled brats ahoy!

Director RJ pitched the tension beautifully, pulled the rug from under every angry-millennial theory and led us into a scintillating final hour of simmering drama and epic vistas.

What I liked :

The space battles - no need for endless seat-of-pants dogfights any more and we got variety - flyboy gung-ho bombing raids, suicidal lightspeed assaults: WHAT a scene that is - the silence, the white lightning mega-explosion and the intercut blitz of angles it throws at you; a stunning 10 seconds of cinema if ever there was. See it in 3D; immense.

Kylo Ren/Skywalker - Adam Driver shares the show with Mark Hamil; conflicted Ren and rueful Skywalker are two great performances. Their showdown is raw and intimate and epic; master and apprentice, emotion bridging generations.

The meme of the 'side-quest' - surprised and pleased to see the addition of a little grim reality as Finn and Rose - and us - are introduced to the reality behind every war - even galactic ones - when we see the mercenary nature of those who feed off death; the arms dealers and suppliers. A very mature theme to introduce, albeit amid a herd of giant racing puppy-dogs or something.

That lightsaber battle in the throne room against the red praetorian guard - superb. Brutal, lethal, spectacular and 'believable' use of the force - had me on the edge of my seat and whistling appreciation; everything the ridicuous balletic displays of the prequels failed at.

Final hour - as mentioned, total Star wars porn - a rollercoaster of great scenes - the Crait battle/Throne room/Finn v Phasma/Ren v Rey/Leia's sentimental moments/Skywalkers' end; just terrific. Even the cryptic force-kid at the end and the eyebrow raising 'ohhhhhhh...'s he induced from the cinema.

Humour - first gag too early; would've fitted nicer about 10/20 minutes in once we'd established the feel of the film. Rest of it - fine, well pitched - Porgs not at all irritating and provide a true LOL moment when Chewy tips the Falcon and one slams into the window.

The unpredictability; guessed nothing right going in, grinned at every red herring revealed.



What I disliked:

first hour or so a little iffy; unable to establish what exactly was being aimed for - we had a prequel-ish interlude around the casino with those aforementioned racing giant puppies. Felt scattered a bit. Settled into overstretched scenes with one character when you were itching to see a little more development with others. May be due more to the final edit than content.

Mary Poppins Leia was poorly thought out; the wrong physical execution of that idea; too open to parody. As ironically, I've just reverted to.

Not enough of Del Toro's character - like an amoral Han Solo; he may play a greater part to come. I hope so; there's a dimension to his character that adds to the new 'maturity' of the Star Wars universe.

The whines of fanboys around me. Really, if you want to bleat like a little shaved ewok when things don't work our just the way you want, keep it out of my range, snowflakes. When I hear the countless proclamations of some Last Jedi event being 'unfeasible' I would like to remind people that 34 years ago the watching world was perfectly happy to accept a gang of feral teddy bears taking on and overcoming a battalion of crack Empire stormtroopers led by the most evil villain in the galaxy. There's a line you may be familiar with at the opening frame of the films, -something about a galaxy far, far away: that hints at fiction; Science-Fantasy fiction. Roll with it.

OVERALL:

8.3 out of 10

Surprising, spectacular and unpredictable. The way Star Wars SHOULD be. Kudos to the crew for knowingly defying the demands of the undeserving and producing a controversial but solid epic.

This is the way the Star Wars story is going, kids; dig it or walk.

Episode 9 here I come. Kill 'em all, JJ, kill 'em ALL!

It (I) (2017)

Beautifully Balanced Vision Of A Classic

[8/10 · 17 September 2017]

First - this review is not of the remedial variety; the classic numbnut 'It didunt scayer me as a munched mu popcurn'.

There's a ton of them out there sapping my will to live.

I've read the book on three occasions since 1987. The 1990 mini-series was a frustrating, strangled attempt to get IT onto some kind of live action format. Memorable, yes - and only - for Tim Curry's Pennywise.

Stephen King unwittingly created a cultural landmark, and did more to demonise clowns than John Wayne Gacy.

