TV Review: Doctor Who Series 10 Episode Three - "Thin Ice"

"I'm 2000 Years Old And I've Never Had The Time For The Luxury Of Outrage..."

As previously mentioned in last week's review of "Smile", the latest series of Doctor Who definitely has an air of Classic Who surrounding it, taking the blueprint set by early stories in the 1960's and 70's where mystery and intrigue are the leading force of a narrative in which although is rife and based in science fiction, is ultimately an A to B through-line of which audiences of all ages can understand and enjoy. In contemporary comparison, recent years have seen particular episodes of Doctor Who come undone by the vast array of knots certain scripts tie themselves due to silly plot points and the endless issues of dwelling with notions of time travel, yet with "Thin Ice", the fun factor is very much back in place, with the eerie element of the unknown horror acting as a common thread between each of the episodes so far this series with water-based stalkers and emoji-crazed robots being traded this week for a murderous entity which stalks its' prey underneath the frozen footpaths of the 19th century River Thames. Who's up for Piranha, Doctor Who style?

Whilst the threat of a gigantic hidden alien life form, one hidden in the confines of the surrounding area in which our favourite Time Lord seeks to venture upon is nothing exactly new, the charm and nostalgia factor which arises from seeing such harks back to days gone by when the BBC's prop department consisted of a rubber suit and fluorescent laser beams in their attempts to portray a wide range of life forms and whilst the overall narrative behind "Thin Ice" is standard to say the least, the relationship between The Doctor and Bill is once again at the forefront of an episode which seeks to identify what weaknesses are there when the two of them are faced with such a deadly menace. Witnessing death for the first time within the story, Bill's reaction to such conveys a deeper sense of characterisation than previous companions couldn't manage throughout their tenure and her questioning of The Doctor's violent past was an interesting side note, particularly for die-hard fans such as myself. With issues of race, power and responsibility all arising within the course of one 40 minute episode, "Thin Ice" is an interesting episode which continues and solidifies the solid relationship between its' two leading stars,

Overall Score: 7/10

Catch-Up Film Review: Rings

 "I Keep Thinking About This Story. There's This Video That Kills You. Seven Days After You Watch It..."

Blah, blah, blah. Whilst there is nothing new in the notion of American remakes, the category in which really grinds my gears is the one filled to the rim with English-speaking "re-imaginings" of foreign language horror movies, with absolute classics in the form of A Tale of Two Sisters, Let The Right One In and Ju-on: The Grudge all being mashed up and reproduced in the flight of gaining a quick yet tainted blood-stained buck on the account of the butchery which tends to happen when foreign movies are translated onto an audience which is primarily English speaking. Of the many horror franchises which has roots well and truly set in the minds of more intelligent filmmakers, Rings, directed by Spanish filmmaker F. Javier Gutiérrez, is yet another entry into the Ringu canon which began all the way back in 1998 with Hideo Nakata's terrifying cinematic take on the Koji Suzuki novel of the same name, and whilst the third American entry seems to begin with an element of interest, Rings unfortunately, yet unsurprisingly, ends up being yet another wasted opportunity, with it not only coming across as incredibly offensive to horror fans across the world, effectively spits on the shadow of its' former self with its' sheer and utter dreadfulness.

With a leading star who carries as much charisma and interest as an ASDA bag for life, Rings begins with a narrative which looks as if it is set to offer some new light into the world of spooky water-covered teenagers with long black hair by delving into a somewhat underground network of shady college preps who view the infamous killer video tape as a reason to get up in the morning, using the threat of Samara as a messed up type of adrenaline rush alongside a basis for Johnny Galecki's character's thesis on the mystery of her existence. Whilst this interesting notion covers roughly the first fifteen minutes of the movie, the following 90 minutes is essentially a cheap re-telling of a story in which every single person in the cinematic world is now bored to death with, trading real elements of threat and suspense with cheesy dialogue and awful jump scares which rely on the power of the cinema's sound system in order to actually come across as worthwhile. News alert; they don't. Ending on a supposed twist which offers up the idea that the franchise is set to continue into the future, Rings is the type of cinematic face-palm which you really struggle to understand its' existence. If you're thinking of buying it on DVD, don't. 

