The Boys Season 1 (2019) Review

The second season of The Boys hits Amazon this Friday so I decided I had to watch the first season of the show and now I have and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees a group of vigilantes attempt to take down a group of superheroes who abuse their powers. 

Main Character

Karl Urban is a great actor and he plays the main character here and he is fantastic. He is the leader of The Boys and he has a grudge against people with superpowers and the show does a great job of telling you enough about him without spilling all the beans straight away. Also he is so charming and charismatic, when he is on screen he owns it and is honestly so great and a ton of fun to watch. Anthony Starr plays Homelander, the leader of the superheroes and he is amazing here, imagine Superman who didn't grow up on Kansas and has some mental issues and you get Homelander. Again he owns the screen and he fits this role perfectly, he is so interesting and I can't see how anybody else could ever play the role. 

Supporting Characters

Jack Quaid playing Hughie and Erin Moriarty as Starlight are the new members of their respective groups and I thought they worked well. You can tell how they want to be accepted into the two groups even though they have some ideological issues with them. They have good chemistry together also and I thought they were a nice part of the show, especially when this show deals with very mature topics. The rest of the members of the superheroes and boys are really interesting, I don't want to get into the characters too much as finding out stuff about them is one of the best things here. 

Story

The story is great, in shows or films that deal with opposing sides,the better ones attempt to show the motivations of both sides and balance them and I thought this show did that really well. The characters are interesting and the depth to them is what makes them so fascinating. Also the way that the show portrays the superheroes is great as in pop culture they are such a huge part of society and the way they are presented is so interesting. However, literally my only crticism for this show is that there are a few characters that have individual story arcs and they don't really flow that well with the rest of the show and actually disappear at a point, which makes you question why it was there, though the ending bit of the season is amazing. 

Script

The script is really good, the dialogue just feels really quick and natural to these characters. Urban in particular comes up with some amazing lines and it makes him so entertaining to watch. This show is funny but in terms of dark comedy, so if that is up your street then this is a show for you. Also the drama is great, it hits when it needs to and adds so much intensity and conflict. 

Style

The style is brilliant, this show is brutal. The action scenes are so intense and yeah a lot of people die here and usually in pretty hardcore ways that are totally gruesome. It is so fun watching these normal guys go against basically gods and it actually comes across as pretty believable. The show has 8 episodes and it flows really nicely and is paced really well making this an easy and fun watch. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic show. If you are having superhero fatigue then this is a show you must watch as it does some really unique things, that will keep you watching. If you have access to Amazon Prime then make sure you watch this show as it is definitely a must watch. 

Rating - 9/10 

 The New Mutants (2020) Review

This film was meant to hit cinemas in 2017 but delay after delay has meant that this film has finally hit the cinema in 2020, when apart from Tenet there is nothing else out so I guess people might actually watch it. I have now watched it and here is my review for The New Mutants. The premise of the film sees a group of young mutants in a hospital, when they realise something is something sinister is going on. 

Main Character

Blu Hunt plays Danielle Moonstar and she is set up as the main character here. I thought she was fine, she does the best she can with the character, despite the fact that the writing isn't that great. She has good chemistry with the others in the film but there is just nothing particularly remarkable about her and the film doesn't give you a great reason to get invested in her story here. 

Supporting Characters

The main supporting characters are played by Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy and I thought they both did good jobs here, they are good actresses and they show it off here, especially Taylor-Joy who is the best character here for me. The rest of the mutants are fine too and the doctor played by Alice Braga does a fine job even if you know where the story is going with her. The issue is that there are some interesting things to do with the characters but the film doesn't take the time or effort to really explain these things and again it makes it hard for you to care because the film just gives you no reason to with it's lacklustre writing. 

Story

The idea of a group of mutants being stuck in a hospital is interesting, especially when it comes to their power sets and the way they are presented. It is at its best when it looks at how their powers affect them on an emotional level and how it led them to be in the hospital. The issue is that it doesn't give you enough time with the characters and really the characters have really similar backstories that it makes you think that they couldn't be bothered to come up with more then one backstory. Also the ending of the film is really abrupt, it's like the last action scene takes place and then the film ends, leaving you let down. 

Script

The script here has some moments, I mean especially with the horrors that the characters face. I mean Taylor-Joy's character has some really interesting moments here that you just want to know more about and don't. The intrigue is there and the film does a decent job of ramping the tension, but this film suffers from the obviously generic way the script is presented. You know how this film is going to go from the beginning to end and that makes it feel like a let down, with some pretty lacklustre dialogue. 

Style

The style of the film as mentioned above does a good job in ramping up tension and intrigue. I am not usually a horror film fan, but this film actually uses its horror elements well and makes it quite scary. It also doesn't rely on jump scares which is usually the reason I hate horror films so it deserves credit for that. But this film's first real 30 mins is dull and slow, which makes it a bit boring and a slog, which for a film that is 90 mins long that is quite a long time. Also there is a bit of a clash between the horror and superhero elements of the film and this does make for a clash of styles at time. 

Overall

Overall, this is an average film that will probably be forgotten about in the memory very quickly. This film had so much potential but fell short and isn't worth the time really. 

Rating - 5/10

 X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Review

So next on my list of X-Men films to watch was the end of the so called First Class trilogy Apocalypse and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the X-Men go up against the first ever mutant Apocalypse who has a group of mutants with him including Magneto. 

Main Character

This film struggles to really establish a main character here which I will talk more about in the review, but I have decided on a couple of them for the purpose of the review. Michael Fassbender plays Magneto once again and he acts rings around everybody else in this film. He has the emotion here, you really care about his character and feel sympathy for him, throughout this whole trilogy Magneto has been the most interesting character and this film he is given even more depth and it really makes him the character you attach to. James McAvoy is also back as Charles Xavier and he is good in the role, he continues his development from the previous film and it is nice to see him in the mentor role that we expect of him at this point. It is a bit of a shame though that he isn't actually in this film that much and feels like a bit of an afterthought at times. 

Supporting Characters

Evan Peters is back as Quicksilver and he is actually given more to do here. He was a real highlight from Days Of Future Past and he is just as great here and just adds a lot here and actually has a bit of a character arc which is nice to see. Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler all do good jobs in their roles. Out of the new characters here they are the best and even though the film struggles to actually develop their characters they do their best with the role. Then we get to the rest of the cast, Oscar Issac plays Apocalypse and even though he is a great actor, I just didn't care about his character at all. You can tell he is trying, but he isn't given anything to work with, he is just a generic bad guy who wants to destroy the world and when you compare him to his comic book version it feels like a missed opportunity. I have liked Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in the previous two films, but she is just annoying in this one. Her character has gone miles backwards from the previous film and it is just clear that she didn't want to sit in a make up chair which hurt her character in the end. Something similar happens with Nicholas Hoult as Beast here, I gave his character the benefit of the doubt in the previous film but here it also feels like he can't be bothered with the costume/makeup and again it hurts the character. But then there are those characters such as Storm, Angel and Psylocke who are just wasted and not given any time to shine. 

