Spare Parts

Watch Movies TV -***DISCLAIMER*** The following review is entirely my opinion. If you comment (which I encourage you to do) be respectful. If you don't agree with my opinion (or other commenters), that's fine. To each their own. These reviews are not meant to be statements of facts or endorsements, I am just sharing my opinions and my perspective when watching the film and is not meant to reflect how these films should be viewed. Finally, the reviews are given on a scale of 0-5. 0, of course, being unwatchable. 1, being terrible. 2, being not great. 3, being okay. 4, being great and 5, being epic! And if you enjoy these reviews feel free to share them and follow the blog or follow me on Twitter (@RevRonster) for links to my reviews and the occasional live-Tweet session of the movie I'm watching!  This movie isn't about the leftover bits you get when you put a piece of Ikea furniture together, is it?

Spare Parts – 3 out of 5

With a title like Spare Parts, it would be easy to assume that this film is about a loveable little robot that falls apart a lot and is in constant need of repair.  It’s a pain in the tush but it’s such a delightful little scamp that you don’t mind it and you watch as it teaches the world about friendship and generosity.  In reality, the movie is none of this but I think I have a script to write and sell to Disney.  This movie may not be what I described but a robot is still a factor in this feature that was based on a true story.

Hmmm, is this some McDonald's product placement?

More McDonald's?!?  Did they produce this film?

"Rock You Like a Hurricane" felt like it should have
played while they entered the competition.

In between jobs, Fredi Cameron (George Lopez) is looking for work and takes a job as a substitute science teacher.  His heart isn’t completely in the duty because of how, by definition, the job is temporary but he finds himself a part of a student’s engineering club.  One eager student; Oscar Vazquez (Carlos PenaVega), comes to the club with big dreams of entering an underwater robotics competition.  Reluctantly, Cameron agrees to the idea but they need some more people.  They enlist the help of a brilliant student named Cristian Arcega (David Del Rio), a student with a troubled home named Lorenzo Santillan (José Julián) and one final student; Luis Aranda (Oscar Gutierrez), the muscle of the group and the man to carry the robot in and out of the pool.  Everything seems alright except the fact they have no money to create what the more illustrious schools can manufacture and are forced to put their creative minds to the test and make something on a small budget and something that can compete with the big dogs at the competition.

The robot immediately was piloted through urine that was mixed in the pool water
and it suddenly had a desire to kill all humans on the planet.

Spare Parts is your pretty typical, based on a true event affair.  I know that sounds like I’m downplaying it but, I assure you, I’m not.  Who doesn’t love the underdog stories?  The tales where the people who are told by society they can’t do something but they rise up and accomplish it anyway?  Actually, I don’t want to meet the people who don’t like those stories.  I say this film is typical because, going into it, you already know how it is going to unfold and how the tale ends—especially since it’s based on something that actually happened so the outcome is documented for all history.  Even with the formulaic approach these movies take, they still are charming and inspirational.  Spare Parts has this but it is a clunky road that it takes to get there.

And after they built the robot, they taught it how to love.

One thing this story doesn’t handle well is the character development so getting to know the kids, Cameron and the other faculty members feels very wonky.  This results in the moments that don’t involve the kids struggling to get the robot to work feel like it is putting the brakes on the momentum the story is having.  The odd thing about this is their backstories are interesting and help humanize the characters greatly.  The problem that occurs is the plot doesn’t really have a flow to it where these development moments feel like they are sprung up naturally and in concert with the work around the competition.  This issue does start to resolve itself as the film progresses but it doesn’t change that the story does feel a tad awkward for the first and second act.

And one of them immediately "Leroy Jenkins-ed" their whole operation.

The sequel setup where the robot turned towards Fredi
while it was in the pool and said, "What are you doing
Fredi?" felt a little ominous.

This wobbly start to the film does start to right itself out but the real highlight of the film is the cast.  Everyone from George Lopez to Jamie Lee Curtis as the school’s principal to Marisa Tomei as a fellow teacher to Julián, Del Rio, Gutierrez and PenaVega as the students are doing a tremendous job.  The actors playing the students are really stealing the show because they capture that drive and the daily hardships they go through when not in school...and, because of this, it was impossible to not cry when they achieved their victory at the competition (no, that’s not a spoiler because, like I said, you know it is coming from the moment the film starts…and their win is a matter of public record).

"Let me tell you all about the yogurt that helps you with your bowel movements..."

Spare Parts has some clumsiness to it but it doesn’t completely defeat its heart and charm.  The cast is great and there’s some real chemistry between everyone so it was easy to cheer for them as they competed at the end.  The film struggles to make the development flow but does succeed as it blends its drama, heart and humor. Overall, it's a great tale and a fun watch.

A Fantastic Woman: Film Review

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A Fantastic Woman: Film Review

Cast: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes
Director: Sebastian Lelio

A Fantastic Woman would be better titled A Woman Scorned.

A searing and compassionate take on identity, prejudice and struggle, this Chilean film and its Oscar-nominated lead Daniela Vega is an intriguing and enraging take on a life and a society unable to accept what is in front of it.

