The Greatest Lightsaber Fights Episodes I-VI Countdown!

An elegant weapon from a more civilised age my butt! Slicing hands, legs, arms, torso’s, droids; elegance is not quite the diction I’d use to describe a lightsaber; regardless, this unique weapon used throughout the Star Wars franchise has been used with deadly purpose. In this post, I countdown the top 10 battles, paying homage to the the “elegance” of the mighty Jedi laser sword!

10- Obi-Wan Kenobi VS Darth Vader (Star Wars Episode IV- A New Hope 1977)

Not exactly the most thrilling of sequences, however it did establish what a lightsaber can do and was actually the first on screen battle using them. Here, the aged Obi-Wan confronts the Sith lord Vader aboard the Death Star to finish off their rivalry (resuming from Episode III where Obi Wan subsequently sliced off Vader’s limbs… Awks). It was a badly choreographed fight and didn’t give an eye to the potential of either warrior, but this is where lightsaber duels began, in this short sequence between a cyborg and an old man.

9- Obi Wan Kenobi VS General Grievous (Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith 2005)

General Grievous was set up to be a badass cybernetic commander of the droid army and in many ways he fulfilled that title; his design was beautiful, the fact that he kept trophies of Jedi lightsabers after he killed them is pretty dark for a family film and his voice was almost as ominous as Darth Vader’s… almost. But when it came to this fight, it kind of left me wanting more. It was good from what we could see, but the action and actual duel was all too brief because Obi Wan kept slicing off Grievous’ various hands… The same Grievous who had supposedly killed loads and loads of Jedi… So is Obi Wan like… the best or what? I dunno. All I am saying is that there could have been more for the build up we endured as a viewership.

8- Obi Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker VS Count Dooku (Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith 2005)

Take 2 on the trio and where they had left off in the climactic scene in Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but with Anakin with a few less limbs. Count Dooku had proven himself to be a worthy adversary to the Jedi and this all but assured that. With Obi Wan quickly incapacitated in the throne room of the droid control ship (why does it have a throne room again?), it is up to Anakin to defeat Dooku, which of course he does and then slices his head off. The moves are good, the direction is good and if you can ignore Hayden Christensen and his acting; you’ll enjoy it too! It is just how Obi Wan stood on his own against Dooku before and then is knocked away with ease now. I know it was a plot device so that Anakin could further delve into the dark side of the force but Obi Wan goes on to kick General Greivous’ four armed butt… but hey?

7- Yoda VS Count Dooku (Star Wars Episode II- Attack of the Clones 2002)

From the moment little Yoda’s walking stick could be heard tapping on the stone floor of the Geonosian hanger bay, shit was about to go down… and it did. Yoda was soon bouncing and flipping around the place, showing off moves never before seen in Star Wars. Now we know why he is the true Jedi Master. With an epic display of agility and speed, Yoda was caught between the defeat of Dooku and saving his Jedi companions; naturally, he let Dooku flee. The fighting itself is great, but again, all too brief and I wasn’t sure this was the best time to reveal Yoda’s true potential as a fighter; it felt a bit wasted on Dooku.

6- Mace Windu VS Darth Sidious (Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith 2005)

Samuel L.Jackson; the most badass Jedi to have existed? He certainly held his own against the Sith lord Sideous upon uncovering his true identity. While three other noble Jedi were slain in seconds, Mace Windu was able to subdue Sideous with skill and tactic. The fighting was good, shame about the obvious CGI on Palpatine’s face and the camp grunts made throughout. This was also the big reveal and our first look at how the Emperor fights… which was dirty. I did enjoy the scene though and both combatants were a worthy match for each other. When Palpatine is finally knocked to the ground, are we to assume that he’d genuinely lost or knew Anakin would come to his side? He did then go on to kick Yoda’s butt… YODA!

5- Obi Wan Kenobi VS Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith 2005)

Yes, it was the ultimate battle that audiences had waited to see for decades. Yes, it was master and pupil battling it out. Yes, we all wanted to see Hayden Christensen’s awful acting finally end. It was a brilliantly choreographed fight sequence, no denying so why is it so far down my list? It was just a bit too long. Sorry. And they kept stopping for breathers…? Just become Darth Vader already! Kudos to Hayden Christensen though for his final sequence because he was actually quite… good? As good as an actor can be burnt with no arms or legs.

4- Luke Skywalker VS Darth Vader (Star Wars Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back 1980)

So, Luke has half a films worth of training that consisted of carrying Yoda around in a back pack, using the force to lift rocks and R2-D2 and battle a hallucination induced Darth Vader before going off to fight one of the greatest Jedi/Sith lords of the age… Hmm. Well with that kind of thinking, I hope that the hand he lost taught him a lesson. Fighting their way through the underbelly of Cloud city in a considerably more energetic way than previously seen in a New Hope, this certainly upped the game when it came to a lightsaber duel in the Star Wars Universe. Plus we get to hear the legendary “No… I am your father” line that everyone mistakes for “Luke… I am your father”. Voila! Cinematic history made.

3- Luke Skywalker VS Darth Vader (Star Wars Episode VI- Return of the Jedi 1983)

Matured and a shit load calmer than in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke attempts to kill the Emperor aboard the Death Star Mark II, but is subsequently stopped by Darth Vader, ensuing another battle between the two rivals (someone has daddy issues). This time, Darth Vader has his ass badly kicked (down the stairs) but the good within Luke prevails, refusing to kill his father and turn to the Dark side. I think it’s the emotional outburst and direction of this final scene between father and son that puts it so high on the list; this was the ultimate duel to end them all when audiences sat in theatres after almost three films worth of build up and in my mind, it didn’t fail to deliver.

