Is Aslan on the move?

 

The Chronicles of Narnia were my fantasy realm for years. Although I would proudly say that The Lord of the Rings are my favourite films now, but before December 2001, Narnia was my Middle Earth. I loved the books, loved the BBC adaptations of old, I used to the rent them on VHS from the library all the time. I couldn’t imagine the stories I grew up with being spun out on the big screen but when the years of fantasy ruling the box office were in power, it was inevitable that C.S Lewis’ series would eventually be adapted. It's quite surprising how long it took for the books to be adapted and given the blockbuster treatment but when they were, Hollywood decided to start with the most well-known book, ignoring the actual first in the story. But thankfully in storytelling terms, at least cinematic ones, to have the prequel later on, makes sense. The Magician’s Nephew, the first book will hopefully see its day on the big screen. The BBC TV series also never included this strange tale involving other worlds and the actual creation of Narnia. 

When Disney took up the helm, releasing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005, the stories literally came to life and were surprisingly loyal to the book, with added CGI flare of course. Shot in New Zealand and with WETA working their magic, it felt that fantasy stories were continuing to dominate the box office. This continued with Prince Caspian in 2008 and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. But due to a contract expiring, the long awaited follow up, The Silver Chair, was never made. Although there was traction right up until 2018, Netflix announced their plan to adapt the book in their entirety that same year, so The Silver Chair was abandoned. 

Since the big announcement from Netflix in 2018, there have been a few more rumours circulating. Matthew Alrich, co-writer of Coco has joined the project as ‘creative architect’, whatever that means. Then more recently, that Greta Gerwig will direct 2 films in the franchise. With this new news, it feels that there is hope that the project will still go ahead.

Over the past 4 years, there has been plenty of speculation as to how the books will be adapted, whether they will be made in order or follow a similar pattern to the Disney films (which skipped two films). But there is a safe bet that all 7 books will be made into films. Netflix has also stated they want to create a Narnia universe, like Game of Thrones. Whether this means new stories (hope not) or they are referring to the prequel story, as it technically is, The Magician’s Nephew and The Horse and His Boy, which does not heavily feature any of the characters in the other books.

I embraced the Disney films, even though I’ll always love the BBC series from my childhood. I was disappointed that not all the films were made, especially as Will Poulter was cast as the perfect Eustace Scrubb. But at least one of my favourite books in the series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was adapted. I’ve been waiting over 30 years to see The Magician’s Nephew though, my other favourite and I’m really hoping Netflix don’t let me down.

All I hope for is that they stick to the source material, no modern-day versions please, that would be dire and kill the entire series. Keep to the time periods the books are set in and the characters as described. It’s a fantasy series so go crazy in the fantasy parts of the stories not those set in ‘the real world’. If they need pointers on how to adapt a series well, just look to A Series of Unfortunate Events. Yes, they added a few bits but the makers stuck to the books, the characters and kept the essence and atmosphere of the source material. Yes, this was TV but the format worked for the stories. Narnia works better as films. But you can see what I’m trying to say. Stick to the source material and embellish smaller parts that will not ruin it all.

With such a rich tapestry to work from and so many great characters across the books, there is a lot of potential. Of course, there are going to those obvious religious undertones and allegories galore that might not appeal to everyone (at secondary school we were actually taught the books in RE (religious education) and we read the books in primary school). But at heart the books are fantasy that can be enjoyed by all. Fingers crossed Netflix gets them made!

Death on the Nile

 

SPOILERS ALERT

Despite the fact that the Kenneth Branagh is not the best Poirot, his first Agatha Christie adaptation of the famous Orient Express murder, was actually very entertaining. This was thanks to the intriguing casting and great suspect characters, Branagh himself was just there to orchestrate the whole thing. It came as no surprise that another story featuring his version of Poirot would be made, along with another set of interesting characters and a star-studded cast. Death on the Nile also seemed like a likely choice, with an exotic setting, this time in the sun and desert as well as cross overs with suspects. But, unlike the first film which was over dramatic in places and strayed from the point only but a few times, Death on the Nile is a convoluted, over dramatized, over reaching, entertaining but very flawed film. 

While on holiday in Egypt, Poirot becomes part of a wedding party for the recently married heiress Linnet Ridgeway to Simon Doyle. The small an intimate party is made up of friends and close family of Linnet’s and famous jazz singer Salome Otterbourne providing entertainment. But there is an air of scandal as Simon was actually engaged to Linnet’s school friend Jacqueline before she ‘stole’ him away. Jacqueline now stalks the happy couple in hopes of ruining their honeymoon. When the wedding party moves to the river, boarding a steamer, the Karnak, the tension heightens, especially when Jacqueline also appears on board. But the real shock is when Linnet is found murdered in her bed, everyone is a suspect.