My heart sank when this reboot of IT was announced. How do you present a consumable version of a tale so embedded in cultural subconscious, a villainous killer-clown theme so worn by terrible Z-movie clichés? How do you engage indifferent VOD generations who have seen it all, or at least believe they have? Who have experienced every trick in the cinematic horror-book? Well, you get as clever as Andy Muschetti and his production team and you build it from the solid foundations-up.

They got back to the classic tale; took the spirit of the book and made sure it's prevalent in every scene, even in the new added invention that throws us some original, beautifully constructed moments.

And right the way through we got raucous adventure, grisly horror, tension, and tragedy.

You're never a few moments away from being reminded this is a tale that revolves around the loss of a murdered little brother, and a dark history of smalltown evil. There's a gravity to the story that grounds it constantly, and also makes it more compelling because this is the everyday evil you just didn't notice...

You're also never more than moments away from laughing out loud or gritting your teeth, or a shiver running down the spine.

The balance is great.

My only contention - the running time. But that's restricted by budget and studio expectations. There's so much more they could have told but what they did for 2 hours 10 minutes and $35 million is remarkable, particularly to a long-time fan of the epic novel.

Pennywise - well, terrific. More villain than vaudeville, more sinister than silly. Bill Skaarsgard will be very popular at his family's children's birthday parties in the years to come. Or maybe not...

I loved this incarnation of the killer clown as opposed to Curry's; as much a Heath Ledger Joker to Nicholson's. Captivating, and both amusing and horrific.

Overall, IT is more thrilling than frightening, and that's no bad thing; there are dimensions to this film that elevate it above the worn tropes of desperate 'horror' directors.

You could say IT floats.

I cannot wait to see the second chapter; I expect the adult timeline to be very, very dark indeed compared to this hugely entertaining Goonies v Kruger romp.

8/10

Alien: Covenant (2017)

I Am Not A Film Student

[8/10 · 17 May 2017]

...Nor am I a wannabe film critic.

Therefore this review will not be written from a smug, supercilious point of view, sneering at a piece of work by a renowned director and able cast, the kind of project that I will never hope to exceed or even participate in because once outside the bubble of my ego I will discover the big bad world cares not a jot for my pretensions and self-satisfied viewpoint that makes me popular in student bars and probably on my own youtube channel where I will inevitably end up after my narcissistic ambitions are thwarted and eventually scorched, like the burgers I end up flipping through tears of petulant frustration.

What I am is a middle-aged film fan who managed, nearly 40 years ago - jeez... - to sneak into a late-night screening of 'Alien' with a cadre of gormless teenage youths thanks to the culpability of a friend's usher-employee older brother.

I say 'culpability' because - in the good old days, kids - that fermenting spine-chilling two hours of celluloid darkness haunted me for years. All very well sniffing at the xenomorph through decades of cultural saturation on little-to-medium screens but at its cinematic big-screen birth? - primordially terrifying.

And now Ridley proves relentless as his ouevre, storming the theatres again through his old-age. Four decades on, what does yer scary old English uncle do to twist his spine-tingling tales to keep those wizened children of the age on edge? Well, there was Prometheus - and you really should have seen it in order to gain the most from Covenant. To be honest, I left the cinema after Prometheus very disappointed. Confused in the main about what the main thrust of its themes were. Upon revision and repeated viewings, its irritating mishaps are outweighed by its grander narrative and the big ideas it explores.

The Gestalt factor - THE principle that good movie producers understand can elevate a film from its perceived failings; that the whole is other than the sum of its parts. And Prometheus, for me, ultimately fitted that theory.

So to Covenant with anticipation. And what I got was a solid thriller to add to the canon, sitting nicely behind the first two and again vindicating ol' Gestalt.

It's about 80% what I hoped for, and what I'd expected to find regarding the overriding theme...

MINOR SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW (But i'll try to keep it opaque): Fassbender - owns it; about the only living actor who could pull of that dual role convincingly, with tremendous malevolent threat and excoriatingly disturbing execution. Completely brilliant.

Xenomorph - maximised its threat and power beyond what I had expected - genuinely menacing again, and along with the Neomorph, formidable kings of the sci-fi baddies catalog once again; You CAN breathe new life into the familiar.

Cast - fine. What's not to like? Everyone carries their part with conviction and leaves nothing off the celluloid.