Vega plays Marina, the transgender lover of older Orlando. On her birthday, after a night of passion and romance together, Marina's world is changed when Orlando awakes feeling unwell. Despite taking him to the hospital, Orlando dies, and Marina flees the scene, stricken with grief.

However, she's picked up by the police and investigations begin into how Orlando died and what part she played in it....

Suspicions swirl in A Fantastic Woman, but there's no doubt that Vega makes Marina a character to root for as she suffers gradual degradation of her identity, denigration of her place in life in general and in Orlando's family and uncertainty in her own future.

What is clear is what director Sebastian Lelio wants to do.

Determined to start a conversation over treatment of others, societal prejudices and grief, Lelio fashions a film that avoids hysterics and centres us purely in Marina's life and her actions.

The reactions of others to Marina's plight are the most telling; signs that intolerance is depressingly never far away bubble under the film and as the injustices begin to weigh up against Marina, there's no denying that even the most stoic of hearts will fail to be unmoved by what's going on, as you desperately will others to feel some compassion.

And yet, with a deeply empathetic lead and a dextrous director, A Fantastic Woman becomes a timeless film that proffers a study of grief, and of societal rage. Cleverly underplayed, and beautifully and seamlessly transposed to the screen, the transphobia is writ large and yet never brutally hammered home.

There's dignity in Daniela Vega's compassionate turn as Marina - from vehemently correcting a family member who keeps calling her Marisa to a determination to get a dog back, through to scenes where Marina's haunted by the spirit of Orlando to a quiet final send-off, A Fantastic Woman packs power into its taut run time and wisely resists the urge to preach.

Because of these factors alone, A Fantastic Woman more than lives up to its title.

XBox One S Sea Of Thieves bundle unveiled

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XBox One S Sea Of Thieves bundle unveiled

Last month, gamers worldwide got to experience fantastical pirate adventures firsthand, as Rare welcomed the community into the Sea of Thieves Closed Beta. As we approach the global launch of one of the most anticipated Xbox One exclusives for 2018, we’re thrilled to announce the Xbox One S Sea of Thieves Bundle, offering prospective pirates the best value in games and entertainment alongside Rare’s highly anticipated shared-world adventure. Games play best on Xbox One, making it the perfect place to jump into Rare’s unique multiplayer adventure.

The Xbox One S Sea of Thieves Bundle will be available starting March 20, 2018 for $299.99 USD at a Microsoft Store near you and online, as well as participating retailers worldwide and is available now for pre-order. The bundle includes:

• An Xbox One S with a 1TB hard drive, Xbox Wireless Controller, a built-in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player, support for 4K video streaming, High Dynamic Range and premium audio with Dolby Atmos. With over 1,300 great games including over 200 console exclusives – from the biggest blockbusters and most popular franchises to 400 titles across three generations of Xbox classics – there’s never been a better time to game on Xbox One.
• A full-game download of Sea of Thieves, allowing you to dive into the game’s shared-world on release day exclusively on Xbox One. Form a crew and take to the open ocean on voyages to discover buried treasure, solve puzzling riddles, secure precious cargo and combat a wide array of challenges. In a world where every sail signals a ship crewed by real players with unique goals and motivations, you never know what lies over the horizon.
• A 1-month Xbox Live Gold subscription, so you can experience the thrill of the high seas with the greatest community of gamers on Xbox Live, the fastest, most reliable gaming network.
• A 1-month Xbox Game Pass trial so you can discover over 100 Xbox One games with unlimited across three generations of consoles. Xbox Game Pass members will also receive access to new games from Microsoft Studios like State of Decay 2 and Crackdown 3 on the same date as their global launch.

Looking for additional pirate plunder? The Xbox Wireless Controller – Sea of Thieves Limited Edition will let you fight, sail and loot in style. Available now for $74.99 USD, the controller features a deep purple translucent design, adorned with laser etched barnacles, one treasured golden trigger and haunted by a mysterious glow-in-the-dark skull. The controller comes with the exclusive Ferryman Clothing Set for your Sea of Thieves character, a 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial and a 14-day Xbox Game Pass trial at no additional cost. In addition the Seagate Special Edition Sea of Thieves 2TB Game Drive for Xbox will boost your console’s storage capacity, while the Controller Gear Limited Edition Sea of Thieves Xbox Pro Charging Stand and Controller Gear Limited Edition Sea of Thieves Xbox One Controller Stand V2.0 will help display your treasure in style. These accessories are available for pre-order now for $89.99, $49.99 and $14.99, respectively.

Already have an Xbox One? Jump into the immersive multiplayer world of “Sea of Thieves” on March 20 with Xbox Game Pass for $9.99 a month, or preorder for $59.99.  With Xbox Game Pass, you can enjoy unlimited access to over one hundred great Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles, including fan-favorites like Halo 5: Guardians, Gears of War 4, and Bioshock. Starting with Sea of Thieves, all future Microsoft Studios games will launch day and date on Xbox Game Pass, providing an additional option to set sail on day one.

