Top Gun (1986) Review 

So I aim to watch Top Gun: Maverick this week and in my preparation I thought I would go back and watch the original Top Gun and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young cocky upstart join a school for fighter pilots where he has to learn plenty about himself in order to truly thrive. 

Main Character

Tom Cruise plays Maverick and this is one of his more iconic roles and he gives a really fun performance. His young, confident performance fits the character really well and you can't help but gravitate towards Maverick, the film then explores more into his character and you do end up caring for him and want to see him have a good ending. 

Supporting Characters

Anthony Edwards plays Goose, him and Cruise are fantastic together and have a great on screen chemistry. You feel this relationship and friendship has been crafted over many years and the two actors are really good with Edwards giving as energetic a performance as Cruise. Val Kilmer places Iceman and you can see how he is the polar opposite of Maverick, he is more cold and calculated instead of the risky attitude of Maverick. Though he is pretty much the villain of the film, you understand where he is coming from and he is just trying to do the best for himself and his wingman. Kelly McGillis plays Charlie who is the main love interest and she is good in the film. I like their relationship and how it develops throughout the film, she is a cool character and a good love companion. Tom Skerrit plays the main instructor and he is just a really cool guy, who treats his students fair but clearly cares and wanting them to succeed. 

Story 

The story is pretty basic, it really focuses on the romance and it works pretty well. The dynamic between the two actors work well and it is a well functioning romance. The dogfights are pretty cool and the characters do get time and it feels like they are fleshed out well enough. I just wish the film had spent more time focusing on the training school and a bit less on the romance, I felt like actually seeing them work through Top Gun more would have been really cool. 

Script 

The script is pretty well handled, yes it is extremely cheesy and at times that does come across too much but it fits the film. The film has decent drama and humour, it is just some of it feels too much and like it isn't serious enough. 

Style 

For a film that came out in 1986, the plane fight scenes are fantastic and feel really epic in scale, you feel like you are sitting with Maverick & Goose in the cockpit. The film also has an amazing soundtrack which has become iconic over the years, it really gets you into what is happening on screen. 

Overall

Overall, Top Gun is a great film that has stood the test of time. If you are one of the few who hasn't seen it then I would suggest a watch, especially with the great buzz around Top Gun: Maverick. 

Rating - 8/10

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) Review

After a long wait, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has finally come to cinemas and today and I have watched it and here is my review for what was my most anticipated film of 2022. The premise of the film sees after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Stephen Strange has to deal with more misgivings with the Multiverse that could lead to major ramifications. 

Main Character

Benedict Cumberbatch is once again back as Dr Stephen Strange and he is fantastic in the role. The film does a really good job of expanding his character, as in the recent team up films we haven't had a huge chance to do that. This film continues his character journey from the original film and Cumberbatch absolutely nails it. 

Supporting Characters

After WandaVision I truly realised just how great Elisabeth Olsen is as Wanda Maximoff and she shines here. Her character is given real shine here and her development is probably my favourite part of the film and I am glad it is given the time and justice for the character and actress. Benedict Wong gets more screen time as Wong and he is actually one of the most underrated characters in the MCU and I love the dynamic between him and Cumberbatch as they have developed into one of my favourite partnerships and this is the most we have seen of it. Xochitl Gomez plays America Chavez and she is a fun character, I don't really know anything about her character in the comics but she was a well fleshed out character here. Again the dynamic between her and Strange is well realised and feels like a friendship that we can care about. Rachel McAdams is back as Christine Palmer and she is better realised here then she was in the previous film and I liked how her character was used throughout the film. 

Story 

The story is good, this film does plenty of good character work and the main characters progress nicely and it really helps with the plot. You understand where they are all coming from and how things progress feels fluid. But, this film doesn't hit all the points, there are things from the previous film that are seemingly ignored and I understand it couldn't quite fit here but I was disappointed that it was clearly ignored. Also one character's ending didn't quite work for me and I think it could have been handled a bit better. 

Script 

The script is really good, the mix of humour and drama is really well realised. This film actually feels quite unique considering it is in the MCU but the writing is still really clever and it just suits this film. 

Style 

The film looks amazing, he film doesn't jump all over the place with its aspect ratio this time which is great. The CGI looks amazing and the tone is so interesting. This is the closest the MCU will ever get to a horror film and these elements feel really unique to a Marvel film and that made it really stand out to me. It is actually paced really well, which I was a little worried about and despite a lot going on it manages to all link up well. 

Overall

Overall, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fantastic film, you have to have watched the first Doctor Strange and WandaVision to truly appreciate it but this unique and entertaining film is definitely worth the watch. 

