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DalekbusterScreen5

07-17-16, 10:58 AM

The End of Time

There has never been a harder regeneration story than The End of Time. Whilst every regeneration story has to provide a fitting send-off for its departing Doctor, not only did this one have to write out one of the most popular Doctors of all time but it also had the job of creating a fond farewell for what was considered by many as a golden era of the show. Russell T Davies had a gigantic job ahead of him and it is testament to his writing ability that he managed to write something that seems like a strong send-off for both David Tennant's Doctor and his era of the show.

The End of Time's two episodes may resemble one full story but it can be argued both tell completely different narratives. Whilst The End of Time Part One is more focused on Joshua Naismith's (David Harewood) plan to give his daughter Abigail (Tracy Ifeachor) the 'gift' of immortality with help from the Master (John Simm) and stolen Torchwood technology called 'the Immortality Gate', The End of Time Part Two shifts the focus onto the Time Lords' (lead by Timothy Dalton's Rassilon) return and their plan to achieve it via the drums in the Master's head and the Three-Point Star. It is clever the way Russell T Davies splits the narrative up in this way as it prevents a problem that can occur in some two-part stories, where the first part is nothing more than a prequel to the events of part two.

There are some obvious plot holes in the story, such as how the Master gains his weird blue beam powers, but who cares when it's this much fun? The End of Time is basically like your Summer movie blockbuster: it's made to be entertaining and not to be a story that's picked apart. As much as those of us in the Whovian fandom like to think otherwise, Doctor Who isn't Shakespeare or Dickens. It isn't going to be analysed by English professors years into the future. It's just intended to be Saturday primetime fun around the sofa. And The End of Time IS fun. Who cares why the Master's powers aren't explained? Do we need an explanation for anything? Why can't we just enjoy Doctor Who like we enjoy a movie blockbuster at the cinema? Picking apart the plot holes is sometimes what spoils the fun of simply relaxing and watching a piece of television.

Russell T Davies was clearly having a lively time writing this story and it is clear that he has taken inspiration from the Marvel films. The 10th Doctor's initial confrontation with the Master in the wasteland could easily have been something from Thor: in this case, with the Doctor (David Tennant) as Thor and the Master being the nearest equivalent to Loki. It is an extremely well-directed and choreographed stand-off that has a certain gravitas to it. There really couldn't have been a better choice to direct David Tennant's final story than Euros Lyn. He has directed some of the show's best episodes including Silence In The Library (which he won the BAFTA Cymru award for) and The Girl In The Fireplace. Euros Lyn clearly knows exactly how to direct Doctor Who and the combination of Russell T Davies and Euros works perfectly.

Talking of well-directed scenes, the scene where the Doctor confronts Rassilon with a gun is in my opinion one of Doctor Who's most iconic scenes. It is full of drama and tension; it is so expertly written by Russell T Davies that as the audience you literally question whether the Doctor will shoot either the Master or Rassilon dead despite this incarnation's hatred of guns. It is definitely one of the show's most powerful scenes and a great example of one where the Doctor's morality is questioned: as Rassilon puts it, will the 10th Doctor's last act before 'death' be murder? Will he really go that far? Russell T Davies doesn't stray from asking powerful questions like this during a show kids will be watching and Doctor Who is all the better for it.

Many complain about the 'farewell tour' (a scene where the Doctor visits his companions and the great-granddaughter of past love interest Joan Redfern (Jessica Hynes) during his time in the TARDIS) but personally I didn't mind it. It felt like a nice way to celebrate the end of Doctor Who's golden era and the 10th Doctor's regeneration story wouldn't have felt right without Captain Jack (John Barrowman) appearing, given how prominent he had been during David Tennant's run. Nothing in the farewell tour detracts in any shape or form from the narrative anyway; it doesn't leave any kind of impact on the story and I am glad for its inclusion. The Russell T Davies era deserved this kind of celebration; the show may never return to the excellent ratings the RTD era produced, especially with catch-up services becoming the way many now watch television.

Without a doubt The End of Time for me features the best regeneration scene Doctor Who has ever seen. The way David Tennant utters the line 'I don't want to go' is utterly heart-breaking and I dare anyone to try and watch it without shedding a few tears. If this were a movie, David Tennant would have been nominated for a 'Best Actor' Oscar purely for this moment; it is comparable, if not better than Anne Hathaway's I Dreamed A Dream or Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. David Tennant without a doubt gives his best performance as the 10th Doctor in this story and you feel the pain this incarnation is going through when he wants to stick with his current incarnation a bit longer.

The emotion is only heightened with Murray Gold's brilliant score. Vale Decem is the best piece of music beside the theme tune that has ever been composed for Doctor Who and again, had this been a film I suspect it would have been nominated for an Oscar. It would certainly have deserved an Oscar anyway. 'Vale Decem' literally translates in latin to 'Farewell Ten' and that's exactly what it feels like: a fond farewell. A sad goodbye. This is the end but the moment has been prepared for. I enjoyed this piece of music so much that I bought the television soundtrack and the Specials soundtrack still remains the only Doctor Who orchestra music I own.

I can't talk about the regeneration without mentioning Matt Smith. Matt Smith was so great in his first appearance at the end of the regeneration sequence that he sold me from the word 'legs'. He oozes a natural eccentricity that feels suitably Doctor-ish and helps to establish just who this Doctor is. Unlike Peter Capaldi's (who I think is a great Doctor) debut in Time of the Doctor, you feel like you know this Doctor right from the off and suddenly he no longer seems too young (as many had complained at the time). Sure, he has a youthful energy about him but he seems like the same ancient Time Lord we know and love. It's definitely the best regeneration introduction of a new Doctor the show has ever and will ever see. Matt Smith simply was the Doctor right from the start.

One person who threatens to steal the show is Bernard Cribbins. Bernard Cribbins is extremely loveable as Donna's grandfather Wilfred Mott and it is a shame he never got a complete series in the TARDIS alongside the 10th Doctor. I love his grandfatherly relationship with this incarnation of the Doctor and could easily watch thirteen episodes of it. It's a shame that the show seems to think it always needs to introduce a young female companion; why can't we have an old gentleman for a change? If Big Finish could feature Maggie Stables as Evelyn Smythe as a companion before her untimely death, then why can't the TV series have Bernard Cribbins join the Doctor in the TARDIS? It feels like a massive missed opportunity that Russell T Davies never thought to include Wilf as companion for an entire series; hopefully one day he can come back and travel with a future Doctor.

The End of Time also features some of the best special effects from the VFX production company of the time 'The Mill'. The Master's blue skeleton skull and the Immortality Gate for example would not look out of place in a Hollywood movie. They are spectacular special effects and add to the feeling that The End of Time was perhaps made on a bigger budget than usual. For me it took until 2013's Day of the Doctor to top the special effects in this story, which is a testament to the production crew of 2009 that they made something with effects that look better than those in stories ranging from 2010-2013.

Overall, The End of Time is a fantastic send-off for both David Tennant and Russell T Davies. It feels like a big-budget Hollywood movie and is therefore great fun to watch, even if some would point out various plot holes present in the story. David Tennant gives a performance that would be worthy of an Oscar had this story been a big Hollywood production and Euros Lyn does an amazing job of directing one of the show's most epic and action-packed finales. This story is also notable for featuring some of Doctor Who's best special effects. If you've never watched Doctor Who but like the Marvel movies, then this would likely be a good starting point for you. Otherwise I would probably start from an earlier episode in the RTD Era like Rose or The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit. The End of Time is definitely more than worth your time though; who cares about plot holes when the story is this much fun?

5

DalekbusterScreen5

07-18-16, 02:08 PM

Norbit

Picture this: you're at Secondary School, t's the end of the Summer term - the time when all the teachers abandon their jobs to shut you up for an hour by putting on a film - and when you reach your next class, you find a supply teacher waiting for you with a horrible taste in films. That has to be every student's worst nightmare at the end of the school year and as you might have guessed, it's something that happened to me during my time at Graham Secondary School.

It was the supply teacher's terrible taste in movies that was the only reason why I watched the awful comedy Norbit. Norbit (Eddie Murphy), the adopted son of Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy), is married to his wife Rasputia (Eddie Murphy) however he doesn't really want to be with her because she is a terrible woman (and not just because of Eddie Murphy's horrendous acting). His childhood crush Kate Thomas (Thandie Newton) arrives back in Norbit's home town to buy an orphanage and he discovers he would rather be with her. However she is engaged to businessman Deion Hughes (Cuba Gooding Jr.). This doesn't stop Norbit from trying to win Kate Thomas's affections...but it would have been better for the audience's sanity had that been the end of the movie.

The problem with Norbit is that it's called a 'comedy'...yet there isn't one moment in the entire movie that's funny. It's just pathetic, like the kind of stories you write during at primary school with fart jokes which you think are funny. A quick search on Google shows that Eddie Murphy wrote Norbit with a writing team of four. Four people wrote this movie and between them they couldn't even come up with one funny joke. You would think by laws of probability one of them would at least contribute something worthy of a laugh. But nope, none of them do. Not even a star talent like Eddie Murphy. Clearly if this was the best he could manage in 2007 he should have stuck to voicing a talking donkey.

It's not even like this movie works as a romance either. The central protagonist Norbit possesses no likeable qualities: he pursues in trying to win over the affections of a woman WHO'S ABOUT TO GET MARRIED. He wants her to cheat on her FUTURE HUSBAND. Why would you make a guy who wants a woman to cheat on her husband with him a central protagonist? Why would you even think that makes him likeable? It is made even worse by the fact that he is married himself. Does Eddie Murphy think it is appropriate for a married man to chase an about-to-be-married woman? Because if he does, his current wife Paige Butcher (who married him in 2012) must be really worried.

If anything, the very fact that Norbit thinks it is right to cheat on his wife with another man's fiancee makes him more unlikeable than his awful wife Rasputia. We are clearly supposed to hate Rasputia and Kate's fiancee Deoin Hughes but you find yourself sympathising with them. Rasputia may threaten violence on Kate and Deoin Hughes may only be in Kate's relationship for her money but that still doesn't make Norbit's wanting to commit adultery right in any sense of the word given he clearly wants to do it before he even finds out Deoin's plan. Rasputia wouldn't have even threatened Kate if Norbit wasn't showing interest in her. If anybody's the antagonist of Norbit, it is Norbit himself. The writers have failed to make us care for a character we are clearly supposed to root for.

What makes this film even worse is Eddie Murphy's terrible performance. He plays three characters in this film and all three just appear as Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy and Eddie Murphy rather than characters in their own right. In fact, I'm surprised Eddie Murphy doesn't play every character in this movie; he may as well have done given there is literally no reason for him to play Norbitt, Rasputia AND Mr. Wong. I can only assume they couldn't find anyone else to play the roles because the script is terrible. By the way he is dressed, it seems like Norbit is supposed to be a geek but there is no hint of this whatsoever in Eddie Murphy's performance. Mr. Wong is probably the most forgettable and one-dimensional character you can ever find in a movie. Rasputia has to be the worst 'comedy' performance in a movie that's not the equally dreadful Little Fockers. She is the most stereotypical man-in-drag performance I have ever had the misfortune to see; loud, abrasive and squeaky voice with a strong dash of 'pathetic'. I can't even remember Thandie Newton as Kate or Cuba Gooding Jr. as Deoin Hughes; they have about as much presence in the movie as a paper clip.

I would like to say you can tell the production cast and crew put effort into this movie but I can't. This is one of the most lazy, sexist and downright awful 'comedies' I have ever seen. The director Brian Robbins would probably be better-suited to directing CBBC shows rather than Hollywood movies; it is lazy and uninspired. Unsurprisingly he hasn't directed much since Norbit: another Eddie Murphy comedy called Meet Dave and some show called 'Supah Ninjas', which sounds about as cringeworthy as this 'effort'. The last thing he directed was 2012's A Thousand Words: another Eddie Murphy comedy. I guess Eddie Murphy couldn't afford anyone else after the awfulness of Norbit to direct his films.

Overall, Norbit is a terrible 'comedy' that puts the word 'comedy' to shame. It is awful, uninspired and most importantly not funny. It doesn't even work as a romance, as the main character Norbit is an unlikeable protagonist who you quite simply want to be stabbed to death by his wife Rasputia. The film fails so much at establishing Norbit as a likeable protagonist that you end up sympathising with a man who's only marrying a woman for her money and a woman who threatens violence on other girls she spots hanging out with her husband. To top it all off, Eddie Murphy's triple performance is terrible and verging on sexism with his stereotypical man in drag routine. Norbit is the film that quite possibly destroyed Eddie Murphy's reputation as a mildly amusing comedy actor and he should be ashamed for inadvertently putting Secondary School students through a traumatically unfunny experience. Watching Norbit was definitely worse for fourteen year old me than learning algebra.

0

DalekbusterScreen5

07-19-16, 03:24 PM

The Twin Dilemma

The Twin Dilemma has an unfair reputation for being a bad Doctor debut story. People tend to forget that it followed the excellent The Caves of Androzani, so disappointment was inevitable. They could have pulled out a Spearhead From Space and people would still have claimed it wasn't very good. That being said, The Twin Dilemma definitely has flaws and it's not a story that will ever be considered a highlight of the classic series.

The Twin Dilemma finds the Doctor (Colin Baker) struggling to cope with post-regeneration trauma. He decides to become a hermit and lands the TARDIS on Titan III. Meanwhile, Romulus (Gavin Conrad) and Remus (Andrew Conrad) - two of the most intelligent twins in the universe - are kidnapped from their father Archie Sylvest (Dennis Chinnery) by the Doctor's old mentor from Gallifrey Azmael (Maurice Denham). He needs their help to save the people of Jaconda from famine and is working with Gastropod (alien slugs) leader Mestor (Edwin Richfield) in order to achieve that goal. Officer Hugo Lang (Kevin McNally) is sent out to search for the twins by the Earth defence force the Interplanetary Pursuit but is shot down and crashes on Titan III. He decides to team up with the Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant) to find the twins' captive and stop Mestor's real plan from coming to fruition.