Dialogue/Script - 90% fine with me. Sure there's the few creaky lines that might not survive real scrutiny but a perfect script? There's always something someone will add/alter/replace subjectively; it doesn't exist. And doesn't need to be here, because...

The Action - sorry, but the naysayers are talking out their arses; the sequences are perfectly balanced. There's NO overkill or overt gratuity in the violence or the gore; I was surprised at the satisfying gravity and screen time allotted to both - each sequence felt authentic and 'realistically' pitched in terms of timescale, combat authenticity and outcome. Great, to be honest, with a thrilling finale as well.

Innovations/Reveals (PROPER SPOILERS, skip if necessary) - Personally, I liked the fleeting xenomorph POV; a wry smile accompanied this 'distorted' HUD, "ahhh, they can see to an extent..." As far as the big reveal - David the destroyer/creator - I'd 'guessed it/hypothesised it beforehand, when in conversation or thought about the forthcoming sequels. It made it no less satisfying/interesting/frustrating to see it portrayed in the actual narrative and lit the imagination as to the promise of the third and final prequel/sequel. I will have no hesitation is attending asap to see where Ridley Scott will take us next in the inevitable ascent/descent towards the origin.

Other points of note springing to mind - the nods towards the first, with the nodding bird and the bleeping tracker; lovely. Not trite, just neat.

OVERALL - if you have anything more than a mild appreciation or interest in the Alien universe this film will not disappoint. Even for the diehards, it offers a very admirable chapter in the huge backstory Ridley Scott and his writers are creating; they melded the philosophical, the physical and the fantastical well here, allowing for intellectual musings and savage sci-fi horror to sit contemporaneously.

After Prometheus I was a little detached from Ridley's ideology. After Alien: Covenant I'm fully engaged again. Mishaps forgiven, grand themes absorbed and I'm happily strapped into the drop-ship for the next badass ride to hell in space. (Bill P RIP).

A solid 7.5/10 from me. Will watch again.

Dredd (2012)

The Greatest Movie Helmet Since Vader.

[10/10 · 12 September 2012]

There are many, many beautiful things about this film. I'll bullet-point the rest in a minute; the most beautiful of the lot is that it does not patronise YOU.

It's an honest and brilliant adaptation of the 2000AD character and the brutal near-future world he inhabits.

However, YOU do not need to be a fanboy. YOU do not need to be versed in the narrative of Mega-city One.

WE are almost there - the opening vista of the terrible futuristic sprawl and the soulless characters running wild within it will resonate with everyone.

35 years ago Dredd was science-fiction, set in 2020. Today, chillingly, Dredd seems the natural progression of justice and society.

Enough grimness. Back to the beauty: * - the 3D. Incredible use of what I previously considered at best a gimmick, at worst an unnecessary irritant. Its deployment is breathtaking and integrates seamlessly with the action.

* - the timing of the action (indeed the length of the film entire): Never too long, never monotonous, always carrying an edge and brimming with tension. Superbly implemented, edited and produced.

* - Dredd and Anderson/Urban and Thrilby: they absolutely nailed their characters. Urban's Dredd IS Judge Dredd; a fine line between Neitzsche's ubermensch and dystopian fascism embodied. Yet he is ultimately human here, too; and also something else - hinted at by Anderson in the opening scenes. And Thrilby looks so much like the vulnerable, but deadly beauty Judge Anderson I remember from the original artwork it's as if she was designed for the part.

35 years ago a disgruntled, bored kid was bought the second edition of 2000AD magazine because there was a free 'space spinner' frisbee on the front.

The first episode of Judge Dredd was inside, lurking, waiting to captivate and enthrall with its bewildering anti-hero. Often, the reader was transported through realms of science fiction beyond the dystopian grandeur of earthly mega-cities - across space, into the horror of inter-dimensional entities, parallel universes; Dredd's world expanded to encompass mind-expanding ideas and adventures.

They channelled it all via this unyielding, monolithic, mysterious character. Therein lay the irony; Not for them the gaudy, please-all whackos of Marvel/DC comics.

Dredd is everyman. Dredd is superman. This film is the perfect introduction.