Rating - 9/10

Doctor Strange (2016) Review

I am off to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in a few hours, so I decided to re-watch the original Doctor Strange film and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees an arrogant neurosurgeon get drawn into the mystical arts in order to try and cure himself. 

Main Character

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Doctor Stephen Strange and he is great in the role. He plays both the arrogant Doctor and the Sorcerer really well and he feels natural as both. He is quite funny and as the film progresses and you see his character develop and grow an understanding on what he has to do as the character of Doctor Strange. It is a great introduction to the character and would lead to him being a big addition to the MCU. 

Supporting Characters 

There was some controversy when Tilda Swinton was cast as The Ancient One but I thought she was really good and there is real depth to her performance. You go in expecting one thing and the film makes you thinking other things about her and this is big credit to the performance from Swinton. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mordo and he is was a pretty cool character too, he takes up a mentor role for Strange but his character also gets time to develop and he progresses nicely with this new arrival totally changing his role as a sorcerer. Benedict Wong plays Wong and he is good in the smaller role he is given, the chemistry between him and Cumberbatch is good and it is a nice taster to what we would see in later film. Rachel McAdams plays Christine Palmer & Mads Mikkelsen plays Kaecilius, both are fine in there role and do nothing wrong it is a slight shame they weren't given more to do but they are both decent actors that try their best. 

Story

This is an effective origin story for Doctor Strange, it isn't the most unique one but it does a good job of building this character up and bringing this crazy wizarding world into play that was new to the MCU at this point. But some of the plot doesn't quite hold up, mainly the romance and villain plots, they just feel underdeveloped and like they were an afterthought which is a shame as it is a big part of the film. 

Script

The script is good, it is what is to be expected for a film in The MCU. There is a good blend of humour and drama and it pretty much all works. The characters are developed well and the plot is handled well enough for an introduction of a new character. 

Style 

The film looks amazing, the magic looks incredible and so unique. Seeing this on screen is mind blowing and there wasn't really much that could reach these levels. When it is in the IMAX shots it looks stunning and absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, the film transitions between the IMAX and normal Aspect Ratio way too much and it is really jarring, I wish they had stuck to one or the other as it really takes away from this amazing looking film. 

Overall  

Overall, Doctor Strange is a great origin film and does a really effective job in building this character for his debut and it is worth a watch for sure. 

Rating - 8/10

Moon Knight Mini Series (2022) Review 

After 6 episodes, Moon Knight has come to an end and here is my review for the MCU series on Disney+. The premise of the show sees a man with different personalities given the power of an Egyptian God, he has to decide how to use his powers in his fight to survive. 

Main Character 

Oscar Isaac plays Moon Knight, this role involves a lot from him as he has to play both Marc Spector and Steven Grant. Spector is the more hardcore and aggressive version, whereas Steven is more caring and adverse to violence. Isaac does a brilliant job balancing the two personalities, both feel like real characters and have some great development that makes this one of the more interesting characters in the MCU. 

Supporting Characters

Ethan Hawke plays the villain Arthur Harrow and I thought he did a good job. He isn't the most interesting villain ever but Hawke gives it his all and his talent maximises every bit out of it and it made him a worthwhile addition to the show. May Calamawy plays Layla and I really liked her in this show. The dynamic between her and Isaac is handled really well and she is a really strong female character that never got annoying or overshadowed Moon Knight. F. Murray Abraham voices Khonshu and his booming voice adds so much to the role and it makes him come across as this major being that controlled Marc and Steven's lives completely. 

Story  

The story is good, the show keeps things hidden but drip feeds with the information that is needed to know. I really cared about both Marc & Steven and the more you learn, the more interesting it becomes. I also like the deep delve into the Egyptian gods and it opens more doors for the future of the MCU. But there are a few issues with the storytelling, mainly the whole bad guy plot. Though Hawke does a decent job, his whole goal and motivation is weak and bland and it kind of fades into the background for me. 

Script

The script is great, the drama hits some high levels without feeling cheesy or over dramatic. There are bits of humour that made me laugh too, the blend is there and even though the connection to the MCU isn't huge in the show, it certainly has a bit of the tone involved. 

Style 

The style is very high budget and it does work. When Moon Knight is on screen it is fantastic, the action is smooth and actually a bit more violent which I felt was necessary for the character. It was paced well too, I was interested by what was going on and every episode felt a bit different which helped bring me back every week. Though I have a problem and that is the lack of Moon Knight on screen. For a new character, the actual character of Moon Knight isn't there enough and that for me felt like a let down. 

Overall

Overall, Moon Knight was a great show and introduced this new character really well and got me invested. If you think this show could be for you, then I would say give it a chance. 

Rating - 8/10