It's applaudable how The Twin Dilemma takes a basic story and makes it the plot of the Doctor's debut. The story should never be overly complicated for a Doctor's introduction; it feels right for the focus to be on exploring who the new Doctor is (or rather what he has become). It's definitely one of the easiest Doctor Who stories to follow; the plot is pretty low-key and is more about the kidnap of the twins than the supposed destruction their mathematical knowledge could cause.

It's that mathematical knowledge, however, that's one of the hindrances of The Twin Dilemma's stories. I spoke in my Logopolis review on how the idea of Mathematicians having control over the universe is boring and the same thought for me applies here. The twins are dull and watching them write mathematical equations is not very exciting. A fair bit of time is devoted to it too; they try to make it appear exciting with the production design (the swivel-y chairs bizarrely make it look like some sort of game show) but it doesn't quite work. Doctor Who's current producer of the time John Nathan Turner seems obsessed by the idea of mathematics changing the universe given this is his second story to feature it and I don't quite know why. The twins have this annoying way of speaking also that makes them sound posh and too polite to be true. Their dialogue is literally all a 'father wouldn't approve' way of speaking that I'm sure made many viewers at the time feel like chucking their remote control at the screen.

Many complain about the Doctor cowering away from aliens in this story but to me this works within the context of the story. We know the Doctor is suffering from post-regeneration trauma so what better way to emphasise this than to show him being something that goes against the kind of person he is? The audience are aware he's not quite himself because he's hiding from the very things he defends the universe from, so by the time he confronts Mestor it seems like the Doctor we know and love is back. It's a good decision by writer Anthony Steven and something that to his credit I doubt any other Doctor Who writer would dare to attempt.

Talking of the Doctor, if anything helps carry The Twin Dilemma it is Colin Baker's performance. Colin Baker is fantastic as the Doctor in his first story; his theatrical delivery is very engaging to watch and despite the displays of cowardice he has flashes of a certain demeanour that bode well for his future serials for the show. If nothing else, this story is worth watching for Colin Baker - even if it is rather mediocre and not the best example of classic series Doctor Who. It's nice that he got an opportunity to play the Doctor as he wanted through Big Finish as his acting helps overcome some of the lame dialogue he is given.

It's a shame that the scenes in the TARDIS tend to drag in episode one. They take up majority of the first episode and it feels like we spend too much time in the TARDIS and not enough of the serial's running time devoted to the twin kidnap plot. The moment where the Doctor strangles his companion Peri also feels uncomfortable to watch, even if it makes sense because of the post-regeneration trauma. It's well acted by both Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant but it doesn't quite work in the story. It unwisely makes the new Doctor to appear violent and unlikeable, which I am sure was the intention but doesn't make for the most likeable protagonist.

The serial is full of interesting supporting characters, especially Maurice Denham as Azmael and Kevin McNally as Hugo Lang. Azmael is a brilliant character and I wish the more jokey relationship hinted at in dialogue between the Doctor and Azmael had been shown on-screen. He is well-played by Maurice Denham, who offers a certain gravitas that's perfect for a Time Lord from Gallifrey. Azmael would have made a great recurring character and it is a shame he wasn't brought back in future sixth Doctor stories. I hope one day Big Finish decide to bring the character back despite his death; I am sure they could find a way around that. If the Master can return from the dead, then why not Azmael? As for Kevin McNally as Hugo, there's something endearing about his performance that leaves you wanting more. It's not hard to see why he has become a major stable of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He's an actor who was too good for The Twin Dilemma and I wish there was a chance Big Finish could afford him for a Hugo Lang spinoff series.

Overall, The Twin Dilemma isn't as bad as many make out but it does display a few flaws. The twins are boring for one and the TARDIS scenes take up too much of the first episode. However the story wisely focuses on a simplistic narrative for a Doctor debut story and Colin Baker's performance as well as those of the supporting cast are amazing. It was definitely a misfire though to show the sixth Doctor strangling his companion; it makes him appear violent and unlikeable, with Colin Baker's acting being the only saving grace for the character. The Twin Dilemma can only really be recommended for Colin Baker's performance, even if its un-deserving of a terrible reputation.

3

DalekbusterScreen5

07-20-16, 02:05 PM

The Cat In The Hat

Dr. Seuss had a wonderful imagination. He was one of the world's best childrens' authors and no doubt an inspiration to fellow childrens' author Roald Dahl. Making films based on his work therefore makes sense. There is clearly a built-in audience for it given how much his stories are adored by children and families worldwide. Unfortunately his stories have proven hard to adapt to the big screen and The Cat In The Hat is a good example of that.

The film follows the story of two kids - Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin) - who are being babysitted by Mrs Kwan (Amy Hill) after their mother Joan Walden (Kelly Presten) is called back to her role in the office at Hank Humberfloob of Humberfloob Real Estate. When Mrs Kwan falls alseep, they find the over-sized Cat (Mike Myers) of the title in their house who along with his Things (Danielle Chuchran, Taylor Rice, Brittany Oaks, Talia-Lynn Prairie, Dan Castellana) teach the children how to have fun.

The production of this film accurately displays the fun of a Dr. Seuss title. In fact, it's the production design that's the best thing about this movie. J. André Chaintreuil's set design perfectly evokes the zaniness that many of Dr. Seuss's stories possess. If the movie was as good as the production design, then it would feel more like a faithful adaptation. It's clear that more effort has been put towards how the film looks rather than the style and substance of the film itself.

The main problem with the movie itself is that it feels too geared towards kids. Now Dr. Seuss's books were for children but a good kids movie does not pander towards them but instead aims at a broader family audience. This should be a film that all ages can enjoy, whether you are two or one hundred and two. Instead it is only likely to entertain very young children. And I mean very young. This film feels like it was aimed at idiots; it frequently talks down to kids and doesn't credit them with the intelligence that most children possess.

At the same time, certain dialogue doesn't feel as though it is entirely appropriate for kids. Alec Berg's screenplay features lines such as 'Son of a...' and 'Dirty hoe' alongside others like 'How much is that canine American in the window' and 'Why am I sneezing?',
'That'd be me. BOO!'. The former don't feel as though they were written for another film and a drunk Alec Berg accidentally wrote it in the Cat In The Hat screenplay. Maybe there's a screenplay for an R-rated comedy somewhere that featured a 'knock knock' joke? It wouldn't surprise me because these jokes feel awkward in a kids movie alongside patronising kiddy stuff about 'How much is that dog in the window?'.

The movie is generally well cast however. Mike Myers is a good choice for the Cat. He is suitably eccentric for a Dr. Seuss adaptation and gives a performance that reminds me a lot of Johnny Depp's more recent characters. If this movie were made now, it would probably be Johnny Depp playing the Cat. The kids aren't annoying either; Dakota Fanning and Spencer Breslin are good casting for their characters. They feel like they come from a Dr. Seuss tale, especially Dakota Fanning. Dakota Fanning is a star and I am surprised she hasn't become a more well-known name. Perhaps she would have done had this been a better movie?

The strangest thing about this film is despite its $109 million budget it feels more like a TV Movie than a big budget Hollywood release. The production design is brilliant as previously mentioned but some of the sets look cheap and the mise en scene including Dr Seuss's car look unconvincing. Nothing in this world feels true or believable; it's hard to suspend your belief when everything looks as though it will fall apart with a big gust of wind. Maybe that's the look they wanted to achieve but it doesn't work for me and takes me somewhat out of the film.

Overall, The Cat In The Hat shows just how hard Dr Seuss's work has proven to be adapted to the big screen. The production design is authentic but despite its $109m budget the production values look terrible. The film is aimed too much towards kids and not enough to families in general; any parents watching this with their kids will find themselves bored waiting for it to end. As for Alec Berg's screenplay, it has a weird mix of kiddy jokes and jokes that don't feel entirely appropriate for children. It's almost like he was writing an R-rated comedy at the same time and forgot which one he was writing when he inserted lines like 'Dirty hoe'. The Cat In The Hat would likely have fared better as a Saturday morning cartoon than a Hollywood movie. Hopefully nobody will ever let the cat out of the hat for a film again.

2

SeeingisBelieving

07-20-16, 05:25 PM

The Twin Dilemma

I was quite shocked to see that it's 9 years ago since I did my own review of this story — and I was watching it on video :eek:. That makes me feel old.

The Twin Dilemma has an unfair reputation for being a bad Doctor debut story. People tend to forget that it followed the excellent The Caves of Androzani,

I think it gets a bad press too. This is how I concluded my review:

It seems to me that the worst thing about The Twin Dilemma is that it completely forgets The Caves of Androzani (in the public consciousness a week-old story and therefore fresh in the memory) as if it never existed and never had any repercussions. This is compounded by the fact that the Doctor’s madness goes on for basically a full four-episode story and it’s quite hard to take. The end scene is maybe a little unbelievable, with Peri’s big smile as the Doctor teases her. In any case, this is where the bickering should have mellowed for good, and where a different but more friendly relationship should have developed. It could be said that to continue the Doctor’s difficult relationship with Peri suggested that, subconsciously, he resented giving up a life for her to survive, and this doesn’t suit the Doctor whatever incarnation he’s in.

Many complain about the Doctor cowering away from aliens in this story but to me this works within the context of the story. We know the Doctor is suffering from post-regeneration trauma so what better way to emphasise this than to show him being something that goes against the kind of person he is? The audience are aware he's not quite himself because he's hiding from the very things he defends the universe from, so by the time he confronts Mestor it seems like the Doctor we know and love is back. It's a good decision by writer Anthony Steven and something that to his credit I doubt any other Doctor Who writer would dare to attempt.

I found it very interesting trying to determine how much of a success Baker's performance had been:

The Doctor is delightfully smug and full of glee at the beginning. It’s good when he looks at his reflection, and then shows the mirror to Peri. In this early scene, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s evident that this is the real sixth Doctor, before any change of personality occurs, and he’s still possessed of a pleasant and more friendly attitude beyond his conceitedness. The real Doctor is also the one happily flicking switches on the TARDIS console. His bitchy “Yuck” as Peri comes in in her new outfit is played in a very exaggerated way by Colin Baker, and is distinct in a way that shows it to be an aberration. The strangling scene and the Doctor’s ramblings about a “peri” spying on him come over well, and are sensitively performed by the actors, making it clear that the Doctor is delusional. When the Doctor is lapsing into his false character, Baker sometimes takes on the aspect of a child trying to feign innocence, such as his slightly juvenile playing of “He was going to kill me, Peri”. The Doctor’s degeneration in the wardrobe room probably feels odd because of the pace, but the Doctor’s speech about “the grinding engines of the universe” and his insane laugh are played very exactly by Baker, and are totally convincing. Colin Baker plays the Doctor’s bravado in his confrontation with Mestor very well. He makes him completely overconfident and egotistical.

The Doctor is probably too verbose for his own good in The Twin Dilemma; in fact, to quote Mel, his dialogue is “antediluvian”. The problem with this dense language, in this story at least, is that the wordiness becomes fused into the idea of a madness, as if his quotations are the product of a diseased mind instead of an educated one. This seems like the wrong way to advocate the use of language.

On this viewing of The Twin Dilemma, I had to conclude that it is one of Colin Baker’s best performances and he manages to navigate through some extremely complex changes of character very well, communicating exactly what’s needed. If there’s anything wrong in his playing of it it’s perhaps that some of the Doctor’s mood swings are played for laughs rather than done seriously; however this comes from the script first and foremost. For instance the Doctor’s speech about Titan 3 in the TARDIS and his appeal for it to “receive this weary penitent” is particularly tongue-in-cheek and Peri’s “I think I’m going to be sick” confirms that the writer intended it to be risible, so who was Baker to argue?

My favourite bit in the review was about the "depressingly bad" Pursuit Squadron set, where Hugo Lang "keeps a picture of Earth on his desk as if it’s a relative" :p.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-21-16, 01:23 PM

I was quite shocked to see that it's 9 years ago since I did my own review of this story — and I was watching it on video :eek:. That makes me feel old.
I remember watching Creature Comforts on VHS. That was a brilliant show.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-21-16, 01:54 PM

The Fourth Wall

Sometimes the word 'gimmick' is thrown around too often as a negative thing. 'Oh, it's just a gimmick', people say. 'It doesn't matter'. Personally, I don't mind gimmicks. Gimmicks are fun - and what's wrong with that? You don't hear people complain about watching films or television shows because they're 'fun' so why should a gimmick be seen as a bad thing? You may wonder how this relates to the review I am writing. Well, the latest Twelfth Doctor strip published in the UK - The Fourth Wall - is one of those gimmicks.

The Fourth Wall sees the Doctor and Clara arrive at a comic book shop, to find that customers to the comic store have been trapped in the very comics they have been reading. The Doctor's attention is drawn towards a comic book series baring remarkable similarities to his adventures - 'Time Surgeon' - and starts to skip through the pages when he is trapped inside the book. It's up to Clara and one of the comic store staff to team up to save the Doctor and the customers who have been trapped in the comic books.

The gimmick I refer to here is the Doctor's interactions with the comic strip environment. Not only does he communicate with the reader through the panels of the strip but he also interacts with the white bars that separate the panels. The way the narrative plays with the comic strip and the interaction with the environment is extremely clever and helps to enhance the story; at one point, for example, the Doctor breaks one of the white bars with his Sonic Screwdriver in order to escape a comic panel. It's fun to see a comic book story have its characters interact with the comic strip and display a Deadpool-esque awareness that they are inside one. I wouldn't want to see this done with every Doctor Who strip but as a one-off it shows real imagination and innovation from the writers.

The notion of people trapped inside comic books is also something that feels appropriately like a Steven Moffat story. Writer Robbie Morrison does a great job of taking an everyday object like a comic book and turning it into a credible threat. He also shows a clear love and dedication for the comic strip medium; at its most basic, the story is a love letter to comic books told by somebody who is clearly a comic book fan. This is the kind of story that I wouldn't just recommend to Whovians but also those who love the comic book medium.