For those who don’t know the original story, it’s a shame as it was fine the way it played out. The other adaptations follow the original plot and still create a thrilling and exciting story. The audience coming in and watching this film with fresh might still be able to see the issues that don’t flow properly. But my guess is that if you don’t know what Branagh has ruined, you might not care as much. But again, it’s a shame as the original was better and could easily have been brought to the screen. The fault doesn’t just lie with Branagh by with screenwriter Michael Green also, who wrote both adaptations.

The only commendable part of the many changes that Branagh made was the casting, which is excellent all round. The Armie Hammer’s controversy aside of course, as the film was shot before that broke, there was nothing they could do about it. But the casting alone is the only improvement.

With adaptations, there is always room for change, but it’s about how much change and whether is it justified is the question. Branagh and Green’s changes include, changing all but three characters stories, some motives, some background stories and even moulding two characters into one. The other major changes to the film which greatly impact the story was adding in a brand-new side plot that about his friend, Bouc (made up character) and his relationship with Rosalie Otterbourne. Bouc is the third person murdered which is obviously not in the book. It is there to try and create an emotional punch and connection to Poirot, unnecessary. Another big change is the opening which sees a younger Poirot on the front lines of World War I in the trenches and gives us a reason as to why he has such a huge moustache. He also gives Poirot a lover, another huge hint that Branagh and Green are taking liberties with Christie’s character. All these changes don’t make the film better. Luckily the core characters and the murderers remain the same with the same plot which works perfectly.

Getting past the parts that really don’t work, the film is once again, like the first, entertaining and the scenery is breath taking. The parts that are real anyway. The fun period drama thriller does indulge in excellent costume and décor, it’s a feast for the eyes. But the intricate details are lacking and Branagh’s Poirot just becomes very difficult to watch. Thankfully the cast of suspects are dynamic enough to makes the film bearable. But you can’t help but think there was so many missed opportunities.

There is still hope that with the impending next film in the franchise that Branagh will tone down the Poirot over dramatics and focus more on the keeping to and being faithful to a plot. There was speculation about the next title. In the film Poirot mentions retirement and The Death of Roger Ackroyd sprang to mind, but it had been announced that the next film will take place in post-war Venice and be adapted from a lesser-known novel. So this screams not faithful adaptation to be honest.

What is the great MCU plan?

 

What is the great MCU plan? What do they have set out for us all? 

 Having just seen Eternals recently on Disney+ because I missed it at the cinemas, my thought about the film were not what they should be. Firstly, and personally, I felt the film was too wide, it felt as if it was stepping outside the last MCU phase and was observing from afar. I know this is what the Eternals were meant to be doing but it felt that there was yet another layer being added to the heavily padded out universe. Dare I say it that Marvel Studios had bitten off far more than they can chew and spit out. Secondly, I thought the film was, on the whole quite good, Chloe Zhao has a keen eye for visuals and I very much appreciated the variety of characters. But I also felt that the Eternals never should have been included in the MCU. 

Their purpose and involvement was too vast. Having them fight Deviants (lame name but you can’t win them all) just felt and turned out to be time wasting. Adding even more characters to the already over-crowded mix is mind bending. Not to mention with the arrival of the multiverse it’s going to become a hell of a lot more confusing. Before Phase Two began, the execs were worried that Guardians of the Galaxy was going to be too weird. But as that is literally a space story with aliens, guns and an 80s soundtrack, it was going to be a sure thing. BUT Eternals isn’t. Its set on Earth with a group of humanoid beings with powers. It could either be seen as more of the same or just too beyond the scope, especially with the celestials. 

The days of having the Defenders on Netflix, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and the MCU films feels so long ago. The Agent Carter series that had such promise then buckled under in season two also, seems so long ago. We also don’t talk about Inhumans. Now that Disney has literally SO many TV shows in the works makes me wonder whether when will this all end or will it be never ending considering the amount of comic book characters out there. Personally, I didn’t watch all the shows, I haven’t even caught up with the films yet (No Way Home, also missed at the cinema). I only watch what interests me and if it has Oscar Issac in it. 

Having gone back and rewatched AOS seasons 1-5, I remembered why I stopped. It wasn’t just that I wasn’t able to find the last two seasons to watch (the UK was a year behind on TV) but I felt that something had shifted to the point I wasn’t sure if I liked how the series was going. I will finish the whole thing as I really need to know exactly what happened not just the final few minutes. Season 6 marked the point where the series wasn’t acknowledging the films, made sense but also didn’t. One of the biggest mistakes was the films not acknowledging the series. Especially as it has the greatest love story in the MCU. 