Story

Really the story isn't particularly interesting, but I am going to give it some positive thoughts due to how well it deals with Magnetos personal journey and story which is really interesting and makes you really care about him. But really the film is all over the place, it tries to introduce lots of new characters and it struggles to balance it, I mean Apocalypse doesn't do anything for over an hour which is pretty unacceptable. I mean then you get to his grand plan which is so boring and mundane that it doesn't bring you in and enough and cause you to truly get invested. Also there is a really jarring part of the film, I won't go into spoilers but it feels really out of place and literally like it is just here just to include a cameo that is good but not worth the effort. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some good dramatic dialogue and scenes here for sure, also there are a couple of nice bits of humour but not enough to make this film better. There aren't really any scenes of dialogue that stand out, and the way the film is written makes it feel like the film jumps all over the place and a bit hard to follow. 

Style

The style of the film is actually a big positive for me, the action scenes are great. They are over the top and exciting, they showcase the characters powers well and makes it feel really high scale that some of the other films don't. Also even though the story struggles, the film is actually paced quite well and the nearly 2 hours 30 mins runtime flies by quite quickly and actually makes this quite an easy watch.

Overall

Overall, I think this is a good X-Men film. It does many things right but also does many things wrong. If you want to watch a fun action film the Apocalypse might be worth a watch but if you aren't a fan of the X-Men, this isn't going to change your mind. 

Rating - 7/10

 Supergirl Season 5 (2019) Review

After a longer runtime then usual due to the pandemic and the crisis on infinite earths crossover I have finished the 5th season of Supergirl and here is my review for the show. The premise of the season sees Supergirl attempt to stop an ancient organisation called Leviathan, while Jonn Jonzz has to deal with the return of his long lost brother.

Main Character

Melissa Benoit is back as Supergirl this season and I have just never fully cared about her performance as the character as she is just a bit cheesy and dull, but she is fine and really comes across as a superhero. She has grown into the role well and their are elements of her performance I like and I actually thought her normal identity was more interesting but they don't give it enough time to get the chance to breath and develop. 

Supporting Characters

The show has plenty of characters to try and balance this season and doesn't always do a great job of it, the main one being David Harewood as Jonn Jonzz AKA The Martian Manhunter. The first half od the season does a great job with the character as he has a real personal story, and Harewood delivers a really strong dramatic performance. But then he is just forgotten about for the second half of the season. Braniac 5 played by Jesse Rath has the opposite problem, he doesn't really have much to do in the first half of the season, but after the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover he gets an interesting new story that fleshes out the character and puts him on a different course then he was in the beginning of the season. But lets get to the show stealer of the show, again he doesn't do anything till after the crossover but Jon Cryer is back as Lex Luthor and he steals every scene that he is in. His character is just so well written and it makes him possibly the most complex villain that there has been in this whole universe. But there are also some weaker characters, Katie McGrath is back as Lena Luthor and they showed promise for the character at the end of last season but they follow it up poorly and take a potentially interesting character and turn her into a bland character. Chyler Leigh as Alex has probably been the most important supporting character but I thought this was the season where the show doesn't give her much to do and actually at times her character actually came off as quite annoying. I thought Nicole Maines as Dreamer was a really important character last season, but this season basically forgets about her for the majority and it is such a let down, there is one episode where she stands out but it doesn't make up for the weak use of her character. The main villains of the season are a group called Leviathan but they are so generic and dull that it really hurts the season as a whole. 

Story

The story has some good individual arcs to it, the highlight being Martian Manhunters in the first half of the season, Brainiac 5's and Lex Luthors from the second half. They are done well, especially seeing Luthor plot and scheme as it adds more complexity to the plot, But due to the Coronavirus, the majority of these plots aren't finished to a satisfying degree and it left me disappointed, even though I am sure they will try and make up for it in the 6th season. They do have an interesting concept of technology versus nature but they miss the mark which doesn't help with the villains being ultimately forgettable and a huge let down.

Script

The script is a mixed bag, the writing for some of the characters is done well, but then the others are done poorly. There is some good drama here again mainly to do with the characters I mentioned that are treated right, but then there is some poor drama too that feels forced and the majority of the humour didn't quite work unless it involved Lex Luthor. 

Style

The style of the show has some exciting action scenes, this show is possibly the show that involves the biggest action scenes and the spectacle usually works, even though sometimes the CGI doesn't quite hit the levels they want to. Also the fact that there are 19 episodes is just too many, but also at the same time due to the pandemic it actually feels like an unfulfilling ending which is quite ironic.

Overall

Overall, this is once again a pretty average season of this show. After enjoying the 4th season of the show I was hoping for a great follow up but it doesn't achieve that and unless you are already a fan of this show this won't do much for you.

Rating - 5/10      

 Tenet (2020) Review

So the day has finally come, 5 months after seeing my last film in the cinema, I have returned to watch the new blockbuster Tenet and here is my review for this film. The premise of the film sees a man have to travel the world in an effort to stop World War 3, but he is only armed with a word - Tenet and he has no idea what he is getting in to.

Main Character

John David Washington plays The Protagonist here, no seriously that is his characters name. He is really great here, he gives a really strong performance, we follow this guy all over the world on a journey and you will care about him and really want to see him succeed. He has plenty of charisma here and swagger that you buy him as a leading man straight away and will see much more of him in the future. 

Supporting Characters

Robert Pattinson has had a good week, after the brilliant first trailer for The Batman and now his fantastic performance here. He has so much charisma too, the partnership with him and Washington is the real highlight of this film, they are great together and it is great to see two younger actors thriving in this large blockbuster. Elizabeth Debicki has a large role and I think this is the best I have seen her, her character has the real emotion here, you care about her and want to see her personal story resolved in a positive way. Kenneth Branagh plays the villain, and just like Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit he is playing a Russian and I do think his accent is pretty decent. He does a good job in coming across as the aggressive and intense bad guy and adds to this film very nicely. Himesh Patel and Aaron Taylor Johnson also do good jobs in there smaller roles. 

Story

Now this is the part of the review that will be really short as I knew pretty much nothing about the plot and that is the way you have to watch this movie. The story is really interesting in different ways that I will not get into, but the film is also really convoluted, most of it makes sense but it is sometimes a film that is quite hard to follow. I think this films plot will be better when you watch this film on its second watch-through. 