2- Yoda VS Darth Sidious (Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith 2005)

Two frail old blokes with laser swords fighting aboard an ascending platform into a fictional court of justice. What’s not to love? The top bad guy and the top good guy; everyone loves a battle between the two just to see who is better and despite the master face-puller that is Darth Sideous grunting all over the show, the battle truly is an entertaining one, smashing up the Royal Senate on Coruscant (that’s a hefty insurance claim) and proving the two rivals equal.

1- Qui Gon Jinn & Obi Wan Kenobi VS Darth Maul (Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace 1999)

Yes, Phantom Menace was awful (Jar Jar) but the end lightsaber duel between the trio is honestly my favourite and unlike Episode III’s climactic fight, didn’t seem too drawn out. John William’s legendary score “Duel of the Fates” (says it all) accompanied with Darth Maul’s acrobatic skills and dark demeanor left me truly wowed as a four year old in the cinema. When Qui-Gon Jinn is sliced down by Darth Maul, it’s time for the young Obi-Wan to step us as master bad-ass and beat the baddy, which he does with an impressive amount of rage induced gusto. Well… Go Obi-Wan I guess.

SPOILERS FOR STAR WARS EPISODE VII-The Force Awakens

I am not sure where I would rank Kylo Ren VS Rey (Star Wars Episode VII- The Force Awakens (2015) as it was brief and she kind of kicked his butt royal, despite receiving zero training and fighting the grandchild of one of the greatest Jedi there has ever been (Anakin/Darth Vader by the way; chill it nerds). Still a decent fight though in the snowy setting and we have yet to see who Rey really is…? Hmm… Plus Kylo Ren’s new lightsaber design has actually grown on me?

Well that’s my round up; I was named after Luke Skywalker (not sure if that’s ashamedly or proudly stated) so Star Wars feels like it’s in my blood. Any comments are welcome, as Star Wars is kind of a hot topic at the moment with the imminent release of Star Wars Episode VII on DVD in a few weeks. Read on and Prosper!

I’m touching myself tonight… Said every geek: Deadpool is here!

Ryan Reynolds is back (or not back? I dunno… He was Deadpool but then he’s not but is…?) as Marvel’s hilarious, ass kicking, fourth wall breaking super hero! 

Now, I am writing this purely subjectively; I do not know very much about the character, I have not read one of his comics. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you could say that Deadpool was introduced in X-Men Origins: Wolverine played by Ryan Reynolds. Where his portrayal was funny and probably a highlight of the movie, critics and fans alike found this on screen debut of the character, left a bad taste in the mouth; like a testicle with teeth.  

Not exactly jumping from the comic book, is he?

Anyhow, the potential for a stand alone Deadpool movie seemed unlikely after the flop in X Men Origins. Apparently, the idea was tossed around here and there, with scripting and casting trouble etc. It wasn’t until some very interesting on set photos emerged some months ago that I actually believed it was happening! And the trailer has only made my thirst for Deadpool greater! Damn, he’s just so badass… 

 I am guessing that the creation of Deadpool in the X Men Universe is counteracted by the events that took place in Days of Future Past, where the events of the five films all post 1980 were made apparently mute. Maybe this explains how we now have a new Deadpool origin story? Fingers crossed.

I saw the red band trailer in all it’s high profile goriness and this makes me happy as a fan; unaware of what to expect, I can appreciate that the Deadpool comic’s are very violent, so why shouldn’t his cinematic story be the same? It’s good to see Reynolds quick wit hasn’t left Wade and this film could almost be viewed as a comedy! Either way, from the stunts to the humour, from the costume to the actors, this film looks pretty damn good! It’ll be nice to see something a bit less Marvel Disney and a bit more Marvel mature! Thumbs up from this guy; oh yeah… I’m touching myself tonight and I’m sure that every other Marvel fan is too…

JURASSIC WORLD SPOILERS! Did they push it too far?

Jurassic World has been a huge success, having the most successful opening week of any film, ever! This gives me such joy, as a massive fan of anything Jurassic Park related, having grown up with the franchise like many others. But this article I am writing, is not a general over view like I usually write, but about something very specific within the film itself; a scene that has stayed with me days after seeing it. As you read this, you may have already guessed, but it is the first on screen female death of the quadrilogy: Zara Young. I recently tweeted about this on my Twitter feed, which this blog will also be posted, so apologies if readers think this is samey.

From the scenes in the trailer, I had kind of guessed her character would meet an unfortunate end; from her very first scene on the docks waiting for the boys, Zach and Gray, holding an iPad with their names on it, her truly beautiful face taking up the screen, I thought… “yep… you’re dead, love”. We all saw it coming; she’s the perfect candidate for a good dino-death; the innocent, slightly selfish and aggravating P.A. Great! And then it happened.