NOTE: Robocop referers - Dredd came FIRST. Robocop was Verhoven's take on Dredd. Robocop's character, his lines - all sourced from the Dredd character of 2000AD. Get it right. The Beatles did not borrow from Justin Beiber....

NOTE: The soundtrack; clublike, adrenalin-manipulating. Sounds and feels superb; reminds me of Fight Club (as did much of the cinematography overall).

Go and see it. It works on all levels.

If no grander, bigger-budget sequel is forthcoming, sci-fi is dead; It will have been judged.

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

At Last - Adult Fantasy For Tolkien Non-Enthusiasts

[9/10 · 27 June 2011]

I cannot, I repeat CANNOT be bothered with elves, hobbits, etc, etc.

But here, I found a world of medieval machinations underpinned with supernatural and mythical background that grips then twists then keeps you on the drip like the most powerful narcotic.

I have never read the books but will pick up the second in the series for this is exactly the pitch I like my 'fantasy'- rooted in semi-realism, great characters, carousing plot, plenty of adult material - and I mean the language, the intrigue, not just the copious nudity - to get one's teeth into.

Notable acting mentions to the tour de force that was Sean Bean and the comic depth of Peter Dinklage - superb delivery that made every episode for me.

Take it from a 'hobbit-hater' - this is the anti-Tolkien and the way forward, fantasy without the twee and cheese.

A brilliant watch.

9/10.

-1 for being only 10 episodes long. Cold turkey until next spring :(

Lexx (1996–2002)

What George Lucas Wished He'd Written.

[8/10 · 11 February 2011]

It's 2011. Fourteen, yup 14, years since this emerged in TV series form.

I'm working my way chronologically through all the series after only previously being familiar with Lexx by catching odd episodes here and there. Even then, its quirkiness made it watchable.

Now, with full knowledge of the overlying plot and background I must say this is probably the most impressive sci-fi epic I've ever seen.

I had no idea the tale itself was so captivating, the background history of the universes involved so superbly imagined.

It's adult, dark, violent and frequently tongue-in-cheek.

It reminds me of the groundbreaking sci-fi comic book epics of the 2000ad comic back in the 70s and 80s - genuine enthusiasm and love put into developing the tale and characters; nothing done by committee nor with an eye on sell-thru merchandising.

So the story itself is deserving of praise before the execution, limited by TV budgets and tech available at the time, can be considered.

The effects overall are pretty decent given the former, the sets and acting above TV average - more than convincing in its entirety for you to suspend disbelief and invest time in a truly memorable bit of sci-fi.

Truly, though, it is the epic story - the most crucial fundament - which carries the day; so worthy that it would still deserve praise had the whole thing been played out only with hand puppets.

If half the integrity and belief had been invested into the Star Wars franchise it would have avoided its ultimate descent into deserved derision.

Lexx is the Star Wars they never made but should have; the more deserving, more adult and more talented sibling that will only take the limelight and plaudits in retrospect.

There is, however, still plenty time to give us the big-budget movie version. But not from you, George...

Catfish (2010)

You've Got to Laugh - Catfish Caught You Hook, Line and SUCKER

[8/10 · 1 February 2011]

Despite what you read from those who threw their toys out the pram after investing anticipation in the trailer, this is a little bit of genius.

Documentary or mockumentary? It swallowed me whole, certainly, without resorting to clichés; kept me edge of my seat awaiting the next disturbing development as the 3 New York marks dig deeper into their facebook relationship.

Any attempt to divulge plot/events would spoil your enjoyment.

If you've not seen this,s top reading after this review and go watch with an open mind. You cannot help but be captivated.

As for the moaners who felt cheated by the trailer: LMAO, in internet parlance. Didn't you get it? 'Catfish'. The title, as explained late in the film, the practice of placing a catfish amongst cod to keep them fresh and on their toes during round the world carriage.

The trailer is/was also a 'catfish', you muppets. Kept you right on your toes, didn't it? Buzzing for the movie you thought you were going to see. You cod. ;)) Great and different watch. 8 of 10.

127 Hours (2010)

The Greatest Ever Movie About An Extreme-Sports Twonk Stuck In A Canyon

[7/10 · 24 January 2011]

A welcome return from Danny Boyle, and a stunning cameo return for the junkie-swallowing couch last seen in Trainspotting.