You can also tell Robbie Morrison is a keen watcher of the show. The characterisations of the Doctor and Clara are perfect. I heard Jenna Coleman's voice when reading Clara's speech bubbles more than I did when reading any other Titan Comics Doctor Who strip and the twelfth Doctor feels like he was actually written by one of Doctor Who's current writers. The Fourth Wall is a comic that you could easily imagine being told on-screen; I don't know if it would have worked as well as a television episode but it does seem like an adventure that fits into the current era of the show.

The Fourth Wall also contains some of the best comic book art of the Twelfth Doctor series. Some of the panels are extremely vibrant and really bump off the page, especially the comic panel where the Doctor and his new friend Natalie have broken from the comic panels and travelling through dimensions of comic history (featuring some nice floating panels of the previous twelfth Doctor year two story). It's visually pleasing to look at and captures nice likenesses of the Doctor and Clara.

If I had one complaint of The Fourth Wall, it's the decision to make the monsters of the strip be the Boneless. Whilst the Boneless make sense as monsters yet again breaking out of the two dimension plane of comic book pages and in turn trapping readers within the panels, it just feels too soon for a returning monster after the Sea Devils returned only a monster before. I would have liked to have seen a new monster for a change or perhaps this story later in the run, with new twelfth Doctor and Clara stories between Clara Oswald and the School of Death and The Fourth Wall. I hope the twelfth Doctor comics don't start to make a habit of bringing back returning monsters as whilst it is nice to see them in the comics medium if they do it too often it will become expected rather than a good surprise.

Overall, The Fourth Wall is a fantastic comic book story that uses the medium to its full advantage. The way the Doctor interacts with the comic strip environment is clever and well thought-out by writer Robbie Morrison and the story feels like it belongs in the Moffat era of the show. The Fourth Wall does what the best Doctor Who stories do: it takes an everyday object like comic books and turns them into a credible threat. The characterisations and likenesses of the twelfth Doctor and Clara are at their best here; you won't find a more accurate version of the twelfth Doctor and Clara's adventures together in the Titan Comics range than this one. My only complaint is that the story features yet another returning monster so soon after the Sea Devils in Clara Oswald and the School of Death but it doesn't stop The Fourth Wall from being one of the twelfth Doctor's greatest comic adventures so far.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

07-22-16, 02:17 PM

Agent Carter - Season One

If there's one show that has had a tough time, it's Marvel's Agent Carter. Agent Carter has a big and dedicated fanbase yet for this show it hasn't been enough to secure it the viewership it needed. First it got poor viewing figures in America, then Channel 4 refused to show it and the rights went to Fox UK (which is accessible to a smaller number of people). When Season Two aired in America, the viewing figures fell further and ABC cancelled the show. So why haven't audiences taken to Agent Carter? Well, I'm not quite sure.

Agent Carter tells the story of Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), who works at the SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve) as a secret agent in 1940s New York. Since the end of World War 2 and the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, her 'assignments' have become nothing more than those of a secretary: sorting out the filing system, taking the lunch orders, answering phone calls... Peggy is sick of being treated as an admin woman. Meanwhile, Howard Stark's (Dominic Cooper) weapons have been stolen and the SSR blame him for it. Howard hires Peggy to help clear his name and with the help of his butler Jarvis (James D'Arcy), she becomes a double agent in order to find out the culprit behind the theft of Howard's weapons.

Annoyingly Season Two of Agent Carter hasn't been put up for pre-order yet; I hope it is eventually as I really enjoyed Season One. You can tell Agent Carter was made by Disney and Marvel as it has real heart and charm that we have all come to expect from Disney and Marvel productions. Peggy makes for a captivating lead protagonist: one with a lot of character development and whom you immediately find yourself rooting for throughout the story. A lot of that is down to the excellent portrayal by Hayley Atwell but it is also because of the wonderful script, that helps to highlight the blatant sexism of the time. Peggy is no underdog and the fact she is treated as one despite being the SSR's best agent shows how little respect men of the 1940s had for women doing their jobs.

The main antagonist of the piece, Dottie Underwood (Bridget Regan), is also one of the MCU's best villains to date. She is the perfect foil for Peggy and is nicely written as the direct shadow of her. Like all best villains, she is Peggy's dark side. Dottie is the Moriarty to Peggy Carter's Sherlock or the Master to Peggy Carter's Doctor. Bridget Regan plays her well too; the way she feigns sweetness and innocence one minute and suddenly turns into a cold, hard exterior is convincing and somewhat unsettling at the same time. Whilst the Marvel films have the best heroes, the Marvel TV Shows definitely have the best villains and James Gun et al need to take tips on the way Marvel television deal with their villains.

Agent Carter has a great sense of humour in many of its scenes, such as the irony displayed when they show the recording of the Captain America radio show. It's fun seeing the stereotypical 1940s woman version of Peggy Carter being acted out whilst the real Peggy Carter is more than capable of handling herself. Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark provides a lot of brilliant comedic moments too, such as in the episode 'The Blitzkrieg Button', where Peggy has to smuggle him into the Griffith Hotel; a place where men aren't allowed. Writer Brant Englestein demonstrates a talent in comedy writing, providing one of the first season's best episodes.

One of the main strengths of Agent Carter is the way it accurately conveys the period it is set, through the mise-en-scene, production design and most notably in the music. It feels like the production crew have actually travelled back in time to the 1940s, rather than simply recreating the era. One scene sees Peggy and Jarvis fighting SSR agents when they find out she has been working for Howard Stark; the fight sequence is done to the song It's A Good Day. This really helps add authenticity to the setting and is a strong way to establish the time where it is set; the fight works surprisingly well with the song and is definitely one of the season's strongest moments.

Agent Carter is a quality show and I really can't work out why it hasn't been successful. My best guess is maybe that people were put off by the notion of a Marvel period drama set during the 1940s. The season doesn't feature any Marvel superheroes apart from flashbacks of Captain America, it doesn't have the SHIELD connection to the MCU (it has not been established yet and it is likely had Season Three been announced that this would have seen SHIELD come to fruition) and unlike Agents of SHIELD there was never any chance of them bringing any minor superheroes in. Agent Carter doesn't need any of these things to be a fun watch though; it is engaging from the off and those who haven't seen it do not know what they are missing out on.

One of my only complaints is that one or two of the episodes can drag a little when there's not much action going on. This is most notable in the penultimate episode Snafu, which sees majority of its running time taken up with Peggy Carter being questioned by the SSR. It suffers from being too much off a set-up to the last episode. Episode eight sees the season returning to its inner strength however and is a strong conclusion to a great series.

Another problem is that sometimes the SSR agents seem a bit too stupid. It takes them a surprisingly long time to figure out Peggy was undergoing her own investigation behind their backs. For spies, they seem more than a little dim. They are outwitted by a simple sick leave; why aren't they asking questions why Peggy suddenly says she is ill in the first episode? The SSR must be the easiest place to work as a double agent; Peggy Carter gets away with it easily and had these agents shown the slightest bit of intelligence they would have figured out what she was up to in the first episode.

Overall, Agent Carter is a top quality period drama that deserved more viewers than it got. It displays real heart and warmth in its premise of a female agent working in a sexist New York, with a great sense of humour presented in episodes such as The Blitzkrieg Button. The main antagonist Dottie Underwood is one of the MCU's best villains and is a suitable foil for Peggy Carter. She is basically Peggy's dark side and puts villains such as Ronan the Accuser to shame. Agent Carter does a great job of conveying the 1940s period through the music and excellent production and costume design. My only complaints about Agent Carter is that a couple of episodes have a tendency to drag (such as the penultimate episode Snafu) and the SSR agents are a bit dim. Agent Carter is well-worth your time though and more than worth the cost of the Bluray. You don't want to miss out on a quality American drama like this.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

07-23-16, 01:07 PM

Remembrance of the Daleks

Doctor Who's 25th anniversary season did something different to what was usually expected during a Doctor Who anniversary. Rather than bringing back past Doctors to interact with the current one, producer John Nathan Turner decided to go in another direction: celebrating the Doctor's most famous enemies in the Daleks and the Cybermen. The Cybermen's story Silver Nemesis was the show's twenty-fifth anniversary episode but before that there was Remembrance of the Daleks: the story many Whovians consider to be the real twenty fifth anniversary special.

In Remembrance of the Daleks, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) returns to 1960s London with Ace (Sophie Aldred), where two opposing Dalek factions are at war with one another and searching for the Hand of Omega: a device created by Stellar Engineer Omega to turn stars into supernovas as fuel for Gallifreyan time travel. Davros (Terry Molloy) and the Daleks want it to improve their ability to time travel. The Doctor plans on giving it to them...but why?

The way Remembrance of the Daleks celebrates Doctor Who's longevity is remarkable. It does something that the recent film Jurassic World did very well: slots in nostalgic nods and references into the story without it distracting the main story. The majority of the narrative takes place at Coal Hill School (the same school that the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman was at). You get to see IM Foreman's scrapyard and the book about the French Revolution Susan borrowed from Barbara in An Unearthly Child. There is even a scene where Ace walks out of a room just as the BBC continuity announcer on the television announces the start of a brand new sci-fi television series 'Doc-'. This is the reason why many consider Remembrance of the Daleks to be the show's 25th anniversary special: it feels so much like one that it's hard to believe Silver Nemesis was the special and not this.

And the nods to the very first serial An Unearthly Child don't stop there. The story even features a mysterious child of its own. A character so mysterious she doesn't even have a name: she's simply called 'The Girl' in the end credits. The Girl is a deliberate echo of Susan Foreman: only this time, instead of being the Doctor's granddaughter she is the Dalek's 'battle computer'. Young actor Jasmine Breaks plays her brilliantly; she gives a certain menace to her performance that is surprisingly creepy for a young girl. It's also a nice idea for a story twenty five years later to take inspiration from the serial that started it all; the Girl never feels like a copy of Susan but a different mysterious child, even as a deliberate call-back to the character of Susan.

There's something I mentioned in my Agent Carter review that really applies here and that's the use of music to create the era. The music in this serial featured in the cafe scenes is nicely authentic towards the sixties' era and it feels like the seventh Doctor and Ace are actually in the 60s rather than the reality of the time it was filmed. There's never any doubt that this story takes place shortly after the first Doctor and Susan leave IM Foreman's junkyard and you can tell real research has been put into the era by sound man Scott Talbott. It's a terrific sound mix and works well for a story with call-backs to the 60s era of the show.

But this isn't just a serial that looks backwards. Like the best Doctor Who celebrations, it looks forwards. The special effects by Stuart Brisdon are ahead of their time; these are effects that are so impressive that the new series of Doctor Who borrows from them a lot. The skeleton effect that surrounds a character fired at by a Dalek looks a lot like the skeleton effect of the 2005 revival and the beam of light that emits from the Daleks' egg whisks here bears a strong resemblance to the effects used for the RTD era Daleks.

It's not only the special effects that look to the show's future either. The narrative also looks forward when it needs to. Writer Ben Aaronovitch is a genius at juggling the forwards and backwards look of the serial and crafts one of the show's all-time best cliffhangers: the moment when a Dalek levitates up the stairs. This is a moment so iconic that it is replicated in the 2005 episode Dalek, when the Dalek follows Rose and Adam up some stairs at billionaire collector Henry van Statten's museum. Yet rather unfairly, it is forgotten. People tend to think of Robert Shearman as the first person to do it, when actually it came from the mind of Ben Aaronovitch. I imagine it must have been a surprise for the audience of 1988, without the knowledge that Daleks could climb stairs: it is a chilling moment and one of the highlights of this serial.

Remembrance of the Daleks is notable to the Whovian fanbase for introducing the Counter Measures team, consisting of Captain Gilmore (Simon Williams), Rachel Jensen (Pamela Salem) and Allison Williams (Karen Gledhill). It is not surprising that these characters got their own Big Finish spinoff as they feel like the sixties' equivalent of UNIT. Captain Gilmore in particular feels like a nice alternative to Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, played with the same level of charm and authority by Simon Williams. You could believe had the classic series run of Doctor Who had continued that the seventh Doctor and Captain Gilmore would have developed a similar friendship to the Brigadier. Karen Gledhill and Pamela Salem are good in their roles too but don't quite shine as much as Simon Williams does as Gilmore. What's great about Pamela Salem's character Rachel Jensen is she is a fun callback to the third Doctor's time with UNIT. Just like the Doctor, she is a scientific advisor to a military organisation and it is always great to see how a different character deals with the job when the Doctor's around with considerably more knowledge. Allison Williams doesn't really do a great deal although I imagine her character is expanded upon in the Big Finish releases.

Overall, Remembrance of the Daleks is an amazing celebration of twenty five years of Doctor Who. It didn't need more than one Doctor to celebrate the longevity of the show; instead it does something that the more recent Jurassic World did with nostalgic nods and references to the history of the franchise. Yet despite the references, it still manages to look forward through the outstanding special effects and chilling cliffhanger where the Dalek glides up the stairs. The 60s sound mix convincingly recreates the sixties era and the Counter Measures team are a fun sixties version of UNIT. This serial has made me tempted to try out Big Finish's Counter Measures audios at some point and I am sure it will do the same to anybody who decides to give this Doctor Who serial a go. And you should give it a go: you don't need prior knowledge of Doctor Who to enjoy it. It's an excellent story in its own right and I would recommend it to anyone who likes recent movies such as Jurassic World.

5

SeeingisBelieving

07-23-16, 01:48 PM

Doctor Who's 25th anniversary season did something different to what was usually expected during a Doctor Who anniversary. Rather than bringing back past Doctors to interact with the current one, producer John Nathan Turner decided to go in another direction: celebrating the Doctor's most famous enemies in the Daleks and the Cybermen.

I'm pretty sure what became Resurrection of the Daleks was planned for the season that ended with The King's Demons, but it fell through probably in part because they couldn't get Michael Wisher. So even in that season you had the Black Guardian, the Mara, Omega and the Master before past Doctors came along in The Five Doctors.

The Girl is a deliberate echo of Susan Foreman: only this time, instead of being the Doctor's granddaughter she is the Dalek's 'battle computer'. Young actor Jasmine Breaks plays her brilliantly; she gives a certain menace to her performance that is surprisingly creepy for a young girl.

Yeah, I liked that character a lot. Any fan would think it was Davros in the 'chair' and it's a big surprise to find out where he actually is.