She is trying to catch up to the two young boys as dozens of Pterosaurs swoop in from above. The boys stop in panic, observing their chaotic surroundings when Zara finally stops before them. “Well, don’t just stand there”! She shouts at them just as a Pteranodon grabs her by the shoulders and lifts her high into the air. OK, this bit was shown in the trailers, I could handle that. Then she is dropped and sharply caught by another flying dinosaur, before being dragged over water and released, plummeting into the tank below. This is when I began to feel a little bit uneasy. There are many shapes hitting the water, so I assume they are other guests to the park, suffering the same ill fate as Zara. In fact, they are Pterosaurs, all going for her. She is rather graphically shown in a close up, being dragged through the water, screaming in its mouth before being dropped, grabbed at, dropped again, grabbed AGAIN and then she is lost from view as the Mosasaur jaw ascends. I never noticed in the film itself, but from pictures and digging a bit on the internet, eagle eyed viewers can see her disappear into the mouth of the Mosasaur as it bites down around the helpless Pteranodon.

Well… I didn’t give a damn who died after that. My heart was racing and I felt a bit sick. Don’t get me wrong, it was a well directed death scene and for the British actress, Katie McGrath who played Zara, I can imagine it was complete fun to shoot (as director Colin Trevorrow has stated she did the stunts herself). But to a viewer I just sat there in horror, unable to concentrate on the following scene as I was in such shock that the cinematography would be pushed that far. I’ve seen the film twice now; first with my stone hearted friends, who didn’t seem particularly phased. by the trauma of it all. The second with a slightly more sensitive friend; his expression said it all. Later on in the film, as an InGen soldier mercilessly shoots a Pterosaur mid flight, my friend even said “pfft, good”! I did pre-warn him about it and it still shocked us both! I wasn’t going to write a posting about this; it didn’t seem worth it, but apparently this is a common topic among fans; her death was unnecessarily cruel and graphic for a character who didn’t deserve it. Udesky’s death in Jurassic Park III was pretty gruesome, as was Muldoon’s in the first, but Zara’s death hit me, as a member of the audience, pretty hard and it seems it has many others also. Even fellow cast member, Bryce Dallas Howard said in an interview that she felt Zara’s tortured before she dies. What does that say?

However the film was brilliant and if anyone should wish to comment; I’d love to hear others thoughts!

Read on and Prosper!

Super Heroine’s: Time for Change?

Just to inform: I am a male blogger, writing this as truthfully and unbiased as I can.

I do not know if it is a prerequisite for all stand alone female lead superhero movies to be awful… But they just are? Catwoman, Elektra, even the planned Wonder Woman TV show was cancelled before its initial release date… Why? How can strong and powerful characters like Black Widow and Silk Spectre have decent back stories developed in a male dominated environment, but not have successful independent movies? Is there not enough traction?

I believe that without female super heroes (or super heroines) the comic book world, either on page or screen, would be considerably dull; it let’s us know, as an audience, that the female presence is absolutely necessary. For men, it is something to look at and most certainly an impressive watch when those much like Mystique and Batgirl can easily best Beast and Batman. For female audiences, I guess it would have the same effect on them as watching Captain America or Superman has on men; an aspiration and mild loathing at how good looking and fit they look. Alternatively, it could be seen as an intrusion; let the men do all the fighting; let them get on with it? I do not know. All I know is, that as it stands, the solo female lead super hero movies have not been received well and I am worried for future ones, I.E Wonder Woman.

I was so excited upon hearing that Warner Bros would make a Catwoman spin-off. One of the great fictional female icons had a film! Starring Halle Berry and Sharon Stone, the film had it’s own origin for the story and was a milestone with the first black Catwoman on the big screen. But… Well, need I say it. It was a flop of epic proportions and Halle Berry supposedly only took up her role of another comic book character, Storm, in X-Men 3: The Last Stand in an attempt to rid the failure of this movie. Awkward.

Following this, a Marvel character would get her own spin-off. Elektra! Jennifer Garner would reprise her ninja character from Daredevil to take up the sai once more. Elektra is my all time favourite female comic book personality, so needless to say, the movie was hotly anticipated. Doing certainly better than Catwoman at the box office, it was still a tremendous disappointment. I still loved both these products of cinema over-enthusiasm, but as I have grown up on them; I can appreciate the more sour taste they leave come the credit roll.

Now, new images have been released from the set of DC’s latest cinematic escapade “Suicide Squad” and these prominently feature the leading lady, Margot Robbie as none other than Joker’s right hand gal: Harley Quinn. This will be her first big screen showing in a live action film. Writing this, I realise I have put “leading lady” and “right hand gal” in the same sentence; no the film is not all about her character; if the film stays true to it, she is more of a side kick. That is a shame; I hope she gets plenty of screen time, as she is certainly one of the more bulshy female antagonists to grace the comic book universe. 

At the moment, the main woman heading up for female comic book characters is undeniably Scarlett Johanson’s Black Widow and I have to hand it to Marvel; despite not having her own spin-off, she certainly is a focal point. Marvel have continued to introduce strong female leads into their films and TV shows such as Cobie Smulder’s Agent Marie Hill and Zoe Saldana’s, Gamora. But, nevertheless, they are supporting characters to the male dominated plot’s in Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy (where Gamora is the only woman.)

This is the same with Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacey in The Amazing Spiderman 1 & 2. It detracted from the “damsel in distress” and gave her great intellect in comparison to even Peter Parker, which was nice to see… but ultimately, she was a plot device for him; a love interest and her death only made that considerably more focal.

