Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) Review

After a long break, I am back reviewing films and last night I watched the newest release in The Wizarding World, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Dumbledore and Newt Scamander attempt to rally and stop Grindelwald and his plan to start a war between Muggles and Magic Users. 

Main Character

Eddie Redmayne has been the showpiece of the Fantastic Beasts franchise as Newt Scamander and he is good in the film. He is just a pretty likeable character and he is very charming in the role. He shares more of the screen time this time around and it means we maybe don't get as much development with his character but I still think Redmayne does enough in the role. Jude Law's role as Dumbledore is more expanded in this film and I thought he was really good here, he was charming and charismatic. There was depth added to his character and it does feel like eventually he would become the character that we would see in the Harry Potter franchise. 

Supporting Characters

Dan Fogler as Jacob for me has been the best part of the Fantastic Beasts films and he is another great standout here. He is the comic relief and he is just fantastic at it, he is so funny and charming but this film adds some character there and develops him well. After the controversy involving Johnny Depp, Grindewald was recast as Mads Mikkelsen and he does a good job. He is more controlled then the previous iteration and feels less over the top which I personally preferred out of the villain. Jessica Williams makes her debut as Lally and I thought she was a really fun addition to the group, she is just entertaining to watch and has good chemistry with the rest of the cast but especially with Fogler. The rest of the cast didn't quite work for me, Ezra Miller is back as Credence and if you take the off screen issues out of it, I feel like he was underutilised. It felt like he was going to be a huge part of this film but he ends up being a side plot and Miller's stoic and dull performance does nothing to help. Another character wasted was Queenie, she was a big part of the previous films but it feels like she only does a little here and her character could have been more in the forefront especially where she was left in the previous film. There are some other characters here such as Newt's brother that doesn't add to much to the film and I feel like there was probably a few too many characters here. 

Story   

The story is okay, it is fun seeing the group of wizards and Jacob going after Grindewald and seeing the interesting things they have to do mixed with the fun personalities on screen. But the issue is in the overall grand plan of the film. like the Credence/Dumbledore plot line doesn't get enough depth or screen time and Grindewald's grand plan doesn't quite work for me with an ending that doesn't quite feel earnt enough to me. 

Script

The writing is actually one of the highlights of the film. This film does a good job in both the humour and drama. Fogler in particular is hilarious but other characters also have their moments of being funny. The drama was good enough too, it continues the relationships and dynamics from the previous films and does enough to make it interesting and feel like a continuation. 

Style 

The film looks pretty good, the action scenes are exciting and shows how wizard powers manage to work. It is a pretty fast paced film which for me made it a more enjoyable film. But I felt like the film had a tone issue, despite having some good writing it confuses when to use humour and drama which made it feel strange to me on whether I was meant to care emotionally or laugh. Also some of the background CGI isn't very good and occasional action scenes were filmed poorly despite the excitement. 

Overall

Overall, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a good film that is probably the best of the franchise. It still has issues that hold it back but overall I had a fun time with it. 

Rating - 7/10 

The Adam Project (2022) Review 

This film came to Netflix last week and I have finally had a chance too watch it and here is my review for the film The Adam Project. The premise of the film sees a time traveller having to team up with his younger self in order to create a better future. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds plays the lead character Adam and he is exactly what you expect and I actually think it really worked for this film. I think Reynolds flourishes when he is just being himself and this film is one of those, he is funny, charming and actually quite heartfelt as the older version of Adam. Youngster Walker Scobell plays the younger version of Adam and he was great and I think the future is very bright for him. The chemistry between Reynolds and him really carries this film and their performances are quite joyful to watch. 

Supporting Characters

Mark Ruffalo & Jennifer Garner play the parents of Adam and I really liked watching them. They just felt like really fun parents, seeing these top class performers having plenty of fun with their roles but also have depth in their characters makes them a great addition to this film. Zoe Saldana has a smaller role here but it was really impactful, she is also really fun on screen and adds some life to the film when it really needs it. But I must admit, I wasn't a huge fan of Catherine Keener as the villain, she was just pretty cliché and dull which is completely in contrast to the rest of the film and made it feel awkward and out of place. 

