What If…? episode 4 catch-up – grief takes a Strange turn September 2, 2021 We’re approaching the halfway point of What If…?, and so far the glimpses of an alternative Marvel Cinematic Universe have been positive. Peggy Carter heroically took up the mantle meant for Steve Rogers, T’Challa proved he would be a hero whatever galaxy he is in, and even if the original Avengers were wiped out, Nick [...]
What If…? Episode 3 review: A Phase One Murder Mystery August 26, 2021 *** WARNING: This review contains spoilers for all current episodes of Disney’s What If…? *** Disney+ show What If…? has thus far presented some interesting questions, with satisfying answers. We see that Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) would have made a brilliant Avenger, and T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) would have been a hero wherever he called home. [...]
Souad review – a sobering Egyptian coming-of-age tale August 25, 2021 There are a lot of dramas that make you question the number of times you look at your phone in a day. For her debut narrative feature Souad, Egyptian director Ayten Amin takes the familiar posts and emojis of social media and put them in the contexts of her homeland. Set in a strictly religious [...]
The Nest review – Jude Law is brilliant in this yuppie horror story August 25, 2021 The career of Jude Law took an interesting turn as the actor entered his forties. While he’s maintain his movie star looks, age has allowed him to move away from heartthrob roles and into the darker characters that announced his arrival in the 1990s. He was despicable in the overlooked satire Vox Lux, a super [...]
Pig review – Another unexpected Nicolas Cage triumph August 20, 2021 Where do you even begin with Nicolas Cage? Once a respected Oscar winning star, he’s now largely known for two things: his eccentricity, and his output. He makes an awful lot of films, most of which are low budget dross, but every now and again the intense actor makes a movie that succeeds in spite [...]
GI Joe adventure Snake Eyes comes up blanks – again August 20, 2021 Of all the big budget Hollywood franchises, GI Joe is up there as having the most peculiar history. 2009’s GI Joe – The Rise of Cobra was conceived as a competitor for the growing superhero movie craze. The film scarred the memories of those who made it – star Channing Tatum said “I fucking hate [...]
Marvel What If… Episode 2 – Chadwick Boseman’s final triumph August 18, 2021 Last week gave us a rousing opening to Marvel’s What If…?, a series that imagines parts of the Marvel Universe if certain decisions had been made differently. The introduction of Captain Carter was well received, and led speculation as to whether the character could be seen in future live action stories, given that The Multiverse [...]
People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan is a fun misadventure August 18, 2021 Being a successful British comedy does not always guarantee film success. The Inbetweeners, Ab Fab, and Mr Bean all made millions at the box office; but for every triumph there’s a cautionary tale – Alan Patridge’s Alpha Papa and The Bad Education Movie had muted responses, while David Brent’s solo project lost millions. Hoping to be [...]
Free Guy review – finally a video game movie it’s ok to like August 18, 2021 Pre-Pandemic, Ryan Reynolds was on a hot streak. The Canadian star, once considered a likeable actor who never quite broke through, made the big time with R-Rated hero Deadpool. Suddenly, everything he touched turned to gold, making unexpected hits from The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Detective Pikachu, going viral with ads for his gin company featuring [...]
The Courier review – a tense Benedict Cumberbatch spy thriller August 17, 2021 One look at The Courier’s title might suggest that Benedict Cumberbatch has gone into action territory, although it’s certainly more appealing than the original name: Ironbark. The Oscar nominee is actually returning to a familiar genre – spy thriller – playing Greville Wynne, the real-life businessman who was recruit by British and US secret services [...]