All this makes me fearful as to whether the new Wonder Woman played by Gal Gadot will be successful; to be introduced in Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice, this will be the a completely new generation of Wonder Woman; the pinnacle of female superheroes. There was alot of back lash about Gal Gadot being too skinny, which I felt was unjust, but her first promotional image made her look beautiful and formidable. I do no know how audiences will take it, but I just hope we’ll finally see a successful female lead super hero movie! Fingers crossed. So that is my brief summary; controversial as it may seem, this is how it seems and it’s about time we got a great lady hero movie!

Read on and Prosper!

King Under the Mountain! The Hobbit Concludes! SPOILERS

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies was released on DVD and Blu-Ray at the beginning of this week and is the long awaited conclusion of the Hobbit Trilogy. If you can get your head around it, it Is a prequel trilogy to a sequel trilogy made after the sequel trilogy… but is still set before it? Peter Jackson returned to direct it, much like he had for Lord of the Rings, which as everyone knows, is the sequel trilogy of films. Written in four books by the great fiction writer J.R.R Tolkien, the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings were a huge literary success. In 2001, the first of three films was released in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, which began the tale of a young Hobbit, Frodo Baggins being burdened with the keeping of a dark treasure; a ring that holds the power to return the dark lord Sauron to his full power. Teaming up with Hobbit’s, Elves, Men, Wizard’s and Dwarves, the company of 9 must deliver the ring back to the volcano to which it was forged to destroy it forever. Winning 4 Oscars and international attention from audiences of all ages, it was proceeded by The Two Towers. Winning a further 2 Oscars, this was then followed by the conclusion of the trilogy, the Return of the King. This earned an additional 11 Oscars and secured Peter Jackson among the great film makers of the age.

 

When it was announced that the Hobbit would be made into films, I was overjoyed! The Lord of the Rings was such an iconic piece of cinematography, why on Middle-Earth wouldn’t we all like to see more of Hobbits, Elves, Wizards and the like? But, would it live up to the huge success of it’s predecessor? I think the majority of the die-hard fans would say that it did not live up to our first trip there and back again to Middle Earth; there seemed to be a considerable amount more CGI, the scripts were maybe not as strong and (for me) the character relationships are no where near as genuinely portrayed. BUT, having said this, the main actor performances on the whole (Ian Mckellen- Gandalf, Martin Freeman- Bilbo Baggins, Cate Blanchett- Galadriel etc.) were, as always, superb and heartfelt, as is Howard Shore’s unique talent in score and Peter Jackson’s stunning direction. It was these fundamentals that bridged the two sets of films and I reckon that one could watch all six films in order and be truly satisfied with the level of detail and care taken to preserve J.R.R Tolkien’s novel’s.

The Hobbit Trilogy sees Frodo Baggins’ uncle Bilbo, assist a company of 13 Dwarves take back their mountain kingdom from a dragon which has resided there for 60 years. An Unexpected Journey, the first movie of the new Tolkien based franchise, was released in late 2012 and nominated for 4 Oscars. I was initially skeptical after seeing it originally, but I came to really enjoy this first installment. Yes, it is noticeably different than LOTR and the production value is obviously higher, but you can tell that Jackson desperately tried to keep the aesthetic the same or at least similar to that of his original vision. This is admirable and with returning characters such as Ian Holm’s Bilbo Baggins, Hugo Weaving’s Lord Elrond, Christopher Lee’s Saruman the White and of course, Ian Mckellen’s famous portrayal of Gandalf the Grey, it was a nice beginning to a three part story linking both set of inspirational movies together.

The Desolation of Smaug was released in 2013 and saw the story continue, with the return of Orlando Bloom’s Legolas from LOTR and the proper introduction of Lee Pace’s ruthless King Thranduil and Evangeline Lilly’s beautiful Tauriel. It was a stunning, sleek and well rounded piece of cinema; in my opinion, the best of the three (especially the extended edition). Nominated for 3 Oscars, the film concludes with Benedict Cumberbatch’s motion capture performance of Smaug the Dragon being vanquished from the mountain kingdom and seeking his revenge on the local villagers.

The Battle of the Five Armies (formerly named There and Back Again) was released in 2014 and was nominated for a single Oscar. As I write this I am actually watching it back for the first time since seeing it upon it’s initial release back in December of last year and I have to say, it is much better second round. I believe the main fault with it and why it was given such harsh criticism is the fact that the majority of it is fighting… Literally, it has very little plot to it, the main bulk of the plot is a fight sequence between the five armies. I love a good battle sequence as much as the next man, in fact with the Lord of the Rings films, it was practically a prerequisite! But as good as the action is.. it did seem to get a bit samey after a while. The trilogy was initially going to be a duo, so maybe the unnecessarily long fight scenes were to bulk the film out? I don’t know.

The romance sub plot between Tauriel and one of the Dwarves, Kili, was sweetly established in The Desolation of Smaug and as tragic as this film is when it comes to the continuation of that in Battle of the Five Armies, it did seem oddly irrelevant how they were hopelessly in love after two short conversations spread several days apart? I believe in love at first sight and all that but still? However the scenes between them were nicely acted and not exaggerated so I can’t really complain. Ironically, one of the most important plot points to note in the film is also the one seen briefest with the grouping of the White council (Gandalf, Elrond, Galadriel, Saruman and Radagast played by Doctor Who veteran Sylvester McCoy) against the spirit form of Sauron, who is banished back to Mordor. This is my favourite part of the movie as it sees truly outstanding actors do what they do best and that’s deliver a powerfully intense scene in less than 8 minutes of footage. Once all the fighting is over and the mourning began, it seems all too sudden that Bilbo goes “cool, see ya”! and is off back to the Shire, with the revelation that Gandalf knew all along that he had a ring of magic… Oh, brilliant; feel free to do something about that sir, it may be just the ONE ring that Sauron is after? No? OK fair enough, don’t examine it or anything; just let Bilbo keep it and wait 60 years for Fellowship to find out. It has quite a sharp ending to a story that lasts about 8-9 hours long (that’s all three movies.) I am hoping that upon the extended edition’s release that it will be subsequently fleshed out a bit more to add some more depth to story.