I imagine it must have been a surprise for the audience of 1988, without the knowledge that Daleks could climb stairs: it is a chilling moment and one of the highlights of this serial.

It's a shame that the levitations in Revelation of the Daleks weren't achieved well enough to stick in the viewers' imaginations. The see-through Dalek is supposed to be levitating when it opens fire; and Davros also levitates but unfortunately the effect is poor. Thankfully, Remembrance really made it clear that the Dalek was hovering with the proper perspective.

Overall, Remembrance of the Daleks is an amazing celebration of twenty five years of Doctor Who. It didn't need more than one Doctor to celebrate the longevity of the show; instead it does something that the more recent Jurassic World did with nostalgic nods and references to the history of the franchise.

Actually it's interesting that there is always another Doctor present – the First, who haunts the story. I love that line from the undertaker about expecting "an old geezer with white hair".

DalekbusterScreen5

07-23-16, 01:54 PM

I'm pretty sure what became Resurrection of the Daleks was planned for the season that ended with The King's Demons, but it fell through probably in part because they couldn't get Michael Wisher. So even in that season you had the Black Guardian, the Mara, Omega and the Master before past Doctors came along in The Five Doctors.
True. John Nathan Turner seemed to be a fan of bringing past enemies back.

Yeah, I liked that character a lot. Any fan would think it was Davros in the 'chair' and it's a big surprise to find out where he actually is.
I initially thought it was Davros and was surprised when it wasn't.

It's a shame that the levitations in Revelation of the Daleks weren't achieved well enough to stick in the viewers' imaginations. The see-through Dalek is supposed to be levitating when it opens fire; and Davros also levitates but unfortunately the effect is poor. Thankfully, Remembrance really made it clear that the Dalek was hovering with the proper perspective.
I haven't seen Revelation of the Daleks yet. It is on the to-watch list.

Actually it's interesting that there is always another Doctor present – the First, who haunts the story. I love that line from the undertaker about expecting "an old geezer with white hair".
Yeah, that's one of the best lines in the serial. Even people unfamiliar with the show who have a basic knowledge of the incarnations will know who he is referring to.

SeeingisBelieving

07-23-16, 02:02 PM

True. John Nathan Turner seemed to be a fan of bringing past enemies back.

Yeah, and I think he did it well too.

I initially thought it was Davros and was surprised when it wasn't.

Yeah it was a great bit of misdirection and it also allowed the Daleks to take centre stage.

I haven't seen Revelation of the Daleks yet. It is on the to-watch list.

It's really good – it's a special story for me because it was the first Colin Baker story I watched. Growing up I wasn't familiar with his Doctor at all, so he always interested me, especially as he was the one before mine. All I can say is, he didn't disappoint :p.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-23-16, 04:29 PM

Yeah it was a great bit of misdirection and it also allowed the Daleks to take centre stage.
It also helps to highlight just how truly evil the Daleks are: that they will use the curiosity, wonder and imagination of children to their advantage. If that happened in real life, the poor kid would be traumatised by it. There are a couple of books that explore what happened to her after the events of Remembrance of the Daleks. One of them sees her in a mental asylum as she never fully recovered.

It's really good – it's a special story for me because it was the first Colin Baker story I watched. Growing up I wasn't familiar with his Doctor at all, so he always interested me, especially as he was the one before mine. All I can say is, he didn't disappoint :p.

The first Colin Baker Doctor Who story I watched was The Twin Dilemma. The Two Doctors was my second.

SeeingisBelieving

07-23-16, 04:35 PM

It also helps to highlight just how truly evil the Daleks are: that they will use the curiosity, wonder and imagination of children to their advantage. If that happened in real life, the poor kid would be traumatised by it. There are a couple of books that explore what happened to her after the events of Remembrance of the Daleks. One of them sees her in a mental asylum as she never fully recovered.

Oh, that's very interesting to know. Yes, the Daleks are the nastiest Doctor Who villains bar none.

The first Colin Baker Doctor Who story I watched was The Twin Dilemma. The Two Doctors was my second.

Vengeance on Varos was the second one for me, and it's my favourite :).

DalekbusterScreen5

07-24-16, 01:11 PM

G-Force

Disney have had so many live-action hits recently that it's hard to forget some of them haven't been quite that good. Case in point: G-Force. A film that had a strong concept for a family film (who doesn't want to see secret agent guinea pigs?) but weak execution. Whilst G-Force merchandise was hard to avoid at the time, thankfully it seems to have been pretty much forgotten. And quite right too.

The film follows a guinea pig called Darwin (Sam Rockwell) who leads a team of secret agents: martial artist Juarez (Penelope Cruz), weapons and transportation expert Blaster (Tracy Morgan), cyber-intelligence mole expert Speckles (Nicolas Cage) and exploration agent fly Mooch (Dee Bradley Baker). When the team investigate the home of businessman Leonard Saber (Bill Nighy), the business owner of Saberling Technology and a person who has been under FBI investigation for a while, unit leader Ben's (Zach Galifianakis) superior Kip Killian (Will Arnett) finds out about the unauthorised mission and shuts the secret service down, instead deciding to use the intelligent animals as experiments to be killed. They manage to escape and end up in a pet shop, Blaster and Juarez are sold to a family, whilst Speckles ends up in a rubbish truck after pretending to play dead and Darwin manages to escape with his new friend Hurley (Jon Favreau) when Mooch informs them of where the other agents are. Eventually they manage to reunite and successfully stop Saber's home appliance invasion.

This is a deliciously wacky idea yet G-Force doesn't play to any of the madcap insanity that should come from the story's bonkers premise. Instead it is lazy and full of your typical childrens' jokes about pooing and farting. Whilst I imagine the film would be loved by pre-school children, for older viewers it makes for a frustrating experience. Jon Favreau lends a voice to one of the movie's guinea pigs but it feels like he would have been a better fit to direct than Hoyt Yeatman.

Hoyt Yeatman is more known within the industry as a visual effects supervisor on films such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and E.T. so it is bizarre that they chose him to direct this film, especially when he had only directed one film before G-Force - the four minute IMAX film Asteroid Adventure. He clearly wasn't experienced enough for this film and still wouldn't be today, given he unsurprisingly hasn't directed since (although he is set to direct a film called Voyager 3D at some point). What's also not surprising is that the best directed sequences are the special effects. The special effects in this film are extremely convincing and the vfx scenes well-directed. The action sequences are never dull to watch and show the potential that the movie could have had with a better director and better writer.

You see, the dialogue isn't up to scratch either. Comrac and Marianne Wibberley wrote the screenplay together for this film, although it feels more like they wrote a bunch of generic jokes and phrases rather than put any thought into the movie. There's nothing particularly original about anything spoken in the film; probably the most imaginative piece of dialogue is 'one more word like that and I'll turn you into a smokeside of bacon'. It doesn't seem as though the writers were invested in the film idea or concept; they probably weren't ideal matches for the film in the first place seeing as they tend to write films geared towards an older audience such as Bad Boys 2 and National Treasure.

Thank God, then, that I saw this film at the cinema in 3D. It's not the best use of 3D but it is very enjoyable and there are a few moments where some of the effects pop out of the screen (the hamster ball chase being one highlight). This film was clearly made with 3D in mind and is pretty much the only part of the film's creative process that doesn't feel half-hearted. It isn't enough to save the movie but it did make me feel better about paying the price of admission for this film when I saw it at the cinema in 2009. Again, it shows that Hoyt Yeatman is more used to dealing with visual effects than directing a film. If he had been working as a visual effects supervisor instead, I have a feeling G-Force may have fulfilled the potential of its premise.

The lip-synching of the animals is perfect with the actor's voices also. Everything is perfectly in time with the movement of the animal's mouths and it feels more like Babe lip-synchronisation than Cats & Dogs. The cast give it their all; Sam Rockwell is well-cast as Darwin and gives a certain energy to his performance that's somewhat infectious and Nicolas Cage is a lot of fun as Speckles (later in the film revealed to be a traitor, which neatly plays to his strengths). A post-LEGO Batman Will Arnett is good as his human character Kip Killian and Bill Nighy is memorable as Leonard Saber. Nobody feels like they are phoning in their performances despite the film's bad quality and it seems like they are putting more effort into the film than the production crew.

Overall, G-Force is a film with a great cast, good 3D and strong visual effects however this isn't enough to save a creatively redundant movie. Whilst it has a strong premise, the film feels lazy and half-arsed. The wacky concept of secret agent guinea pigs is never fully realised and instead G-Force is full of lame childrens' jokes that only toddlers will find amusing. The decision to get a visual effects consultant to direct the film is bizarre, as is deciding to hire an actual director to instead provide his voice for the movie. If Jon Favreau had directed G-Force, then it may have stood a chance. Their decision to go with Hoyt Yeatman instead results in one of Disney's worst live-action movies with terrible dialogue by Comrac and Marianne Wibberley. 'Secret agent guinea pigs' is nowhere near as fun as it sounds.

2

DalekbusterScreen5

07-26-16, 01:34 PM

The Blame Game

At £2.99 each, the Big Finish Short Trips are ridiculously good value for money. The Short Trips range originally began in 2002 as a series of short story book collections and have since morphed into monthly short story downloads read by an actor from either Doctor Who or Big Finish's past. As of current the Short Trips only feature Doctors 1-8, although personally I hope they include the new series Doctors before long. The latest Short Trips release is The Blame Game, released today on the Big Finish site.

The Blame Game is set early on during Jon Pertwee's time as the Doctor, when Liz Shaw was his companion. The Meddling Monk (Rufus Hound) arrives in the Doctor's lab and offers to take him away from Earth in his TARDIS and drop him off somewhere with readily available time technology. The Doctor would have the ability to bypass his Earth exile...but will he trust the Meddling Monk enough to go along with it?

Rufus Hound's Meddling Monk was introduced in the Second Doctor Early Adventures audio story The Black Hole and he does a good job here of narrating this short. Rufus Hound is an entertainingly excitable narrator, who provides a sense of energy to The Blame Game. He's a wise choice by Big Finish for the audio reading and a perfect reader for anyone new to Big Finish. It seemed a bit random when it were announced considering I didn't realise Rufus Hound was the latest Big Finish Meddling Monk before I accidentally stumbled across spoilers but having listened to the story I can't imagine anyone else offering a stronger reading of this story than him.

This is a very good story too. It feels like very authentic towards the early Jon Pertwee stories with Liz Shaw, playing into the Doctor's frustration at not being able to leave Earth as a major plot point. You can't really imagine this story taking place elsewhere in the Doctor's timeline. It wouldn't work as well as a first Doctor story, for example. This story was clearly written by Ian Atkins with the third Doctor in mind. It did strike me as strange however that the Brigadier doesn't appear during The Blame Game. He isn't even mentioned or referred to, which is a surprise given how he was one of the main characters during Jon Pertwee's time on the show. The Brigadier's reaction to the Doctor yet again trying to flee his job as scientific advisor would have been fun and it seems like a bit of a missed opportunity.

It's nice to see the early third Doctor away from the Earth-based stories with UNIT though. I like that we get to hear this Doctor on a spaceship. Whilst I like the third Doctor's early Earth adventures, it makes a nice change to see him brought somewhere else towards the beginning of his era. Sometimes the Earth stories can restrain this incarnation a little and being able to include spaceships and planets offers more variation in the stories that can be told.

There is a very nice callback to Spearhead From Space in this story. The spaceship the Doctor, Liz and the Meddling Monk land on has an automated system that communicates in eyebrow movements and the Doctor actually has to use the Delphon eyebrow language he showed Liz in his first story during this one. It is unbelievably cool to have a story where the Doctor has to actually utilise the Delphon language; it is something I have always wanted to see or hear in a third Doctor story and the way Rufus Hound describes it in his narration works well in creating a vivid image in how the Doctor's eyebrows look when doing it. It was a pleasant surprise to find a reference to the Delphon language in this story and it added to the story's overall enjoyable experience for me.

Other references I liked were the nice attempt to fit in the classic series continuity with the new series. There are some neat references to the Time Agents and the 51st Century. This helps Doctor Who to feel like one part of a massive universe, as though things like the Time Agents have always existed for the Doctor. Later this month there's the Classic Doctors, New Monsters box set that will help combine the classic and new series to a larger extent and of course they have already done it with Jago & Litefoot & Strax: The Haunting but it still feels cool to hear new series references in classic series releases.

This is a very good value Short Trip. The story clocks in at 40 minutes, compared to Flywheel Revolution's 32 minutes so it is one of the longer Short Trip releases. There's plenty of enjoyment to be had with this story, from Rufus Hound's energetic narration to the references to the Delphon language and the Time Agents. The move away from an Earth adventure with this release also offers a nice refresher from other third Doctor stories and the focus on the Doctor's desire to break his Earth exile feel authentic to the early Jon Pertwee serials. This Short Trip release is one that any Whovian must listen to, especially if you're a new series fan unsure about the Big Finish releases.

5

Hendrik-Sama

07-26-16, 01:41 PM

I remember really enjoying the Big Finish Docor Who audio stories, I might pick up this stuff too thanks to this article.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-26-16, 01:43 PM

I remember really enjoying the Big Finish Docor Who audio stories, I might pick up this stuff too thanks to this article.

The only thing I would say is it gets a bit complicated towards the end. Requires a few re-listens. Basically, there's mention of a 'lava planet' but it is later revealed to be the Earth at its creation and they are in the centre of it. .

SeeingisBelieving

07-26-16, 05:41 PM

I remember really enjoying the Big Finish Docor Who audio stories, I might pick up this stuff too thanks to this article.

The last ones I really enjoyed were the Lost Stories. Brilliant stuff, and if only they really had made them for TV.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-26-16, 07:09 PM

The last ones I really enjoyed were the Lost Stories. Brilliant stuff, and if only they really had made them for TV.

I'd love to see them do that with the new series. Especially Stephen Fry's story.

SeeingisBelieving

07-27-16, 07:43 AM

I'd love to see them do that with the new series. Especially Stephen Fry's story.

Oh yeah, he did have one didn't he?

DalekbusterScreen5

07-27-16, 08:07 AM

Oh yeah, he did have one didn't he?

