TV Review: Doctor Who Christmas Special - "Twice Upon a Time"

"You May Be A Doctor, But I Am 'The' Doctor, The Original You Might Say..."

Introduced briefly within "Day of the Doctor" via the iconic gaze of his distinctive grizzly eyebrows, Peter Capaldi's interpretation of the travelling Time Lord has undeniably been my own personal favourite of the modern incarnation of the series since it began back in 2005 due to a wide collective of reasons including the Scottish actor's personal fondness for the ways of the classic series in which he has both played courteous respect to and adapted upon to become the first real "true" Doctor since the series was revived. Of course, many will undeniably disagree, but for a fan whose introduction to the series began years before talks of a revival even simmered to the surface, the likes of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker were critical in identifying the blueprint archetypes for the characteristics of the Gallifreyan, and what Capaldi's tenure has accomplished is the way in which it has brought back these fundamental elements of the classic series in which I hold in such stupendous esteem. With "Twice Upon a Time" therefore, not only do we wave a melancholic goodbye to the Twelfth Doctor, but to showrunner Steven Moffat too, who after seven years at the helm hands the reins over to Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall, and what the two great Scots have left us is a surprisingly low-key tale of two falling Doctors who are unable to cope with the thought of their oncoming, inevitable death, and whilst Capadli's tenure doesn't conclude with as big as bang as previous regeneration tales, "Twice Upon a Time" is a fitting and emotionally engaging final act.

Beginning with a recap which takes the audience to events depicted in William Hartnell's own regeneration story, "The Tenth Planet", David Bradley's uncanny interpretation of the original Time Lord is re-introduced, setting the narrative in motion for a cautionary tale which favours discussion and contemplation over over-zealous nonsense, and an easy to follow secondary plot thread which completely counteracts the rather ploddingly handled Matt Smith finale, "Time of the Doctor" which decided to monkey wrench in as many narrative arcs and plot twists as humanly possible. With a returning Pearl Mackie added to proceedings, her presence is rationally explained and wholly justifiable, resulting in the return of the delicious chemistry between herself and Capaldi which encompassed the entirety of Season Ten, and with David Bradley scarily matching the politically incorrect mannerisms of his respective Doctor, the first three quarters of the episode balances notions of death, both before and after, to a more than entertaining, sombre extent. Of course, with regeneration much publicised, the concluding act of the episode dedicates its' time to Capaldi's farewell tour, with particular returning faces resulting in a fusion of both fan-pleasing giddiness and heart dropping sadness, and with a final speech which not only reinforces Capaldi's merits as a terrific dramatic actor but a truly perfect Doctor, the time inevitably comes for the first sight of Jodie Whittaker as Doctor number Thirteen, and whilst her time on-screen is way too short to make a reputable impression, the future looks bright for a show which is heading in a direction of both freshness and excitement. Farewell, Mr. Capaldi, you were and still are the Doctor we needed. The King is dead, long live the Queen...

Overall Score: 8/10

Film Feature: Looking Forward to Film in 2018

2018 In Film

Whereas 2017 proved that audiences were more inclined to disperse away from a turgid summer blockbuster full to the rafters with trashy, monetary fuelled nonsense and head instead for the likes of interesting, well-made movies in the ilk of Andres Muschietti's It and Christopher Nolan's spectacle epic Dunkirk, particularly within the UK, 2018 is the chance for Hollywood to recompense for their sins in a year which once again features endless amounts of sequels, remakes and franchise continuing cash cows which counteract the release of independant and much more interesting movies which although tend to falter at the box office in comparison, do tend to be the movies which make more of an impact throughout the year. As per the norm at Black Ribbon at the start of a new cinematic year therefore, here we will look forward to 2018 in film, picking out the highlights of a year full to the rafters with new and hotly anticipated movies and attempting to gauge which ones will be the real hits of yet another twelve months of visiting your local cinema.

Beginning the year and acting as a cure for the inevitable celebration hangover is Aaron Sorkin's Molly's Game, a dramatic adaptation of Molly Bloom's career as the high-profile poker runner with a brilliant central performance from the ever reliable Jessica Chastain and a supporting cast featuring the likes of Idris Elba and Kevin Costner. If the first day of 2018 is primarily acting as a day of recovery however, the first weekend of the year brings with it a stack load of new releases including the Ridley Scott directed All the Money in the World, featuring a thrown in Christopher Plummer after the much publicised Kevin Spacey debacle, as well as the latest Christian Bale movie, Hostiles from Black Mass director, Scott Cooper. Heading through January and into February therefore, Oscar season sweeps along with the likes of Darkest Hour, Steven Spielberg's The Post, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and of course, Paul Thomas Anderson's latest, Phantom Thread, featuring Daniel Day Lewis' self-proclaimed final on-screen performance, and whilst all are seemingly on show primarily for awards consideration, neutral film fans can take comfort in the release of the Ryan Coogler directed Black Panther just on the stroke of the half term holidays, one of three MCU related releases over the course of the year. 