I have lavished in watching it though; an end to an era I suppose with the same poignancy as to that felt at the end of Return of the King. Regardless of the nit picks, I cannot stress my fondness and emotional attachment felt to these films; no matter how many times I watch them, it will feel like an entirely fresh experience every time.

I hope you have enjoyed reading and feel free to comment your thoughts on our last visit to Middle Earth!

Read on and Prosper!

This will give the parents nightmares! The Park is Open…

Fourteen years after the last Dino-mayhem outing, the Jurassic Park franchise welcomes in its fourth instalment in June: Jurassic World! This hotly anticipated sequel is said to be the beginning of a possible new trilogy; starring Chris Pratt (Her, Guardians of the Galaxy) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Twilight, Spider-Man 3). I always wanted to do a blog post on Jurassic Park; GOD IT’S JUST SO AWESOME! and am a HUGE fan of the original film, so when the latest trailer was released today, I couldn’t resist. Now, the still successful sequel The Lost World, was a little blergh for me and Jurassic Park III was entertaining but strayed from what made the franchise in the first place.   

A quick bit of info for the uneducated in Michael Crichton’s novel turned film quadrilogy. A wealthy entrepreneur named John Hammond (Richard Attenborough; RIP) sets up a new tourist attraction in the shape of a theme park, housing newly developed dinosaurs, genetically modified and grown from ancient fossilised DNA. Before his park can be given the green light, he enlists the help of Palaeontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neil) and Ellie Sattler (Larua Dern) to endorse the project and ensure investor confidence. Once upon the island, an employee of the park attempts to steal the DNA to sell to a rival company, unable to figure out the science of the dinosaur’s creation. Unfortunately, the security systems shut down, all the dinosaurs are set loose, a lot of people die and it is up to all three characters above to ensure the safety of the survivors. It stormed cinema’s in 1993 and has been a global success ever since, spawning two sequels; however in these sequels, there was an ongoing theme: the island’s to which the dinosaur’s inhabit are desolate, and no human resides there, the animals having free reign and the Costa Rican Government ensuring no human goes near them (doing a bad job). Jurassic World is different. 

Nearly a decade and a half later, Jurassic Park is finally up and running successfully and has been for the past 10 years, pulling in customers and tourists all over the world, just as John Hammond had envisioned. But people are becoming less than complaisant; the T-Rex is samey, the Triceratops is boring and the Pteranadon… meh? So to spark attendance for the park, now titled “Jurassic World”, the scientists decide to genetically design and create an entirely new breed of dinosaur. Yeah… er, bad idea? The Indominus Rex is supposedly designed to best even the fan favourite: the Tyrannosaurus Rex and I am guessing that if we see a showdown between these two in the film and the I-Rex wins… people may not be too happy. Particularly after Jurassic Park III where the Spinosaurus quite easily kicked the T-Rex’s butt, much to many a cinema-goer’s dismay. So naturally, the Indominus Rex escapes with it’s superior intellect, but this time there are 20,000 tourists stranded on the island. Oh…

So! The kids are still in danger, the dinosaurs still escape and there is going to be a lot of screaming; so what is new? I am not too sure what to think about the new dynamic to which the Velociraptor’s have with Chris Pratt’s character Owen Grady, who claims not to have “tamed” them but to have built a mutual respect thing, like they have a relationship. The Velociraptor’s are by far, my favourite and they are damn terrifying, especially in the original. Here, they seem to be “good” guys? Or at least seen to help Grady track down the Indominus Rex… Hmm… These are animals right? Albeit incredibly intelligent animals, but like Grady says, “they need to eat and hunt”. Just because I need to get a football out of the tree, I don’t all of a sudden WhatsApp a squirrel to go and get it for me, you know? Awful analogy I know, but you get my point. I just hope that they kick a bit of ass in this film and bring back some of that terror.

Once again, the Pterosaurs are back; they had a decent bit of plot in Jurassic Park III and I am still on the fence as to whether I like them or not? But one thing that is definitely new, is the Mosasaur! A sea dwelling gargantuan of a creature that feeds primarily on sharks apparently. Under the sea dinosaurs have not been attempted before on screen in the movies (although alluded to, at the beginning of Jurassic Park III) and it is about time that they made an appearance, as it certainly adds a freshness to what audiences can expect with it not all being T-Rex this and Stegosaurus that.

By the trailer alone, it appears that a lot of innocent people are going to be in danger in comparison to where it has been just a handful; that prospect is truly terrifying, after all they are on an island? This gives the grander scale of threat much more prominence than felt before and I think this will make the film considerably more entertaining to watch.

Oh! So it seems that Dr Henry Wu is back (B.D Wong) and one quick comment: “Man, you were there in Jurassic Park and that screwed up? Why the hell are you back for more”? Enough said.