James Franco does a fantastic job of fleshing out Arron, a thoroughly annoying canyon-leaping (or canyon-fail) extreme-sports loner-loser whose life undergoes a change for the better due to the miraculous healing properties of a rock more stubborn about lifelong commitment than a desperate fat chick.

It's no spoiler to point out he loses an arm as their relationship breaks down (no more than a holiday romance, ultimately). Could have been worse as Arron - now married - will find out if that goes wrong; he'll lose a leg as well (sage nod from many out there...).

However one-dimensional the premise sounds, what transpires for an hour and a half is as gripping as you could possibly imagine wringing out of it.

Tense and unnerving, gruesome, and heartwarming. And that was just my reaction to the reappearance of the Trainspotting couch (looking fitter and stronger; undoubtedly a method-couch).

Stunningly shot, a treat for the eye. An absorbing tale of one schmuck's bravery and redemption. Expect to see some alert mobile phone company jump all over it in future. If only he'd remembered...

Oh, and kudos to the camcorder company for the longest-life battery ever. If only mine lasted that long on babe-laden vacation beaches...

Watch this. See nature and geological time hate us and realise they await your one cosmic moment of wrong-footedness.

Then never leave the house.

A climbing Seven. And a half, because IMDb are an anti-fraction faction. ;))

Inception (2010)

Blade Runner. I'm Thinking Blade Runner. But I Can't Be Sure That's My Own Thought...

[9/10 · 24 January 2011]

A Multi-megamix of reference points combines into something very familiar but still stunningly original.

THAT is the beauty of Nolan's Magnum Opus.

'It's complicated!' They whine. 'Too clever by half!' 'Up its own ass!' Of course it is. But it DESERVES to be. It's a layered mindf*ck of novel-esque conception, a living book up there on the screen, giving you no time to analyse but encouraging you to take the ride and let your brain work it all out on autopilot as the adrenalin frazzles your imagination.

You might just hate it immediately afterwards; like the bewilderment and guilt of a beautiful one-night stand way out your league.

But later you'll want more as events turn in your mind; satisfaction will demand proper comprehension, or at least a cognitive reasoning of the plot.

Inception warrants more than one viewing (if you hadn't guessed already from the hysterics among us).

It deserves its high ratings for the attention to detail, for daring to intellectualise the blockbuster premise. It commits the crime of hurting the brains of the multiplex popcorn-rustling Crackers. +1 rating there alone.

Re: Blade runner - the beginning and end, meshing together to leave eternal unanswered questions, a macguffin, spinning, spinning, a la origami unicorn.

Great. Watch it. Again.

Black Swan (2010)

Very Good Watch, But Not Great. Overpraised, Somewhat.

[7/10 · 21 December 2010]

Highly stylised, intriguing production nicely woven with the Swan Lake story. But also sometimes very predictable, clichéd, and no more incisive than TV-series-level thriller.

There are plenty of elements of psychological horror, all of which you'll be familiar with and offer no real suspense - we've been down this road many, many times before.

I was expecting something darker and deeper after reading many fanboy reviews on here. I'd hoped for a treasure akin to Jacob's Ladder in psychological mainstream horror/thriller terms but ultimately this was Diet Lyne/Demme for figure-conscious ballerina types.

But this does sound as if I have a downer on it. No. Black Swan deserves to hold its head above the monotonous waters of 2010's film fodder.

It does so mainly thanks to the performance of Natalie Portman. From Leon's jailbait sidekick to yawnsome Star Wars royalty to prima ballerina, she's grown into a sometimes stunningly beautiful woman and refined actress.

She carries her character's dramatic personality shifts effortlessly and is completely convincing. None of the supporting cast let anyone down and all-round they work well with an occasionally fragile script.

The story itself is conveyed skilfully enough to absorb anyone unfamiliar with the world of ballet (hello, fellow blokes) and the dramatic hooks snag effectively to hold your attention even if the subject matter is completely alien (hello again, fellas).

I suspect many gushing reviews are from those who willed this forte into the ballet world to be a success and may be slightly blinkered as to its merits on a strictly thriller level.