With the Greta Gerwig directed Lady Bird featuring the radiant presence of Saoirse Ronan, and Guillermo Del Toro's The Shape of Water closing out the end of February with a much anticipated bang, the following weeks bring with it Francis Lawrence's Red Sparrow, an American spy thriller which reunites the director with Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence, alongside the likes of the Walt Disney released A Wrinkle in Time and the science fiction spectacle sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising, both of which are guaranteed to light up the box office to some extent before summer hits, even with the likes of the second Spielberg release of the year in the form of Ready Player One acting as healthy competition. Carrying on through to Easter, the latest X-Men installment in the form of the Anya Taylor-Joy and Maisie Williams starring, The New Mutants, gets a release, whilst the Martin Freeman starring horror portmanteau, Ghost Stories also comes to cinemas after a handful of trailers which immediately pricked up my attention, yet the holidays will undoubtedly belong to Avengers: Infinity War, the biggest release of the MCU so far which brings together the many plot threads set in place since the franchise's inception back all the way in 2008 and a movie which will undoubtedly break a handful of blockbuster records with a rising wave of anticipation after its' recently released trailer. We can't wait. 

Skimming through May and into June, the money machine which is the Star Wars universe continues with the Ron Howard directed Solo: A Star Wars Story featuring Hail, Caesar! star Alden Ehrenreich as the titular space cowboy, whilst the likes of the ensemble comedy thriller Game Night and Deadpool 2 are sure to find audiences in their own right, particularly the latter after the outstanding commercial success of its' predecessor back in 2016. With A Monster Calls director on directorial duties for the latest Jurassic Park movie in the form of Fallen Kingdom, with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard both reprising their role from the previous installment, the most interesting sequel of the month goes to Sicario follow-up, Soldado, featuring the return of both Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin from the stunning Denis Villeneuve thriller back in 2015, with a screenplay once again from the extraordinary scribing talents of Taylor Sheridan, and if the dark underworld of the American drug trade isn't for you then maybe Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again or Mission: Impossible 6 is indeed the sequel for you. Whilst the latter end of the year does simmer down in terms of possible future releases, the likes of Shane Black's The Predator, the latest adaptation of Robin Hood and the final MCU release of the year in the form of Ant-Man and the Wasp, will hopefully all be there to entertain the masses before the final three months of a jam packed year of film. 

With a Star Wars release absent from the Christmas schedule for the first time since 2015, the remaining couple of months of 2018 open the floodgates for a wide range of eclectic releases including the likes of the Tom Hardy starring Venom, Andy Serkis' take on Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book and even the newest release in the everlasting and indestructible Halloween franchise. Sticking on the lines of horror releases, Eli Roth's The House With a Clock In Its Walls will appease an incredibly niche fanboy audience whilst Don't Breathe director, Fede Álvarez takes over from David Fincher on the continuation of the Americanised Millennium series with The Girl in the Spider's Web featuring Claire Foy as Lisbeth Salander. From a personal point of view, Whiplash and La La Land director, Damien Chazelle also returns with First Man, an autobiographical drama focusing on the life of Neil Armstrong, and with both previous releases managing to receive full marks here at Black Ribbon, the bar is set exceptionally high. No pressure. Finishing the year with the likes of Aquaman, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Mary Poppins Returns, it's fair to say 2018 is set to end with a considerable bang, but of course, with so many releases to come, please stick with us for another twelve months of movie reviews as we attempt once again to point you in the right direction of where you should be spending your well earned pocket money. Enjoy!

Black Ribbon's Worst Films of 2017

Worst Films of 2017

With the year filled to the rafters with some simply sublime cinematic releases, it comes at no surprise that where there is light, darkness swifty follows in the form of the real stinkers of the year, films which have managed to enrage, bore and reduce us to sleep induced comas due to their unavoidable awfulness. Whether it be shoddily made crime thrillers, laughable accented spy adventures or distasteful animations, 2017 has managed to succeed in giving us a varied selection of terrible movies and here is where we countdown the very worst, beginning with...

10. Fist Fight

With a characitured Ice Cube and the joint worst leading performance of the year by Charlie Day as the ear-piercing and undeniably annoying mild mannered teacher who is tasked with battling his fellow colleague in order to well, create some form of narrative, Richie Keen's misjudged nightmare features a wide range of sickening elements ranging from a paedophilic teacher to flatlined comedic puns which results in Fist Fight up there with the worst American comedies to travel the far seas in years. Ice Cube? Get back in the freezer mate. 