Read more at http://ift.tt/2oJMTWi

EXHUMED FILMS: 20 YEARS OF TERROR - BLU-RAY REVIEW

Classic Cartoon Rewind: Dynomutt, Dog Wonder (1976)

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Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
1976
Country of Origin: U.S
Hanna-Barbera Productions
Number Of Episodes/Seasons: 20 episodes in total if you also count the Laff-A-Lympics, 1 season
Characters: Blue Falcon/Radley Clown, Dynomutt, Narrator, The Mayor
Ran from September 11, 1976 - October 29, 1977
Aired on ABC, Cartoon Network, Boomerang 
'Stronger than a train with a so-so brain' 

Dynomutt, Dog Wonder is the creation of Joe Ruby and Ken Spears (& who initially came up with Scooby-Doo), when they were still working at Hanna-Barbera, and the duo would later go on form their own production company in Ruby-Spears Productions in 1977. From there onwards they created shows in Thundarr The Barberian, The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour, the early 1980s incarnation of Alvin & The Chipmunks & Rambo: The Force of Freedom, based on the live-action Rambo films. 

Before that, Ruby-Spears unleashed The Dynomutt, Dog Wonder 30-min segment, which was originally part of The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour that aired on ABC and acts more as a parody of another comic book superhero duo in DC Comics' Batman & Robin. The resemblances of both franchises are even more uncanny nowadays, given that Hanna-Barbera's back catalogue of animated shows are now owned by Warner Bros, and DC Comics is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. ABC and Hanna-Barbera thought that Scooby-Doo could do with a companion show and help boost its ratings, and so they came up with The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour. 

From 1992, reruns of Dynomutt aired on Cartoon Network up until 2000 when the Boomerang channel took over its reigns.

The series focused on the adventures, or be it misadventures and antics of a bumbling bionic canine Doberman named Dynomutt and his very own all-blue-clad caped crusader, 'Blue Falcon' aka Radley Crown: a millionaire socialite art dealer, who is also a play on Batman in the format of the 1966 Live-action Batman TV series starring Adam West & Burt Ward. Much like with Batman's Bat Cave, they had a secret hideout called ''The Falcon Lair''. Each episode has a different foe for Dynomutt and Blue Falcon to contend with. The titular character, Dynomutt is a combination of both Scooby-Doo, - or be it Astro from The Jetsons (as they are probably the same dog breed) and Inspector Gadget, in a robotic sense with extendable limbs, springy legs, equipped with a plethora of Swiss army knife tools & fancy gizmos, along with a goofy sounding voice. Together, they protect Big City - a take on Gotham City-, from incoming villains and much like with Batman, respond to a distress call or signal via a Falcon Flash. Unlike Batman, however, Dynomutt and Blue Falcon's attempts at capturing their foes would run into a spot of trouble when Dynomutt messes or goofs up, leading to a calamity of comical/clownish proportions, much to his partner's chagrin. At times, when this happens, Blue Falcon would refer to Dynomutt as 'dog blunder', instead of Dog Wonder. Surprisingly, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder has historical significance for being the first Saturday Morning Cartoon to depict the Mayor character as an African-American. Which was something that hadn't happened before. 

Frank Welker, who voiced Fred Jones and Scooby- Doo in Scooby-Doo provided the voice of the canine, whilst announcer of the 1977 Laugh-In comedy sketch series, Gary Owens, who also voiced another Hanna-Barbera character in Space Ghost, lent his vocals to Blue Falcon. 

Given the feedback I have come across online, this is a series that divides a lot of viewers: some enjoy its silly, goofy humour and spoofing of superhero cartoons, like myself, and others, well, loathe it and who only tune in to the Scooby-Doo portion of The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt hour programme. I enjoy the lighter side of Hanna-Barbera shows, be it this one and Jabberjaw where the main character is a goofball type, who isn't perfect, is prone to mistakes, but also has a good heart, underneath it all. I find myself smiling and laughing at 1 or 2 moments and I liked that it didn't take itself too seriously. I see this show as a parody on Superfriends, Spider-Man etc. Though some may find the show, or be it Dynomutt a dumb show, I still enjoy it from time to time. 

       

Sources: 

Saturday Mornings Forever

Dynomutt, Dog Wonder - The Cartoon Network Wiki

Dynomutt, Dog Wonder - Retroland

Review of LADY BIRD: A Teenager's Thirst

Watch Movies TV - March 1, 2018

2 years ago, come Oscar time, Saoirse Ronan starred in "Brooklyn," a coming-of-age film of a girl from Ireland who went to seek her fortune in New York City. That film earned three nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actress for Ronan. This year, Ronan is again starring in a coming-of-age film about a girl from Sacramento who also wanted to seek her fortune in New York City. This new film "Lady Bird" won 5 Oscar nods, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress and again Best Actress for Ronan.

The year is 2002. Christine "Lady Bird" MacPherson is a high school senior in a Catholic school in Sacramento, California.  Her interests were in the arts and she believed that she has to leave her home town and go to the East Coast to find culture. In between her mother sermonizing and her father losing his job, she spent her senior year joining the theater club, getting romantically involved, and choosing the college she wishes to attend. 