It's a shame he never completed it. Wish he'd try and do a 12th Doctor story.

Gideon58

07-27-16, 10:44 AM

Iron Man 2 review

Iron Man 2 is known as a superhero film but really at its core it's a survival movie. Which is surprising, given that it's a sequel to arguably one of the best superhero movies of all time.

Great review and I agree with just about everything you've said about this movie.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-27-16, 10:46 AM

Speed Racer

Me and my younger brother are currently planning on buying our own car so I thought it would be fun to review a film today that features cars quite prominently. That film is Speed Racer, the 2008 racing movie based on the Speed Racer cartoons that unfortunately wasn't the success it deserved to be. I never saw the Speed Racer cartoons but the film is pretty neat and much more enjoyable to watch than it had any right to be (the trailers for it were horrendous).

Speed Racer follows the story of motorsport racer Speed (Emile Hirsch) whose dream is to win a cross-country car racing rally called 'The Crucible': the same racing rally that saw the death of his brother Rex Racer (Scott Porter). His family - Pops (John Goodman), Mom (Susan Sarandon), brother Spritle (Paulie Litt ) with pet chimpanzee Chim Chim, mechanic Sparky (Kick Gurry) and girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) - run a motoring company called Racer Motors. Owner of conglomerate company Royalton Industries Arnold Royalton (Roger Allam) offers Speed the opportunity to live in luxury if he agrees to race with him. Speed initially declines due to his father's distrust of big companies however when he accidentally ends up in a crash in his brother's car Mach 6 (unknown to him orchestrated by Arnold) and the family business is threatened with legal action over copyright infringement he agrees to team up with Racer X (Scott Porter) to compete in the Casa Cristo 5000 race in a deal made with racer Taejo Togokahn (Togo Igawa) that if he agrees to do it she'll provide evidence that will free the family business from legal action.

My synopsis makes it sound quite heavy on legalities but I can assure you it isn't. The legal stuff does play a major part in the film's plot but there is more emphasis on races than legal matters. And even though the film is rated PG, it certainly isn't your typical family film. It has more of an early Harry Potter feeling with elements of darkness disguised through bright visuals and an entertaining plot. I never got the impression watching this movie that it was made purely for families. Yeah, there are one or two moments clearly geared towards kids like the pet chimpanzee but overall this is a very fun but also very grown-up film that happens to be rated PG.

One of the things I love about this film is just how wacky it is. The cars feel as though they came straight out of an episode of Wacky Races, with weapons protruding from the vehicles. These include things like saws and 'Jump Jacks' that allow the cars to jump over obstacles. It's like a nice mixture of the magic and wonder of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with the manic car-related slapstick of the Herbie series. The visual effects by company BUF are some of the very best you'll see in cinema and as you would expect from the directors of The Matrix Lana and Lilly Wachowski literally draw-dropping in their execution.

Whilst some would say this film would have been perfect for 3D, I'm actually glad it wasn't made with sterescopic 3D effects. I am a huge fan of 3D (it's my number one viewing choice for any film) but in the case of Speed Racer it would definitely have been too much. I saw this in IMAX and the way the camera's constantly panning around characters with David Tattersall's cinematography and the constant movement in the picture already feels engrossing enough into the racing world of the movie. If 3D had been added on top of that, I would probably have thrown up. And I don't think I'd have been the only one. The cinematography's so strong that you forget it's a flat image and feel like you're actually in the world of the film. This film's cinematography is not given enough credit and in my view it's one of the most beautiful movies in cinematic history.

The races themselves are also excellent. There's a constant motion to them and everything is expertly directed by the Wachowskis. The film never becomes dull; the pacing is superb and it's a shame the movie wasn't successful enough to warrant a sequel as it definitely left me wanting more. Everything in Speed Racer has this wonderful combination of cartoony and videogame-esque visuals that blend together nicely to create a world that on Bluray is one of the prettiest things you'll ever see. You don't get enough of these kind of films currently that are bright, cheery and colourful; unfortunately most films nowadays tend to be all dark, gritty and 'look how dark the world is' and I wish more films would be released like Speed Racer. It even has a catchy theme song ('Go Speed Racer' by Ali Dee and The Deekompressors) during the credits.

The acting is also generally very strong. I love Emile Hirsch as Speed; he is a very charismatic lead and a strong choice for the role of Speed Racer. Scott Porter is another highlight as Racer X/Rex Racer; he has a lot of screen presence and you could imagine him fronting his own movie at some point rather than being merely a supporting character. If there's any weak point, it's probably Paulie Litt as Spritle. Occasionally he can have the tendency to be annoying, especially with his pet chimpanzee. It never destroys the film but it seems like the only reason for his inclusion is for the children in the audience rather than because he really needs to be there. If he had been axed from the movie, it would have made little difference to the plot. He's basically just there.

Overall, Speed Racer is a vastly under-rated film that really should have fared better at the box office. The cinematography is beautiful and the direction by the Wachowskis slick. It never grows dull; the movie is perfectly paced and despite its PG rating feels more grown-up than just another family movie. Speed Racer is like a compelling mix of cartoons and videogames, with a distinct Wacky Races feel to the way the cars operate on the race tracks. The only negative I can find is Paulie Litt as Spritle, who can have a tendency to be irritating and just feels like he's there rather than offering any meaningful contribution to the plot. The rest of the acting is excellent however, with standouts being Emile Hirsch as Speed and Scott Porter as Racer X/Rex Racer. Speed Racer is an under-appreciated gem that anybody from eight to one hundred and eight can enjoy. Go reader Go...and watch the one film that doesn't get the appreciation it deserves. You won't regret it.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

07-27-16, 10:47 AM

Great review and I agree with just about everything you've said about this movie.

Thanks. I don't get the bad reputation Iron Man 2 has.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-28-16, 01:04 PM

Paradise Towers

Paradise Towers is one of those stories that is often ridiculed by the Whovian fanbase - and it's not hard to see why. But I'll come to that later. The story was the result of a falling out between producer John Nathan Turner and script editor Eric Saward; John Nathan Turner was determined to find a writer who had never worked on the show before. He came across writer Stephen Wyatt at the BBC's script unit and asked him to submit a story for the show. That story was, of course, Paradise Towers.

Paradise Towers starts with the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) planning to visit a luxurious residential complex called Paradise Towers. Mel watches a promotional video for the towers that shows it as a beautiful complex, complete with a massive swimming pool. However when they arrive, they find it in a state of disrepair. The residents have become primitive tribes with no idea what a vending machine is and the place is run by the Caretakers; a group of people who keep surveillance on the towers and worship 'the Great Architect'. Their boss, the Chief Caretaker (Richard Briers) is secretly feeding the population of the Towers to the robotic Cleaners and the 'Great Architect' himself.

The premise of a luxury complex becoming run down to the point where it creates a tribal civilisation is a strong one that unfortunately doesn't follow through. The performances are too over the top to be taken seriously, especially those by the Red Kangs and Blue Kangs. The teenage actors who play the Red and Blue Kangs are annoying and come across as though they are in an amateur theatre production of Doctor Who rather than young professional actors. Many complain about Richard Briers but I actually didn't mind him so much; he at least seems like he belongs in a Doctor Who story. Perhaps he went too far when the 'Great Architect' (otherwise known as 'Kroagnon') possessed the Chief Caretaker's body but in my view if anybody can be accused as too camp the real culprits are Tabby (Elizabeth Spriggs) and Tilda (Brenda Bruce). I found myself rolling my eyes at every one of their scenes; they are too over the top as the stereotypical 'sweet old ladies'. Even when they reveal their real nasty intentions they still continue to ham it up.

The mention of these two ladies brings me onto my next point: Mel is too gullible. She meets Tabby and Tilda once in the story and already she trusts them when they offer to give her tea and cake. Had she never learnt when she was little not to talk to strangers? Even so, you would have thought travelling with the Doctor would have opened her eyes a bit not to be tricked so easily by offerings of food and drink. If I were in an unfamiliar environment and two old ladies randomly invited me round for a cup of tea and cake, flowering me with praise despite it being the first meeting I would be more than a little suspicious of what they were up to. Yet Mel acts as if it's normal.

But it's not only Mel who acts like an idiot in this story: the caretakers are pretty stupid too. The seventh Doctor may be the king of manipulation but it doesn't take him much to manipulate them to let him go when they're holding him prisoner. He literally takes their rule book (basically a book of the law of Paradise Towers) and fabricates rules up that say 'After you have been guarding the condemned prisoner for 30 minutes, you must stand up...move five paces away from the prisoner...close their eyes...put their hands above their head...for a minute and a half'. They don't even bother to snatch the rule book from the Doctor and check it themselves.

This all leads to the story feeling devoid of danger and peril. The caretakers pose no threat to the Doctor precisely because they are bone-dead stupid. Even the cast of The Only Way Is Essex would do a better job of guarding a prisoner for execution than these lot. Even the crab toy that attacks Mel in the swimming pool doesn't pose much of a threat. It just grabs her whilst she frails around in the water screaming. In the time it takes for Pex (Howard Cooke) to chuck her his weapon, it could have ripped her legs off or done something equally as horrifying. But no: instead it just holds her legs.

As for Pex, this character can be summed up in two words: useless and annoying. Pretty much every time he is onscreen they remind you that he's a coward yet when it gets to the pool gathering near the beginning of episode four all of a sudden we are supposed to sympathise with him when the Kangs call him a 'cowardly custard'. Well, sorry Paradise Towers: I may love Doctor Who but you have to earn the right for me to care about a character being called a 'coward'. He quite simply deserves it. Pex makes Mel look brave in comparison and she was never one of the Doctor's bravest companions (even if I personally don't mind her). There's an odd moment in the serial where Mel congratulates him for saving her but he doesn't even do anything. One of the Cleaners takes the old ladies instead. Why not give credit to the Cleaners instead?

The Cleaners are the literal heroes of this otherwise bad story, in the sense that they are the only good thing about it. I like the Cleaners a lot; their design is the kind of satiric look that the story of Paradise Towers should have had. The idea of evil cleaning robots in a tower block that's supposed to be a paradise is nicely ironic by Stephen Wyatt and their scenes are generally better directed by Nicholas Mallett (especially the scene where one of the Cleaner's hands comes through a rubbish chute and pulls one of the old ladies down). The rest of the direction falls flat, as if Nicholas Mallett didn't know what to do with the story either. The Cleaners are pretty much the only enemies here that feel like they are a danger to the characters of the story. Funnily enough, for robots that don't communicate and are basically just serviceable machines they are probably the most intelligent characters in the story bar the Doctor.

Overall, Paradise Towers is probably Doctor Who's biggest missed opportunity. It has a strong premise that is woefully executed with over the top acting and dumb characters who make Kevin from the 2016 Ghostbusters movie look like a genius in comparison. The story as a result of the Caretakers' dim behaviour has a lack of danger and peril; only the Cleaners seem remotely menacing in this story. Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford clearly try their hardest to sell this story and neither are to blame for Paradise Towers' failings; both give good performances as the Doctor and Mel but it's not enough to save the story when you have strange scenes that hail cowardly Pex a 'hero' and make Mel come across as way too gullible than she has any right to be. Paradise Towers is definitely a Doctor Who story you should skip, unless you want to deafen yourself with the Kangs' awful shouting.

1

SeeingisBelieving

07-28-16, 05:14 PM

Another excuse for me to revisit 2007 ;).

The performances are too over the top to be taken seriously, especially those by the Red Kangs and Blue Kangs. The teenage actors who play the Red and Blue Kangs are annoying and come across as though they are in an amateur theatre production of Doctor Who rather than young professional actors.

Looking back at my review of Paradise Towers I found that I was impressed by Annabel Yuresha:

The performances in Paradise Towers vary from well-acted to unwatchable. It will be clear to anyone watching the story that Julie Brennon’s “Not since time start” makes Fire Escape sound like she’s had elocution lessons somewhere in the Towers. Brennon’s performance is naive in a ‘children’s presenter’ sort of way, which unfortunately seems a little patronising to the audience. Catherine Cusack is better, but the saving grace for the Kangs is Annabel Yuresha as Bin Liner, because she gets some moodiness and some rawness into the characters and their behaviour. In fact Yuresha is so good that she could easily have been a companion for the Doctor, though it might have been a retread of Leela. And of course, the Doctor having to shout “BIN LINER!!!!” as Fenric deduced the winning move might have sounded a little strange…

Many complain about Richard Briers but I actually didn't mind him so much; he at least seems like he belongs in a Doctor Who story. Perhaps he went too far when the 'Great Architect' (otherwise known as 'Kroagnon') possessed the Chief Caretaker's body

I was surprised at how positive I was about Briers:

Richard Briers gives a very subtle and entertaining performance as the “Wizard of Oz Nazi”(3), the Chief Caretaker; looking alarmingly like Hitler in that moustache. He’s very clenched and the decision to use that anally retentive, low drawl for his delivery is sheer brilliance. He’s really funny in a number of scenes, such as the Chief talking to his “pet”; blackmailing Maddy; and his rigid, jerky movements as the possessed Chief is really well done, as he seems to summon up Kroagnon’s voice from very low down in the Chief’s husk. When he swings his near lifeless arm onto Howard Cooke as Kroagnon asks Pex if he’s trying to fool him, Briers is priceless. It’s a great comedy performance for what can only be considered a comedy story.

The mention of these two ladies brings me onto my next point: Mel is too gullible. She meets Tabby and Tilda once in the story and already she trusts them when they offer to give her tea and cake. Had she never learnt when she was little not to talk to strangers? Even so, you would have thought travelling with the Doctor would have opened her eyes a bit not to be tricked so easily by offerings of food and drink. If I were in an unfamiliar environment and two old ladies randomly invited me round for a cup of tea and cake, flowering me with praise despite it being the first meeting I would be more than a little suspicious of what they were up to. Yet Mel acts as if it's normal.