9. Unlocked

Featuring the worst performance of the year by a fair few air miles, Michael Apted's Unlocked utilises the downward spiralling skills of Orlando Bloom as a laughably bad cockney cliche who chases after Noomi Rapace's CIA interrogator as she finds herself at the centre of some boringly timid government conspiracy. With a cast featuring the usually reliable talents of John Malkovich, Michael Douglas and Toni Collette, Apted's movie is a ludicrous mix of plot holes and laughable dialogue which comes across as the dead, lost long cousin of the masterful Bourne franchise.  

8. Flatliners

The remake to end all shoddy remakes, Niels Arden Oplev's woeful reimagining of Joel Schumacher's 1990 science fiction horror is the definitive blueprint of how not to bring a film back to life, and whilst the inclusion of Ellen Page brought a certain element of interest to the table, Flatliners falls into a concluding second half convoluted with messy and immature character arcs, tacked on CGI and poorly managed horror tropes which just seem shoehorned in and wholly undeserved. Dead on arrival, Oplev's movie is a laughable excuse to bring back a film which even in its' original film struggled to properly ignite. 

7. The Snowman

Let's be honest, the mercurial presence of Michael Fassbender hasn't had the best of years, and even though I was one of the few advocates of the somewhat decent Assassin's Creed, Tomas Alfredson's unbelievably shoddy live-action adaptation of Jo Nesbø's Scandinavian chiller is undoubtedly the worst made film of the year, a picture with a catalogue of obvious and unforgivable sins which succeeds in failing to adhere to even the most basic of fundamental filmmaking principles. With Alfredson himself stating the movie was "incomplete" due to a hectic filming schedule, The Snowman highlights a concoction of disasters which when considering the talent involved, is simply atrocious to say the least. 

6. Justice League

The true downfall of DC's live action adaptation of Justice League falls primarily down to a wavering production process and a heightened sense that the wandering franchise was somewhat heading in the right direction after the critical and financial success of Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman, and even with the eye catching inclusions of Batman, The Flash and the first live action appearance of Aquaman, Zack Snyder's ensemble adventure is absolute tosh. With two dimensional leading characters, awfully constructed CGI and a excruciatingly cliched end of the world narrative, Justice League makes Suicide Squad look a bonafide masterpiece and with the future of the DCEU in undignified jeopardy, Snyder's move may indeed be the final nail in the coffin.

5. The Bye Bye Man

Horror is the type of genre which is designed to heighten and play with the sense of natural and fundamental animal instincts of fear of the unknown, and whilst The Bye Bye Man does somehow manage to have the cheek to place itself in such a category of cinema, Stacy Title's truly embarrassing movie is a middle finger to the hoards of horror fans across the globe. With the titular leading villain coming off as threatening as a stereotypical enemy from an episode of Scooby-Doo and a strange ensemble cast featuring the likes of Carrie-Anne Moss and yes, Faye Dunaway, The Bye Bye Man is the type of straight to DVD garbage that deserves to rot way in the bargain bin.

4. Table 19

Let's be honest here, why is Anna Kendrick still employed when films such as Jeffrey Blitz's Table 19 highlight just what an awfully misjudged actress she truly is. Harsh somewhat? Negative, and when considering the cringe-laden nonsense of Blitz's painfully bad romantic comedy, a film which is ironically neither romantic or comedic, the time has surely come to end the suffering of audiences across the globe and simply blacklist anyone involved in such a staggeringly poor cinematic experience which has only resulted in the continuation of nightmares which suggest this is indeed the way cinema may be heading. HELP!

3. CHiPs

A live action remake nobody wanted of a television show no one has ever heard of unsurprisingly results in shoddiness galore and even manages to make Bad Boys look like The Godfather. With director and leading fallen star Dax Shephard handing over all the reasons to give credence to the notion of him undeniably being the most unqualified man in Hollywood to helm such a production, CHiPs suffers from a tragically dull and cliched narrative, laddish sexist humour and jokes about the disabled which made me want to launch my coffee at the cinema screen, and even with a blink and you miss it appearance from Vincent D'Onofrio, Shephard's movie at least identifies the American as cinematic influenza. 

2. The Emoji Movie

Whilst Inside Out, Zootropolis and Song of the Sea demonstrate contemporary animation cinema at its' very finest, the abysmal abomination which is The Emoji Movie presents the medium at its exploitative worst, utilising the child friendly nature of the genre to convey a narrative which approaches truly jaw-dropping elements of self-promotion garbage which encourages the younger generation to entirely depend on their mobile devices in order to be the coolest kid in town. With plot threads which delve into piracy and internet trolls, The Emoji Movie is one of the most retrograde misjudged releases in history made all the worse by the universal state in which it is projected. You know what they say, you can't polish a turd. 