Saoirse Ronan is really one simply sincere actress. I've seen her breakthrough film "Atonement" where she earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress at age 13. Since then, it does not seem she is doing any acting at all. She seems so naturally quirky, her character's idiosyncrasies do not look put on. While millennials will totally identify with what Lady Bird going through, I could not. Lady Bird is a girl who knows what she wants, and will do anything she needs to do to get it. Watching this film from a parent's point of view, I could not help but find Lady Bird as bratty and disrespectful to her mother. 

This is why I preferred the performance of Laurie Metcalf as Marion, Lady Bird's loving but exasperated mother. Parents in the audience can all identify with her frustrations in trying to talk some sense to a headstrong teenage kid. I only remember Metcalf from her role as Rosanne's sister Jackie on TV during the entire run of that series from 1988 to 1997. This role earned Metcalf three consecutive Emmys for Supporting Actress in a Comedy from 1992 -94. I think this would be the first time I had seen her again since then. She would have had a good chance to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, were it not for Allison Janney's abusive mother character in "I, Tonya" which was more bombastic than Mercalf's strong-willed mother character here. 

Tracy Letts (whom I also saw in "The Post") played Lady Bird's gentle father Larry. He is the calming presence in their turbulent household. Lucas Hedges (Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actor in "Manchester by the Sea" last year) plays Danny O'Neill, Lady Bird's crush in the theater club, who in turn had his own separate interests. Timothee Chalamet (the youngest ever Oscar Best Actor nominee for his breakthrough film "Call Me By Your Name" this year) was a big surprise to see here as the snobbish cad Kyle, the boyfriend girls fall for, but parents dread. 

Maybe it is the fact that this film was written by Greta Gerwig as her solo directorial debut that gave it added sheen. I first heard about Gerwig back in 2012 for the film "Francis Ha" which she co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach and starred in the lead role. The set-up of that film was something like this one too -- just depictions of regular daily goings-on for the lead character. But then again, its just that -- a mundane reflection of suburban life in America, this time from a teenager's point of view. "Lady Bird" is not a bad film as it depicts realistic family dynamics, but I think it may not be enough to win as Best Picture. 7/10. 

Persona 5 (2017) - Adventure Video Game Review (Playstation 4)

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For reasons that baffle me to this very day (and which haunt my nights) I decided to review Persona 4 after only 24 hours playtime back in 2010. I think I must have assumed I was near the end, however it was actually 91 hours long. I would like to think I'm more professional nowadays and so for this review of Persona 5 I have actually completed it first! It took me a whole year to finish this RPG, clocking in with a game time of 97 hours.

Persona 5 starts with your school age character (knick named Joker) being arrested whilst in the middle of a daring casino robbery as part of a group known as the Phantom Thieves. He is taken away to an interrogation room where he is asked to recount his version of events leading up to his capture. A large chunk of the game is a playable recollection of events. Joker arrives in Tokyo to stay with a coffee shop owner Sojiro, due to being on probation after having been charged with assault. Him and his new friends through a series of events unlock 'personas' which are manifestations of their inner psyche. They also gain the ability to enter 'palaces' which are in a supernatural realm and which are twisted versions of the palace owners mindset. Basically kind of like Inception; by going into a mind palace and stealing the treasure located there they are able to 'steal the heart' of their target which results in them developing a conscience and admitting their crimes in the real world. However the more they change people to better help society the more they find their actions become investigated by the police and government and soon find themselves with danger of arrest...

I loved Persona 4, and I love Persona 5 but I don't think story wise it is as much of a draw. Early on we are introduced to the antagonist and so there is none of the mystery and surprise that came with Persona 4's hunting a serial killer storyline. Instead over the course of a year you go after different targets, starting with a teacher who abused his position to sexually harass students, you end up going after business leaders and politicians. As you do so your fame increases with public opinion constantly spurring you on to further actions.

Much like all the Persona games there is a cycle. During the day you attend school, then after school you are able to do a whole host of things. You can go to a diner for instance, or study in the school library, even take on a part time job to give you extra money. You can also enter Mementos which is a procedurally generated dungeon where side quests can be taken on. Then if it is the time of year when you are after a target you can enter their palace which takes the form of a more involved dungeon and try and complete that. Also in the real world you are able to hang out with confidants. These people grant you more abilities the more you spend time with them, these abilities range from being able to swap out team members during battles, to cheaper healing items, experience points being equal even if characters are not in the line-up etc.

Persona 4 had procedurally generated dungeons for the main missions so it was a nice change to see complex dungeons appear for the seven or so main missions. These all are based on locations a thief would steal from, and so as well as a casino you also have places such as a bank, an art gallery, a cruise liner, and even an ancient Egyptian pyramid. I loved these main dungeons and it was nice that there were mild puzzles to them, not just an aim to kill everything inside. It was also nice how they fed back into the personalities of the owners of them. First dungeon for example has the teacher as the King of a medieval castle, in his palace all the students have taken on the role of slaves.