Script

The character dialogue for the script is really well done. The relationships between them is handled well and you do care about the characters and the perils that they are put into. But some of the dialogue that explains the plot didn't really work for me, I mean there was never a part of the film where they dumb the plot down even a little bit and that can again make it hard follow. 

Style

The style of the film is fantastic, this is a film that was born to be watched on the cinema screen, don't watch this on a tablet or phone or even your TV, if you can go and appreciate it on the big screen. The action scenes are brilliant, they flow incredibly well and the unique story element allows them to get creative and add excitement. Also this film is 2 hours 30 mins long but I was never bored once, the pacing is great and even though this film is long and a tiring watch it is never dull or too slow. 

Overall

Overall, this is a great Christopher Nolan film, though I thought it was more in the Interstellar bracket of quality then Inception. However, I think on repeat viewings this film could be better and better, even raising the ranking higher so I would implore if you are a film fan and can, go and see this film and support the cinemas as it is worth a watch. 

Rating - 8/10

 Stargirl Season 1 (2020) Review

So after the even that was DC Fandome on Saturday it has been a busy weekend for DC as in the UK they just dropped the first season of the show Stargirl on Amazon Prime and I have now watched it all and here is my review for it. The premise of the show a teenage girl get the powers of former hero Starman to form a new group called The Justice Society Of America in order to stop The Injustice Society Of America. 

Main Character

Brec Bassinger plays the title character and I thought she did a really good job. Yes at times she is the annoying teenage girl but once you get past this she is likeable in the lead role and you do root for her. Her relationship with her stepfather Pat is really touching and you do care about it, plus she is also really entertaining to watch in the action scenes. 

Supporting Characters

Luke Wilson plays Pat and I must admit it took a while for me to like him, but eventually I did. He is just a really nice guy and as I said the relationship between him and Bassinger's character is the emotional highlight of the series and the thing that you grasp onto, it also helps he uses a huge robot in the action scenes. This show focuses on younger members of the well known comic book group The JSA and it is a bit of a mixed bag, I liked young Wildcat and Hourman, I thought they had good emotional arcs and were the more interesting members of the team. But the younger Doctor Midnight annoyed me and was so over the top, also the rest of Bassinger's family didn't offer much to me and the last few episodes give them much more to do then necessary. There is a large group of villains here and they are mostly fine, Though I was wondering why I didn't think Icicle was a good villain and that is because Brainwave is the more interesting villain by far, it's just he isn't used as much which is a disappointment. 

Story

The story if fine, as I said above the relationship between Bassinger and Luke Wilson's characters is the emotional crux and the relationship that you care about. Also it is pretty cool seeing a new JSA get recruited and what their abilities are. But the overall plot isn't that interesting, there is the overall family drama which was a bit dull and even though this show gets bonus points for not focusing on the high school drama that much but it is still here. Also the Injustice Society's main goal is basically something ripped off from the 5th season of Supergirl, so it does feel like some weak storytelling. Some of the villains are really wasted too and this show forces characters to be stupid when they need to be but it is really noticeable here. 

Script

The script actually does a good job with its emotion, you care about the characters and they do a great job in making you care about the majority of the personal relationships. But this is a show that mostly focuses on a family friendly audience so it has the cringe worthy humour that doesn't exactly pay off and work. 

Style 

The style has a bit of a mixed bag, I liked the fact that even though this show is set in a small town the powers are out in full force. Seeing the different powers is great and the action scenes are well handled and well filmed and the costumes look fine, if not maybe a little cheap. But the CGI is a mixed bag, it is great for the giant robot called Stripe but then terrible when it comes to one of the fully CGI villains that looks like something from a PS3 game. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average first season. It does a good job in establishing a base for the show and I hope it can improve in the future, as at its current state it isn't converting anybody that doesn't watch the DC shows. 

Rating - 6/10

 Deadpool (2016) Review

So my next film I am reviewing is that of Deadpool, now technically this isn't an X-Men film but they are present here and if i need an excuse to watch this film then I will happily take it and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a wisecracking mercenary gain powers but ugly looks as he aims to track down the man who did it to him and the woman he loves. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds has always loved the character of Deadpool and after the poor excuse of the character in X-Men Origins Wolverine he wanted the chance to give this character the justice he deserved and boy did he do that. He is so good in this film that for every role he does after this he will always be remembered as Deadpool, he is hilarious and nails all the one liners here. His chemistry with the other actors is great and he just nails the role so well that honestly I can't imagine anybody playing this role other then Reynolds. 

Supporting Characters

Morena Baccarin plays his love interest in the film and she is great, their chemistry together is fantastic and a real highlight here. The film spends plenty of time on this romance so it had to work and it really does for me and makes them a fun couple to root for here. As I said some of the X-Men are here and Colossus is here and this is the best he has ever been, he is much more like his comic book counterpart and it really works. His dynamic with Deadpool is really fun and the fact he is totally CGI is great and makes him standout to the rest of the characters. Also shoutout to Negasonic Teenage Warhead who is a really fun character here and again I liked how her character was used in this film. Ed Skrein plays the villain Ajax and he isn't the most interesting villain but his deadpan persona works opposite Deadpool, because of everything going on his character works for this film and you do want to see Deadpool get his hands on him. Gina Carano, TJ Miller and Karan Soni are also fun in there smaller roles. 

Story

The story is surprisingly well done, it is a pretty simple revenge film but it really works for the film that is on show here. The flashback scenes also add depth to the story and the romance that we are meant to be supporting throughout. Having Deadpool breaking the 4th wall was such a great decision and allowed the story to make fun of itself while also making itself interesting and fun. 

Script

The script is really good, obviously, Deadpool makes jokes all the time and the majority really hit and add so much humour. There isn't really a character like Deadpool and this films script embraces that to its upmost which really makes the film standout. Also the drama when done is actually done well, and as I said make you cares about the relationships on display. 

Style 

The style is off the walls crazy, this film had to be Rated R, we need the vulgar language and brutal action scenes as that really helps make the film feel different to other superhero films. The action scenes are all really well filmed and brutal, with a variety of weapons and unique kills, which keeps the film engaging. But the pacing of the film has a bit of an issue, mainly in the first half of the film, we spend the majority of time in the flashback story and while it is fine, you just miss Deadpool and want to go back to that and maybe either have a few less flashbacks or spread them out a bit more. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic unique fun film. There isn't really a character or film like Deadpool and if you like more mature action comedies then this is a must see. 

Rating - 9/10

 Little Birds Season 1 (2020) Review

This show recently hit Sky and I have watched the first season of their new show Little Birds and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a woman who is the daughter of a rich weapons dealer go to Tangier to marry a rich man, who is hiding a secret from her. 