Filmed on location in Hawaii, just like Park, this film is definitely set to be awesome and the visuals are much larger, scarier and more impressive than we’ve ever seen before. Despite my nit-picks, I am so excited to see this film and I have faith that it won’t be a flop… Hopefully! After all; life finds a way.

Read on and Prosper!

Let the Devil out!

Twelve years after the cinematic début of Ben Affleck’s red leather bound vigilante hit our screens, Marvel’s Daredevil is most certainly back in the hotly anticipated Netflix series named (aptly) “Daredevil”. Starring Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onforio as Wilson Fisk, the series tells the story of how the hero develops to his true potential via his super senses gained through his blindness, against the scum and crime of Hell’s Kitchen.

Just a little background info on the Daredevil(s) most famously known on screen. “Daredevil” (2003) was released with much anticipation with the recent success of Marvel’s other critically acclaimed hits, Blade (1998), X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002). Starring Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, Daredevil must protect the citizens of Hell’s Kitchen against Michael Clarke Duncan’s Kingpin and Colin Farrell’s Bussleye, whilst juggling a rough lawyer occupation, love interests in the form of Jennifer Garner’s ninja, sai-wielding Elektra and coming to terms with his own livelihood.

The film, needless to say, was not exactly the most successful of Marvel’s cinematic endeavours, however has a personal choice, I found an enjoyable movie and to this day, still stands as one of my personal favourites; it even warranted its own spin-off in Elektra (2005), another favourite of mine. Unfortunately, this didn’t go too well in Marvel’s favour either when it comes to success, but still stands as part of the Marvel cinematic mythology that audiences have come to know and love.

Since then, there have been but whispers and rumours as to where the character could be taken next and it was finally decided that, with the popularity of TV and Film distributor Netflix on the rise, Daredevil would once again see the light of day (or rather more appropriately not… if you get it). We have all seen it before with DC’s Arrow, Flash, Gotham and Marvel’s Agent’s of Shield making it big on the small screen as it were, but what could a blind superhero bring to the table to which the film had not already covered and to which we had not seen before? As I write this, I am actually watching… Now the second episode has begun, so this is a very initial and fresh reaction to the show that scored a current 9.3/10 stars on the Internet Movie Database amongst audiences and critics alike.

I like the characters, I like the story of Daredevil, but I wasn’t really going into this expecting much. However! The first episode alone did not disappoint! The action sequences in particular are impressive; the direction is effective and especially stylised due to the nature of Daredevil’s ability based on sound. The most impressive thing for me was the writing; unlike many other shows, it doesn’t get too down in the mud and then over complicate contexts and plot developments and despite the narrative being non-linear (jumping back and forth through time via flashbacks) it all seems to make sense. Everything that is said and done is pretty clear and easy to follow but is still entertaining enough to be unpredictable.

Another point of note, is the performances of pretty much all the actors… and it is not very often, that is said. I may not be a RADA graduate but I do know a little about acting and performance and on the whole, the actors and their abilities make the show much more enjoyable; thumbs up on casting! I was a little put off by Charlie Fox -cough- Stardust -cough- but he’s actually quite fitting as the black suited Daredevil and doesn’t over play it at all; his performance focus isn’t on that his character is blind and it just seems quite natural and effortless, which is nice. As of yet, there has been lots of talk amongst the mob but Wilson Fisk or the Kingpin hasn’t made a physical appearance as episode 2 comes to a conclusion but I am sure it won’t be too long.

The show is gritty, made even more so by the fact that the majority of the show is played without a score and therefore each scene seems to keep its pace and flow. Both adult and child stories of Matt Murdock are intertwined and both develop nicely along side each other. I was expecting more violence than is shown on screen; I wasn’t too sure if the show would be an 18 (that’s BBFC rating for any non-UK readers) but it is actually a 15 age certificate. Yes, the show is violent, but not grotesquely; not in tremendous detail but enough for those who are squeamish to may be look away. There is a particular fight sequence in the second episode that is directed in a single shot lasting about three minutes and is remarkably refreshing from the standard quick cut, fast paced fight sequences that many films and shows conform to. Very impressive and highly entertaining. Yeah, I think it is safe to say, as I delve into the third episode, that I would recommend this. 

Be warned though; the episodes become increasingly violent as they progress; the beginning of episode 3 is a little flinching. Hopes for a second season? I am hoping that they change the aesthetic of the character; not saying that Daredevil’s costume is bad or anything. I think I have seen a few posters or promotional pictures of what his new suit looks like and I think I prefer that. Also I hope they introduce Elektra; she made the original film bearable and a love story may produce a new dynamic to the show and characters. I am going to continue watching now and I hope to all those who have read, that they found it useful!

Read on and Prosper!

The Force is Strong with this One! The Force Awakens!

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens has recently seen the release of it’s second trailer and it seemed the internet exploded like the proverbial Death Star! It appeared not just geeks and nerds (like myself) were in a state of Chewbecca induced frenzy, but people of all ages were talking about Star Wars in schools and offices once again!

A life long Star Wars fan, upon the announcement of a new Star Wars film, I thought that maybe this old cow had been sufficiently milked enough. I was satisfied with the franchises ethos as it was and weren’t sure as to whether I could welcome in a new chapter upon the emotional closure of Episode III. And then J.J Abrams signed on and George Lucas signed out. I loved J.J Abrams take on Star Trek, making the campy 60’s show look grittier, violent and more mature. Would he bring this kind of attitude to Star Wars? I hope so! With CGI down to a minimum and practical effects promised to be an all time high for the new trilogy, it is reported that the vision for the new series is to make it more comparable to Episodes IV, V, VI. Good! The sleekness and shininess of the over computer generated Episodes I, II, III sometimes made it feel like it truly was in a galaxy far, far away!