There is a part of me that wished everything had ended with Endgame just for the sake of neatness and a story coming full circle. But there’s more, there’s always more. Of course, I want Guardians of the Galaxy Vol3 and to an extent Thor: Love and Thunder, but otherwise, I’ve stopped getting excited for the next release. Shang-chi was exciting as I loved the cast and on the whole, really enjoyed the film. But every film, set on Earth, seems to just be about the be all and end all. The smaller stories are no different. With Wandavision, Wanda threatened to tear reality apart, in Loki, the Time Variance Authority and a massive clue towards the multiverse and the new ‘big bad’. Honestly didn’t bother with Hawkeye and the other show, they really didn’t interest me. Despite the backlash that the series on Netflix got, I very much enjoyed some of the shows involving the Defenders. That intimacy is what’s missing but it looks like Moon Knight might capture this again. But knowing Marvel, it will be connected to a bigger picture, maybe, Secret Invasion involving MI-13 (the British S.H.I.E.L.D). 

Unlike before, there were Avengers films to collect everyone together but for Phase 4 there is no film that will have everyone together as there is no more Iron Man or Captain America to bring everyone together. But it still feels like everyone is being pulled in together. So far characters from Phase 2 & 3 are appearing in each other’s films and TV shows. There is no, sorry to use this, endgame. God knows what Phase 5 will be or if we’ll get there. I’ll be ok with that not happening. 

One of the theories my friend and I had was that multiverse was an opportunity to bring in mutants and the X-Men, now that that film franchise is dead. But with the way things were going in Wandavision, I thought House of M might make an appearance. Bu then again, the latter mostly affected mutants. Maybe all of the above will happen but as there has been no word, Disney might try and let that superhero chain cover over in dust. 

Its strange to think that this all started in 2007 with Iron Man, I never would have guessed this growth.

Cruella, feminist

 

There has been a multitude of controversies surrounding Disney films for years but in the light of the House of Mouse releasing (yet another) live action story, this time about notorious villain and Queen of murderous fashion Cruella DeVil, a few new controversies need to come to light. As we all know, Cruella isn’t the nicest person you’ll meet, she does like killing animals for their skin and fur but it could also be argued that she is a feminist and has been the whole time.

In the live action Disney adaptation of ‘One Hundred and One Dalmatians’ released back in 1996, Cruella is introduced, dressed head to toe in fur but with a distinct style that feels lifted from the screen of a classic Hollywood film. She saunters to her office but stops at Anita’s workstation, mesmerised by the drawing but also, her talent. This first conversation between the characters is eye opening. Cruella asks Anita what she wants from her career, where she sees herself in the future, she wants to offer her opportunities, she wants to lift her fellow woman up. But Anita, when replies she wants to quit her job once she’s married as that is her goal in life, Cruella says, “More good women have been lost to marriage than to war, famine, disease and disaster. You have talent darling, don’t squander it.” Hearing those words at 7 years old meant nothing, hear those words at 31 years old, you immediately recognise who Cruella is. She is a feminist but she’s also a villain, a Disney villain. This is a message that Disney continuously sends out in their films.

The idea that a single woman in power is someone not be trusted and therefore vilified isn’t a new concept for Disney. Obviously, many of the studios’ films are adapted from fairy tales and folktales where women don’t come off as the heroine often at all. The women are witches, wicked step mothers, spinsters, shapeshifters, independent thinkers, they are the alternative to the normality. Through adaptations, these poisonous messages can be amended but Disney have chosen to go down a different path.

Back in 2018 it came out in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Keira Knightly said that she doesn’t allow her daughter to watch certain Disney films. Not adhering to the ‘damsel in distress’ story that makes it seem that girl’s lives are only complete when a man comes along to save them. Knightly did say that although she loves ‘The Little Mermaid’ she though it sent the wrong message to young girls. Ariel literally gives up her voice to be with a man who may or may not feel the same way about her. The response to Knightly’s decision was split between those who watched Disney when they were younger but can still differentiate between a fairy tale and how to act in real life and those who believe that some Disney films and the values they portray are outdated. Newer films such as Tangled, Frozen and Moana have been mentioned as progressive and moving beyond the simple Princess needs a Prince story trope. But really only Moana has gone further, with a story about a young woman on a self-discovery journey as one to save her community and family. She doesn’t have a love interest and nor does she need saving herself, but while watching the film, these story elements are not even missed. But before there was Moana, Ana, Elsa and to an extent, Judy Hopps, the Princesses and heroines of Disney faced off against the ‘other’ women. Disney making the main character a feminist, or as feminist as they are willing to go, has only been a recent development, before it was the villains who embodied these ideals but cloaked in evil deeds and wicked characteristics.