Story 

The story is fun, seeing two versions of the same character interacting does provide some great entertainment and the film keeps you invested throughout. There are thoughtful character moments and development which is more then I expected from this film. But this film just struggles with the fact that it feels a bit cliché with its storytelling, we have seen so many time travel films by now that it doesn't bring that much new to the table.

Script 

The script is pretty good, there is plenty of humour and for the most part it delivers and had me chuckling throughout. But as I mentioned before, there was a surprising amount of heart and drama too which rose this above just an average comedy. Though, this film struggles with exposition dumps and it wasn't handled in a very clever way and I think that held the film back, especially in the first act. 

Style 

The film also looks great, the style of the film is fun and exciting. The action scenes are well crafted and the future technology does enough to make it feel unique and adds plenty to this overall product. But the film does have a little bit of a pacing issue, the first act felt a bit slow and like it was taking its time building the world and then the later acts are so quick that it feels non stop. 

Overall

Overall, The Adam Project is a good film that would be a pretty fun watch for anybody. The combination of Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy hits the spot and I cannot wait to see their work together on Deadpool 3. 

Rating - 7/10

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (2001) Review 

So Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is set to hit cinemas next month and I thought this would be the time to go back and watch the films in The Harry Potter franchise, starting with the Philosophers Stone. So I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young child find out he is a wizard and he is enrolled in a school for magic where he tries to learn more about himself. 

Main Character

A young Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter and he does about as well as a child actor would do in the role. You care about Harry and there is that innocence about him that makes him easy to root for and support in his journey. But there is no denying that his acting ability isn't great, some of the delivery of his lines is cringe and I think this would have always been the case and at least with this film the youth of the character was a hinderance in terms of performance quality. 

Supporting Characters

The same could be said for Rupert Grint and Emma Watson's first performances as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They have clear characters and they do the best they can, Ron is quite funny and Hermione is smart but sometimes it can't be conveyed well enough because of the inexperience of the performers. The seasoned actors all do great jobs, Maggie Smith is really fun as Professor McGonagall and I like how she is as the teacher and her dynamic with the three kids is handled and Smith seems to be having plenty of fun. Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid is also really entertaining to watch, he is such a jolly character and he is kind of a mentor to Harry, which is one of my favourite parts of the film. The late Alan Rickman plays Severus Snape and he is just brilliant in the role, he has become iconic and this is the start of his run as the character. Richard Harris plays Dumbledore and honestly he doesn't have lots of screen time but when he does, he is a presence and I really like how they treat him as this ultimate wizard despite having a smaller presence in this film. 

Story 

The story does a really effective job of introducing us to the Wizarding world and getting us to instantly care about our main character and this new world that was created. I really enjoyed seeing the different lessons of Hogwarts and things like Quidditch. But this film does feel a little bit unbalanced, the last act has a reveal that doesn't quite work and I think it just meanders a bit in its storytelling. It has so much to tell us that it sometimes feels like exposition dumps even if it is entertaining. 

Script

The script is good, there are some pretty funny moments in the film and as I have said a few times I did care about the characters and when they were actually in peril. Don't get me wrong it isn't perfect but I think it does an effective enough job of introducing us to this franchise and the story that will not only be told in this film but plenty of sequels. 

Style 

For a film that came out over 20 years ago the effects are still pretty good and seeing the wizarding on screen is always fun. Also, despite the story being a bit passive, I actually thought it was paced quite well and something interesting was happening on screen. 

Overall

Overall, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone is a good start to the franchise that does the job well of starting this franchise and getting the young actors off to a start. 

Rating - 7/10

The Boys Presents: Diabolical Season 1 (2022) Review

I am a big fan of Amazon's show The Boys and now they have released a spinoff anthology animated show called Diabolical. I watched through it all today and here is my review for it. The premise of the show looks at 8 original stories that fit the tone of The Boys and features some of their characters. 

This show varies so much that it is really hard to talk about. The best episode by a country mile was the final episode which looks at some of the origins as Homelander, The amazing Anthony Starr returns to voice the character and he does such a great job in showing how he became the character that we know in the live action show. If the show had been all of this then this show would have been amazing and something truly worthy of the title. 