Like the initial trailer released back in December of 2014, the opening shot is of the dessert. Not exactly enticing and a bit samey… and then as my eyes adjusted to the tiny screen of my mate’s phone in his car (he’d pulled over just to watch it), I realised what eclipsed the skyline:  a gargantuan Star Destroyer, crashed and abandoned, protruding from the sand dunes. I literally said “oh wow”. I know a few clever IT savvy people had Photoshopped their own art and I remember seeing something similar to this a few months ago, but what a sight! A truly impressive and humbling set of visuals; plus it makes me feel old upon the realisation that Star Wars Episode VI was a long time ago… not in a galaxy far far away.

Along with the melted remnants of Lord Vader’s helmet, the passing of Luke Skywalker’s (formerly Anakin Skywalker’s) lightsaber, seen in the original and prequel trilogies and R2D2 glistening against the flames of an unknown burning object, the reality of this iconic world of Jedi and far away planets began to sink in. It’s back! Subtle design changes to the villainous Storm Troopers, Tie Fighters, X-Wings and original actor’s costumes are a nice little treat and it’s comforting to hope that the producers of this film know what they are doing and are not to overhaul the whole thing to make something entirely new. There has to be that link or it wouldn’t feel like Star Wars at all.

Kylo Ren, the new Sith Lord on the scene, seems to lead the newly reformed Empire on a chaotic and vengeful vendetta against the rest of the galaxy. The new galactic soldiers seem to look considerably more menacing that ever before and maybe they’ll actually hit something with their guns this time instead of being the worst shots in the scifi universe. This whole trailer pays a respectful homage to the original trilogy and that only makes the anticipation for it’s December release all the more intense!

With new droids in the form of the adorable and impressively designed BB-8, new triple bladed lightsabers and chrome troopers, this vague but beautifully edited trailer makes Star Wars seem more prominent than ever! I am so excited and I hope you guys are too! And as the screen fades from black to Han Solo and Chewbecca on the Millennium Falcon… Well that did it. Star Wars has made, once again, an impact on international culture and it’s not even out yet! I can already see t-shirts proudly printed “Chewie… We’re home”! So go and watch the trailer and don’t forget to read on and prosper!

The Batman Begins Again Part 2

I am a Batman person, not a Spiderman person; it’s just the way it is. Like many others that have grown to love and admire the character, whether it be the comic book variant, the sinister Keaton or the tech-savvy Bale, as part of the target audience for the latest incarnation of Batman in “BvS:DOJ”, I believe we have a right to be very protective over what directors and conceptual artists and actors do with him.

2005 saw an entirely new reboot of Batman, headed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale as Batman. Unlike before, this gave a complete background story of just how Batman came to be; something we as an audience, had not seen before. We can tell that Nolan wanted realism to be the basis for his trilogy; watching it, it seemed everything was, at the very least, plausible and went into great depth to show how Bruce Wayne and his butler, Alfred (Michael Caine) drew up the concept of Batman from its foundations to who he becomes in the climactic battle with Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson) and the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy). With twists and turns in the plot and a non-linear narrative, admittedly, upon first watch, “Batman Begins” was a little tricky to keep up with. The script is complex, the theatricality of it all appeared flexible in its plausibility and it seemed the Batman was very much back!

Following on from the success of “Batman Begins” stands a strange man, holding a clown mask on a Gotham street corner, just waiting for a ride. “The Dark Knight” made its big screen debut in 2008 and soon became one of the best comic book movies ever made, mainly due to Heath Ledger’s impressively dynamic portrayal of the Joker. With a much cleverer and more dangerous Joker terrorizing Gotham City, a freshly suited Batman (Bale) must fight to protect the one he loves (Rachel Dawes by Maggie Gyllenhaal) and stop Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) from realizing his dark potential. After the first appearance of the Tumber (or Batmobile) in “Batman Begins”, I wasn’t sure as to how to receive it; it was amazingly designed, bulky, powerful and had all the fine attributes of being an almost personified character in the franchise, even if it did not adhere to the more classic Batmobile look. Whether you loved it or hated it, it was soon destroyed and reborn in the sleeker and motorbike-like Batpod; another slice of Batman mythology was born. This chapter of the Dark Knight Trilogy ends with the death of Harvey Dent’s Two-Face and Batman taking the blame for his failure as a public figure. Much like “Batman Begins”, this installment was complex, sharp and an all round entertainer.

Nolan announced that his final Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises” would be his last and was released in 2012, bringing Bale back for the last time, as the caped crusader. It has been 8 years since the occurrences of “The Dark Knight”; Bruce Wayne has noticeably become a recluse, the death of Rachel still haunting him and with everyone still mourning the passing of Harvey Dent (ignorant to his true nature) it seems it is up to Tom Hardy’s Bane to shake things up. Alongside Catwoman, the newly invigorated Batman must stop Talia Al Ghul (Marion Cotillard) and her terrifying plot to destroy Gotham with an atomic bomb. With some plot twists and visually impressive action sequences, introducing the new Batwing, the Dark Knight Rises rounds up the Trilogy most wholesomely and is my favorite of the three (mainly due to Anne Hathaway’s beautiful and mildly camp Catwoman).