In the latest Disney efforts, the idea that Cruella is a feminist is continued. This story is about how Cruella came into being, having always had a ‘wild side’, she embarks first in a life thievery then breaks into the world of fashion. Her career is the most important thing, that is until she is consumed by revenge. The antagonist of the story is the Baroness, a wealthy and iconic fashion designer who rules her company with an iron fist. It is revealed she is responsible for the death of Cruella’s mother as well as other deep dark secrets (SPOILER) that is in fact Cruella’s birth mother and had actually ordered a servant to kill her as a baby would interfere with her own career. Of course, we know Cruella evolves into the dog hating, animal killing villain we love and adore but this new development that Disney dives deeper into the ‘feminist=villain’ trait with the Baroness. Not to say that the Baroness is actually a feminist but she shows signs she could be if she wasn’t so cold hearted. But the dig about her wanting to kill her own child just so she can have a career is, absolutely, ridiculous. This new story avenue paints Cruella in a different light yet she is still a villain at the end of the day even of she does want to elevate Anita’s career and she’s chose not have a conventional family. If Disney had chosen to mine these personality traits and given her a different background, her feminist ideals might have had a positive beginning, but no, villains must stay on a certain path and mustn’t deter from the formula.

 

Watch List: December

 

Mulan

Without comparing this to the 1998 film, there is merit in the story and the spectacle and it’s an uplifting tale of bravery and honour BUT because this is a live action Disney film, the fact that characters are very much altered/added, there are no songs and Mulan’s character is changed beyond recognition. The agency of our heroine’s character is about saving her father but here, she’s a tomboy, has some special power and is already a warrior. The development of Mulan’s being is all off balance which makes the film off centre. This was such a missed opportunity. 3/5 

 

Babyteeth

 Full review can be read over at Filmhounds HERE. 3/5

Freaky

Just when you thought that body swapping films were dead and buried, you’re hit with a gory as hell comedy(ish) horror where Vince Vaughn plays a teenage girl. Beginning with usual slasher deaths and intrigue including a special knife that allows you trade bodies. Then the film launches into a blood bath with revenge deaths handled by the serial killer while the heroine is trapped in a man’s body running around town with her friends trying to catch said killer. It’s very entertaining. 4/5 

 

Undertaking Betty

With cast that features ‘award nominated/winning’ before their names deserves a watch especially as the cast features Christopher Walken as a funeral director with outlandish ideas and yes, he does dance at some point. Betty and Boris (the other funeral director in the small Welsh town) are in love but they can only be together if they fake Betty’s death, apparently. There are so many bizarre things in the film it was pleasant surprise of a film that could have easily been terrible. 3/5 

 

Soul

Pixar has a way of breaking into your mind, heart and now, soul too. A beautifully illustrated story about a musician who's been looking for his big break, obsessed with Jazz and focused not much else. Joe looks back at his life and it’s not filled with great memories or achievements or at least this is what he sees in himself so instead of thinking of taking stock of his life, he continues to obsess about his one big shot which he was so close to before he ended up in the great beyond. The detour he takes is trying to convince another would be soul to take the journey but of course this soul doesn’t want to go. The clashes between characters is very clear and from this meeting you can predict what happens next which doesn’t take away the heartfelt moments but it does make for a less exciting story. I also wonder, as did most people, how was this aimed at children? There is practically nothing that young children could enjoy. Most of the existential discussions will go far over most children’s heads. But if this was really for adults to enjoy then, it makes sense. 3/5

 

Watch List December

The leftovers from 2019...

Hail Satan?

 Who'd have thought that a documentart about a religion would grab my attention and even make me think twice about religion on the whole? I was surprised at how straight forward the story of the Satanic Temple was. On the surface it looks like its a group of satan worshipers who to put a statue representing their beliefs next to the 10 Commandments statue outside a courthouse BUT in fact is actually a fantastic positive group of people who came together to form the temple. They stand for all the things that those Bible bashers claim to be but aren't. As someone who was brought up Catholic, now not, I know exactly what those 'Christians' are like, maybe not to the extreme that the Americans are but I know them. Thought provoking and brilliantly told story. Hopefully the separation of Church and State will be realised, soon. 4/5

Little Women

SPOILERS

Honestly, I was very disappointed when I heard that this was to be Greta Gerwig's next feature. I haven't enjoyed the previous adaptations I've seen, I don't really like the story but I do love the characters. My main problem is that I can't understand why Jo and Laurie don't get together, not married, just not to together. His 'romance' with Amy is literally just filling the void and in any version I've seen, its always going to be like that. Anyway....I loved this film. It was full of passion, creativity, Laura Dern and four brilliant sisters. Each were given a story, each was given a personality and each were fierce and brave in their own way. I was most pleased that Beth was given the heart of the story with just a few simple exchanges and her piano playing. A fantastic film that changed my mind about the story on the whole BUT still think Jo and Laurie would have been better suited, but thats just me. 4/5