Main Character

Juno Temple plays Lucy the lead character and she is just functional. She does a good job of playing the bit more crazy irrational girl and when she really focuses on that it does work and she does a fine job of that. But her character just doesn't do much to make her that likeable, you never really care about her and the show does a poor job of making you understand her point of view. 

Supporting Characters

David Costabile who I mainly know from Breaking Bad plays her father and he is the best part of this show, unfortunately, he just isn't in the show that much. When he is on screen he is the one you pay attention to but yeah I just wish he had been used more. The rest of the cast did nothing for me, her husband Hugo was really weak and his character was extremley dull. Also the character of Cherifa is so over the top and honestly she did nothing for me or her plot point. The rest of the cast also feels really over acted and none of them interested me. 

Story

The story is all over the place here, I mean there isn't really a story here, especially for the first few episodes it feels like it doesn't know what to do. There also so many plot points on show and some of them aren't even completed and it makes you wonder why the hell they were even here, they introduce a mildly interesting plot point, but it wastes it and rushes it which is a let down.  

Script

The script is also really poor, the dialogue feels cheesy and over the top and for me it just doesn't work. The drama never hits the point that it should and the attempts at humour fall flat on its face, it also doesn't help that they wrote too many plots here which means none of them succeed. 

Style

The style of the show has some highlights, seeing Tangier is pretty cool and makes this feel a more unique style of show. Also the way it is shot and music that is used makes this better then it should be, but it also makes this show come across as style over substance. The style takes over from the storytelling at times and this show feels slow and that even though it is only 6 episodes it feels like the length of 10 episodes. 

Overall

Overall, this is a poor show. It aims for a more stylish show instead of one with an interesting story and interesting characters and I would avoid this show.

Rating - 3/10

 The One And Only Ivan (2020) Review

So far Disney+ has had few exclusives to its name but today the film The One And Only Ivan came to the streaming service and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a gorilla try and help him and his animal friends to get out of the life of performing and into the wildlife. 

Main Character

Sam Rockwell voices Ivan and I thought he did a really good job here. His voice really complimented the role well, his soft spoken nature for a gorilla really does work in an interesting way. You also care about Ivan and really want him to succeed, he is just really likeable and a nice lead character. 

Supporting Characters

Bryan Cranston plays the person in charge of the show and he is really good here too. It would have been really easy to portray him as a pure villain but the film does a better job with that and he is actually quite likeable, despite the fact he is clearly taking advantage of the animals you can tell he does care about them and the film does a good job in portraying that. The film also has some great actors in voice roles such as Angelina Jolie, Danny Devito & Helen Mirren which adds to the legitimacy of the film and they all do good in their roles. 

Story

The story has some good emotion to it, you care about these animals and want to see them happy. Though this film does something really clever, most films to do with animal captivity make the one in charge an evil brute of a man but this film doesn't do that and adds more character to Cranston which makes this feel a more interesting story. Though this film doesn't always convey that well, it seems a bit rushed, I am not sure if that is just to do with the length of the film but Ivan changes his motivations incredibly quickly without much explanation. 

Script

The script has some okay emotional moments and humour, I think it is mostly made better due to the quality of actors involved. It does some interesting things with the drama but mostly it feels like your typical Disney script that doesn't go as far as it could and a little bit of childish humour for the kids who watch this film.

Style

The style of the animals is very good, Ivan himself looks fantastic and really fits the screen incredibly well. But this film struggles due to its length, with it only being 90 mins long it rushes certain aspects of the plot and even wastes a few of the characters in terms of development. 

Overall

Overall, I liked this film. I think this is an easy watch and good for families to watch, not one to rush to see but it is one I think people will enjoy. 

Rating - 7/10

 

 The Rhythm Section (2020) Review

So this film came out earlier this year and I missed it but now I have had the chance to watch The Rhythm Section and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman seeking revenge against people who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family. 

Main Character

Blake Lively plays the lead character here and she is fine. She does a decent job in the action sequences and there were times were you felt for her character, but there just isn't enough there. You don't learn enough about her character to really care and there is nothing particularly interesting about her as our lead character here. 

Supporting Characters

Jude Law plays her mentor in the film and I thought he did a good job here, the best part of this film is easily watching Law train Lively and he plays the role well. But like Lively I thought there was more that could have been done with his character but this film just doesn't have the time or effort to go through with it. Sterling K Brown is a good actor but I have no idea what his character was about here, he is a pretty charismatic guy but that is not on display here and it just feels like he is wasted and a bit bland. The rest of the cast doesn't have anything to offer really and just feel like people for Lively to go after. 

Story

The story is good when it shows the training element. I like how Law and lively interact and seeing the training is interesting and the best part of the film. But my god this story is convoluted and it is hard to follow, again the fact that you don't care about Lively makes it difficult for you to get emotionally invested and care about the emotionally hitting parts of the film. Also the end of the film feels really rushed, it seems to breeze by and by the time you can take stock on what has happened the film is over. 

Script

The script is really dull, there is nothing stand out about it at all. The dialogue is bland, there is no humour and the drama doesn't do enough to get you invested in the characters or the plot, which as mentioned is written poorly and makes it hard to follow. 

Style

The style has some decent action scenes in it, one in particular is really good and it is just a shame the rest can't stand up to it. It is just a shame that with action films such as John Wick and Extraction with fantastic action this is just another by the numbers action film that has nothing that stands out. Also the pacing of the film isn't great, as I said before the ending feels really rushed and didn't work for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average action film that don't stand out. I honestly feel like this film would have been better as a TV series but unfortunately it is a by the numbers dull film that isn't worth watching. 

Rating - 4/10

 Arrow Season 8 (2019) Review

So after 8 years we have finally come to the end of the DC show that started a huge universe of its own Arrow and here is my review for the 8th and final season of the show. The premise of the season sees Oliver Queen have to work with The Monitor in an attempt to stop the upcoming Crisis. 

Main Character

Stephen Amell has become known for playing the role of Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow and he does a great job in his last outing as the character. He gives a really emotional and dramatic performance as he struggles with the crisis that is coming and how he plays into it. I have always liked how this character has moved with the times, in a world with aliens and speedsters he acknowledges it and becomes a better character for it. It is also clear to see the development that his character has gone through from the first episode to the last one and it shows a really well crafted and well developed character. 

Supporting Characters

David Ramsay as John Diggle is really the only other character who has been on the show since day one and really he has developed just aswell as Oliver. There friendship and brotherhood is on full display this season and again seeing how the character's friendship has grown since day one has been a really great watch and it continues here. Katie Cassidy as the Earth 2 version of Laurel Lance has had a good character arc since her introduction in season 5 of the show and it kind of comes full circle here and shows just how much of an interesting character she has become here. Katherine McNamara playing an older version of Mia Queen is much better this season then she was in Season 7, they do something interesting with her character and seeing her story arc is an interesting watch. But I also feel like certain characters that have been at the forefront of previous seasons are pushed to the side this season, such as Rene Ramirez and Dinah Drake played by Rick Gonzalez and Juliana Harkavy, they get very little to do here as the show focuses on other elements of its story. 