The characters who join you are a varied lot and all based on outsiders from society. The protagonist is a literal outsider having come to the area from outside, then you have Ryuji who is the typical rebel character, Yusuke the troubled artist, Futaba the shut-in, Makoto the teacher's pet as examples. Each character (aside from the main one) has a Persona based on a particular element, so Haru is strong in psychic attacks, Ann with fire, Morgana with wind for example. In battle usually an enemy is weak to a particular element, hit them with their weakness and they get knocked down leading to the option to perform a powerful attack. While magic costs points it is the best way to kill enemies as often removes them before they get to attack. Enemies appear in the levels rather than random battles, there is a stealth element championed that encourages you to sneak up on them so that you get a round of attacks before they get a turn. There are also a bunch of bosses to fight, these are all memorable and crazy. All these fights are turn based and so there is never the feeling of having to rush.

There are horror elements here for sure, but generally this a game far more about adventure. The plot of random people getting mental shut downs and going berserk was pretty interesting and gave you good incentive for your actions, but I found the later storyline to be a bit plain and obvious, even if the finale goes back to insanity. There is an analysis of adults as being untrustworthy, and this is matched with the sometimes pretty mature storylines. Going back to the teacher part for instance it is implied he has raped students, leading one to try and kill herself. Elements such as this prop up at several points with the game not afraid to go to some pretty dark places at times. This is all backed up by some fantastic music, great voice acting, anime cutscenes, and some of the most stylish design choices I have ever seen in a game. Everything from menu screens to the HUD during the game looks so cool and is a joy to work with.

Persona 5 was a game I expected would be great and it really was. While it didn't have the impact that Persona 4 had (that being the first game in the series I played) this was still an amazing game that constantly pleases in the smooth way it plays out. It is never hard, but you always need to be paying attention. While the story wasn't as interesting it fitted well over the near 100 hours leading me always wanting to see the next storybeat. If you love RPGs then this is an essential game to play, the modern day Tokyo setting sets it apart from the traditional fantasy based ones of the genre, while the characters are all a likable bunch.

SCORE:

Movie Review: Annihilation

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Annihilation **** ½ / *****

Directed by: Alex Garland.

Written by: Alex Garland based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer.

Starring: Natalie Portman (Lena), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Dr. Ventress), Tessa Thompson (Josie Radek), Gina Rodriguez (Anya Thorensen), Tuva Novotny (Cass Sheppard), Oscar Isaac (Kane), Benedict Wong (Lomax), David Gyasi (Daniel).

 

I have been sitting with Alex Garland’s remarkable Annihilation for a couple of days now, trying to figure out how best to review this odd, transfixing film. It has been marketed as a genre film – and that it certainly is – it is definitely science fiction, and there are elements of a horror film as well. But it’s a deeper film than most – one that not only encourages but demands introspection on behalf of the audience. The film’s tone is odd from the outset, and it gets stranger the further along it goes. The story hits the beats we expect it to in this type of a film – when a group of people head out into the unknown wilderness, not sure what they will find, you expect them to be picked off one at a time – but not like this. The ending of the film is odd, transfixing and profound. The fact that this is a film from a major studio, being given a wide release (at least in North America – the rest of the world will get it on Netflix, which is a shame – this film DEMANDS to be seen on a big screen, with the best sound possible) is amazing to me. How many wide release films so beholden to the work of Soviet master Andrei Tarkovsky are there?

 

The film stars Natalie Portman as Lena – a biologist, teaching at Johns Hopkins University, who used to be in the military. Her husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac) still is – but he went on a mission a year ago, and has yet to return. She has heard nothing from or about him, and has been told he was killed on some sort of top secret mission. Then, he shows up at their house one night. There is something very definitely wrong with him – he doesn’t seem himself, and when he starts bleeding into his water glass she calls the ambulance. They don’t end up at the hospital though – but at Area X. This is where Lena learns of the Shimmer – a strange border that looks just like the name implies. The area enclosed in the shimmer keeps growing, and while you can cross the border into it, nothing comes back. Nothing except for Kane, who is now facing almost certain death? The last group to cross was all military men – so the next group is going to be a group of scientists – all women. They are led by Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a psychologist and also include Josie Radek (Tessa Thompson), a physicist, Anya Thorensen (Gina Rodriguez) a paramedic and Cass Sheppard (Tuva Novotny), another scientist. Lena volunteers to go along as well – their goal is the lighthouse where the shimmer started, but to get there they have to go on a long walk, through dense woods, full of god knows what.

 

I don’t really want to discuss much of what happens beyond this point – it is better to experience that for yourself. What I will say is that director Alex Garland does a marvelous job at keeping every moment of the movie unsettling and disorienting. We are clearly on earth here, yet it almost seems like an alien planet – and one moment to the next, anything is possible. Garland metes out information in the film slowly and methodically. The structure of the film involves Lena being interviewed by a man in a biohazard suit, but also contains flashbacks to Lena and Kane’s time before the Shimmer, which do more than just provide backstory. The visuals, and in particular the sound design – with the strangest, most distinctive score in recent years by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury, which contribute to the strange otherworldly tone of the film. What’s also remarkable is how, despite the tone, the actresses all create distinct characters in the film, which keeps things grounded. Cass observes early in the film that every one of them is hiding something – that they have their own, dark reasons for coming into the shimmer – which effects them all in different ways, and changes their perspective.