Overall Score: 3/10

Film Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

"Sometimes, The Thing You've Been Looking For Your Whole Life, Is Right There Beside You All Along..."

Whilst the first Guardians of the Galaxy was perhaps the first entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which expectations were not exactly of the highest order, the finished product was ironically one of the best the franchise has had to offer so far, introducing expertly characterised leading heroes amongst a crowd-pleasing narrative which managed to balance the irregularity and oddness of the source material whilst serving up arguably the best jukebox soundtrack this side of Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. With power comes increasing levels of responsibility however and a sequel to the biggest surprise of 2014 was downright inevitable, yet with James Gunn returning as director and the added involvement of iconic screen presences such as Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell, Vol. 2 is indeed up there with the most excitable releases of the year and a movie which is lynch-pinned within a period of twelve months in which there are so many superb upcoming movies to look forward to and a year in which Vol. 2 begins the triage of MCU movies which are set to be released over the course of 2017. What we have with Vol. 2 however is a sequel which is indeed as inventive and magical as it's predecessor, playing all the cards in all the right areas to keep its' intended audience more than happy, but too a movie which suffers from the issue in which many sequels tend to have, with it not entirely being up to the critical level of the original but still being an excellent new addition into the MCU.

With the added input of Kurt Russell as Ego, the long lost father of Chris Pratt's Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Vol. 2 thrives on the same sense of retro-loving freedom which encompassed the original, nodding its' head at a wide range of nostalgic avenues alongside yet another successful jukebox soundtrack which ticks off everything from E.L.O to George Harrison across a two-hour plus runtime which does seem a tad too drawn out come the final act. Furthermore, in a similar vein to that of Age of Ultron, Vol. 2 attempts to differ slightly from its' predecessor by sticking to a driving narrative which comes across as a much darker and melancholic tale, focusing upon a wide range of notions such as the meaning of family alongside a deeper sense of characterisation for each of the leading guardians who individually have enough substantial screen time between them to sway off arguments of favouritism from fans, even when the superbly managed inclusion of Baby Groot manages to steal every scene in which he is involved in. Whilst not setting up anything major in terms of the future of the MCU, Vol. 2 is a substantially entertaining blockbuster which although features arguably a higher dose of comedy than the first, is inevitably not as surprisingly awesome than one indeed hoped for, yet with a core character base in which you could happily spend an entire lifetime with, James Gunn's second helping of galaxy saving guardians is entertainment galore. 

Overall Score: 8/10

Film Review: Alien

"Ash, That Transmission... Mother's Deciphered Part Of It. It Doesn't Look Like An S.O.S..."

In preparation for what can only be regarded as Ridley Scott's last chance to revive the Alien series once and for all after the middling mediocrity which was 2012's Prometheus, cinema chains across the country are gearing us Xenomorph lovers up for Alien: Covenant with the re-release of the greatest science-fiction horror of all time in the form of the original 1979 Ridley Scott classic which for many, including myself, will be the very first time to witness the menacing threat of the first and very best entry of the everlasting Alien franchise upon the big screen. When it comes to the dissection of such a monumental piece of cinema, the release of Alien came at a time in which a 42 year old Ridley Scott was fresh and ready to begin his second high-profile cinematic release after the completion of the 1977 historical drama The Duellists, and with a script in-hand from American writer Dan O'Bannon, the journey onto the Nostromo was well and truly underway. Assembling a cast which featured an already well-versed acting talent in the form of Tom Skerritt, the Oscar nominated John Hurt and a leading star of Invasion of the Body Snatchers only one year previous in the form of Veronica Cartwright, Ridley Scott's had already embraced a solid acting staple to work from, yet unbeknown to possibly him at the time, the real ace in the hole was the seemingly unknown figure of Sigourney Weaver who in her portrayal of Ellen Ripley created a character who still to this day is as iconic as anyone in the entire backdrop of cinematic history.