Story

The story is interesting, I think what this season does well in terms of its story is highlighting the journey that the characters have been on and showing how the past has shaped them into the characters that they are in this final season. Also most of the characters get satisfying endings, though it is clear that there are future plans for some of these characters in terms of there journeys in this universe. But this shows story feels unbalanced and just very different, the show feels more in line with The Flash and Supergirl in terms of its more science fiction elements and kind of loses the grit rough edge the show previously had. Also this show lacks a big bad and feels like a big build up to the Crisis, so when that is over the show feels a bit lost in what exactly it wants to do in it's last few episodes even though the finale is pretty satisfying. 

Script

The script here is a mixed bag, the drama really works. I think because of this being the last season it allows the actors and actresses to put more emotion into the story and make you care more about the characters. Though with being a bit grim, it does feel the little bit of charm is missing that has been there in previous seasons and that is a bit of a missed chance.

Style

I have always said that Arrow has some of the best action scenes in any TV show or film out there and this continues this season. The combat is fantastic and is filmed brilliantly, it just feels so forceful and gritty and shows just how good the performers and filmmakers are at showing action scenes. Though this film has a bit of a struggle with its pacing, luckily it is only ten episodes but with the crisis being such an important part it feels like that takes up so much of the focus that it takes away from its own individual story. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average final season of Arrow. It struggles in having to focus to much on the crisis crossover, but it still has some good things and as I said finishes this show in an appropriate way for the characters. If you are a fan of this show it should be seen and I think new fans should get into this show as there are some real highlights during the 8 season run.

Rating - 6/10

 X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014) Review

Next in my line of X-Men films to watch is the film that bought the two timelines together, X-Men: Days Of Future Past and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a future where Mutants are hunted down and destroyed by machines called Sentinels, Professor Xavier & Magneto send Wolverine back in time to 1973 where he must find there younger selves and stop Mystique from killing the creator of the machines. 

Main Character

There are a few main characters here so I am going to put them together. First of all is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and he is fantastic here, he is still the charming and charismatic guy here but it is also nice to see a more veteran version of the character that has to be a mentor to a young Xavier. In some of the previous films he has been given screen time over other characters but he is here the appropriate amount and it doesn't overshadow some other amazing performances. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are back as young Xavier and Magneto and they are amazing here. First of all McAvoy is fascinating, they really humanise Xavier here and they do a really good job of making him interesting and compelling, he feels even more human here then he did in First Class and it is a real highlight here. Then onto Fassbender who totally revels in his role as more of an antagonist but once again he is a remarkable antagonist, there is one scene on a plane that shows the strength of his performances and character. Also their chemistry together is still brilliant and really shows that Fox nailed it with this casting. 

Supporting Characters

I thought Jennifer Lawrence did a good job as Mystique in First Class but she steps it up a level here. She ups it in the action scenes and really feels closer to the Mystique that we saw in the original films, she also has a really interesting character arc and it feels like her emotions are stuck between Xavier and Magneto and it puts her in a really interesting position. Sir Ian Mckellen and Sir Patrick Stewart play the older versions of Magneto and Xavier and once again do a great job, they get less screen time here as the film mainly focus on the younger cast but they still add plenty to their roles and deliver when needed. Peter Dinklage, Nicolas Hoult and Ellen Page also give good performances in there smaller roles, also Evan Peters as Quicksilver is a show stealer, he isn't in the film much but when he is he owns every scene that he is in. 

Story

The story is really good, the characters are at the forefront of the story. We spend the majority of time with Wolverine and the younger cast and the position that the film puts them, I mean Xavier, Magneto and Mystique are really well handled and it makes them interesting characters. The contrast with the future scenes are great to, it is a dark really grim world which makes you realise why this drastic action is taken by the mutants. The last act is also fabulous and does a great job in showing how much the characters develop throughout the film. 

Script

The script is really great here, there are some fantastic dramatic moments and dialogue here. Plus the questioning of ideology is here in a great way, looking at the ideology of Xavier, Magneto and Mystique is great and that all of them are different. In this film they aren't really heroes or villains throughout but work towards their roles in the moral spectrum which is well handled. Also when needed the humour is good and it adds tot he quality of the film. 

Style

The style of the film is great, the 1970's looks great and the future scenes look really good and it fits the time periods that they are in and what has happened. The action scenes are really great, the powers are pushed to higher levels and the design choices are really unique and truly great and yes Beast looks so much better in this film. 

Overall

Overall, this is a brilliant comic book movie. It has great acting, great action scenes and a great narrative and is a must watch for anybody with an interest in The X-Men. 

Rating - 10/10

Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover Event (2020) Review

So finally all 5 parts of the DC Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths has hit the UK and I have got through them all and here is my review for it. The premise of the crossover sees the heroes of the multiverse have to come together and stop The Anti Monitor from unleashing power to destroy every Earth in existence. 

Main Character

Stephen Amell is at the end of his road with playing Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and for his last crossover he does a good job here. He is given a different role then he is used to in the previous crossovers but it is done well and it feels like the show gives Oliver more of a spotlight for being the first hero in this universe. Though I thought other main characters The Flash played by Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoit as Supergirl weren't given the shine as much because of it, it just feels like ther importance isn't played up as much which feels surprising considering how much the first half of The Flash season 6 has been setting up The Flash for Crisis. It is not that they are bad it is just they don't have that much to do. 

Supporting Characters 

There is a huge supporting cast here but I will mainly aim for the ones who have the largest role here. I have watched the first half of the first season of Batwoman and I haven't been sold on Ruby Rose's performance as Kate Kane but I actually think she is better here bouncing off of the other heroes, I mean it looks like this will be her last crossover and that is a disappointment as I feel there was potential for her to improve here. Sarah Lance played by Caity Lotz has always been a great character whether on Arrow or Legends Of Tomorrow and she is really great here, she really takes charge in the last few episodes and gets more time to shine and she does a great job adding some depth to the drama in the show. I have to admit that when Jon Cryer was cast as Lex Luthor I wasn't sure if he was a great choice, but wow I was wrong. He is fantastic in the role and just has such a quick wit and charisma that he is devilishly charming in the role and even though he is a clear villain you can't help but find him entertaining. But this show also wastes some of his characters, I mean if you are a fan of certain characters in this universe you will be let down as quite a few of the characters aren't really here or given a chance to shine. Plus the characters of The Monitor and The Anti Monitor are wasted and ultimately boring, Arrow set up The Monitor to be more interesting but this crossover fails on that and he just becomes a boring character and The Anti-Monitor is more boring as he is just a dumb villain that literally has no character. 

