MoviesHaving over-achieved the unexpected in following the beloved 1995 original, suddenly all eyes were on this third Jumanji movie to see if it could repeat the success of the first sequel. And repeat it, it certainly does, perhaps with just a little too much repetition. As the gang regroup for Christmas, we learn that not ..
MoviesDo you remember when summer SciFi blockbusters were unashamedly fun? Do you remember how you felt watching “Return Of The Jedi”? Before you got all old and cynical and ironic. Before your “Star Wars” heart was hardened by special edition vandalism and successive soulless prequels? Before the angry words and bitter sentiment of a million revisionist ..
MoviesTom Holland, for the second time this year, finds himself on an unexpected adventure in Venice in BlueSky’s amiable family-friendly animated action movie “Spies In Disguise”. Together with Will Smith, who seems to have rediscovered his 1990’s happy-go-lucky charm this year, the two of them take on the villainous Killian, voiced – of course – ..
HorrorModern, clever and creepily effective, “Oculus” is a spine-chilling breath of fresh air for the horror genre, revitalising the haunted house trope in an ingenious way. Telling the story of the Russell Family and their acquisition of the The Lasser Glass, a sinister mirror which the daughter and son come to believe is haunted after ..
MoviesThe weight of expectation resting on the follow-up to 2014’s “Guardians Of The Galaxy” is a testament to just how spectacularly Marvel’s big gamble paid off. But like “Avengers Assemble” before it, the challenge of following up a nearly flawless success is a daunting one. After a spot of mischievous larceny by Rocket angers their ..
MoviesEleven years. Twenty-one movies. All leading up to this. In the wake of Thanos’ victory, the remaining Avengers regroup to figure out how to live up to their name. But there are no easy paths to setting things right and its only through the unexpected return of Ant-Man that an opportunity presents itself – one ..
MoviesAfter “Doctor Who”, but before “Oculus”, Karen Gillan appeared in this modest, modern yet old fashioned romantic comedy about a novelist, her publisher and her screenwriter boyfriend. Although it didn’t really get a wide cinema release it’s available to rent or buy on DVD now. When a small publishing house run by French editor Tom ..
MoviesThere was a howl of outrage heard around the world when plans were first announced to make another “Jumanji” film. Up until then, I don’t think anyone had really been aware of in what high esteem the original – albeit fondly thought of – had been held. Turns out the Robin Williams CG-heavy jungle adventure ..
MoviesFar out in space, Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) – abducted from Earth when he was a young boy – steals a mysterious orb and immediately finds himself the centre of a galactic manhunt. Pursued by the evil and merciless Ronan The Accuser, he is captured by the Nova Corps and forced into an uneasy alliance ..
TelevisionWhere WHAT IF…CAPTAIN CARTER WERE THE FIRST AVENGER? may have changed up the shades but stuck to colouring inside the lines, WHAT IF…T’CHALLA BECAME A STAR-LORD? grabs a handful of crayons and gleefully scribbles all over the cosmic history of the MCU as we know it. Mistaking the Wakandan Vibranium lode as a sign of ..
MoviesAvailable right now on Netflix, this 2017 techno-thriller seems to have a lot going for it: a cast that includes Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, Karen Gillan, John Boyega and Bill Paxton in his final role and a plot focussed on subject matter lifted directly from news headlines. So it’s something of a surprise that it ..
TelevisionShallow, uninspired and indulgently inconsequential, WHAT IF…THOR WERE AN ONLY CHILD? takes our favourite Asgardian and amplifies the oafish arrogance we only briefly glimpsed in the movie to the point where you have to wonder how in the Nine Realms he’s still worthy of Mjolnir. When his parents take separate vacations, Thor decides to use ..
MoviesAfter a spot of mischievous larceny by Rocket angers their most recent client, Ayesha, High Priestess of The Sovereign People, the Guardians find themselves fleeing from the Sovereign fleet and crash-land on a nearby planet thanks to Star-Lord and Rocket’s squabbling. But their argument is interrupted by the arrival of another ship, piloted by Ego ..