Fans of Smallville may recognise the outside of the Queen family home. It was the same building used as the Luthor mansion in Smallville.
Before I start, SPOILER ALERT!!!! Don't read on if if you haven't seen the movie!
Firstly, I want to say that I LOVED THIS MOVIE but there are a number of small things that niggle at me about it:
Catwoman was under-used and the whole "clean slate" device nonsense was never explained. How did BW get hold of it when noone else could? Where did he get it from?Secondly, there should have been more Kyle/Wayne scenes, more flirting, like inthe Burton movie. More sexual chemistry. Their kiss at the end felt forced.
JGL finding his way into the bat cave was great, and a cool idea to hint that the mantle of Batman could be taken over by this young heroic cop, but why oh why make his 'secret' christian name Robin? He's Robin, seriously? It felt like a completely unnecessary, and forced, way of inserting the batman mythos into the movie. He didn't need to be Robin and didn't seem like Robin!
When they killed Bruce Wayne, I was like "fucking awesome, what a finish to the trilogy!" and then they brought him back to life! What a cop out! It would have been so much better if they had at very least left it ambiguous. It would have been great to have the shot of Alfred at the cafe in Italy nodding to someone off-screen and then ending it at that moment! So we never know whether he is looking at BW or not! It would have made a way better finish.
Not sure how this one passed me by. Brilliant and terrifying.
I was recommended by a colleague to watch this show. To put it bluntly I was sceptical - it seemed just like a kids cartoon, and I am in my mid 30s - but I decided to give it a go, mainly because he kept saying "trust me"!
Over the past month I have watched the entire series and must say I was quite impressed. While it definitely is aimed at a younger audience, like all good children's stories it appeals to parents and children alike. If anything, it appeals to adults because it reminds them of what they loved about children's stories as kids.
The first season took a few episodes to get going. It took me a while to get into it and embrace the characters. The early episodes tend to be generally self-contained stories, however towards the end of season 1 the story takes off, and the story become much more serialised. From then on out it is a really enjoyable ride all the way through to the series 3 finale. If anything it gets better from season to season.
The animation is first rate for TV. I have never really watched any anime (or anime-style, in this case) series before so I was definitely going into this green, but I found the quality to be first rate. The characters were also very well written, and the constructed world of element benders was believable within its mythos. I highly recommend this to kids and adults alike. Better still, watch it with your kids.
At the end of the day, they are just telling good stories, and who wouldn't enjoy that?
This was the first episode without the twin towers in the title sequence being the first Sopranos episode that aired after 9/11.
Stick with it - it only gets better as the season progresses. Great acting all round and likeable characters. I can see why Harrison Ford agreed to do this. It’s a great role. Jessica Williams lights up the screen in every scene she’s in.
I absolutely loved the book when I read it a few years ago and I have been really pleased that they have truly done it justice with this adaption - it is definitely one of the best shows I have seen this year.
My only disappointment was that we never once saw Elizabeth, Calvin or Mad showing much affection towards Six Thirty. He was such an important character in the book and such an important member of the family. I just wish we got more of an indication of how much they loved him. The dog POV episode actually worked better than I thought it would but it always felt it was an aspect of the book that could have been easily excised. It was just sad that he was then pretty much ignored for the rest of the epsiodes.
I have loved Tyler Sheridan’s movies - Sicario, Wind River, Hell or High Water - so I had high expectations going into this. It looks great but so far I have been disappointed chiefly due to the poor writing and I likeable characters. Seriously how many times do we need to almost kill a kid. Some of the subplots in this show are sloppy writing and just feel like padding. It doesn’t seem to know where it is going. The acting is first rate though, and the many Dutton family conflict is the one saving element. I am currently undecided as to whether I will bother continuing on to season 2.
If ever there was a film that needed Frank Darabont and Thomas Newman involved, it was this one. It could have been Shawshank in the right hands but instead what we got was… fine. It needed a Newman score.
This was the best 50 minutes ever spent in the Star Wars universe. Flawless.in every respect.
Seeing Uncle Fester must be the first time we have seen Wednesday smile.
I’m a big fan of Olivia Colman as an actress but she feels totally miscast as the Queen. Claire Foy was phenomenal but Colman is just wrong.
So for two hundred year’s there has been multiple generations of Stark’s banging on about Winter coming…
Me: “Wow that guy looks just like John Waters….”
A few seconds later…
Me: “Wait… that IS John Waters!”
“A man knows Hopper is alive…”
I love the “I like this kid!” moment! I’m not sure if it is intentional or not but it reminds me of the scene in the Goonies when Chunk is held hostage by the Fratellis.
Everything is way too clean. The village. The clothes. Nothing looks lived in. It ends up looking like Xena from the 90s. It needs to be more gritty. This episode also felt way too rushed. I heard that they originally had wanted to make 10 episodes for Season 1 rather than the 8 they have been allowed, and it shows in the pacing. An episode spent in the village and the al' thor farm, fleshing out the characters and doing some world building, culminating the trolloc attack would have better. Also, it may just be me, but it bothers me that they made the two rivers area mountainous. In my mind the two rivers area was flat and forested. Too early to say much about the cast, but Moraine and Lan seem good. Not sure about Rand is his fluffy sweater...
Not for the first time we see Roose Bolton getting knifed by a monster.
The name "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" is a literal translation of the Chinese idiom "卧虎藏龙" (Wuo hu zhan long) which describes a place that is full of talented or extraordinary people who remain hidden and undiscovered, or simply means "talented or extraordinary people hidden from view". It is from a poem of the ancient Chinese poet Yu Xin (513-581) that reads "暗石疑藏虎，盘根似卧龙", meaning "behind the rock in the dark likely hides a tiger, and the coiling giant root resembles a crouching dragon."