Story

The story is the largest this universe has ever done and it demonstrates that pretty well, some things happen here that feel huge in nature and it feels like it could affect it for the future and this really allows some exciting things that could happen in the future. But this character does struggle with balance, it has so many characters and it tries to give too many of them individual story arcs and especially at the beginning of the crossover it can be hard to follow and feel like too much is going on for unnecessary reasons. Also there are some cameos that feel really forced here which takes away from the story and it feels like it doesn't do much to help the telling of this tale. 

Script

The script is okay, it has some decent drama and nice humour I mean mainly from Lex Luthor but I can't deny that it is here. Though it must be said there is some poor dialogue here that feels pretty cringe which isn't the first time that it has happened with these shows. 

Style

Now this is the largest ever event in this universe so the action should be the biggest yes, and yeah it is, it is large in scale and it does feel cool seeing all these heroes working together and fighting these large forces. But the enemies aren't that interesting and it is clear that the budget was stretched here and at times the CGI looks poor and like it just can't hold up what is needed. 

Overall

Overall, this should have been the biggest and best crossover for The Arrowverse but for me it just felt pretty short. It is just distinctly average and doesn't do enough to hit the levels that it wanted to and it feels like the build to this hasn't been worth the time and hype. 

Rating - 5/10 

 Project Power (2020) Review

So the newest film on Netflix came out on Friday called Project Power and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a new drug sweep New Orleans that gives people the chance to have superhuman powers for 5 minutes, an ex soldier, cop and former drug dealer have to team up and stop it. 

Main Character

Jamie Foxx plays the lead character here and he is easily the best part of the film. He is pretty charismatic and adds the drama to the film. He is the only character with an arc and story in the film and it allows him to stand out above the others in this film. 

Supporting Characters

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the cop here and he is fine, he basically gets by the fact that he is a really good actor, because his character doesn't really exist here. Dominique Fishback plays plays the ex drug dealer and I wasn't a fan of her character, she just didn't have much depth to her and it felt like she was basically just here as a plot device. The villains here are really bland and truly dull, there is nothing interesting there and it is lacking here. 

Story

The story is incredibly generic, you can predict everything that is going to happen and there is no real twists and turns in the film. The idea of the film is great, but it is executed poorly and the plot feels like an afterthought compared to the visuals of the film. 

Script

The script is also really average, there is nothing to stand out. It lacks the great drama and intensity but also the bit of humour required. It drops pretty forced pop culture references but they just don't hold up in this film. 

Style

The style is a mixed bag, it is really cool seeing these different powers on show and how they is used is a real highlight here and well done. But this film is lacking in the action department, especially the hand to hand combat where it is really shaky and pretty hard to follow. 

Overall

Overall, this film wastes a really interesting idea. It is a really forgettable film and a real misfire as it could have been so much better. 

Rating - 4/10

 The Wolverine (2013) Review

So next on my list for the X-Men films is the 2nd solo Wolverine film, called The Wolverine and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Wolverine invited to Japan by a man he once saved, there he aims to survive a conspiracy involving his healing. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman is once again back in the legendary role and he does a great job here. He really thrives in playing the loner Wolverine and it is really good to see him away from The X-Men in this really unique journey. He still has that gruff and amusing personality but you see how especially events in X-Men: The Last Stand really affect him as a person and how this whole experience really brings him to becoming The Wolverine. 

Supporting Characters

Rila Fukushima plays Yukio here and she does a good job here, her chemistry and banter with Wolverine is a highlight of the film and is probably the best character partnership in the film. There is also a small role for a member of the X-Men, I won't say who it is but it is pretty obvious and adds quite a bit to the story and the character of Wolverine. But the rest of the cast are really bland, the villains are generic and boring with some of the worst motivation you will see, there is also this romance for Wolverine and it is really weird and actually feels wrong due to the clear age difference between the two actors and characters, plus they have very little chemistry together. 

Story

The story is interesting, seeing Wolverine for the first time really feeling vulnerable in the franchise is interesting and it allows them to have different storytelling options. I just like seeing Wolverine in this world which is different for him and it makes him feel like a more unique and deep character. But this film also has some dull storytelling, the villain motivations just do not work and the twists in the movie are easy to predict and actually feel in contradiction to other things that happen in the movie. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some okay drama and some nice bit of humour that really fits the character of Wolverine. But the drama never hits the level that it could have done, plus it does feel a bit convoluted at times with certain aspects seeming unnecessary. 

Style

The style of the film has some great action scenes, especially one on top of a bullet train that is really thrilling and exciting. Seeing Wolverine go against ninjas is a fun experience and a nice change of pace from the other films. But this film's last act goes so badly it is unreal, the reveal is terrible and the last fight scene has way too much CGI and feels like it should be in a different much worse movie. 

Overall

Overall, this is an okay film. It does some things well but also does things poorly. If you are a fan of the character then it is a fun watch but it isn't one I would exactly rush to see it.

Rating - 6/10

 Brian Banks (2019) Review

This film has an interesting story to it so me and my family decided to watch Brian Banks and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is based on a true story where a young American Football Player gets wrongly convicted for rape and sent to prison, years later he attempts to clear his name. 

Main Character

Aldis Hodge plays the title character and he is excellent here. He gives a really dramatic performance and you find it really easy to root for him against everybody else in this film. You really want to see him succeed and Hodge does a great job in delivering a very memorable and powerful performance that really drives this movie. 

Supporting Characters

Greg Kinnear plays the lawyer trying to help Banks and I thought he was great too, the two of them together have really good chemistry and you feel like his character has an interesting arc which works well alongside Banks which makes the movie better. Morgan Freeman has a small role here and I mean it is Morgan Freeman of course he is great when he is on screen, it is just he isn't in the film that much and it does feel like a missed opportunity. Sherri Shepard who plays Brian's mum also does a good job here and gives one scene in particular where she really delivers. The rest of the supporting cast also do a good job and add to the real quality of the acting here. 

Story

The story really relies on the strong performances, you care about Brian Banks and really want to see justice served on his behalf which yes is done well, despite it being clear that certain aspects of the true story have been embellished for the film. But this film does have some missed opportunities, like the relationship between Hodge and Freeman, it plays an important part of the film but we get very little of it actually on screen and the film kind of skips over the actual court part of the film which always disappoints me.  

Script

The script is great, the dramatic scenes are really well written and really make you care about Brian Banks. There is also a nice bit of humour in there that helps flesh the characters out and make it feel like this is a film based in the real world and not too over the top. 