All in, however, is is a welcome alternative to the usual lame fare. Doesn't deserve nominations but does deserve a mention and a recommendation for all. A good 7.5 out of 10.

Liked it but won't be watching again until its on terrestrial TV.

Skyline (2010)

Intelligent, Suspenseful, Spectacular; Don't Believe The Bad Hype

[7/10 · 19 December 2010]

Firstly, I'm sick of the mugs who bitch like little high school queens trying to outdo one another for bad reviews. They come across like smug smartass film students full of theory and no practicality. 'Clueless geek' is the catchall term for batches of the bad reviews appearing here.

If you want to file a bad review, go slaughter Independence Day - a disgusting insult to the intelligence which mystifyingly still rates a 6.6 on here; gives you an idea of the mentality of those proclaiming to be sci-fi aficionados who have jumped to berate Skyline.

I'm no happy-clapper when it comes to giving up my time for a piece of someone's creative effort. I'll approach with cautious interest even the well-hyped and I'll call it how I see it, as my smattering of reviews will show.

I watched Skyline last night carrying a headful of the godawful reviews posted on here, and I'm sorry I paid them any heed at all. I'm a veteran of sci-fi movies, loving the genre since childhood, reading the classic novels, mags, comic books avidly. Always waiting for something to re-invigorate my enthusiasm for it...

Skyline is refreshing. Derivative as can be expected (alien invasion, Cleetus - there's not a whole field of originality to pick from), but laden with grim misanthropy, dripping with suspense, chock full of great special effects which are well concealed for the first half hour, giving them a greater impact when released on your taut senses.

Script - sadly, and ironically, many here site the script as a failure when in fact it is the EXACT opposite. It is perfectly pitched. No stirring heroic speeches. No intuitive insights into human nature or that of the terrifying aliens. Just normal people facing extinction in gradually increasing installments of denial/horror/grim realisation.

In situations like that, as in disaster zones or war zones, the last thing you'll hear spilling from people's lips is impassioned pleas/epiphanic psychobabble. They'll follow the line of quiet clichés, murmured despair. The dialogue plays second (or third) fiddle to the fraught terror of the situation, the characters' emotional reactions and mankind's imminent end. Correct.

And the acting is fine, understated and completely believable. Everyone is terrified, and rightly so. No-one feels like saving the world entire by hijacking octopod alien starfighters curiously designed to be just the right snug fit for a human biped. EVERYONE wants to get the hell away/hide from the monstrous threat.

This film does not do heroes, and thank God for that.

The aliens are brutal, remorseless and just perfectly, well, alien. They've no empathy for us - we're nuts to be harvested, cracked and the useful bits extracted for their own use. We are nothing, being pulped, hunted and farmed to nothing.

The chilling message is enforced here better than most. I grew to admire the hopelessness of it all, wincing at the dead end at every desperate turn.

Thoroughly entertaining, grippingly suspenseful, acted with admirable restraint, and well shot with great effects.

Well worth an hour and a half of your time and much much more credit than fussy tarantulas have given it. A solid SEVEN (7)

V (2009–2011)

The Lizard King

[8/10 · 21 May 2010]

Eleven episodes in and the refurbished, re-imagined V is still one of my favoured shows to watch of an evening.

The original V basically invented the concept of huge audience catchment mini-series. This modern remake has expanded the ideas behind it and is currently producing a more sophisticated, captivating analogy of our times as well as being a well conceived piece of sinister sci-fi.

The two female leads can both act as well as being attractive and you generally get the feeling the cast is enjoying it as much as they hope the audience will too.

Nice suspension of disbelief and consistently good writing for a long-running mass-market TV show. I'm hooked and watching the skies every day for them damned sneaky lizards...

Observe and Report (2009)

Sorry, PC-Affected Outraged, But This Is Out There, And Hilarious

[8/10 · 11 February 2010]

Simply: If you liked Jim Carey's dark turn in 'The Cable Guy' you'll dig this slice of bittersweet blackness.

This is Seth Rogan's 'Cable Guy'.

Nearly as entertaining as the film was reading the numerous 'offended' reviews on here.