The famous ancient strategist Zhuge Liang (181–234) had a nickname called 诸葛卧龙 (Zhu Ge Wo Long). Zhu Ge is the family name. Wo Long is Crouching Dragon. The story is that before he was invited to be the chancellor of Liu Bei, the Shu's king, Zhuge Liang was a hermit living in Longzhong as a regular farmer. But Liu heard his name and knew he got great talent and capability, so Liu visited him for three times hoping that he could be Liu's strategist. After refusing Liu twice, Liang came to be touched by Liu's caring for the people and his sincerity and accepted his invitation at the third time. Now you know why he was called 诸葛卧龙.
In the movie, the female protagonist Jen's nickname, Jiaolong, is "delicate dragon" in Chinese. And Lo's name, Xiaohu, means "little tiger". So the title means all the main characters (the talented and extraordinary) generally as well as Jen and Lo specifically.
The first episode was a really solid start, but this one has stepped things up to another level. It was amazing - really exciting and tense, and the world and characters are continuing to be fleshed out. Having recently re-read Northern Lights for the first time in twenty-odd years, I was reminded that the first book is the weakest of the three and the plot is rather too linear to make for interesting television, told almost solely from Lyra's perspective. I like the way in the show they have created different threads, so we now have the Gyptian's and Roger's stories running in parallel. I also like the way the series seems to be deviating from the book slightly to explore the Magisterium which should make the first series more dynamic. So far this show is proving to be everything I hoped an adaption of HDM could be. I can't wait for episode 3.
I felt the premiere was a strong, confident start. I love that its world and character building is being done gradually but assuredly. Like the best shows I suspect it’ll need a couple of episodes to fully draw you in, but it’s in the quiet character moments that it’ll hook you.
Former LA police office, author and peak-oil activist, Michael Ruppert, shares his bleak vision for the future of humanity. You start out thinking these are the typical ramblings of a conspiracy-theorist, but his arguments are compellingly persuasive. By the end you are desperately hoping he’s a lunatic, because the terrifying alternative is that he is right.
This is a brilliant X-Files episode except it isn't the X-Files.
"Your Mom's Martha?
Dude! MY Mom's Martha too!
We should be friends now!"
Are you fucking kidding me?
When I was a kid, I still remember the first time I read Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". As a child whose idea of Superman & Batman was Christopher Reeve & Adam West, it was a revelation. Dark, brooding and so far removed from the movie and TV versions of these characters, yet so much more interesting for it. I remember dreaming of a movie version of Frank Miller's Batman & Superman.
This is why it was so surprising to me that when this film was announced, I wasn't more excited about it - here finally was "The Dark Knight Returns" adapted for the screen. The problem, was that I had watched 'Man of Steel' and wasn't enamoured with Snyder's vision - I felt that while that movie had had the potential to be good (the trailer's had made it look awesome!) it had failed to deliver on the fun - it just wasn't as fun as a Superman film should be. Nolan's Batman films were FUN, although the first one was a little weak, The Dark Knight found the perfect formula and ran with it. Dark and brooding, yes, but with humour and fun too. I never felt the fun with the Man of Steel - we're talking about a flying alien here! - and It was with this feeling that I sat down to watch Batman vs Superman.
It's worth noting here that I watched the Ultimate Edition at home - I never saw the theatrical cut that everyone had hated so much - but its safe to say my expectations weren't high. Having watched it, I am pleased to be able to say that it I actually enjoyed it way more than I expected, and it was not the complete train-wreck I feared. My conclusion is that it still lacks a sense of fun, and takes itself too seriously, but SOMEWHERE on the editing room floor is an absolutely AMAZING film. With the right editing this could have been something incredible. I've always felt that Snyder's films tend to be all style but no substance. While he has definitely matured in his ability to create multi-dimensional characters he still has a way to go. The whole Martha coincidence was just terrible writing, but that being said, there was actually a lot to like here (Ben Affleck makes a great Miller Batman. He nailed it.
Gareth Edward's first movie. Very impressive considering the shoestring budget. Not at all what you expect - much more character-driven than action packed. More romantic drama, than horror, though there are definitely scares to be had here. Very well shot, and keeps the suspense up by not showing the monsters until necessary. Recommended.
Fun but instantly forgettable. If you don't like Melissa McCarthy, this isn't going to change your mind. Standouts are Jason Statham, playing against type as a bumbling idiot, Rose Byrne, as the villain and Miranda Hart, in (AFAIK) her first Hollywood role.
Arnie was good and it was moody and atmospheric, but this movie's fundamental problem stems from the fact that it is a zombie movie without any zombies....
My head is still exploding having just watched The Force Awakens in 3D IMAX. Absolutely awesome - one of the best cinema-going experiences I've ever had. Definitely the best Star Wars film in three decades, and maybe the best one ever. You'll laugh, cry and want to leap in the air. The new cast are all great, but when Han Solo and Chewie arrive it's like your childhood comes crashing into the present. Harrison Ford is one of the best things in this film.
Critics have complained that this film borrows too much from episode IV. I think it is more homage for the fans and doesn't bother me one iota. It may not be perfect but man is it FUN. It's a wonderful throwback to the original trilogy that recaptures the humour and fun so lacking from the prequels. Star Wars is back!
Disney have clearly learned from Marvel's successes and are doing some major world building here leaving many questions unanswered. Comic book movies are often rebooted and no-one complains but many other movies are considered sacrosanct. What JJ Abrams has done here is to produce BOTH a sequel and a reboot. It's inspired, and helpfully sets up a world of stories to explore in future movies.
This is just the beginning. Welcome to the Star Wars Cinematic Universe....
Trivia: The girl kissed by Elliott in the classroom scene is none other than former playmate and baywatch star Erika Eleniak!