Uncut Gems

Lots of screaming, lots of yelling, lots of money, not that many gems. My full review is over at Vulturehound HERE. 3/5

Frozen 2

Unlike the truly terrible (apart from Olaf) Frozen from yesteryear, this is a rare occurance. This Disney sequel is far better, still flawed, than the first. Great songs (can't remember them really) and finally Jonathan Groff stops talking like his reindeer and is given a song and its hilarious. There's an amazing water horse spirit thing and an enchanted forest, plus the cutest little fire lizard. The highlights come from Olaf who recaps the entire first film which is, again, hilarious as well as dropping inspirational and terrifying instagram quotes all over the place. It really was so much better and there's even barely any rock troll moments!! But the entire story is flawed and alot of what Elsa has to do it a bit obvious. But who cares! There's a cute fire demon thing in it! 3/5

6 Underground

I'm not a Michael Bay fan, at all but this cast was too good to ignore. And that is exactly what it is, a fantastic cast who deserved a whole better. The concept is borrowed and twisted and not in a good way. But the characters really do save this piece of high budget trash. Ryan Reynolds wants a franchise but the only way it could work is if he took the reins and made it better, like he did with Deadpool. 3/5

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

For the full experience, please read HERE.  3/5

The Rise of Skywalker

SPOILERS. There are SPOILERS in this post, you have been warned.

For those who love the originals, for those who actually the prequels and for those who adore the latest films, this isn’t made for you. To those who don’t really watch Star Wars or were at the cinema and didn’t know what to watch, this film was made for you, so, you’re welcome. Collectively Kathleen Kennedy, Disney, JJ Abrams and that guy Chris who really has no idea what he’s doing, decided it was a fantastic idea to completely change the film, with reshoots, rewrites and cutting 30% of the film as late as October 2019. What I’d give to see the rumoured multiple endings and the original direction and ending of the film. There wouldn’t be THIS much outrage across the fandom or the tepid mediocre ‘I guess it was ok’ reactions from those who, to be honest, aren’t as big a fans as Star Wars fans. Yes, I’m saying this, because in my opinion I believe it. Let’s get started, shall we?
As a film, it offers amazing scenery, visual and practical effects galore, a few nostalgia trips that are appreciated and that’s it. The story is confusing, backtracks quite a few things from the previous films in the trilogy, adds in characters we haven’t seen in decades that were thought to be dead, cuts down characters roles to near nothing, shatters fans hopes for certain characters including the actor who plays him, cobbles together an ending that seriously flawed, denies us a scene that would have greatly improved the film, kills off a fan favourite without justification, shatters another fan base while thinking they did what they wanted, ends appallingly overall and doesn’t give us hope for the future of Star Wars.

The film jumps right into the action after a very quick intro in the opening scroll, with Kylo Ren finding and fighting his way to Exogol, the Sith home world or something near to that. There he meets Emperor Palpatine who is somehow alive and tells him to kill Rey and he’ll give him power and his Final Order, a massive fleet of star destroyer ships. Rey meanwhile is training with Leia’s guidance but as she is now struggling with the light and dark, she keeps failing. Poe, Finn, Chewie and C3PO pick up a message from a spy in the First Order about Palpatine and about the impending doom that will occur. The gang and Rey go on a mission to find a way finder that should lead to Exogol so that Rey can confront and kill the emperor once and for all.

To avoid giving a beat by beat critique that will just feel like a story explanation, similar to what I’ve seen Youtubers do, I’ll dive straight in. Having seen the film twice, I gained clarity on most of the story and characters. Meaning that the first time I just felt outraged and was over heated and immensely annoyed at the death of Ben Solo. The second time around, I could almost enjoy the mediocre tone of the film. No character was given a good send off, but on a whole the film was enjoyable IF you over looked everything that was built up in the previous films in the so-called trilogy. But my enjoyment was stunted by the incredible bad ending, not just Ben Solo dying but the fact we were all denied an actual fight between Palpatine, Rey and Ben. As well as dialogue between Rey and Ben at the end, but I’ll get into that later. We were also given a real slap in the face rip of ending that had been taken from Return of the Jedi with the Resistance or Rebels or whatever they were calling themselves by the end. The film was a mixed bag that consisted of plot and style elements stolen from other Star Wars films, note stolen, not homaged, terrible plotlines for all the rebel characters, a complete change in direction for the entire saga and a dissatisfying end for Rey and Ben.

