If there was ever a franchise that did not need a spin-off, it was the Brendan Fraser series The Mummy. Somehow, Dwayne Johnson, then known solely as The Rock, made enough of an impression as a CGI’d head on a massive scorpion … Continue reading Dwayne Johnson Month: The Scorpion King (2002) Review
You’d think with their previous track record, Lucasfilm and Disney as their parent company, would avoid prequels. The Star Wars prequel trilogy is not fondly remembered and many blame it for ruining a (practically) perfect trilogy series. This prequel has been met with trepidation also, especially because it deals with a character as popular and sacred as the original trilogy people work so hard to defend. Although Solo is not the “disaster” the prequel’s become renowned for, it isn’t the movie the potential of a Han Solo back-story could have been. It has a lot of strong aspects. For starters, it … Continue reading Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Review
There is nothing in The Shape of Water that you haven’t seen a hundred times before. Disney have made Beauty and the Beast twice and as you watch this film, you soon realise that director Guillermo Del Toro has done so as well. This wouldn’t necessarily have to be a negative thing if it wasn’t so familiar, predictable and ultimately pedestrian. Not that The Shape of Water doesn’t have any redeeming features. It is very well made and as with all Del Toro productions, the design of the environments that his characters occupy are full of dark, dim and (as a … Continue reading The Shape of Water (2017) Review
You are either on-board with Daniel Day-Lewis or you aren’t. He doesn’t make “popcorn” movies and has never touched a Hollywood blockbuster. His films rarely end within 120 minutes and they aren’t always that accessible. He stars in the kind of movies which gets critical plaudits but can baffle audiences with bum-numbing runtimes and bizarre character performances. That is why the prospect of a distant, almost tyrannical fashion designer who falls in love with his muse and creates a destructive relationship may not fill many with excitement while others will be rushing to get their tickets at the box office. As … Continue reading Phantom Thread (2017) Review
The Views from the Sofa Podcast returns but with a shortened, Spoiler filled Infinity War Special! After making Ben wait for two and half weeks, Dave finally returns to England and lets him geek-out about Avengers: Infinity War. In this … Continue reading Views from the Sofa Podcast: Infinity War Special
Since Samuel L Jackson stepped out of the shadows and told Robert Downey Jr about “The Avenger’s Initiative,” studios have been desperate to replicate Marvel’s success and create a shared universe that rivals the superhero behemoth. All others have failed because they never got what made Marvel’s Cinematic Universe work so well; characters you cared about, stories that were exciting and interesting, a drip-fed saga that was teased from the very beginning and actors who not just established the key roles but fully owned and created these characters so that you want to see them again and again. Or more importantly, … Continue reading Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Review
When they re-launched, rebooted and rebranded Lara Croft as a younger, inexperienced and grittier character, they also opened the door for a more cinematic Tomb Raider. This meant that just watching the trailer for the video-game was enough to make you … Continue reading Video-Game Movies Month: Tomb Raider (2018) Review
You have to give the first big screen outing of Tomb Raider credit: at least the casting was spot-on. Although a polygon woman hardly pointed studios in the direction of a real-life actress, casting Angelina Jolie was a savvy move and … Continue reading Video-Game Month: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Review
Not many directors have had the longevity and pioneering career that Steven Spielberg has. Not content to create one type of movie, Spielberg has managed to evolve, adapt and innovate in ways that not only keep him relevant but in some … Continue reading Video-Game Movie Month: Ready Player One (2018) Review
I will never understand any movie studio buying the rights to a hugely successful video-game franchise and then completely ripping the soul out of what made it so successful in the first place. Super Mario is a light, colourful and fun … Continue reading Video-Game Movie Month: Super Mario Bros. (1993) Review
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