Style

The style of the film involves some dramatic and important moments that you can't take your eyes off the screen for. It also does a good job in using flashbacks to flesh out the story which was nice to see. Though as I said the pacing of the film isn't the best and I just wish certain elements of the film had more scenes involving them.

Overall

Overall, I thought this was a great emotional journey. It is a very heavy film and an emotional ride so you have to be in the mood for it, but I think this is worth a watch for sure.

Rating - 8/10

 Anelka: Misunderstood (2020) Review

As a Chelsea fan I am a big fan of Nicolas Anelka as I thought overall he did a really good job at the club winning the premier league and FA Cup. But Anelka is also known as a journeyman playing in multiple countries and for some of the biggest clubs in the world. He also is known as a trouble maker causing many problems in his career and here is the Netflix documentary about his career - Anelka: Misunderstood and here is my review for it. 

First of all this documentary does a great job in reminding football fans just how good a player Anelka was. Some of the goals he scored were outrageous and to think of the clubs he has played for such as PSG when he was 16, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal. 

It also looks at some of the bigger controversies in his career, such as when he was accused of making an anti semetic gesture or when he led a revolt in the french national team at the 2010 World Cup. That one in particular takes up a large part of the film and it is really interesting seeing how the incident took place and having the other people such as Patrice Evra and Thierry Henry recount the event. 

But this film does suffer, first of all from the fact that is a film. Anelka has such an interesting career that honestly this could have been the same length as The Last Dance based on Michael Jordan and been fascinating. But it feels like it skips over interesting points in his career such as his time in Bolton or his time playing in China which is just missing here. 

Also this film is incredibly bias, it makes Anelka look like a guy who can do no wrong, even though it is clear he is very egotistical and not a team player at all. I was watching throughout and I was waiting for the opposition to him, but it never comes and feels like a puff piece created by Anelka's people. 

Overall, I enjoyed this documentary because I am a football fan, there are some clear issues here but if you are a football fan then this is a good watch about a memorable and unique player. 

Rating - 7/10

 X-Men: First Class (2011) Review

Next on my list of X-Men films to watch was the prequel and soft reboot of the franchise X-Men: First Class and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is set in the 1960's and sees a young Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr have to unite to stop a mutant group from starting World War 3.

Main Character

For years and three films up to this point we had come use to seeing Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen in the roles of Professor X and Magneto so it was definitely a change to see James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender take on the roles and they are brilliant here. McAvoy does a great job in showing Xavier as a charismatic guy which you would imagine he would be to get this group of people together. It is also great to see Fassbender as this man set out for revenge and playing a really intense version of the character. But their chemistry together is fantastic and I love seeing the dynamic between the two and how both of their ideologies conflict but they are clearly friends which maybe the original films didn't have a chance to do as much. 

Supporting Characters

Jennifer Lawrence has received some criticism of her portrayal as Mystique but I thought she did a good job here. She is meant to be portrayed as a young woman and fills that well and her personal story arc is important about acceptance and it adds emotional depth to her character which obviously had not been seen before in the original trilogy. Nicholas Hoult plays Hank and I mean no spoilers but Beast as well, I mean it is on the poster so I don't think it is a spoiler and he is good too. His arc with Mystique's is interesting and I mean I could have done without the romance between the two but I like how there different ideologies clash and you kind of see both points of view just like our lead characters. Kevin Bacon plays the villain Sebastian Shaw and he was a great choice here, his story with Magneto is really interesting and you can just see how much fun is having in the role. The rest of the cast do a great job to, including Rose Byrne who plays Moira McTaggert and Lucas Till who plays Havok. 

Story 

The story is done really well here, by focusing on the relationship between Xavier and Magneto it looks at the interesting ideologies of the two men that would really shape the X-Men franchise and their dynamic is what makes this film really interesting. This film also does the best job of any X-Men film of making the majority of characters interesting, X-Men films have found it hard to balance the amount of characters but this film does a pretty great job of doing that. Also the last act of this movie is fantastic and is one of the best you will see in any comic book film ever. 

Script

The script here is fantastic, the dialogue all feels really natural and balances humour and drama really well. Like the other X-Men Films it looks at larger social factors and this film does a great job of that as well. Also the writing for the characters is fantastic and really makes you care about them and the situations that they get themselves into. 

Style

There are some great action scenes here, it highlights the different power sets really well to create an exhilarating experience. There is a character called Azazel here and imagine a more violent Nightcrawler and he steals every action scene that he is in and adds so much to this film. This film is also paced really well, it might be over 2 hours but it moves so quickly and entertains from start to end. But I have one criticism here and that some of the effects and costumes look a bit cheap, I mean my main one is the design of Beast here, it looks terrible and really cheap and thank god it gets better in future films. Also I am glad that this film went more comic accurate with the yellow costumes but again for me they just looked a little cheap here and not as good as they could have been. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic X-Men film. It really does a good job showing younger versions of the established characters and introducing new characters which I appreciated and I would highly recommend this film even if you aren't the biggest comic book movie fan. 

Rating - 9/10

 Boys State (2020) Review

So the last film of London's Sundance Film Festival 2020 is the documentary Boys State and I have watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the documentary looks at a group of young men in Texas who come together to build a representative government from the ground up. 

So onto the things I like about this documentary, first of all I find it fascinating that a place like this exists. If you always wondered how young people in america get into politics then this documentary gives you an idea of that and it is interesting. 

I also liked how this film doesn't show every person in the best of lights, it looks at the different beliefs and motivations of a few of the people. It seems to be a reflection of modern politics and they look at how maybe being honest isn't always the best policy. 

But I would also argue that this film is kind of bias and clearly favours one side over the other. It portrays one person in particular Steven as a shining light and every other person really gets a negative portrayal giving you reasons not to like any of them which was a let down especially for the subject matter. 

Also I will say that if you are not well versed or interested in US politics this isn't going to interest you as much. For me it took some time to get going and I think it isn't until they really get debating that the film hits its strides and becomes particularly interesting. 

Overall, I think the enjoyment of this film will depend on your interests, I found it okay and I liked certain aspects of it. But my lack of interest in the subject held it back for me and made it a bit of a forgettable experience. 

Rating - 6/10

Luxor (2020) Review

So the second film of this years London Sundance Film Festival is Luxor and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a British Aid Worker return to Egypt where she spent plenty of time, she tries to get past her dark past by meeting an old lover. 

Main Character

Andrea Riseborough is a good actress and she plays the lead here and she does a good job. It is a pretty physical performance that she is a woman of few words and uses her body language to emote how she is feeling. Though there are a few great scenes where you see the emotion poor out of her and it really makes you care about her as a person. 