With the reshoots in mind and the last minute changes, I’d really like to see what the original plan was and I’d also like to see the original cut of one of the final scenes which quite a few people have fixed for fans out there, yes, especially for Reylo fans, but in all fairness, it’s not only Reylo fans who are calling for justice over Ben Solo. Kylo Ren was a huge fan favourite across the ages of fans, seeing this happen with such a, let’s face it, utter shit inconclusive ending, its fair for the outrage. Having Adam Driver missing from nearly all press events was a huge tell-tale sign too. This could be explained as that he was busy promoting Marriage Story, even though that came out a month earlier, but it’s still something not to be ignored. JJ Abrams and the writer of such fan favourites as Superman vs Batman and Justice League Chris Terrio have been next to no help with trying quash outraged fans and disappointed audiences, they’ve continued to try and justify their pathetic attempt to end an epic story.

The major ridiculous plot twist that wasn’t a twist as it was basically blurted out in the first 5 minutes, making Rey Palpatine’s granddaughter was a weak attempt to try and justify Rey’s position in the Star Wars story. Making her ‘someone’ negates the whole point of what the trilogy was meant to be about. You don’t have to be famous to be someone great. But to JJ and that t**t Terrio apparently you are only worth something if you’re famous. Really shoddy character development boys. Rey’s story was set up as different and more interesting than the people of note. Believing that anyone could be a Jedi was the hope we needed and made for a great story, but JJ and Chris just burnt that-wait did the Torries write this? Rey’s story on her own was ruined but her continuing bond with Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was becoming more interesting. Confirming that they are a Dyad, the literal embodiment of the light and dark sides of the force was meant to be a bigger deal but despite being the best parts of the whole film, Rey and Ben didn’t get their epic battle with Palpatine, they didn’t even get to be happy together. Hollywood just didn’t want to give us the happy ending to the saga. This time, a happy ending would have made sense and no one would have complained.

After delivering such a brilliant cinematic masterpiece, Rian Johnson’s excellent story telling was ignored, negated and just plain disrespected by JJ. Johnson gave us a Rose Tico. JJ just cut her out of the story, even getting her to actively say she’ll miss out on the adventure to do some paper work or study something. Appalling. Finn, who was and is force sensitive was reduced to just screaming everyone’s names, mostly Rey’s. Finn and Rose were great characters, but clearly all JJ and Chris cared about was….was….actually no idea. Did they even care at all? They cared enough to put out rumours of Poe Dameron being gay. They definitely spent time on that. Even adding in a whole new female character from his past to flirt with a bit. Pointless. Oscar Isaacs has said that Poe was gay so I’ll take the actor who advocated for FinnPoe or StormPilot to be cannon. We were robbed of a genuine pairing here. These were just the tip of the iceberg. With plot holes and pointless detours galore such as why bother making Hux a spy just to kill him seconds later? How the hell did Palpatine survive the Death Star, really, how? Cryptic warbling doesn’t cut it. Where is Ben? He wasn’t a force ghost at the end so where is he? Why was Rey more emotional when she healed Ben than when he died? Actually, I can answer that, he wasn’t meant to die. Who the hell had sex with Palpatine? How the hell did Rey’s parents manage to be anonymous for so long? What was the point of death teasing C3PO and Chewie, seriously what was the point?? Also why the hell did Disney and LucasFilm think this terrible mess of a film would satisfy fans and non-fans alike? Its not even a case of all those who liked TLJ hate TROS, it’s a mix of hate and ‘meh, it was ok’. They wanted to avoid further discourse but instead shot themselves in the head with this mess. They could have just given what we all wanted, they would have made money either way.

The Rise of Skywalker Was a Huge Mistake

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW this is just a discussion peice. 

For any poor soul who follows me on Instagram or Twitter you have unfortunately been dragged into my Star War breakdown. Also apologies for Twitter especially as I tried to not to post about it but everyone else had and there were a few choice tweets that were just too good to not share, obviously I mentioned there would be spoilers on there so now I say there are spoilers galore in this post and the next so read on only if you’ve seen the film(s) or you like spoilers.

Long have I waited to see the final Star Wars film in the saga. And its rushed production issues, reshoots, script changes were its undoing.

To start with, I wanted to state that I have always been a huge fan of Star Wars. It is my childhood, my teenage years and now my adulthood. I grew up watching the originals on VHS tapes that we used to record of the TV. I even went to the cinema to watch The Phantom Menace and of course I watched the new trilogy films multiple times in the cinema. Star Wars is close to my heart and as much as I love the originals (prequels I do not like) I really liked the new characters and the story of the newer films. I was devastated by TROS. My immediate opinion was that the film was entertaining (mostly) and apart from the abomination of an ending, it could be saved but after a second watch, I have decided that, for me, the film is clearly a mess.

The film has been plagued by reshoots, last minute script changes and rumoured test screenings with Disney folk, this has all been confirmed by cast members, crew and yes in the media. This was a production that was cowering under the weight of its own gravitas. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. There was also a rumour that there were several different endings which gives me hope that the better ending is somewhere and at the same time makes me nauseous as this explains why the film, especially the end is a complete mess.

