Michael Bay is a man who likes spectacle. He loves his effects, he loves his big character moments, and he loves his robots. If you’ve seen any of the TRANSFORMERS movies, you’ll know what to expect with THE LAST KNIGHT. Despite the promise of a “reboot” when AGE OF EXTINCTION was released (the predecessor to…
Movie review: WONDER WOMAN
The WONDER WOMAN movie hasn’t had an easy journey to the big screen. Diana’s quest started all the way back in 1996, and the project has had various obstacles and delays before finally settling on Patty Jenkins as director in 2015. Much noise has been made about the inability of a female superhero to attract…
Movie review: GHOST IN THE SHELL
GHOST IN THE SHELL is a franchise that has a highly dedicated fanbase, spanning several iterations. So many themes from the original manga (and the later, highly-influential anime) have been echoed elsewhere. Without GHOST, there would surely be no MATRIX. Many directors have admitted the debt they owe to GHOST. So, the first bigscreen, live…
Movie review: KONG: SKULL ISLAND
Verdict: A fun, old-fashioned monster movie King Kong’s story has been told and retold many times, and the tale of the noble great ape is one that Hollywood keeps returning to. The premise is always the same, more or less: expedition discovers enormous gorilla, gorilla goes bananas, mayhem ensues, everyone escape the island. There are…
RIP: Bill Paxton (1955-2017)
For those that don’t already know, the great Bill Paxton passed away last weekend. This is a tremendous loss to his family, and also the cinema and SF community. Bill Paxton is probably best known for his “average Joe” film roles, and had the unquestionable accolade of being the only actor who has played a…
Movie review: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
Verdict: A different perspective on the STAR WARS universe, ROGUE ONE is an exciting, well-produced and worthwhile addition to the expanded universe As of late 2015, Disney apparently had six STAR WARS movies in the works: three stand-alone “spin offs”, with the rest being extensions of the main storyline. ROGUE ONE is the first of…
Blu ray review: INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE
Verdict: More spectacle than movie The original INDEPENDENCE DAY is revered as something of a cult movie. It strikes just the right balance of levity and solemnity; WAR OF THE WORLDS with MARS ATTACKS sensibilities. The acting is ham-fisted and over the top, whilst the plot is cheesy and overly patriotic. But for all…
Merry Christmas: Top 5 things to watch on Netflix
Merry Christmas to one and all! Hope that you are having a restful, peaceful and enjoyable Christmas break, wherever you may be. And what better time to dust off that Netflix subscription, settle down with the family, and tuck in to some quality SFF? Join me for my rundown of the top 5 things to…
Movie review: FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
Verdict: An entertaining extension of the HARRY POTTER universe FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is a fantasy adventure movie which has generated significant buzz. As anyone with an internet connection will know, it’s written by JK Rowling, and marks a return to the HARRY POTTER-verse which is so loved by many. Set in…
Movie review: GHOSTBUSTERS (2016)
Verdict: A very fun horror-comedy and a rare example of a successful reboot The original GHOSTBUSTERS is regarded as an icon of 80s cinematography. Although GHOSTBUSTERS II was nowhere near as well-received, discussion of a third instalment in the series has been going on for many years. This leads us to the 2016 “reboot”:…
THE ETERNITY WAR: PARIAH
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