 

The obvious touchstone here is Tarkovsky’s 1979 masterpiece Stalker (the great podcast The Next Picture Show is doing their duo next week on Stalker and Annihilation – and I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated a podcast more). Tarkovsky’s science fiction films – which also included Solaris (1972) – his best film – are different from most in the genre, as they require us to look inwards, not outwards (Solaris would make a great double bill with Kubrick’s 2001 – they are opposites in many ways).

 

The ending of the film is probably what concerned Paramount the most – what caused them to dump the film into theaters here, and sell it off to Netflix internationally, because they really don’t know what to do with a film like this. It very well may frustrate some viewers – viewers who want to be spoon fed everything, and told what to think, feel and what it all means. I don’t think Annihilation is all that hard to follow, or even interpret – but it certainly demands something on the part of the viewer that some just will not want to give. For those who want something more in their science fiction – something truly unique, Annihilation is a must see. It confirms Garland as one of the most interesting new directors around – following up his great 2015 film Ex Machina (a completely different kind of sci fi film) with something more ambitious, more ambiguous and altogether more remarkable. The film will likely not last long in theaters, but it will be remembered for years to come.

80's Action Attack!: Stakeout; A Mixed Bag in the Cop/Buddy Genre

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The writer of Rush Hour and the director of Blue Thunder and WarGames try too hard to make it funny, when it really didn't need to be

by Jason Elizondo

This is a film that's been on my radar for as long as I can remember, and the only reason I never actually watched it until now was because I just wasn't a fan of director John Badham...until now. Growing up, I always felt his visual style was just too stale and dull. I remember watching films like Short Circuit and Point of No Return and just not digging the "look" of his films at all. And because of that, I pretty much avoided any film with his name on it. You see, I'm a visual person. I need to be visually stimulated to enjoy a film, no matter how good or bad it is. It's usually the visuals that I most likely walk away from remembering the most.

But as I get older, my tastes tend to change and I can look back at films I didn't enjoy before with older, wiser eyes. Or I can appreciate what the film was doing despite it's lack of visual stimulation. Case in point - Blue Thunder. While it annoyed me to no end that Badham shot that nearly entirely with handheld camera's, I found it to be quite frankly one of the best thrillers ever made, in any decade. And quite an exhilerating one too. When I was expecting an action film about a top secret copter going after bad guys, instead turned out to be a "man on the run and out to clear his name" thriller with some intense moments and outstanding performances from an incredible cast. Seriously, I kick myself for waiting so long to get to that one. And it's because of my Blue Thunder experience that I decided to finally dig into his filmography a bit more, and I quickly learned that while some films are just okay, others are quite great and visually impressive, such as WarGames and Dracula (1979).

Which brings me to Stakeout, a cop/buddy action/comedy released the same year as another, more successful film in this genre, Lethal Weapon, that did well enough to warrant a sequel 6 years later with most of the original cast and production team returning, including director John Badham. I figured if it produced a sequel, maybe it's better than I was thinking? So let's dig in.

There were things I liked about Stakeout, and there were things I didn't like about it. For starters, it tries too hard to be funny and instead of inducing laughs, I found myself cringing because it just didn't work and felt forced more than anything.

I also found the pairing of Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez.....odd. Estevez is fine as per usual, but Dreyfuss just seems totally out of place in this type of film and while I can admit that he actually looked good and probably the most "in shape" I've ever seen him, he comes off a bit creepy as he stalks a gorgeous Madeleine Stowe, whom he's supposed to "staking out" for his undercover job because her former lover, a convicted murderer, is on the run and they feel he would eventually reach out to her. It could be because of the fact that Dreyfuss is much older than Stowe, or that his attempts at trying to win her over instead seem rather unintentionally creepy than endearing. Either way, it just doesn't work and gives you an uncomfortable feeling.

On the plus side, the film nixes the comedy halfway through and it pretty much becomes an action/thriller from the middle on, which, as it turns out, makes for a much better film overall. Seriously, the second half is pretty much what I wish the entire film had been to begin with and combined with Badham's solid direction, the film ultimately becomes decently entertaining. Too bad it had a rough start.

If you can make through the awkwardly unfunny first half, you'll be handsomely rewarded by the second half. Madeleine Stowe is just absolutely gorgeous as the damsel in distress, with a heart of gold and a feisty spirit, while the rest of the cast deliver the goods efficiently. Not one of my favorite cop/buddy films, but it was decent enough. Writer Jim Kouf, director John Badham and its two main leads would all return for the sequel, Another Stakeout, 6 years later.....sans the mustaches.