No hiding place for Langford:

This is a terrible story for Mel, there’s no getting away from it. The Doctor’s face as Mel is looking at the pool on the TARDIS scanner says it all really! From the beginning Mel is interested only in getting to that pool, and actually seems to forget all concern for the Doctor in the process. But the writer also gives her some bizarre choices, such as going to “rest [her] weary bones” in the Rezzies’s flat, which is bizarre isn’t it? Mel’s savvy enough to know that there’s something intimidating about Tabby and Tilda, so why do it!? When Mel finally reaches the pool, it’s the only thing on her mind, and the idea that after all the murder and mayhem, she’s convinced it will be safe is laughable. Paul Scoones mentions Langford’s performance:

“Langford is undoubtedly an accomplished and experienced entertainer, but she is clearly out of her depth in a serious dramatic role, dreadfully overemphasising her lines and delivering them in [an] unchanging high-pitched breathless croak” (2)

It’s true that Langford is very stage-orientated, and gives broader performances than are necessary on television, and her raucous voice, particularly on lines like “WELL DONE PEX!” might just tempt the viewer to switch off. However, in Bonnie Langford’s defence, with such a vapid character to play, she had little opportunity to do anything will Mel at all, but she and Sylvester McCoy do have a rapport of sorts.

The idea of evil cleaning robots in a tower block that's supposed to be a paradise is nicely ironic by Stephen Wyatt

Apparently the idea comes from High Rise by J. G. Ballard, which has just been made into a film.

The rest of the direction falls flat, as if Nicholas Mallett didn't know what to do with the story either.

Overall, Paradise Towers is probably Doctor Who's biggest missed opportunity. It has a strong premise that is woefully executed

I think we're pretty much of one accord on this one:

In Script Doctor, Andrew Cartmel observes:

“We actually received a memo from Jonathan Powell [Head of Drama] congratulating us on Paradise Towers. This had never been known to happen before. ‘First rate’ said Powell” (p54)

Jonathan Powell had already established with Cartmel that he considered Doctor Who a children’s programme, so it’s easy to see why he thought this story such a success. However, even within those parameters, Paradise Towers isn’t even a very good children’s programme, mainly because it’s so carelessly achieved on many fronts, most notably the direction and the ‘for children’ acting of some of the cast. It’s hard to deduce how a programme this shallow in presentation, if not in intent, could have provoked such positive feedback. Paradise Towers is at heart a very good story with much potential, but the programme isn’t very well put together and begins to look like a comedy sketch show with famous names making guest appearances. Even the performances, and the good ones, seem to take place in what looks like a first rehearsal, and this story has a great claim to being the most badly realised Doctor Who story produced to date.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-29-16, 11:14 AM

Looking back at my review of Paradise Towers I found that I was impressed by Annabel Yuresha:
I didn't like her at all. Too over the top and annoying.

I was surprised at how positive I was about Briers:
The Kangs are much more problematic than Richard Briers. I can see why he decided not take it seriously given how stupid the story is.

No hiding place for Langford:
To be fair, I think a lot of it is the script's fault rather than Bonnie Langford's. It's the script that makes Mel so gullible.

[QUPTE]Apparently the idea comes from High Rise by J. G. Ballard, which has just been made into a film.[/QUOTE]
I'm not surprised it's been made into a film. The idea of evil cleaning robots is a good one, it's just a shame it wasn't used in a better Doctor Who serial.

I think we're pretty much of one accord on this one:
I have a feeling the new series would have done it much better. I could imagine it taken seriously as a Steven Mofatt RTD-era story.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-29-16, 01:48 PM

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is an interesting movie for me. I remember feeling disappointed when I first saw it at the cinema upon its release but on rewatch, I unexpectedly found myself enjoying it a lot more. I don't know if it's because the first Madagascar set the bar so high that I expected something equally amazing when I first saw it but something seems to have changed my opinion on the film in retrospect in comparison to my views on it before.

The film takes place shortly after the events of the first Madagascar, where the animals found themselves stuck in Madagascar. The penguins Skipper (Tom McGrath), Private (Christopher Knights), Kowalski (Chris Miller) and Rico (John DiMaggio) have repaired a broken down plane and the zoo animals prepare to return to New York with King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), Maurice (Cedric the Entertainer), and Mort (Andy Richter). However the plane crash lands in Africa, where Alex (Ben Stiller) is reunited with his parents Zuba (Bernie Mac) and Florrie (Sherri Shepard), Marty (Chris Rock) finds other zebras who are just like him, Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) falls for the macho male hippo Moto Moto (Will.I.Am) and Melman (David Schwimmer) discovers she is a witch doctor. Soon they discover Africa isn't as good as they first thought. Alex finds lions in Africa fight in gladiatorial arenas for the role of alpha lion rather than dance as he had learned to at the zoo, Marty grows bored with everybody sharing the same opinions as him, Gloria discovers Moto Moto only loves her for her looks and Melman falls into a state of depression after he learns that not only might he die of the same symptoms of the previous witch doctor but that the secret love of his life Gloria is dating another animal.

What's great about this story is that compared to the first Madagascar it feels like a proper ensemble cast. Whilst the first one focused heavily on Alex the lion and his predatory instincts, in this film it feels like every character has something to do. This film could easily have been a whole animated series. There are so many sub plots that it feels somewhat like an episode of The Simpsons. By this point the animals feel like their own little family and it is nice to see the series move on from 'The Alex the Lion Show'. In fact, if anybody could be considered the lead in this film it's probably Melman. Melman is focused on quite a lot with her feelings for Gloria and state of depression that nearly causes her to take on the advice of King Julian and give her life up for the fake water Gods.

This film is actually quite dark for a family movie. Whilst the themes of depression will go over kids' heads, to an adult viewer it is obvious that Melman is suffering from it and it deals with the issue in a very delicate way. We've come to know Melman so much by now that when she basically attempts to commit suicide (because let's face it: that's what the subtext of her trip to the volcano really is) we worry for her. We don't want to see her go through with it. We want to see her come out of her mental state and appreciate life for what it is. Some of the best family movies tackle serious subject matters like this; if Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa can be applauded for anything it's the way that it raises the issue of clinical depression and shows audiences that there is a way out of it. Just because someone is depressed doesn't mean they will be forever.

Where the film falls flat is in its similarities to the far superior Lion King. These are mainly present in the scenes with Alex and his parents. Just like Simba in the classic Disney animation Alex is the next in line to the lion throne. Just like The Lion King, there's a villainous lion trying to claim the power to rule the animal kingdom (Alec Baldwin's Makunga). Just like The Lion King, the film is set in Africa. It is perhaps surprising it has taken this long for DreamWorks to copy the plot of The Lion King and it means that the sequel to Madagascar can feel lazy and uninspired compared to the first one. The first Madagascar's plot felt like much more of an original idea; it didn't really borrow from anything that came before it. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, on the other hand, draws too much inspiration from a better movie, causing it to come across as a pale imitation of it.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa does have a tendency to repeat gags from the first film too. For example, whilst it's nice to see the return of the old bag lady from the first Madagascar her appearance is only to repeat the same joke that was already done in the previous entry: an old lady attacks a lion with her handbag. It was funny the first time and is still funny the second time round but it's not really unexpected anymore and just feels like it's there because the writers couldn't think of anything new to say. And then there's the return of King Julien and Mort's fractious relationship. We get it. Mort's annoying. Do we really need to see him back? There's literally nothing about Mort's character that makes you want to see him again. I just find myself groaning whenever he appears onscreen.

If anything's the strong point about Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, it's the cast. They are all clearly trying their hardest to carry the material, especially Ben Stiller as Alex. Ben Stiller was good in the first Madagascar movie and he continues to deliver here. Chris Rock is also as lively as Marty as in the previous entry, offering an engaging performance that never becomes boring. Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer have so much chemistry together that it's not hard to believe Melman fancies Gloria. The stand-outs for both of the Madagascar movies for me though are the Penguins. The Penguins are hilarious and expertly voiced by Tom McGrath and co. I'm not surprised their Madagascar appearances spawned a short film, a television series and a spinoff movie; they never cease to be funny and I always find myself more entertained by them than any of the other characters in the films.

As for the animation, it's nothing particularly special but it's not terrible either. The animation of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is serviceable for a modern animated film but it doesn't have the animation quality of Toy Story 3 or The Incredibles. On Bluray it's a lot better than some releases but it isn't a movie I would use to showcase Bluray capability. It definitely feels like a step-up from Madagascar's animation though, which was also pretty average overall compared to Disney/Pixar's animation.

Overall, Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa may not be the best animated movie but it's not terrible either. Whilst the plot somewhat rips off The Lion King, it's nice to see the Madagascar series treated as an ensemble piece as opposed to the first film's decision to focus mainly on Alex the lion. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is surprisingly dark for a family movie: there are strong themes of clinical depression and suicide with the character of Melman that tackle the serious subject matter in a mature and respectable way. The movie repeats a lot of the same gags from the first Madagascar and doesn't feel like the most original animated movie but the cast do a great job at delivering the material they are provided with and the animation is passable (if not particularly spectacular). Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa may be a mediocre film but it is still an essential watch if you enjoyed the first Madagascar movie.

3

DalekbusterScreen5

07-29-16, 01:50 PM

For anyone interested, my 13 year old self would have given it two stars out of five.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-31-16, 01:42 PM

The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky

There has been quite a bit of controversy lately over the inclusion of Sontarans in the Big Finish release Classic Doctors, New Monsters. Do the new series Sontarans count as new monsters? Their origins may date back to the 1973 serial The Time Warrior but are the new series Sontarans different enough to be considered new monsters? Perhaps...

The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky in some ways feels like more of a modern story than it did at the time. The story features SatNavs used as weapons and SatNavs are arguably more commonplace today than in 2008, given that they are now installed in pretty much any modern car. After a call from Martha (Freema Ageyman) asking for him to return to Earth, the Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) arrive in 21st Century London to find that there have been a number of mysterious deaths that have all taken place at exactly the same time. The only connection is that they all had ATMOS installed into their cars. They team up with Martha's new workplace - UNIT - to find out why and discover the Sontarans are plotting to invade the Earth.

These are clearly a new clone batch of Sontarans, given that whilst they bear a close resemblance to their classic series counterparts their look is somewhat cleaner and a deeper shade of brown. Their ears are also more pointed, bearing more of an 'elf' appearance as opposed to the flat ears of the classic series:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wn3FoeR6wBQ/hqdefault.jpg

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/tardis/images/2/23/Staal2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20081216211718

Between the two, my preference lies with the new series look by prosthetics designer Neill Gorton. Their classic series appearance is certainly iconic but they perhaps bear too close to the infamous potato comparison. The new series Sontarans meanwhile appear more menacing; I find their appearance as a deadly warrior race more convincing compared to the classic series Sontarans. That's not to say I don't like the classic series Sontarans, just that the new series Sontarans have a stronger demeanour.

The other major difference with the new series Sontarans is their use of a catchphrase. Just like the Cybermen in Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel the Sontarans this time round have been given a quotable phrase that they repeat over the course of the story. For the Cybermen, this was 'Delete'. The Sontarans have 'Sontar Ha!' Unlike some, I like the new series tendency to give characters catchphrases; it's a nice and quick way to establish the characters' personalities without the need of expositional dialogue. The Cybermen upgrade others to be like them, so their catchphrase is 'Delete' because they are 'deleting' the humanity of those who become Cybermen. Sontarans believe in honour and glory, so their catchphrase is a war chant. There are plenty of similarities to be found between the Rise Cybermen and new series Sontarans, one important one being that the former are a new group of Cybermen from Pete's World created by a company known as Cybus Industries and the latter (as The Sontaran Ordeal explores) a Time War-era new clone batch of Sontarans. The new series Sontarans are therefore in my view different enough from their classic series iteration to be considered new monsters.

As for the story itself, it's definitely one of my favourites from David Tennant's time as the Doctor. The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky is an action-packed story that's a lot of fun to watch. The way it takes a modern device that can infamously become unreliable (SatNav systems) and turns it into a threat is genius. SatNavs can have the potential to be scary machines, especially when they try to send you off cliffs and it is therefore a marvellous idea by writer Helen Raynor (who got a lot of unfair comments directed towards her regarding her previous story for Doctor Who Daleks In Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks) to include them in her story.

It definitely feels like a Sontaran story too. This is a strong update for the clone race and it is a shame that they haven't had a new series invasion story since. The Sontarans feel like a formidable threat for the Doctor and Donna, especially the way they manage to clone Martha Jones. I would have liked to have seen a follow-up story where they clone the Doctor; imagine an evil Doctor working for the Sontarans - wouldn't that be scary? The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky stays true to how their previous classic series counterparts were characterised whilst also offering a new take on the race. Hopefully one day there will be a story exploring where Strax's loyalties lie: the Sontarans or the human race? I think that would be the best way to bring the Sontarans back now when Strax has been used for comic relief.

In the above paragraph, I mentioned clone Martha Jones. Clone Martha Jones is one of my favourite things about this story. Seeing a Doctor Who companion suddenly become evil is a fun thing for the show to explore; the series has done it before with Zygon Harry in Terror of the Zygons but the clone of Martha Jones in particular feels masterfully executed and a natural advancement for the plot. Freema Ageyman plays original Martha and evil Martha in such a believable way and I wouldn't be surprised if Jenna Coleman took inspiration for it for her dual role as Clara Oswald and Bonnie in last years' The Zygon Invasion/Inversion. Original Martha doesn't really get a lot to do but evil Martha is so entertaining to watch that you don't really notice Original Martha not featuring much in the plot.

And, of course, you've got the excellent Bernard Cribbins as Wilf. To me, Bernard Cribbins is the Doctor Who companion that never was. He sort-of had a companion role in The End of Time but it's hard to class him as a companion when it was only one story (I wish it had left it open so Wilf could have previously had more adventures in the TARDIS with the 10th Doctor). Wilf is such a loveable character, played with a stunning amount of charm by Bernard Cribbins and you find yourself totally invested and caring for the character when he becomes trapped in the car with the ATMOS smoke surrounding him. It's a relief when Sylvia (Jacqueline King) breaks him free from the car because you've grown to care for the character so much.