1. Transformers: The Last Knight

And here we are at last, the indisputable champion of all things woeful, Michael Bay's staggeringly boring and unbelievably exhausting marathon of a movie sets a new standard for box office disasters, and even with the added input of a dollar ringed Sir Anthony Hopkins, The Last Knight singlehandedly creates a brand new genre of cinematic ventures; elongated torture. With a runtime which transcends the realm of human nature as we know it, sloppy, disgraceful editing and the utilisation of Laura Haddock as simply distasteful cannon fodder for the perverse prying eyes of Bay's obsession with the objectification of the female body, The Last Knight sets the bar of the already much maligned Transformers series to new unexplored depths, resulting in the latest addition to the franchise being the categorical favourite for worst release throughout the course of 2017. Congratulations.

Next Time... Looking Forward to 2018 in Film!

Black Ribbon's Best Films of 2017: Part Two

Best Films of 2017: 10-1

 

10. The Handmaiden

With stunning set locations and gorgeous costume design, Park Chan-wook's deliciously twisty and beautifully made romantic thriller is a real cinematic sight to behold. Based upon Sarah Waters' novel "Fingersmith", the Korean's latest is a multi-layered mystery with a wavering narrative which keeps you gripped and guessing right until the end. Featuring recognisable elements from his previous work on the excellent Vengeance trilogy, The Handmaiden may not be Chan-wook's boldest movie to date, but boy is it his most richest and bewilderingly erotic. 

9. Get Out

Jordan Peele's directorial debut in the form of Get Out is a crowd pleasing black comedy horror which dwells into social commentary regarding notions of racism within the heart of the white picket fenced home of the Armitage family. With a standout leading performance by Daniel Kaluuya, rib-tickling gags and an underlying narrative regarding a very particular medical operation, Peele's movie balances the mix between comedy and horror flawlessly, and with enough B-movie elements and exploitation gore to make the whole experience more than rewarding, Get Out solidifies Peele as yet another interesting young director to keep tabs on. 

8. mother!

Hated by most, loved by a minority, Darren Aronofsky's jaw-dropping psychological horror is part Funny Games, part Rosemary's Baby, and with a career best performance from leading star Jennifer Lawrence, mother! is a brutal and nihilistic allegorical work of excellence which is as tough to watch at times as it is completely and utterly bonkers in a fashion which makes the final act of Black Swan look like a Mike Leigh movie. For those who can stomach the movie's polarising subject matter and the evasive camera work of long term Aronofsky collaborator, Matthew Libatique, mother! is Aronofsky at his most creative best. 

7. Raw

Directed by big screen debutante Julia Ducournau, Raw is an intelligently written and brilliantly acted coming of age drama with a central narrative which focuses on leading star Garance Marillier's hereditary and new found lust for human flesh which materialises after a particularly strange university ritual. With a number of scenes which feature genuinely shocking ultra violent imagery and an underlying black comedic tone which gives the movie a somewhat kooky, subversive feel to it, Raw is yet another superb debut for a filmmaker with, excuse the pun, exquisite raw talent. 

6. It

Undoubtedly one of the greatest and most loyal Stephen King adaptations to hit the big screen, Andy Muschietti's live action take on the novelist's best story to date is an outstanding mix of spine-tingling horror, creature feature adventure and coming of age drama which matches the tone and feel of King's writing to an uncanny tee. With Bill Skarsgård giving the most iconic performance of his entire career as the malevolent and undeniably haunting image of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, It manages to not only measure its' horror elements to a genre pleasing effective degree but features too the greatest ensemble cast of young actors in years. With Muschietti on course to direct Chapter Two, the concluding half of King's tale is indeed in the safest of filmmaking hands. 

5. Manchester By The Sea

With a leading performance from Casey Affleck which can only be regarded as one of the most deserved Oscar winning roles in recent history as the grieving and emotionally unstable Lee Chandler, Kenneth Lonergan's low-key masterpiece is a character study of brilliant proportions. Charged by a narrative which is as gut-wrenchingly powerful as it is flawlessly written, Manchester By The Sea might not seem the flashiest film on the surface, but with each and every player at the top of their respective game, Lonergan's movie works on a level of relatability and subtlety which is rare to find in the current cinematic climate. 

4. Moonlight

Recipient of the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, Barry Jenkins' lucid and dreamlike tale of one man's journey from youth to manhood is a dramatic work of unprecedented proportions featuring superbly understated supporting performances from both Oscar winner Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris. With a jukebox soundtrack and stunning cinematography, Jenkin's independant delight is hard to shake off even after repeat viewings, and for a director so young in years and filmic back catalogue, Moonlight is an impressive work of cinematic art.