Supporting Characters

As I mentioned there is a love interest here and I didn't really care for him as a character, I just felt there wasn't much chemistry between him and Riseborough which did hurt their story arc, mainly because the film doesn't give you much reason to care about him. I mean there are a few other people in the film but they are given no time or depth to work with so really this is a one woman show. 

Story

The story is a slow burn, it does a good job of showing this woman in turmoil internally and seeing how she copes with the horror of the world is interesting and is risen up because of the quality of the lead performance. But I must be honest not a lot happens here, the film just doesn't really have much going on and it really can be quite tedious at times which hurts the overall story. 

Script

The script has some okay moments in it, there are some real dramatic scenes here that are elevated by Risebourough's great performance here. But this script doesn't do anything to really stand out, in fact there isn't actually that much dialogue at times which makes this film feel longer then it is. 

Style

The film looks very nice, it shows the scenery very well and the fact that the film takes place in Egypt gives this film a really nice background for the film. But this film is just incredibly slow and just a bit boring, it is less then 90 minutes but honestly feels at least 2 hours if not longer. 

Overall

Overall, I found this to be a very average film. I imagine if you dislike mainstream cinema and big action films then maybe you will like this but I would say it isn't worth the time. 

Rating - 5/10

 The Deceived Season 1 (2020) Review

So this week Channel 5 premiered a new drama called The Deceived and I have now watched the four episodes and here is my review for the show. The premise of the season sees a young student fall in love with her married professor but after a death in his family she finds herself in an uncomfortable situation. 

Main Character

Emily Reid plays the main female character here and I thought she wasn't very good. Looking at her history she has not acted much and it comes across, plus her character is really boring and hard to care about. She is really gullible and falls for everything here, there isn't any reason to care about her other that the guy is a bit creepy, she just added nothing into the role for me to care about her as a character. 

Supporting Characters

Emmet J Scalan plays the professor here and I thought he was the best actor here, though that isn't saying much. He does creepy quite well, you know something isn't quite right with this guy and that he isn't as nice as he seems. I mean there isn't that much to his character but for what he was given I thought he did fine. But the rest of the characters did nothing for me, they were poorly acted and there was nothing interesting about them, one character in particular called Sean was so bad here and every time he was on screen I just switched out. 

Story

The story is all over the place, if you have read the premise you can kind of guess the main idea for the story but it is so convoluted and stupid. I mean it tries to deal with supernatural stuff which it fails miserably and when the twist is revealed you are left shaking your head wondering who wrote this. This show also sets up a second season in an illogical way that shouldn't really interest anybody. 

Script

The script has nothing about it, the romance and drama just doesn't click for me to make me care about the relationships here. Also as I mentioned the writing goes all over the place in terms of storytelling and really hurts the show. 

Style

The style of the show does doe a half decent job in building tension and making the show aesthetically look nice. It is just paced poorly and even though there are only four episodes it feels like that is even too much. 

Overall

Overall, I thought this was an awful show, the acting isn't good, the plot is not good and it is not worth your time so don't watch it. 

Rating - 2/10

 

 Uncle Frank (2020) Review

So this weekend the London Sundance Film Festival is happening online and I am going to watch three of the films online over the next few days and the first one which I have just finished watching is called Uncle Frank and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is in the 1970's where a man and his 18 year old niece have to travel home where they are joined by the mans secret gay lover. 

Main Character

Paul Bettany of Vision fame in The Marvel Cinematic Universe plays Uncle Frank here and I thought he was superb here. He gives a truly memorable performance and it is really emotional, the film focuses on how living this secret life has affected him and how even though he is intelligent it doesn't change the fact that he is scared about living his life. He is very charismatic and charming and just leads the screen very well here. 

Supporting Characters

Sophia Lillis is in this film as his niece and this girl is having a great 2020 in terms of her star growing. I loved watching her on I am Not Okay With This and she is great here as well. She does kind of feel like a background character towards the end of the film but she does a great job in her role and I thought her and Bettany had really good chemistry here. Peter Macdissi plays his gay lover here and I thought he was a fun addition here, he is very different to everybody else here, he is more vibrant and over the top but I just liked him here and thought he was a very fun part of the film. The rest of the supporting cast also do a really good job in there smaller roles and add something to the film. 

Story

The story deals with many important subjects and themes, it is a film about acceptance and understanding people which is well done. It deals with the characters and there personalities well making the impactful moments hit in a larger way then I expected. Though this film also does fall for some forced emotional story elements, there is one in particular that felt wasted and didn't quite work and felt a little bit forced and like it had an agenda. 

Script

The script here has some good dialogue, it has the drama and emotion and actually some pretty funny moments which helped the flow of the film. But as I mentioned there are some forced moments that pretty much comes by weaker writing, that distrupts the flow of the film at times. 

Style

The style of the film does a good job of making the audience feel the way that you are supposed to. You will be upset when you are supposed to, happy when you are supposed to and laugh when you are supposed to. But this film does have some pacing issues, especially when the road trip aspects of the film take place and this film clocks in at 90 minutes which made it feel a little short for me as I thought there as maybe a bit more story to tell. 

Overall

Overall, I liked this movie. It tells some important messages and with good acting makes it worthy, I would say this is a film for film fans I think most casuals won't be a fan but if you are interested in good stories in film then this might be worth a watch. 

Rating - 7/10

The Vast Of Night (2020) Review

This film recently hit Amazon Prime and I have now had the chance to watch The Vast Of Night and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is set in the 1950's and sees two people discover a mystery signal that could change the town and the world. 

Main Character

Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz play the two leads and they are okay. They have some decent chemistry together which is nice to see, but it is clear to see that both of these performers have not done too much yet. It doesn't help that their characters are given no development whatsoever and I did find it hard to care about them as the film really gives you no reason too. 

Supporting Characters

This part will be very brief as there aren't really any supporting characters here at all. There are some people that appear but none of them are important and again they offer nothing to this film. 

Story

The story has an interesting investigation to it, you are wondering along with the characters what exactly is going on here and what is the mystery here. But it takes so long to get the plot going that you might not even care by that point, and as I mentioned before the characters aren't given anything to work with in terms of making them interesting. 

Script

The script has its moments there is some nice banter between the main two characters but that is about it. The drama doesn't work nor does the humour and there chemistry really carries this script to mediocrity. 

Style

The style of the film is unique, for a first time director I was impressed by some of the techniques used here as they stood out. I also liked how it looks like an old film and doesn't try and make it look modern which was a good choice here. But possibly the biggest criticism here is just how slow this film is and how long it takes to get going, it goes at a snails pace, it also makes scenes last way longer then it should and it just takes you out of it. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average mystery film that didn't quite work for me. If you are a fan of the older Twilight Zone episodes you might like this but I wasn't a huge fan of this one.

Rating - 4/10