After we had all taken a deep exhale upon finishing the Dark Knight Trilogy, Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” was released in 2013. Where ” Man of Steel” is a background extravaganza for Superman, in the climactic battle that stretches into space, a satellite dish brandishing a familiar “Wayne Enterprises” logo is seen. It was no surprise that the follow up to “Man of Steel” would in fact feature a rebooted Batman.

“Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” is to be released in 2016. Very little is known about it, just that it features Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Lex Luthor and of course Batman and Superman themselves, with Daredevil veteran, Ben Affleck taking up the mantle of Caped Crusader. With a new suit and new batmobile already debuted in promotional images, it seems that instead of armour, the new suit is fabric; a homage to classic Batman. I do not know what this will bring, but I am incredibly excited for Superman and Batman’s first on screen meet up and it promises to be massive!

To all those who have read, I hope you have enjoyed and feel free to comment!

Read on and Prosper!

The Batman Begins Again Part 1

With a long awaited trailer for the new DC Superhero mega blockbuster “Batman VS Superman: Dawn of Justice” to make its debut come May 15th, I’ll be shedding a little insight on the Batmen of the past and the future.

“Batman Forever” hit cinemas the year I was born, so I have become accustomed to a more serious Batman. So when I start with the famous and brilliantly campy Adam West Batman, forgive me if I am slightly skeptical. “Shark repellent Batspray… Salt and corrosion; the infamous old enemies of a crime fighter… Let’s leave Robin,but inconspicuously; through the window…” How brilliant. Despite the ridiculous circumstances and over-theatrical nature of the show, the production value for a 1960’s TV show was undeniably impressive. If you want a good laugh and are familiar with the characters, then for sure, give it a watch!

Two decades rolled by before another live action Batman was seen again, this time in the guise of a black rubber suited Michael Keaton, in the 1989 smash “Batman”. Keaton brought a certain nature of seriousness and alongside Jack Nicholson’s outlandishly flamboyant Joker, the two bounced off each other in a way only the famous fictional duo can. Tim Burton’s movies certainly have a Gothic reputation and by this time, with the positive traction it received, worldwide audiences seemed to be ready to accept a more realistic caped crusader, despite keeping some of the less serious aspects of the 1966 Batman series I.E the close-ups and musical flick on the Batarangs.This film explored a darker side to Bruce Wayne, with a love interest in Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger) and still having to come to terms with the loss of his parents at a young age, while battling the psychotic Joker to save Gotham City.

The success of “Batman” of course heralded in a sequel with “Batman Returns”, bringing Keaton and Burton back to the franchise in 1992. Separating the “damsel in distress” theme of previous female leads (most notably Kim Basinger’s “Vicky Vale” in the 1989 “Batman”), Catwoman was born to Gotham, as a strong and powerful antagonist, portrayed by the talented Michelle Pfeiffer. Mixing it up, Burton brought in Danny Devito and his superb portrayal of the Penguin to initially team up with Catwoman in a villainous duo against Keaton’s Dark Knight. Now with Batman dealing with love in and outside the cowl, the Penguin attempts to go all Pied Piper on Gotham’s new born children in a far-fetched scheme of vengeance against Gotham City. I thought this film was much better than the previous, though some would disagree. I think it needed the dynamics of all three of the main characters to diversify the franchise further.

In 1995, came a Keaton and Burton-free portrayal of the rubber-clad avenger in “Batman Forever” with Val Kilmer leading. This is where many people believe that the Batman franchise, which had gained an impressive reputation with Burton’s Batman, began to go south. Joel Schumacher was hired to direct and take the wheel in forwarding Batman with a new batcave, larger and more practical, a new batmobile, sleeker and more agile and a new female lead as Bruce Wayne found himself once again being harassed by beautiful women. This time in the form of never before seen, Dr Chase Meridian played by Nicole Kidman. But apparently, with the two previous films holding Age 15 certificates, Gotham and it’s hero was not appealing enough to a younger audience and the attempts to make this happen are clearly evident in this film. It seemed Adam West’s Batman ways were back with a hilariously (albeit, impressively and entertainingly green pajama wearing) Jim Carrey as the Riddler and noticeably lighter and more insane, Two-Face played by Tommy Lee Jones. The huge stunts, brightly lit sets and over the top nature of this movie left a bad taste in many a critics mouth and it was unclear as what would happen to Batman next.

“Batman and Robin” hit the big screens in 1997 and was very recently voted the Worst Superhero Movie ever… wow; need I say more? George Clooney now donned the cape and cowl, accompanied by Chris O’Donnel’s Robin and Alicia Silverstone’s Batgirl, against the hugely over-dressed, pun spewing but ruthless Mr Freeze played by Arnold Schwarznegger. Mr Freeze embarks on a freezing spree in a noble effort to save his dying wife, but teams up with the stupidly camp and hammy, Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman) and her dim witted muscle, Bane (Jeep Swenson). Much like its predecessor, “Batman and Robin” was poorly written, had little character development for anyone and while the hugely elaborate set pieces, costumes and props looked spectacular, the movie flopped on all other levels. With a follow up film cancelled due to the poor reception of “Batman and Robin”, it seemed the world was beginning to lose patience for Batman and there seemed little hope left for the caped crusader.

That is… up until 2005…