3. Dunkirk

After tackling space, spies and Batman, Christopher Nolan takes his enviable talents to Dunkirk, a spectacular, IMAX-fuelled masterpiece which favours the use of practical design over digital effects, sound and image over dialogue and an impressively handled three act structure reminiscent of the time-bending narrative of Nolan's previous work on Memento. With scenes which evoke a wide spectrum of emotions throughout its' note perfect runtime, Nolan's movie is a tense and taut war epic unlike anything seen before on the big screen and whilst it is indeed best course of action to devour the spectacle on the largest backdrop you can find thanks to Nolan's personal fondness of the mighty IMAX, Dunkirk is not the first masterpiece to come from Nolan and I'm sure it won't be his last. 

2. Blade Runner 2049

A sequel to the greatest science fiction movie of all time needed to be something special, and in the hands of Arrival director Denis Villeneuve there was little doubting it wouldn't be, but what we have with Blade Runner 2049 however is a movie which surpasses even the highest of anticipation, a beautifully bold and emotionally riveting masterpiece of sound, spectacle and art house wonder which rewrites the rule book for what it means to be a big budget production. With Villeneuve not only paying homage to Ridley Scott's original in a more than respectable fashion but adding his own distinguishable DNA to the mix, the flawless work of Roger Deakins, Hans Zimmer and leading stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford result in Blade Runner 2049 being a deserved science fiction masterpiece in its' own right and one which will stand the test of time in a fashion similar to its' equally masterful predecessor. 

1. La La Land

Following up on Black Ribbon's best movie of 2015 in the form of Whiplash, Damien Chazelle's beautifully romantic and stunningly swooning musical drama is a cinematic wonder of enigmatic proportions. With a cross of paths between the doe eyed dreamer figure of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling's eccentric and passionate jazz extraordinaire, the narrative moves from the charming first acquaintance to a sombre, heartbreaking concluding act which is just a masterclass in flawless and natural filmmaking ability. The songs are sumptuous, the editing silky smooth and the location design a dreamlike ode to the history of Hollywood, La La Land isn't just a masterpiece, it's Black Ribbon's film of the year and deservedly so. 

Black Ribbon's Best Films of 2017: Part One

Best Films of 2017: 20-11

What another fantastic year of cinema the UK has been privy to over the course of the past twelve months where amidst the stark horror of one of Hollywood's worst summers since the dawn of time is a collection of movies which continue to prove the existence of interesting and impressive natural filmmakers. Whether it be sequels, B-Movie splatter fests or IMAX fuelled spectacles, 2017 has handed more films than ever for Black Ribbon to gaze upon and review, and whilst sometimes particular movies drain our lives of sanity while we sit through their unwavering utter shoddiness, here we have part one of our countdown of Black Ribbon's best movies of the year. Shall we begin?

20. The Disaster Artist

James Franco writes, directs and stars as the notorious Tommy Wiseau in a live-action adaptation of Greg Sestero's autobiographical novel The Disaster Artist, a first hand account of the actor's time on the set of The Room, a picture continually lauded as the worst film of all time. With Franco arguably giving the best performance of his career so far, The Disaster Artist is a highly enjoyable work of comedic drama, one which knows when to pull back the darker side of its' leading character when necessary and a film full with rib tickling quips and brilliant one liners which will make even those unfamiliar with Wiseau's abomination cry with laughter. Wiseau always dreamed of going to the Oscars, maybe with The Disaster Artist he finally will. 

19. The Big Sick

Michael Showalter's brilliant adaptation of Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani's autobiographical screenplay is a well tempered and brilliantly written romantic drama which although utilises particular genre tropes at times, has enough fresh ideas and fleshed out leading characters to be one of the most heartwarming and rewarding independent releases of the year. With added support from the likes of Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, The Big Sick is not only the most impressive release in the ever expanding Judd Apatow collection, but also the most relatable, the type of movie which puts faith back in the sometimes bizarre canon of American comedy of which Showalter's latest is a key example of when it really works. 

18. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Undoubtedly the best big screen Marvel release of the year, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the success of its' predecessor by carrying on and improving what made the first such an exciting adventure. With a brilliantly cast team of galactic misfits, a top notch retro soundtrack featuring the likes of George Harrison, Fleetwood Mac and E.L.O, and of course, Kurt Russell, James Gunn's sequel manages to blend the colourful exploration of otherworldly oddities with a fundamental narrative which focuses on Chris Pratt's Peter Quill's long lost familial line. Concluding with a character send off which is as undeniably heartbreaking as it is beautiful to behold, Vol.2 beats the other Marvel releases of the year thanks to one key component which it has in spades; heart. 