But the show has seven other episodes that for me ranged from average to bad. It has an amazing collection of voice actors but none of them get any chance to shine because it is hard to care about them given the extremely brief time we spend with them. The episodes are only about 10-15 minutes long and it makes it an easy watch in terms of length but also quite unfulfilling in the way it presents itself. 

The violence is even more over the top here then it was in the live action show but it felt more pointless here. The writing is sub standard and it just feels like shock value to me and something that felt like just an excuse to see just how much they could get away with. 

Overall, The Boys Presents: Diabolical is a below average show that unless you like the live action show is not worth the time. Even then just watch the final episode and avoid the rest. 

Rating - 4/10 

The Batman (2022) Review

After many years The Batman has finally made its way to the Cinema and I managed to get to the cinema and watch it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a Batman in the early part of his career having to take on a new foe which will push him to new levels and makes him question his whole motivations. 

Main Character

There was plenty of controversy when Robert Pattinson was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman but I actually had high hopes and I have to say I thought he did a really good job. He sold the pretty new Batman well, he is probably the most aggressive version of the character and you just feel the intensity radiating off of him. But there is real development here and I feel like the version we meet at the beginning of the film compared to the one at the end has changed quite a bit and it is well handled. This is very much a Batman film and thus sees him less as Bruce Wayne but when he is, it works well enough it just isn't the focus of the film. 

Supporting Characters

Zoe Kravitz plays Selina Kyle/Catwoman and she is great. The dynamic between the two of them is really well handled and I really enjoyed watching her character develop as there are some really interesting story parts with her. Paul Dano plays The Riddler and they do an amazing job with this character. He is like a horror character and seeing him go about his mission is fascinating and he was the perfect villain for this film, his motivations were really well executed and this is redemption for this great character. Jeffery Wright plays James Gordon and this is another stellar depiction of the character, he is tough but fair and I really liked the partnership between him and Batman. Despite their relationship being quite new there is clear trust and respect between the two of them. Colin Farrell plays The Penguin and despite being caked in prosthetics it is a really strong character, it feels honest to the comics and creates this really cool mob character that fits well in this universe. 

Story 

The story is expertly handled, this is a true detective story. For the first time really in film, it feels like Batman is a proper detective and this mystery kept me guessing and the twists and turns were really effective. There are so many characters and plot points here that I was worried it was going to be too much, but it all fits together really well and nothing felt out of place to me and that was a really impressive piece of storytelling to me. 

Script

The script is extremely grim and this is no doubt the darkest Batman film we have ever seen. But it really fit this film and I was fine with it, this film writes all of its characters really well and keeps the film progressing in a really interesting and for me captivating way. 

Style 

The film has an amazing style, Gotham has never looked better, it is so bleak and grey that it feels like it is ripped straight from the comic books. The harder hitting action is so well done and makes Batman way more brutal and less reliant on gadgets which feels extremely fitting for the story that was being told here. Yes, the film is 3 hours but I thought the film was paced really well and I was never bored. There wasn't anything that I thought should have been cut or trimmed down and fair play to Matt Reeves as a director who did an amazing job here. 

Overall

Overall, The Batman is a truly special comic book film that I loved. Fans of Batman will love it and it is a must watch, I am not saying this film is as good as The Dark Knight but it is pretty close and that is great to see for the character of Batman in 2022. 

Rating - 10/10

Peaky Blinders Season 2 (2014) Review 

It may have taken a bit longer then I expected but I have now had the chance to watch the second season of Peaky Blinders and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees The Peaky Blinders looking to expand their empire to London, this causes different factions to come into conflict and cause problems for Tommy Shelby. 

Main Character

Cillian Murphy is back as Tommy Shelby and once again he is fantastic. It is just so much fun to root for this anti hero as he is put in these awkward positions but his charisma and confidence makes you always feel like he is in control. Murphy feels like a real star here and he crafts out this wonderful character that is the poster boy of this great show. 