WARNER BROS. GIVES RAY HARRYHAUSEN FILMS THE PREMIUM TREATMENT

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Ray Harryhausen's work has astonished film fans for decades and now three of his most revered films he worked on will get the premium treatment courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

This new collection features revered films across all genres celebrated in a premium package set containing the film on Blu-ray, DVD and a Digital Copy giving fans a must own version that allows them to watch however they choose. Each release also includes a collectible slipcase and artcards featuring the films' key art and lobby cards style stills.

CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)

Before history and beyond imagination! The machinations of gods above and the fates of man and monsters here below play out in a Clash of the Titans Decades prior to the sensational 2010 version of the tale, Harry Hamlin took up sword and shield to play valorous Perseus, mortal son of Zeus (Laurence Olivier), who sets out to fulfill his destiny by rescuing beloved Andromeda from the wrath of goddess Thetis (Maggie Smith). Perils await Perseus time and again. And eye-filling thrills await viewers as stop-motion effects legend Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts) unleashes snake-haired Medusa, fearsome Kraken, winged Pegasus, two-headed dog Dioskilos, giant scorpions and more. Rejoice, fantasy fans: the movie gods gift us with adventure that's innovative, heroic, titanic.

SPECIAL FEATURES

A Conversation with Harryhausen

Myths and Monsters Gallery





THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953)

Near the Arctic Circle, an atomic bomb is detonated. This fearsome experiment disturbs the sleep of a giant rhedosaurus encased in ice for over 100 million years and sends it southward on a destructive, deadly rampage! The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was the first screen adaptation of a work by fantasy-fiction titan Ray Bradbury. It also marked the first time Ray Harryhausen had total control over special effects. He came up with a fantastic creature (constructed at full scale, all 50 tons of it) that swims down from the north to run amok through New York City before being conquered in a spectacular Coney Island roller-coaster finale.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Two documentaries: The Rhedosaurus And The Rollercoaster: Making The Beast And Harryhausen & Bradbury: An Unfathomable Friendship Armatures.

Theatrical Trailer





 THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969)

Cowpokes head into a mysterious Mexican valley to head ’em up and move ’em out. But they’re not looking for little dogies. They’re looking for great, big dinosaurs. James Franciscus stars in this thunderous adventure featuring amazing special effects by Ray Harryhausen (The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Clash of the Titans). Franciscus plays a Wild-West showman who leads his riding and roping crew into the title region where prehistoric giants still roam. Thanks to Harryhausen wizardry, fantastic creatures lunge, fight and rampage in scene after dazzling scene (including an awesome sequence where the cowboys rope Gwangi, a razor-toothed allosaurus). Saddle up and join the excitement.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Return to the Valley recounts the making of the film with Associate Producer/Creator of special effects Ray Harryhausen.

Film Review: APOCALYPSE CULT (2014)

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APOCALYPSE CULT *** Australia 2014 Dir: Glenn Triggs 84 mins

Local news duo Jodie (journalist) and Kevin (cameraman) get exclusive access to record a addicts meeting. While at the meeting they meet a man who tells them about a cult he was once in. Intrigued by the story and wanting to be the first to break the news on the cult they go in search of the doomsday cult. Driving out to a local woods they are met by 2 women who blindfold them and lead them to their compound.
Once there they are met by several women who are members of the cult and their leader Michael Godson. Michael has been shown the way by a higher power and tells his followers that the end of days will come after three events have taken place. As the news duo document the cult they become more aware of the sinister goings on at the compound. While Jodie wants to finish the documentary before leaving, Kevin can no longer take what he is seeing and leaves Jodie behind to finish the documentary. Jodie now left in the middle of nowhere must now hope she can return to civilization before she gets drawn in to the prophecy. APOCALYPSE CULT is one of those films that draws you in with it story and when the ending comes leaves you creeped out. This shows how well the script was written and the way the actors play their relevant characters really brings realism to the cult, especially the leader Michael Godson played with sinister calmness by David Macrae. Of course a well written script has to have a great location and this film certainly has one located out in the countryside with nothing around but open ground and an eerie mist that descends naturally in several scenes. The found footage style is nothing new, but here it is used effectively and leaves you the viewer forgetting your watching a movie about a cult and not a documentary. As far as cult movies go this is one of the better ones out there and I would highly recommend checking it out if you like films like Ti Wests 2013 movie THE SACRAMENT.

Review by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins

Squares (1972)

'Jemeji' Season 1 Episode 257 Recap- Aired: Tuesday 27 February 2018

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An attendant rushes into the palace to meet Obi.
Obi tells him to leave.

Seye walks in and Obi is surprised.

Seye says he got a call from the Otogan of Jegba and he knows all about Obi because Dr. Jide told him.
Obi is surprised.

Seye says if word gets to the governor, the freetrade zone is dead.

Obi asks why he cares.

Seye says there is a lot in his life is riding on it and if Obi hadn't told him, he wouldn't have believed him.

Obi asks what he should do.

Seye tells him to abdicate the throne.
Obi asks if he would still turn him in.

Seye says he wouldn't but abdicating the throne would be Obi's way of honouring the late Otogan Adomeh.

Obi thanks him.