17. Elle

Paul Verhoeven's blackly comic adaptation of Philippe Djian's novel Oh... is a rousingly inventive and twisted dark drama with a standout lead performance from Isabelle Huppert as the titular video game designer who after a ferociously vicious rape attack decides to seek out her aggressor and claim revenge in her own meticulously devised way. With trademark Verhoeven shock tactics and a variety of colourful and highly engrossing characters, Elle is the Dutch director at his finest, and with Huppert completely owning the movie with a performance both multi-layered and bursting with charisma and mystery, it comes at no surprise that Verhoeven's latest has resonated so well with critics and audiences alike in waters both foreign and domestic. 

16. A Ghost Story

Financed through his success with last year's Disney backed Pete's Dragon, director David Lowery reunites with Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara in undeniably the most experimental release of the year in A Ghost Story, a supernatural art house drama which follows Affleck's spectral presence as he gazes upon life after his untimely death. With little dialogue and a two act structure which travels in unexpected directions, Lowery's movie requires dedication and patience, but with a stunningly haunting soundtrack and a beautifully measured design, A Ghost Story is unlike anything released throughout the course of 2017 and thoroughly deserves its' place in the best releases this year. 

15. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Looper director Rian Johnson stamps his mark on the ever expanding Star Wars universe with The Last Jedi, a beautifully crafted science fiction adventure which positions the design and feel of the movie before anything else, even with two and a half hours worth of plot and character development to sift through. With spectacle galore and action set pieces which rank up there with the best across the franchise's forty years history, Johnson's movie is rife with enough twists and turns to appease even the most sniffy of Star Wars fans, and with yet another two year wait until the conclusion of the many dangling plot threads, it comes at no surprise that such a period of time needs to come around quick. 

14. Paddington 2

Surpassing the 2014 original due to a wide range of impressive new elements, Paul King's Paddington 2 utilises the added input of Brendan Gleeson's Nuckles McGinty and Hugh Grant's camp-laden villain, Phoenix Buchanan, to brilliant proportions, and with a heartwarming narrative which evokes a rafter of emotions as the adventure unfolds, King's movie is the perfect slice of marmalade needed for the holiday season. With the titular well mannered bear once again profiting from a flawless digital design, his return to the big screen is a brilliantly played joy and one which will satisfy audiences both young and old alike.  

13. John Wick: Chapter Two

Full of bone crunching action, pornographic gun play and enough stylish cinematography and scope to warrant its' existence, Chad Stahelski's sequel to the 2015's surprise hit, John Wick once again features a growling and undeniable suave Keanu Reeves as the titular cold blooded hitman whose retirement plans are placed indefinitely on hold after he is pushed back into the murderous lifestyle by Riccardo Scamarcio's seedy Mafioso. Pushing the Wick universe into grander territory, the addition of Ruby Rose, Common and a reunion with The Matrix star, Laurence Fishburne, results in Chapter Two being a more than satisfactory sequel and one which doesn't hold back on what it does best; splendidly stylish violence. 

12. Brawl In Cell Block 99

Whilst success was always inevitably written in the stars after his brilliant debut with last year's Bone Tomahawk, American director S. Craig Zahler returns this year with Brawl in Cell Block 99, a ridiculously violent B-Movie splatter-fest with an unrecognisable Vince Vaughn who gives a career best performance as a hateful and murderous incarcerated drug runner. Whilst Bone Tomahawk favoured slow-burning characterisation which was then suddenly intercut with moments of shock-tastic violence, Zahler's latest is a brutal and sometimes gut wrenching crime drama which doesn't feel the need to hold back for a breather, and it is this raw moviemaking brilliance which solidifies Zahler as a rising talent to keep a keen eye on. 

11. Logan

Closing the decade plus long length of Hugh Jackman's tenure as Wolverine, James Mangold's Logan superbly paints a picture of the aged and isolated mutant who after an unspecified destructive event leaves him as one of the last remaining X-Men alongside Patrick Stewart's medically unstable Professor X. With brutal violence and a star turning performance from young Dafne Keen as the equally murderous X-23, Mangold's film is undoubtedly the most mature and sombre outing in the X-Men universe to date, and with its' successes plain to see both critically and financially, it wouldn't be surprising to see more superhero films of a similar ilk come the near future but it would definitely be a shock to find one as superbly executed as Logan. 

Stay Tuned For Part Two Coming Soon...!

Film Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

"I've Seen This Raw Strength Only Once Before. It Didn't Scare Me Enough Then, It Does Now..."