With a narrative which is original as it is intelligent and rational, with each of the individual characters having enough solid background and personality to make choices and decisions that are both understandable and lifelike throughout the course of their torment upon the Nostromo, Scott takes the paranoid ambiguity of O'Bannon's script and treats it with equal portions of precision and care, with the real mesmerising features of witnessing Alien on the big screen for the first time dialling down to elements which on the small screen can sometimes be missed and washed over. These outstanding big-screen elements include a wickedly sharp sound design from renowned composer Jerry Goldsmith, one which encompasses the dark and grungy feel of the on-board surroundings of both the Nostromo and the alien planet in which our heroes venture upon, with Goldsmith trading full-blown levels of acoustic mayhem which is rife within modern-day horrors for carefully constructed moments of squeaks and hums which only enhance the oppressive nature of the film and the sheer predatory nature of its' titular murderous specimen. 

 Alongside the awesomeness of the soundtrack, the truly remarkable set design is a mind-boggling sight to behold, with it to this day being as groundbreaking as it is legendary in its' attempts to create a historic mythology which even in contemporary cinematic circles continues to baffle and blow the minds of every true science fiction fanatic out there who in their obsession with the world in which Scott has created link every clue from every subsequent release in order to understand the through-line to which the world of Alien has plated up since its' inception in 1979. Whilst many favour the James Cameron led sequel in the form of Aliens, the action-packed blockbuster which propelled Sigourney Weaver even more into the realms of cult status, my personal favourite of the franchise will always be Alien, a plain and simple masterpiece of cinema which laid the template for so many films that followed and a movie which ticks all the boxes for what I desire when sitting down and spending time delving into a cinematic universe, and with the direction and masterstroke of Ridley Scott, Alien is the type of cinematic universe which offers so much in return and will continue to do so for centuries to come. This is Ripley, signing off.

Overall Score: 10/10

TV Review: Doctor Who Series 10 Episode Two – “Smile”

 "Hearts Though, Why Two? Does That Mean You’ve Got Really High Blood Pressure..?"

When esteemed writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce was first introduced into the land of all things Doctor Who back in 2014 with Series 8's "In The Forest of the Night", it is indeed safe to say that the reputation which preceded the author of literature such as both novel and screenplay for Danny Boyle's Millions was not exactly lived up to, creating a story in which, let's just say, won't rank up there with the best the entire history of Doctor Who has had to offer up over the course of its' fifty year run. Returning this year with "Smile" however, Cottrell-Boyce is the first sacrificial lamb to throw an attempt at writing a tale for the Doctor's latest companion Bill, whilst reuniting with Capaldi for an episode in which although will never be regarded as a Who classic, is a solid enough second attempt for Cottrell-Boyce, with "Smile" having a successful double edged-sword which combines the classic formula of the original 1962 run amidst a narrative which is clearly designed to poke fun at contemporary technological vices in a manner which ultimately feels like a low-key and child friendly version of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror. 

In regards to the echoes of Classic Doctor Who stories, the idea of the Doctor visiting a future alien settlement and coming across not only an unsettling evil presence but a life-changing decision regarding the fate of the entire human race, perhaps the most obvious similarities are shared with both the Tom Baker led "Ark In Space" and "Robots of Death" with the former sharing the idea of human survival whilst the latter having a similar foe in the form of murderous artificial intelligence, albeit represented in completely different forms with the creepy green coated look being replaced with robots which communicate solely with the help of everyone's favourite messaging pastime; emoji speak. Once again, Pearl Mackie is impressive as companion Bill, asking the right kind of questions which are seeped in human ignorance regarding the existence of alien space-races and the complexity of time-travel, whilst the practical design of the episode is impressive, with the leading robot foes being something in which could easily be heading in our direction come the near future. Whilst the story does indeed seem to jump the shark come the end, with the final resolution a complete and utter cop-out, "Smile" is a strong enough episode and continues to set the groundwork for an impressive central partnership between the Doctor and his newly found companion.

Overall Score: 6/10

Film Review: Rules Don't Apply

"You're An Exception. The Rules Don't Apply To You..."