Seye says he will stay back in Aji and buy Obi enough time to find Folake and leave.

Peace comes to the shrine to meet Meghonu and Akweyon.

She asks what Akweyon is doing there.

Meghonu says the gods need her just as they need Peace.

Peace asks why they need her.

Meghonu says things must change and Peace has to get rid of the Lagos boy and she needs to focus on her power because that was why Jonah was killed.

She asks if Peace knows how much power she has for her baby to escape the will of the gods.

She confesses that the drug she gave her was to get rid of the child but she survived.

Akweyon tells Peace that the gods have warned that if she tries to escape again, she will return without her baby.

Senami is walking through the village.

She sees her father and runs to him.

Her father tells her he's going to Lagos as he has a daughter there.

He gets into a car and the driver moves.

Senami breaks down in tears.

Seye comes to see Otogan Hudeyin.

Hudeyin asks if he's aware that the Otogan of Aji is a liar and he killed his father 

Seye says they are strong accusations.

Hudeyin gives him a copy of the DNA result and says he has sent four copies to the police stations in the village and he wants Seye to do the needful.

Obi calls the lawyer to request for the remaining 25 million naira.

The lawyer says he has already gone against Otogan's wishes by giving him the first instalment.

Obi says it's very important because of the free trade zone.

The lawyer says he can't expend the fortune on some whimsical reason.

Obi orders him to comply.

The lawyer hangs up on him.

Doris sees Elder Johnde in her palmwine joint and she asks him what the matter is, as he appears troubled.

He tells her that shame has come to their village.

She says god forbid.

He lists all the names of the dead and says it's as a result of the Otogan not being Chief's child and he was even the one who killed the last Otogan.

Doris tells him not to say such things.

Elder Johnde tells her to come and see him at home if she wants to hear the rest of the story.

Medeyomi sees Peace along the road and stops her.

Peace tells her to get out of the way.

Medeyomi asks if Peace doesn't want to know her.

Peace asks why she would want to know her when she abandoned her.

Medeyomi says she if she had stayed they would have killed Peace and she had to get stronger because it's only power that can save them and now she has that so she wants to turn things around.

Akweyon is spying on them.

Medeyomi kneels to beg Peace.

Peace tells her to get up.

Medeyomi says she wants to help Peace leave Aji.

Peace says she tried before and woke up in the market and when she tried again, she saw herself as a ghost.

She says she doesn't want any harm to come to her child.

Medeyomi says she won't let any harm come to Peace or the baby.

Peace says nobody can help her.

Medeyomi assures her that she will handle Meghonu.

Peace asks if she wants to kill her.

Medeyomi tells Peace that if it was possible for Meghonu, she would have killed Peace.

Peace says it's true because she admitted to having tried to harm her baby.

Medeyomi says Meghonu is envious of Peace and wants to harm her baby.

Peace says that was the same thing Meghonu said about Medeyomi and now she doesn't know who to believe.

Medeyomi tells her not to worry as she would know in time.

The villagers are gathered in Doris' joint.

She has told them all that Johnde told her.

The villagers says they want to hear Johnde tell them the rest of the story.

Doris tells them to leave and she will join them soon.

The villagers leave.

Doris is all alone pondering over everything.

An unknown person covers her nose with a handkerchief.

Peace returns to the shrine 

Meghonu asks where she's coming from.

Peace says she stepped out for fresh air.

Meghonu says she can guess that Medeyomi fed her lies as she knows her sister has always been a good actor.

Seye comes to the shrine.

Meghonu asks what he has come for.

He says he wants to see Mausi.

She says she's not in the mood to talk to him.

He tells her that he came to see the real Mausi.

Meghonu asks if he now believes in the gods of Aji.

Seye says he believes in Peace.

He asks Peace why she stayed.

She asks if he's crazy.

He says he spoke with a friend and he has realised that it she lets it, Aji will trap her.

Meghonu tells him to leave.

Seye shouts at her, telling her she has no powers.

Peace orders him to leave.

She plead with her eyes, giving him a signal.

He leaves.

Meghonu asks Peace what all that was about.

Peace says she doesn't know.

Meghonu takes out the baby booties from the gift bag Seye gave Peace and asks what they are.

Peace says she should have returned them to him.

Meghonu says she hopes Peace wouldn't take what she's doing personally.

She throws the booties in the fire.

Peace asks what she has done for her to be jealous.

Meghonu says she knows Medeyomi has been lying to her.

Peace says Medeyomi is the only one who has told her the truth and she doesn't know what the shoes have done to her. 

Meghonu says she's bitter because of what her mother and Medeyomi made her go through by giving up her life

She says she took Peace as a daughter.

Peace asks what sort of a mother treats a child the way she does.

Meghonu tells Peace to use her head.

Peace is crying.

Meghonu says she's the mother who is with her.

Peace asks what sort of mother gives her child poison.

Meghonu asks if Peace is not more confident as she knows the poison can't harm her 

She wipes Peace's tears and tells her to forget Medeyomi and become what she's destined to be.

She tells her that Medeyomi is a killer but she (Peace) lives to protect and serve.