Knocking every other big-screen release of 2017 out of the park in terms of mind-melting anticipation, Disney and Lucasfilm return with the eighth direct entry into the Star Wars universe with The Last Jedi, with it being a whole two years since the revival of the franchise with the scintillating revelation which was The Force Awakens. Dispatching with J. J. Abrams for the time being, with Abrams returning to directorial duty on Episode IX after the cancellation of Colin Trevorrow's contractual duties, Looper director Rian Johnson takes charge of a release which continues on with the many dangling plot threads left over from its' predecessor with a returning cast featuring the likes of Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and the final on-screen performance of Carrie Fisher as the ever-majestic Princess Leia. Whereas The Force Awakens realigned the critical consensus of a universe which had been somewhat tarnished thanks to the George Lucas directed trilogy released at the turn of the century, The Last Jedi has a somewhat blank slate to go where and which way it chooses, and whilst the latest entry within the Star Wars canon doesn't exactly hit the lofty heights of its' predecessor, with particular and crystal clear flaws affecting the final, overall product, Johnson's movie is a spectacle fuelled adventure thrill ride which has enough twists, turns and eye-watering action to leave even the most casual of Star Wars fans gasping for more. 

With a narrative which continues the many dangling plot threads left over from The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi is primarily wrapped around the centre of an escape movie, with the hunted Rebel Alliance at front and centre of the movie's action straight from the offset in which characters both old and new are are brought into the mould of a two and a half hour journey which moves from the darkness of space to the salt laden plains of an ice covered rebel retreat without ever really coming up to the surface for breath. With subplots which include Daisy Ridley's Rey and her interaction with Mark Hamill's aged and hermit-esque Luke Skywalker, the wandering temperament and conflicted heart of Adam Driver's beefed up Kylo Ren, and John Boyega's relationship with Kelly Marie Tran's Rose, The Last Jedi is a film which can't be faulted for a lack of substance and plot, but with a sagging middle act in which we see one of our heroes venture to a casino-laden planet of riches coming off as the obvious editing misstep, sometimes Johnson's movie does begin to feel incredibly heavy, and whilst there are comedic elements aplenty throughout the course of the action, the overall tone of the movie is much more darker and melancholic that one might have expected, with the notion of death and loss not exactly hiding away akin more to the sensibility of Rogue One than any other previous release in the series so far. 

With particular elements which come across somewhat baffling and jarring, including a Guardians of the Galaxy moment for Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia and a handful of wasted opportunities for particular underdeveloped characters, Johnson's movie does ultimately make up for these missteps by being a fundamentally stunning and beautifully made movie, with cinematographer and Looper collaborator Steve Yedlin creating a wide range of jaw-dropping images and shots which made me want to stand up and applause in a manner similar to Roger Deakins' outstanding work on Blade Runner 2049, a film which on some levels does share similarities with The Last Jedi with both movies focused primarily on their feel, look and emotive qualities above anything else, resulting in Johnson's movie coming across as arguably the least relatable Star Wars movie to date thanks to a somewhat cold and unnerving spiritual tone. With a lightsaber battle which ranks up there with the best the series has produced thus far, a satisfying resolution for particular character arcs and an ambiguous conclusion which leads the Star Wars path onto a vast number of potential directions, The Last Jedi is a flawed but emotionally riveting and spectacular addition into the Star Wars universe, and whilst it may not be the best series offering, Johnson's movie is undeniably the most beautifully crafted.  

Overall Score: 8/10

Catch-Up Film Review: A Ghost Story

"We Do What We Can To Endure..."

Fresh from an inevitable and well deserved Oscar win for his performance in Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester By The Sea, Casey Affleck returns to the big screen alongside Carol and The Social Network star Rooney Mara in A Ghost Story, a supernatural drama written and directed by David Lowery who reunites with the duo after previously working together on the 2013 drama Ain't Them Bodies Saints. With an eerie, off-kilter sensibility, a staggeringly ambitious ideas narrative and one of the most affecting musical accompaniments of the year in film, Lowery's latest is unlike anything seen on-screen this year, a film which utilises the basic horror trope of a common haunted house movie but then manages to expand its' horizons into something which resembles closer an allegorical mix of themes which evoke everything from Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life to Denis Villeneuve's Arrival. With little dialogue and a raging art-house aesthetic, A Ghost Story is a film undoubtedly not for everyone, but for those with the patience and willingness to embrace its existence, Lowery's movie is an exquisite work of art. 