Put me off for a while, did these modernist sensitive souls until I remembered that audiences are so used to everything put on a plate and labelled for them these days that anything which remotely challenges them to think, or ask questions of their own boundaries suffers from a violent/distressed reaction as witnessed all over these pages.

Brilliant.

Boy, I can only imagine the spasms felt by Disgusted of Diggstown as this one swung in under the radar and delivered multiple strikes to the cojones.

I won't bore with plot - plenty written of it, you'll have the picture by now. I'll just say what a joy it was to realise I was watching a gradually-unfolding under-rated gem (yes, utterly destined to be a continually-referenced cult classic).

It's both subtle, and outright rude. Consistently jaw-dropping whether it be quipped line or scene or theme.

By the time I was fully immersed in the madness I was totally ready for the last half-hour or so which made me laugh harder and more abundantly than any film I can remember in recent time.

As far as this chuckling reviewer is concerned Seth Rogan pulled it off - I did, startlingly, feel a warmth towards his crazed bi-polar degenerate by the end, so hats off to him big time.

This is dark comedy at its best - sneaking upon you with such deadly intent and striking you with such a cacophony so raucous your head will be ringing with guilt/laughter/admiration/awe for days.

Like being assaulted by a shark rattling off Bill Hicks lines while Nirvana jam in your living room.

Eight and a half. Give it a chance; it's hidden class.

Looking for Eric (2009)

Ooh-Aah, Ken Loach-Ah!

[9/10 · 10 November 2009]

Dear God, how did they pull this off? The warped genius footballer Cantona and the godfather of the down and dirty social commentary.

But what a genuinely heartwarming slice of pathos and skill.

This little film inspires and depresses in equal measure - how desperate life can get, how tortured one man can be by mistakes in his past, trauma in his present as modern life slides out of view.

What a great performance from Eric Bishop as the downtrodden postie slowly sinking under depression and regret who imagines his idol, Man United's Gallic legend Cantona as a forceful separate entity much the same as Fight Club's Tyler Durden - not so much the voice of conscience as conscience released to free-associate and answer the problems of the stressed ID from an objective viewpoint .

Getting a bit heavy, tho', so I'll just state what a pleasure this was to watch and thank Ken Loach for sucking me into a world of hope amidst overwhelming odds, showing - albeit fantastically imagined - how sometimes life's most brutal entities can be beaten by simple trust and friendship.

And comedic moments? One in particular of utter deadpan genius featuring a prop which I assume was some Penguin academic paperback from the 70s: 'Psychos...They don't give a f*ck'.. No spoilers here, but the rest of the dialogue around that line is priceless, beautifully acted with understated hilarity.

What can you say - watch this and smile (shed a tear, even - as I admit to doing at Cantona's final scene outside the bus!). Eric the Red plays it (and himself) perfectly; self-deprecating, but still carrying himself with that idol's air of mystery.

You don't need to be a football fan (American movie fans, please check it out before the inevitable Hollywood remake with Michael Jordan/Joe Montana/A-Rod (or Madonna!)) to enjoy this slice of urban fantasy but if you are - even a blue! - you cannot do anything but love it.

An utter feelgood gem. Trust me.

And if you don't know it already, you'll be singing it by the end...

Ooh-Ahh, Ooh-Ahh, Ooh-Ahh, Cantona!

Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)

This Movie? - Boat Drinks; Give It A Name

[9/10 · 9 November 2009]

What can I say? A decade since I first discovered this gem and a fantastic rewatch just put me in mind to back it up with these words.

This film will always remain in my top ten - a beautiful gangster fantasy full of scintillating dialogue, great characters, great acting, pathos, tragedy and ultimately, morality.

It's more of a meditation on life and death and what we do in-between the bookends that makes us truly human. Or not, in the case of Treat William's maniacal and hysterical character.

If you haven't seen this, do your brain a favour and engage with this rewarding piece of film-making. If you have seen it, recommend it to a friend, in fact, DEMAND they watch this before they die. Give it a name.

Yes it's violent, yes it's comic-book in parts but never excessively so in either way and only ever done so to tell the tale the way it should be.

God bless Jimmy The Saint. Boat drinks all round.