Some people out there have praised the film and JJ Abrams for his efforts saying that it wasn’t too bad after what he was left with after Rian Johnson. This infuriates as not only because The Last Jedi is the superior film and actually followed on from the previous, The Force Awakens, but also, JJ Abrams was also involved in making TLJ. He was executive producer as well as Johnson confirming that he and JJ discussed plot but as there was no end, yet, he worked from TFA. So, idiots of the galaxy, stop blaming Johnson for something that your precious JJ was involved with too. Johnson has been the voice of reason throughout this whole saga since his involvement. He has rightly said ‘Catering to Fans, Rather Than Challenging Them, Is a ‘Mistake’ and has been nothing but a true filmmaker and gentleman throughout TLJ discourse that still rages across the internet. Someone on twitter even wrote a letter to Johnson asking for help and getting involved with Star Wars again and while its amusing there is so much truth in it. You can read it HERE.

From Disney’s point of view, they won’t take risks so when half the Star Wars loved TLJ and the other half hated it, they took no notice of the former. For them the whole point of TROS was to squash any greedy needy fanboys/girls out there who wanted nothing but fan service and no consistent story and just give them what they wanted. This film was to appeal to the masses AND the TLJ haters. But in doing so, they created an even greater divide, they didn’t get the peaceful end. They instead got more discourse and an uproar. They didn’t just end the film so terribly, but several characters were not given what they deserved. They also acknowledged quite a few fan fuelled ideas that came out of characters’ chemistry but didn’t act on it. Some of these naturally evolved with the story others were just ignored. Disney seemed to flat out refuse FinnPoe, even though this was known and loved by the actors and wasn’t just a passing comment, the fans wanted this. But Disney doesn’t take chances. Instead they make a huge deal about 2 second kiss between two women that can easily be cut out and sold to various territories. Ridiculous. Reylo was the other huge shipping but this, as I said, evolved from the story as well as the great chemistry between the actors. This actual pairing was a huge part of the story BUT JJ Abrams stammered to say that its platonic while in the script Rey and Ben Solo are named soulmates. JJ really doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

The way the trilogy was set up was that three different directors would take the reins of each film. JJ Abrams gave us TFA which was about introducing new characters, story and still paying homage the originals, fan service basically but it worked here. Rian Johnson gave us what we needed for the story to continue and to show that new ideas fuel new stories but in order to do so, you need to let the past go. What was then needed was a director who could give us a fulfilling ending while continuing the story and themes. BUT instead Disney and Lucas Films made the mistake of getting JJ back and then collectively ruin one of the greatest sagas in film history. How will they ever recover? 

The fact that this is the last film in the Skywalker saga doesn’t mean no more Star Wars films not by a long shot as Disney wants money above all things. But with how the film ended, I’m worries no will get closure on the glaring plot holes of TROS. The idea scenario would be new characters, new stories BUT Rey without Ben alone on Tatooine needs to be fixed or an alternative ending needs to resurface. With the amount of backlash over the film, this terrible end needs to be addressed. Through all the videos, posts, features, reviews and tweets the most consistent opinions I’ve seen about the film is that it’s a mess (not even kidding) that the ending was terrible and most of all, Ben Solo should have lived, he deserved so much better. This is a cry for resurrection or he’s trapped in the worlds between worlds or something. But THAT needs to be answered. And not by JJ who didn’t even know how the film was going to end until October this year. 

All this and I haven’t really got into the film yet.

If you can stand to read my writing any longer, I’ll be writing just about TROS next.

Small Screen, BIg Wave

 

The age of superheroes dawned us not with the release of ‘X-Men’ and ‘Spiderman’ in the early 2000s but with the beginning of the master Marvel plan in 2007 with ‘Iron Man’. As I wasn’t reading comics (apart from Tintin and Oor Wullie) back then and only looking longingly at my local comic book shop when I was intimidated by the ‘what are you doing here?’ stare, these superheroes and by extension comic book films were all new to me. I had been completely enthralled by ‘Sin City’ in 2005 and sort out the original graphic novels, where I learnt just how graphic a comic styled book could be. Of course, the fact that the movies were turning towards to comics and graphic novels for stories was no new trend BUT the fact that we, the audience, are regularly fed our yearly superhero films has changed the landscape of film and now, TV as well.

Comics lend themselves to television structure that it always felt wrong that such characters and their blockbuster like stories were confined to limited timed films and their sequels and not given the time to develop and grow, like they do on the page. But the TV execs were paying attention. Seeing the opportunity to adapt more stories and characters for the small screen presented the opportunity to expand the comic universes. The CW has run with this idea with the likes of ‘Arrow’ and ‘The Flash’ and ABC with ‘Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D’ and Netflix too even had a slice of the Marvel pie before the announcement of the juggernaut (no I’m not referencing the mutant) Disney creating their own streaming service which meant shutting down shows on other platforms, although ‘Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D’ will bow out with their seventh and final season. But both Netflix and Amazon Prime have opted to venture further into the comics world and go for the more ‘adult’ themed comics or as they say on the trade paperbacks, ‘For Mature Readers’.