Overall, The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky is an exciting update for the Sontarans in the new series. Their use of a catchphrase and new look makes them feel significantly different from the classic series Sontarans and the story poses them as a credible threat for the tenth Doctor and Donna. Evil clone Martha Jones is fantastic and well-played by Freema Ageyman (sure to have been a blueprint for Jenna Coleman when she played her dual role of Bonnie/Clara). Then there's Bernard Cribbins as Wilf, who's just loveable as Donna's charming granddad Wilf and really should have been a companion for the Doctor. The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky is one of David Tennant's best stories which David Tennant as usual gives an outstanding performance in again, proving why he is the best Doctor of them all. Catherine Tate continues to be strong as Donna Noble and I hope she continues to play the role for Big Finish. This is a Doctor Who two parter well-worth your time, whether you have seen the classic series Sontarans or not. After all, they are new series monsters first and foremost...

5

SeeingisBelieving

07-31-16, 05:47 PM

Between the two, my preference lies with the new series look by prosthetics designer Neill Gorton. Their classic series appearance is certainly iconic but they perhaps bear too close to the infamous potato comparison. The new series Sontarans meanwhile appear more menacing; I find their appearance as a deadly warrior race more convincing compared to the classic series Sontarans. That's not to say I don't like the classic series Sontarans, just that the new series Sontarans have a stronger demeanour.

What I particularly remember about this story is how good the reveal was for Staal's face. As you say the prosthetics for these Sontarans were brilliant, mainly because the skin looked organic and alive. It also recreated the surprise value of Robert Holmes's original idea for an alien who removes his helmet and his head's the same shape and size :). Chris Ryan was fantastic in this story; even better than he was a Kiv in Mindwarp.

My feeling about the new Sontarans is that they went too small. I liked them as they were in the early Seventies because they were fairly short but looked bulky and physically strong. Arthur Conan Doyle uses a good phrase for his Professor Challenger: "a stunted Hercules" and I think that applies perfectly for them. I didn't mind the blue, more intricately designed armour as it was a change.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-01-16, 10:04 AM

What I particularly remember about this story is how good the reveal was for Staal's face. As you say the prosthetics for these Sontarans were brilliant, mainly because the skin looked organic and alive. It also recreated the surprise value of Robert Holmes's original idea for an alien who removes his helmet and his head's the same shape and size :). Chris Ryan was fantastic in this story; even better than he was a Kiv in Mindwarp.
I don't think it worked quite as well when they tried it again with the Ice Warriors in Cold War. I don't know what it is about their appearance outside of the armour but it doesn't do it for me.

My feeling about the new Sontarans is that they went too small. I liked them as they were in the early Seventies because they were fairly short but looked bulky and physically strong. Arthur Conan Doyle uses a good phrase for his Professor Challenger: "a stunted Hercules" and I think that applies perfectly for them. I didn't mind the blue, more intricately designed armour as it was a change.
Personally I thought they were about the right size.

SeeingisBelieving

08-01-16, 10:08 AM

I don't think it worked quite as well when they tried it again with the Ice Warriors in Cold War. I don't know what it is about their appearance outside of the armour but it doesn't do it for me.

I've only seen clips of that but I totally agree. I think the idea is quite clever – it seems obvious that Mark Gatiss got it from The War of the Worlds or at least very early science fiction; and it's good, but it's as if no real thought was taken in creating a distinctive look for the Martians outside their suits. They just look bland and reptilian and like any other creature you might see in the genre.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-03-16, 05:35 PM

Ignore

SeeingisBelieving

08-03-16, 05:42 PM

Ignore

Ignored :p.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-03-16, 06:27 PM

Mr Bean's Holiday

I'm going on holiday on Friday, which is basically the reason behind the lack of reviews recently. I've been busy preparing so consequently haven't had much time to review movies and Doctor Who episodes. As I'm going away, I thought it would be fun therefore to look at the film about Mr Bean's Holiday - aptly titled 'Mr Bean's Holiday'.

Mr Bean's Holiday is a very under-rated comedy and I'll never understand why the critics didn't enjoy it. The film sees Mr Bean (Rowan Atkinson) win a holiday to Cannes, a camcorder and €200 spending money in a church raffle. Eventually he manages to board the train that will take him to Cannes after missing the one he was supposed to be on but in the process accidentally separates a young boy called Stepan (Max Baldry) from his father Russian movie director Emil Dachevsky (Karel Roden). He manages to befriend Stepan and attempts to help him find his father at the next station the train is due to arrive at. However he fails to return to the train in time before it leaves and when an attempt to board the next train proves unsuccessful when Mr Bean accidentally leaves his passport and wallet behind they are forced to find an alternate method to Cannes.

In my opinion, Mr Bean's Holiday is a very funny film. As a fan of the TV Series, I was not disappointed by the gags the film had to offer. The slapstick comedy is just as it is on television, with many funny moments including Mr Bean accidentally getting his tie stuck in a cash machine and sticking torn pieces of paper to his eyes. One of my favourite moments is the dance sequence involving the song Boombastic when Mr Bean is busking to raise enough money for a bus ticket. The slapstick is the exact kind of wit and humour you expect from the comedy genius who is Rowan Atkinson. Of course, a lot of the comedy comes down to whether you find Mr Bean funny or annoying but as somebody who finds him very funny there's plenty of enjoyment to be found in the film.

The idea to give Mr Bean a camcorder to record his holiday on is a very strong one too and pays off nicely towards the end at the Cannes film festival. The transitions from the perspective of Mr Bean's camcorder screen to the movie's 'reality' are pretty seamless. The editor of the film Tony Cranstoun has done a stunning job with altering the image's quality for the camcorder screen/footage so it is considerably of a lesser quality to the non-camcorder footage. It never distracts from the movie but instead adds another layer that compliments the narrative being told.

The decision to have the film mostly spoken in French is a very clever one too. It helps make the film feel more authentic, as though you are going on the journey with Mr Bean and these are real French people being recorded as opposed to characters. This is a comedy that feels real more than any other and the French language help to define the identity of this movie from other British films. No subtitles are provided and whilst that might sound like an irritant, it actually adds to the film rather than hinder it. It means the movie feels like it was made in France and making Mr Bean the only British character highlights the fish out of water aspect of how out of place we all are when we visit a foreign country.

The beauty of slapstick is that you don't need to understand what they're saying anyway. That's not the point of the film. Slapstick is a universal form of comedy that anybody in any country can identify with and is the real core of this movie. As long as the slapstick is strong (and it is), it doesn't matter if the film is in French, German or Spanish. With slapstick, action always speak louder than words and this isn't more true than in Mr Bean's Holiday. Rowan Atkinson knows more than any other writer how to put the slapstick across; I suspect that to him, slapstick is a language in its own right. And perhaps he would be right. Perhaps slapstick is a language of sorts that we all understand the meanings of.

Of course, you can't have a good comedy film without good comedy actors. And the acting in this film is amazing. Rowan Atkinson is as brilliant as ever as Mr Bean. It's impossible not to love Britain's biggest idiot; Mr Bean is essentially the modern Charlie Chaplin. At this point he has become more than a mere character but a comedy icon in his own right. Sometimes children can be a frustration in films but Max Baldry is hilarious as Stepan. Stepan fulfils the Gromit role to Mr Bean's Wallace; he displays a certain intelligence in contrast to Mr Bean's dim-witted actions. He also feels like a kid you could possibly come across somewhere in real life. Nothing is forced about Max Baldry's acting and many a time he nearly overshadows Rowan Atkinson. My favourite excluding Rowan Atkinson is probably Emma de Caunes as Sabine. She comes across as the perfect love interest for Bean; a fierce and independent woman nicely played by Emma de Caunes. For some reason she reminded me a lot of Irma Gobb (played by Matilda Ziegler in the TV Series). Maybe it's because she drives a mini very similar to Mr Bean's but there's something about the way Emma de Caunes plays the part that comes across exactly like Irma. And I like the similarities. It makes sense to have a French version of Irma given that it shows what kind of person Mr Bean likes.

Overall, Mr Bean's Holiday is a very under-rated comedy film. If you like Mr Bean, then chances are you will enjoy this movie as much as me. The movie features many brilliant moments of slapstick by comedy genius Rowan Atkinson that display slapstick as a sort of 'universal language' rather than just a comedy form. Many wise decisions have been made in the creation of this film, from showing some of the movie from the perspective of the screen on Mr Bean's camcorder and to have the film mostly spoken in French. The comedy actors are strong; the child actor Max Baldry nearly even manages to overshadow Rowan Atkinson with his fun portrayal of Sepan. Emma de Caunes' Sabine is a strong love interest for Mr Bean and appropriately comes across like a French version of Irma Gobb from the TV series. Mr Bean's Holiday isn't going to change the face of comedy but it is an extremely funny film and one that deserves more appreciation than it gets.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

08-03-16, 06:28 PM

Ignored :p.

Thank you. :p

SeeingisBelieving

08-03-16, 06:30 PM

Haven't seen Mr Bean's Holiday, only the first film, but I actually saw a bit of the early series yesterday where he was out to dinner. That and Sharpe's Eagle. Nice double whammy of nostalgia.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-03-16, 06:42 PM

Haven't seen Mr Bean's Holiday, only the first film, but I actually saw a bit of the early series yesterday where he was out to dinner. That and Sharpe's Eagle. Nice double whammy of nostalgia.

I wish Rowan Atkinson would make another Mr Bean film. I think there's plenty he could do yet.

SeeingisBelieving

08-03-16, 06:45 PM

I wish Rowan Atkinson would make another Mr Bean film. I think there's plenty he could do yet.

I think it was the perfect character for him. Actually I didn't see him as Maigret, and while I can see he might be quite good he's too thin I think. Michael Gambon was who I remember but his voice always sends me to sleep ;).

DalekbusterScreen5

08-22-16, 01:25 PM

The Wrong Doctors

If there's one thing you can say about Big Finish's 2013 release The Wrong Doctors, it's that it's not afraid to have fun with time travel within the classic series period of Doctor Who. In the new series we are used to seeing the Doctor overlap with his present timeline but in the classic series (and indeed during the Russell T Davies era of the show) it was something you absolutely couldn't do. Having the sixth Doctor meet the sixth Doctor is therefore a very novel idea by Matt Fitton. But does he manage pull off the story's potential?

Well, pretty much. There is a slight problem however in how it translates to the audio format. The Wrong Doctors takes place shortly after Trial of a Time Lord; the young sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) decides to drop the old Mel (Bonnie Langford) back home to wait for the old sixth Doctor who has already travelled with her to return. Meanwhile, the old-but-not-yet-old-enough-to-have-travelled-with-Mel Doctor (Colin Baker) arrives at Pease Pottage with the intention of picking up young Mel (Bonnie Langford) after losing his previous companion Evelyn Smythe. Both Doctors and both Mels are present in Pease Pottage at the same time and if the wrong Doctor were to meet the wrong Mel it could do considerable damage to the web of time. To add further complications, the village of Pease Pottage has been populated with people who have died years before...and some of them are even aware of their deaths, including Mrs Wilberforce (Patricia Leventon), who died in 1964 aged 80.

The Wrong Doctors does a brilliant job of mixing new series concepts with the classic series; this is a story that you could easily imagine Steven Moffat writing. I particularly love the idea of a village populated by dead people. It is a very intriguing one and made disturbing by how the characters who are aware of their deaths act so matter-of-fact about it. And then there's the chilling concept that the residents of Pease Pottage can only remember a day's worth of memories but act as though they have always known one another. Jedediah Thurwell (James Joyce) for example clearly fancies young Mel but their memories mean that they can't remember meeting one another beyond the present time.

Where the time travel falls apart is through the presence of both the young and old Doctors. Occasionally it is hard to follow which Doctor is with which Mel and it can feel like the story would have been better suited to the television format (especially when the old sixth Doctor is wearing his indigo coat - something that on television could have acted as a visual guide for the viewer). Some may require a flow chart when listening to this story; to his credit Matt Fitton tries to make the story easier to follow through nicknaming the two Mels 'Mel B and Mel C' but often it doesn't feel like enough. The two Mels barely interact anyway, aside from towards the end of the story where old Mel accidentally knocks her younger self cold.The old Doctor is also given the nickname of 'Indigo Jones' by old Mel (which is more useful than Mel B and Mel C) but I would have liked to have seen the young Doctor given a nickname too. Old Mel references Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in the story so why couldn't she have called him 'Joseph'?

None of the time travel confusion is either Colin Baker or Bonnie Langford's fault. Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford do a masterful job of making the young and old Doctors and Mels distinctive from one another. It's amazing how they manage to sound significantly younger when playing their younger selves, almost as though it actually is a younger Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford in the recording booth. Colin Baker's younger Doctor sounds much more bombastic compared to his older and wiser audio sixth Doctor. Bonnie Langford also manages to make younger Mel sound naive in comparison to her more experienced older Mel. This is Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford at their very best and I can't imagine there will ever be a sixth Doctor and Mel story where they both deliver a better performance than here.

It's especially impressive how much chemistry Colin Baker has with himself. Colin Baker and Colin Baker effortlessly bounce off each other with their multi-Doctor banter, helping to signify how much the sixth Doctor has changed from his TV adventures to his later audio stories. Many times it feels as though there are two Colin Bakers, like Colin Baker isn't just one person but made up of Colin Baker splinters spread throughout time. Who knows: maybe he fell down his own timestream and Nicholas Briggs failed to mention in the behind the scenes extra that there were two Colin Bakers recording the story? Or maybe Colin Baker exchanges banter with himself behind closed doors? Admittedly that sounds much weirder than Colin Baker splinters.

The supporting cast is also very strong, in particular Patricia Leventon as Wilberforce and James Joyce as Jedediah Thurwell. Both characters start off merely as caricatures - the sweet old lady and the confident young man of Pease Pottage - but their characters soon develop to become three-dimensional beings and are expertly brought to life by their actors. Both appear like characters from the sixth Doctor's era too; you could easily imagine Colin Baker's Doctor bumping into Wilberforce for example but I doubt she would have the amount of character development she gets here. The likelihood is that due to the poor quality of the writing she would have remained a caricature rather than becoming a layered supporting character. Wilberforce is a lady with a certain dedication to her: the kind of woman who will see things through to the end and who knows that one day everything must come to a stop. Jedediah on the other hand on the outside may appear confident but has a certain inner weakness that makes you question just how sure he is in the time-displaced society. At times it almost feels as though he subconsciously knows there's something not quite right.