Supporting Characters

There is a huge cast of supporting characters which means I may not to get everybody but just my favourites. Paul Anderson plays Arthur Shelby and he is probably my favourite character to watch, they continue his character arc from the first season and he is just really entertaining and messed up to watch. Sam Neil is back as Detective Campbell and he is even more vicious this season and kind of becomes more like the characters that he detested from the first season of the show and he is a great character to watch. Tom Hardy makes his anticipated debut as Alfie Solomons and for me he is a show stealer, he is just so intense and adds this real wrinkle into Tommy Shelby's life and he also adds some real star power to this already star studded cast. The late Helen McCrory gets so much shine as Polly in season 2 and her character is taken into some darker places and it brings her into conflict with others and it shows just how great she is in this role. The others in the cast are also really great and everybody really does a great job. 

Story  

The story is really good, it shows how the world is expanding and how The Peaky Blinders go about their business. They are blending between the illegal and legal parts of business and I think it is handled well and shows the balancing act for all of the characters. The only issue is that there is so much going on in this season and not all of it gets resolved so it feels like setup for future seasons that I am sure will be great but for here it made it feel like the ending didn't exactly pack the great punch. 

Script 

The script is really good, it is intense and explosive for sure. The blend between humour and drama is balanced really well and it makes these characters feel like actual people and it makes you care about the drama that they are in. 

Style

The show looks amazing, the backgrounds feel really authentic and gives you a feel of exactly the Birmingham that we are a part of. The music is something that does adds so much to the show and just raises the cool value up loads. The violence is always there and action is intense enough to really make it feel like a brutal show. 

Overall

Overall, Peaky Blinders Season 2 is a fantastic show and another season to sink your teeth into and keep me going on my way to the current 6th season. 

Peaky Blinders Season 1 (2013) Review

The final season of the vastly popular show Peaky Blinders is coming next week and I have actually never watched the show, so what better time to start then now. So here is my review for the first season of the show. The premise of the season sees a crime family looking to grow their business against competitors and the police. 

Main Character

The great Cillian Murphy plays Tommy Shelby and he is amazing in this role. He was built for this role and I really enjoyed seeing him as the leader of the family and how he wasn't just this gruff guy and had a real personality. Despite his many flaws it became pretty easy to root for him and the Peaky Blinders in the activities that they are doing. 

Supporting Characters

The legendary Sam Neill plays the police officer sent after the Peaky Blinders and he is also fantastic. He comes in with a strong will and determination to take down the group but he isn't your squeaky clean police officer and seeing his methods is an interesting comparison to the opposition group. Paul Anderson plays Arthur Shelby and he might be my favourite character on the show, there is just a charm for the loveable idiot which he is and Anderson plays it up really well. Joe Cole plays John Shelby and he fits the group really well too, he is the youngest of the trio and is more hot headed. He also had plenty of charm and is just really likeable. The late Helen McCrory plays Polly and she is a really strong female character, she is the matriarch of The Peaky Blinders and she owns it completely. The group just mesh really well together and it feels like a true family which is a good credit to the actors. Annabelle Wallis plays Grace, at first she seems like a fairly superficial character but as she gets more screen time you learn there is more about her and she is effective in her role. 

Story 

The story is really good, seeing the rise of this group and the issues that they have with other criminal organisations and the police. It ebbs and flows well and shows just how much Tommy Shelby has to deal with as the leader of this group. All of the characters have their time to shine and character development which is great to see. Though my only slight criticism is just how much is put into the first season of the show and one particular arc that happened in the last few episodes that felt a bit out of place in my eyes. 

Script 

The script is fantastic, it really feels natural and creates a group of interesting characters. It is obviously a pretty serious show and the drama is handled really well. But there are those bits of humour that are really strong and made the show feel truly great. 

Style 

The show looks amazing, it is filmed fantastically and I just loved how it was shot and how it really feels like its own special style. The use of music is also great and add so much to the show, it gets you amped for the fight scene we are watching and the show as a whole. 

Overall 

Overall, The First Season of Peaky Blinders is fantastic and is a must watch. This is a great start and is a show that should be watched for sure. 

Rating - 9/10