From Marvel to DC to Vertigo to Image to Dark Horse, the adaptations are endless. With hits like ‘Preacher’, ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and the newly minted ‘The Boys’, not only is the demand for comic adaptations out there, the desire for grittier and more graphic shows needs to be met. The latter two shows that came out this year, both renewed for second seasons have generally pleased the fandom and gain more followers. Both source materials could be considered as little to unknown in the grand scheme of things but with their superhero genre slapped on them, this attracts those who love the blockbuster films but also want to see their favourites for longer than a film. They also happen to be about superheroes. There is no escaping this genre which has become arguably in its own right. Actually, escape can be found in the Archie comics adaptations such as the eternal teen haven, ‘Riverdale’ and its spin off ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’. But both have gone darker, especially the latter.

The shows will keep coming and it may or may not feel like overkill but if shows such as ‘The Walking Dead’ and keep on walking for multiple seasons and news shows such as ‘Y: The Last Man’ and the legendary ‘Sandman’ have been slated to be made, at least we’re in for a variety of weird and wonderful stories to look forward to. BUT there will come a time when, just like me and comics, there’s just too many to keep up with.

Watch List March

Captain Marvel

 No one expected a cat named Goose would be such a hit but the Captain herself was great fun. There were flaws yes but on the whole, Marvel finally making a superhero film with a female character front and centre was long overdue. That's of course if you discount Ant-Man and The Wasp. My post about the film and the media hell around it can be read HERE. 4/5

The Girl in the Spider's Web

My review of the adaptation of the fourth book in the Millenium series but a weird side stepped not quite a sequel to David Fincher's remake (doesn't make sense as the film references things that happened after that film) can be read over at VultureHound HERE. 3/5

Incredibles 2

Missed this at the cinema first time round, caught it on Blu-ray. Many films do not require a sequel, including The Incredibles and I stand by this. But I love the characters and the other side of superheros so I enjoyed this one. A great and interesting turn from the ending of the first film where the family are living in a motel after their house was destroyed and they make a mess of trying to capture a villain. A secretive, worth millions company who's CEO loves superheros recruits the family to help change the law, making superheros legal again but this time, its Elastigirl who is the one fighting crime, while Mr Incredible takes care of the family. Its a fun story, with a mystety and actually genuine scary moments (well, I was scared) as well as some 'real' family time issues, plus discovery of all baby Jack's powers, which are insane!! 4/5

Tabloid

Having seen this documentary float around the film-sphere for years, I finally got to see this tale of true love, rumours, Mormon cults and the media circus that ruined lives. There are two sides to this story, both shown in the film, telling the tale about young American beauty queen Joyce McKinney who falls in love with Mormon missionary Kirk Anderson and follows him to the UK after he is forced to leave. It's bizarre and actually quite sad, as Joyce talks about the love of her life who is brainwashed away from her and does seem hard to imgaine thar media version of her kidnapping him. Either way, everything is laid out so you can make up your own mind. 3/5

The Honey Pot 

So, I went a little over the top buying up a bunch of cheap DVDs, ones from DogWoof and from Signal One Entertainment. This was the latter. An early 70s comedy (?) and later murder mystery about a wealthy old man who pretends to be dying in order to bring three of his past lovers back to him, hinting that he will leave his fortune to one of them. It really rather silly, self indulgent and the plot is all over the place but Maggie Smith is in it so it was worth it for that as she is the only half sain person in the film. 2/5

Black Widow

Another Signal One Entertainment purchase. This time a late 80s thriller about a woman who kills her wealthy husbands soon after marrying them. Hot headed FBI Agent Alexandra is hot on the spider's heels, even going as far as befriending the killer to try and save her next victim. Its actually pretty good, if a little cheap around the edges (which I love!).  3/5

Us

I first saw the trailer late at night while clicking through various posts and immediately regretted and was excited by it. Using a classic hip hop song to lure you in to the hellscape that await you - genius. A simple story at the core of the film, a family goes on vacation to the beach and are then terrorised by their distorted doubles, leaves so much room for the bigger issues being explored. Appreciating every aspect of the film and how much actual detail in the film is actually enjoyable, inbetween stuffing my mouth with my jacket to stop me yelling out in fear of course. The fact that Jordan Peele's horror film(s) are grounded in the horrific nature of human beings mkaes the horror feel much closer to home, even if a little bit of sci-fi is used to enhance the premise. With creepy twists and turns throughout as well as forehsadowing galore, its much more than I expected. 4/5