Shot in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1, or in televisual and layman's terms, 4:3, A Ghost Story follows a sheet cladded Casey Affleck who after passing away due to the events of a traffic collision, follows his unnamed wife, portrayed by Rooney Mara, throughout her life after his death, all within the confines of the dated home in which they both shared. With directory David Lowery utilising the retro and "boxiness" nature of the aspect ratio to ensure the audience understands the claustrophobic nature of the film from the point of view of Casey's spectral presence, the film utilises endless long shots and unbroken edits for the first half of the movie, including the now infamous one-shot "pie scene" and a chilly, uncertain introduction to Affleck's transition from life to death, and whilst at times the pace of the movie does begin to falter, the second half of the movie in which Christopher Nolan's Interstellar seemed to be a obvious blueprint for the direction of the narrative, concludes the film in a stunning and ambitious fashion. A Ghost Story isn't a movie which belongs on the big screen, instead, Lowery's latest is more akin to a museum piece where examination and steadiness is key to admiring its' beauty, and whilst the film doesn't hold together everything it intends to accomplish within such a short amount of time, A Ghost Story is undoubtedly an unforgettable and bold moviegoing experience. 

Overall Score: 8/10

Film Review: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

"Welcome to Jumanji!"

Despite the fact that the Robin Williams starring, 1995 adventure romp Jumanji was somewhat dismissed by many critics when first released despite it being a somewhat successful item at the box office, the cult status and underground following of the movie since has subversively led to both a re-examination of its' qualities by many and as per the norm of many cinematic releases in the current climate, a unwarranted sequel. Directed by comedy staple, Jake Kasdan and featuring a script co-written by Chris McKenna, whose previous credits include the likes of The Lego Batman Movie and Spider-Man: Homecoming, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a functional if rather predictable and laborious adventure romp which utilises the star power of its' cast to shrug off the many, many weaknesses which encompass its' existence, and whilst many will be swept up in the wisecracking humour and electric editing pace, Kasdan's movie is the epitome of a release which can be crammed into the genre of "not exactly my cup of tea". 

With the titular gaming sensation transforming its' form to keep up with the popular trends of the twenty first century, our leading four youthful heroes are sucked into the jungle of Jumanji where complete control of their gaming avatars forces them to play the game and defeat the threat of Bobby Cannavale's power hungry, insect ridden villain. With Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan taking over for the majority of the movie therefore, the narrative mixes the absurd nature of our heroes' surroundings with ongoing banter style comedic quips, most of which ironically do make an appearance in the film's trailer, and although the chemistry between the leading quartet is undeniable, the film never really progresses from its' opening gag, resulting in endless penis and body transformation jokes which do end up becoming increasingly grating amidst one of the most self-aggrandizing performances from Johnson ever in his on-screen career. With Cannavale's pedigree as a villain well known after his turn on Boardwalk Empire, his character is ultimately completely wasted in favour of numerous CGI-ridden action, and whilst Kasdan and the crew are obviously having a superb time, the fun only resonates for a short spate of time, and for a film which runs on for two hours, well, you can do the math.

Overall Score: 4/10

Film Review: Stronger

"They're Trying To Make A Hero Out Of Me..."

Whilst Peter Berg's rather excellent Patriots Day detailed from beginning to end the events of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings with an added Mark Wahlberg, David Gordon Green's latest, Stronger, takes a calculated and extensive look at the life of Jeff Bauman, whose life changing injuries during the bombings were subsequently the subject of a 2013 memoir written by himself and Bret Witter and now the basis of the screenplay for a movie led by the ever reliable presence of Jake Gyllenhaal as the famous and life-affirming Bostonian. Whilst Patriots Day was more focused on the action spectacle and a lightning fast editing pace, Stronger is a more low-key character piece which utilises the background of a terrifying event to understand one man's journey through pain and suffering, and whilst Green's latest is a picture seething with top-notch performances and likeable, empathetic characters, a bloated narrative over a needlessly extended two hour runtime does threaten to become tiresome at stages, but with Gyllenhaal on Oscar-worthy form, Stronger does manage to hold its' own undeniably effectively. 

Introducing the troubled, up and down relationship between Gyllenhaal's Jeff Bauman and Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany's Erin Hursley from the outset, the movie swiftly moves onto the events of the bombing without ever specifically focusing on its' reasoning or motive and instead directly leads the narrative from the point of view of Bauman who throughout the course of the movie recounts flashbacks of the event, with each progressively getting more detailed and bloody as the film trickles through his long-standing recovery in both a physical and mental capacity. With Gyllenhaal using the character of Bauman as a vessel for his already well established acting chops, utilising the direction of Green to balance moments of emotion fuelled drama with low-key physical movements and reactions, Stronger does have a variety of Oscar baity speeches which in other hands would possibly have derailed the movie's ultimate goal, but with impressive supporting performances from the likes of Maslany and Miranda Richardson, who although in her portrayal of the expletive ridden, Bostonian parent figure did bring to mind the brilliance of Melissa Leo in The Fighter, Green's movie is a straightforward character piece, but with such an interesting character at its' centre, Stronger is more then fulfilling, if slightly forgettable. 

Overall Score: 7/10