Whilst Warren Beatty might be best known in contemporary media circles as being lead conspirator in the Best Picture fiasco at this year's Academy Award's ceremony, a recent high-profile cock-up more commonly known as "La La-Gate", the attention comes in a somewhat suspiciously well timed manner considering the release of Rules Don't Apply this week, a picture directed, produced, written by and of course, starring the cinematic legend, who takes the leading mantle as infamous businessman Howard Hughes within the setting of 1950's Hollywood, supported by a simply enormous cast featuring the likes of Hail! Caesar star Alden Ehrenreich, Lily Collins, Matthew Broderick, Annette Bening, Alec Baldwin and the always superb, Ed Harris. With a cast as vast as this, Rules Don't Apply is the type of movie you would think on the surface is one which everyone in the current cinematic world seemed to aching to be involved in, particularly with the reputation of Beatty at the helm, yet the finished picture is one of entirely mixed fortunes, one which suffers from a non-existent narrative and some misjudged moments of self-indulgence amidst some basic film-making errors which makes you wonder whether the real Warren Beatty should most definitely stand up.

Of the good things within Rules Don't Apply, the leading trio of Beatty, Ehrenreich and Collins each give respectable performances amidst a screenplay which doesn't really offer much chance to break new ground, with Beatty really hitting the zany mark in his depiction of Howard Hughes, taking cues from DiCaprio in The Aviator when needed but strictly focusing on the wilder side of the infamous billionaire, whilst Ehrenreich continues to impress every time I see him perform on screen, gearing him up for inevitable higher levels of stardom come next year's Han Solo spin-off release. Star of the picture however is Lily Collins as the doe-eyed and wondrous Marla Mabrey, the keen and confident Virginian rookie who although is trying sometime in terms of awkward character quips and decision making, is a real find and completely holds her own against the likes of Beatty in a leading role. As for the not-so good elements of the film, Beatty treats the film as a personal blueprint for himself to engage in exceptional levels of excess, an understandable element when considering the character in which he is portraying, yet the sight of an aged Hollywood legend feeling up an intoxicated young star really didn't sit well on a personal level whilst some fundamental film-making traits are completely disregarded, with endless questionable edits and narrative trails which simply go nowhere. resulting in a movie which ultimately is a complete drag to sit through and when you consider the talent at hand behind it, Rules Don't Apply can only be regarded as a monumental disappointment. 

Overall Score: 4/10

Film Review: Unforgettable

"You Gave It All To Her, Right In Front of Me..."

Tackling the ridiculously difficult genre of the erotic thriller for a debut picture, new kid on the block, Denise Di Novi, seems to have gone full flow with the notion that to get somewhere quickly, the hardest options are sometimes the best to get out of the way. In regards to recent depictions of such a genre, within this year even, the widespread level of excellence ranges from the utter shoddy in the form of the Fifty Shades franchise to the interesting and brilliantly executed, with Elle and Park Chan Wook's The Handmaiden being top-end depictions of eroticism upon the big-screen, helped primarily from scripts which attempt to shake up the format and offer something original instead of simply falling into the pot of generic silliness. Unfortunately for Di Novi, Unforgettable is the type of movie which you question how it actually managed to make it onto the big screen with it clearly being the type of erotic thriller that is destined for the clearance DVD bin in your local supermarket sometime in the near future, yet with star power in the form of Rosario Dawson and Katherine Heigl holding down the fort, Unforgettable is passable, generic popcorn nonsense which ticks all the boxes in a manner which is both swift and unoffensive.

Whilst the trailer for the movie conforms to the common issue of giving away not just the main bulk of the movie but indeed the entire bleeding plot, Unforgettable comes across as representing itself as the 21st century model of Basic Instinct, yet without the shore footing of Elle director Paul Verhoeven in its' corner and without the iconic image of Sharon Stone as the film's leading bunny boiler. Replacing Stone in such a role is Katherine Heigl, the plain faced barbie doll who takes the character of the kooky and wholly obsessive ex-wife and completely runs with it. demonstrating the idea that girls with slicked back hair and a penchant for cleaning silver utensils are without question a grade A psychopath. On the other side of the court is Rosario Dawson's leading heroine, a character who through a wide range of questionable decisions ends up battered, bruised and completely ostracised from her newly found fiancee throughout the course of the movie in a manner in which is meant to exert a sense of tension from the audience, an audience which are way too clever and knowing to see where the entire plot is heading straight from the outset. The Handmaiden it ain't, Unforgettable is ironically, quite forgettable and is saved primarily due to its' two leading stars which prevent the film from disappearing into nonexistence forever. 

Overall Score: 4/10