Overall, The Wrong Doctors is a clever idea by Matt Fitton but occasionally the audio format is detrimental to the story's potential. It feels like a story that would work better as a televised episode of the show rather than as an audio drama. It is remarkable however how Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford manage to sound significantly younger when playing their younger selves. Both give outstanding performances as both their younger and older selves; Colin Baker in particular has a lot of chemistry with himself. The supporting cast is strong too, my favourite being Patricia Leventon as Wilberforce. Wilberforce may seem like a caricature at first but she soon develops into a fully-fleshed character; her steely dedication makes her a very interesting character to listen to. The Wrong Doctors is definitely worth the listen for Colin Baker's rapport with himself but it's the kind of story that requires one of Doc Brown's blackboard sketches to fully understand.

4

SeeingisBelieving

08-22-16, 06:36 PM

Welcome back – I hope you had a nice holiday :).

DalekbusterScreen5

08-23-16, 04:55 AM

Welcome back – I hope you had a nice holiday :).

I did thank you. North Wales was very nice, especially Bedgellert!

DalekbusterScreen5

08-23-16, 12:58 PM

Hot Fuzz

To me, the comedy pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost is the new Laurel and Hardy. In the same way that a Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy film would guarantee you a few laughs, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are like a cozy comedy blanket where you know by watching their movies you're going to have a good time. It's one of those rare pairings where it simply just works; even with a film like Paul (which I have yet to see) that received a mediocre reaction from critics the majority still agreed that the Pegg/Frost pair made it a fun watch. The second in the Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz is highly regarded as one of their best comedy efforts to date. Many even claim it to be better than the excellent Shaun of the Dead although I'm not sure I necessarily agree.

In Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg plays metropolitan policeman Nicholas Angel who is promoted to sergeant and moved to a police department in the village of Sandford after the Chief inspector (Bill Nighy) decides he is too good at his job. There he is assigned police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), son of the village's Chief Inspector Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent), as his partner. Danny turns out to be useless and Nicholas quickly becomes tired of the small cases he has to deal with. When a number of villagers are murdered by a mysterious killer, Nicholas finds himself having to convince the police department that the deaths were not accidents in order to investigate and arrest the culprit.

Whilst Hot Fuzz has plenty of laughs, unlike the general consensus on this movie I didn't find myself laughing as much as I did with Shaun of the Dead. Yeah, the running joke with the escaped swan is funny and the crossword skit with Joyce Cooper (Billie Whitelaw) is comedy gold it doesn't quite reach the heights of, say, fighting zombies to Don't Stop Me Now. It's still worth watching and definitely funnier than a lot of modern comedies (I'm looking at you, Vicious) but in comparison to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's first film it doesn't quite have the same sparkle to it.

Where Hot Fuzz does excel in comparison is in the action. The action sequences in this movie are amazing, especially the supermarket fight towards the film's end. The supermarket fight is both funny and exciting at the same time. There are also some extremely well-directed scenes by Edgar Wright, including Nicholas Angel's return to the village centre on-top a horse. Hot Fuzz is a film that blends the quirky and downright awesome well, appearing as an affectionate tribute to the buddy-cop genre rather than a mickey-take of it. The imagery of Nicholas Angel's 'action hero' look is something that I feel over time will be considered as iconic as Some Like It Hot's famous last line 'Well, nobody's perfect'. And that's the right word for it: perfect. It just seems right for the film's last act to see Nicholas resemble the kind of action star that Danny admires.

The revelation of the film's killer (or rather 'killers') is also very satisfactory. I love the twist that the killers behind the villager's death is the cult of the local neighbourhood watch . Essentially it is the film's village setting that is the real antagonist of the movie and it's this cleverness by the killer combination of Pegg, Frost and Wright that helps to set Hot Fuzz apart from other British comedies. Nicholas Angel VS the village is quite literally the best way this film could end; tonally it feels on-par with the zombie invasion of Shaun and undeniably fits with the trademark oddball humour established with Simon Pegg's sitcom Spaced.

Of course, no film would be half as good without an excellent cast and Hot Fuzz's is among the best I've ever seen. Not only is Jim Broadbent in it but A-list British actors like David Bradley (who later appears in The World's End), Timothy Dalton, Olivia Colman and Stephen Merchant all appear. This is an outstanding cast and even though some only appear in cameos they deliver such incredible performances that showcase the best of British cinema. The fact that they even managed to get Timothy Dalton shows how respected Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's films are.

My only complaint about Hot Fuzz besides it not being as funny as Shaun of the Dead is that I would have liked to have seen Nick Frost's character introduced earlier into the film. He appears in the film's plot later than you would expect and it would have been nice had he already been a friend of Nicholas's living in Sandford rather than having them meet for the first time. It seems odd to have these characters develop their friendship during the film rather than Shaun of the Dead's decision to make them friends from the start. Maybe the decision behind returning to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's characters as already being friends in The World's Friend was as a result of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright feeling it didn't quite work with Hot Fuzz but I definitely prefer their friendship already being there.

Overall, Hot Fuzz may not be as funny as Shaun of the Dead but it is still a hilarious British comedy from the genius minds of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright. Where the film improves on Shaun is through the action sequences present in the film and the imagery that is certain to become iconic over time. The revelation of who the 'killer' is works extremely well and helps to contribute towards one of the comedy genre's best third acts. Hot Fuzz boasts one of the strongest British casts you can have, with the likes of Timothy Dalton and Jim Broadbent appearing throughout. It's unfortunate that they made the bizarre decision to introduce Nick Frost later into the film than expected and that when he does appear he isn't already a friend of Simon Pegg's character but it's not too detrimental to the film's quality. Hot Fuzz is definitely a film that's worth your time, just don't expect it to be better than Shaun of the Dead.

4.5

DalekbusterScreen5

08-24-16, 02:58 PM

Fallen Angels

When Big Finish confirmed they had the new series license, one of the first audio box sets they announced was Classic Doctors, New Monsters: a set of audio dramas that team up the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Doctors with a monster from the new series of Doctor Who. For the fifth Doctor, Big Finish Productions opted for arguably the most iconic of the new series' creations: the Weeping Angels. A strange choice for audio given that they are silent creatures...

Fallen Angels sees honeymooning couple Joel (Sacha Dhawan) and Gabby Finch (Diane Morgan) visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where they meet the Doctor (Peter Davison) and a Weeping Angel that sends the pair back in time to 1511 Rome. Gabby encounters the Doctor again, only he can't remember meeting her as it hasn't happened for him yet. Joel meanwhile finds himself in the workshop of Michelangelo (Matthew Kelly) who has been commissioned by the priest to carve an Angel free.

What's brilliant about this story is how Big Finish have decided to make the plot as timey wimey as possible. To me the quintessential Weeping Angel story given their ability to send people back in time is one that uses time travel almost as a character in its own right rather than just as a means to get the Doctor and characters from A to B. Everything you would expect from a time travel Doctor Who story with the Weeping Angels is there: the Doctor meeting people out of order, previous supporting characters returning as old men having lived a long life after being sent to the past by a Weeping Angel, jokes about future inventions that are accidentally invented in the past (in this case, sandwiches - although the Doctor claims he invented them first). Writer Phil Mulryne understands exactly what makes a Weeping Angel story work and you can see why Big Finish opted to hire him for this story.

I know any Doctor Who fans on here who haven't listened to this will be asking if the Weeping Angels work on audio. Well, it does take a while for the audio story to work out exactly how to use them effectively without the need of visual aid but by the final act you forget any notion that the Weeping Angels might not work in an audio drama. Sounds of the Weeping Angel's movements from the TV Series are used extremely well and act as good indicators of what would be occurring on-screen without the need of endless exposition. In fact, there's hardly any exposition to speak of here. The geniuses at Big Finish don't need it. The most expositional dialogue is along the lines of 'It's pointing at me'; the rest only requires you to listen.

One thing other than the Weeping Angels that this story takes from the new series is the 'celebrity historical', where the Doctor and 'companions' (or in this case, the honeymooning couple) meet a historical celebrity from the past whom the Doctor happens to be a fan of. Only in this case it's Joel who is the fanboy. This is a good decision by Big Finish and Phil Mulryne as it makes it feel like a new series story told with a classic series Doctor (exactly what these box sets should be about). Matthew Kelly does such a good job at portraying Michelangelo too. He's a real coup for Big Finish and probably one of their best supporting actors so far. Disappointingly none of the characters get to say 'Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be....'

The main problem with this story comes from the writing's portrayal of the fifth Doctor. For some reason Peter Davison's Doctor here appears more like Matt Smith's eleventh. It feels odd hearing Peter Davison as the Doctor making blokey jokes about data roaming and I would have preferred to have heard a characterisation more faithful to the classic series interpretation of his Doctor (such as in the excellent Mutant Phase). Bar the final line that cheekily hints at the 10th and 11th Doctor's use of the phrase 'timey wimey', Fallen Angels is a story where you could easily swap the fifth Doctor for the eleventh and it would work much better. Especially when the main supporting characters of this release are extremely similar to a certain other husband and wife duo.

I'm talking, of course, about Amy and Rory. Joel and Gabby bare a few similarities to the 11th Doctor's popular companion duo. Both are extremely loyal, have an ever-lasting love and affection for one another and will do whatever it takes to stay together. Joel, like Rory, is the awkward one of the pair (although to be fair his love of art and culture means he acts significantly different after the initial shock than Rory would around Michelangelo) whilst Gabby has the childlike innocence that Amy would often possess in the latter's fairytale-esque wonder and idolisation of the Doctor. Just like Amy and Rory their affection for one another is a big part of who their characters are. It's a shame that this story couldn't have been kept back for a potential future 11th Doctor full cast audio drama release as it doesn't feel much like a fifth Doctor story.

Overall, Fallen Angels is an excellent first instalment in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters series but unfortunately suffers from poor characterisation of the fifth Doctor and supporting characters who feel incredibly similar to Amy and Rory. The Weeping Angels are surprisingly effective on audio however and the decision to make the first Big Finish Weeping Angel story a timey wimey one is a strong one. Even if it doesn't feel like a Peter Davison story, thanks to the celebrity historical aspect it does feel like a new series story told with a classic series Doctor. Matthew Kelly is perfect as Michelangelo and it would be nice to hear him return to Big Finish again. Fallen Angels may not be the strongest fifth Doctor release but it does prove that the Weeping Angels absolutely can work on audio.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

08-25-16, 01:00 PM

Die Hard

I haven't had a good day, I've had legal action threatened on me by my aunt so I thought with the possibility of legal action I'll review Die Hard. Die Hard is without a doubt a classic film. It is the definition of what makes a good action thriller and despite it having been made in 1988 feels more modern today than ever before. Simply put: if you haven't seen Die Hard, what have you done with your life?

Die Hard follows New York policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis), who decides to visit his wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and daughters on Christmas Eve. They meet up at a holiday party held at the Japanese-owned office building where she works. The festivities are cut short when the office building is seized by a group of terrorists led by Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber, who would go on to become one of cinema's most well-known bad guys.

It's not hard to see why Hans Gruber is so popular. He is not only a formidable opponent for John McClane but also one of cinema's most complex, well-rounded and entertaining antagonists. It helps that Hans Gruber is played effortlessly by Alan Rickman; his iconic speech patterns are perfect for the character and just like Severus Snape it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role. A simple line like 'Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho.' become iconic thanks to Alan Rickman's toned down delivery. He doesn't play it for laughs, yet that's exactly why so many people laugh at that line. Alan Rickman understood the irony that the line delivery needed, that the humour comes from the fact that it's ironic for a terrorist leader to utter Santa Claus's famous phrase.

Which brings me onto another point: Die Hard's setting of Christmas. The Christmas setting is the reason why many consider Die Hard a Christmas movie and whilst I can see their point, I don't necessarily agree. One thing I will say however is that the Christmas setting is perfect. Despite the serious plot and thriller style of the film, if Die Hard can be called anything it is a feel-good movie. It takes the threat of terrorism seriously but at the same time it laughs at how utterly ludicrous it is. Die Hard is the kind of film you put on at Christmas after a lot of drinking just to have fun and be merry despite all of the dark things going on in the world. It's the opposite of, say, the DC movies that practically shout 'LOOK HOW DARK THE WORLD IS'. Die Hard knows the world is dark but also knows that now and then there's no harm in laughing at the darkness. That's not to say Die Hard is a comedy - it's not - but when it does include jokes it has a wonderfully witty sense of humour.

Some may groan at action heroes having cool catchphrases but there's nothing more cool than 'Yippie ki yay, mother****er!'. This is a phrase literally perfect for John McClane's character: an innocent bystander who reluctantly finds himself involved in stopping a bunch of terrorists whilst on holiday. John McClane is essentially a cowboy in a modern environment. He is the mysterious stranger entering an unfamiliar town and if he were a Wild West cowboy he would be closer to Clint Eastwood than John Wayne. Bruce Willis plays the part with a certain confidence that works wonders for the character. His performance may not be as strong as Alan Rickman's but like Mr Rickman it would be hard to accept anyone other than Bruce Willis in the role.

Like the previously reviewed Hot Fuzz, Die Hard is not short of frankly awesome action sequences. And when there's no action sequences, it is wonderfully tense. The director John McTiernan blocks the scenes to perfection to get the exact right amount of tension and emotion that the action on-screen requires. Just look at this scene, for example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6wRZCV7naE

I haven't seen directing blocked any better than that. Any filmmaker who considers producing a thriller should use Die Hard as an example of directing 101. I'm sure many would agree that there is no better guide for directing a thriller than this.

Also: isn't Die Hard just a perfect title? It's punchy and straight to the point. It might seem like a silly point to make but it's among the greatest film titles of all time. For me, it is up there with 'Psycho' or 'A Good Day To Die Hard'. Whoever came up with that title needs to be applauded; I can't imagine the film being called anything else now.

Overall, Die Hard is pretty much the perfect action thriller movie. It's got a perfect title, perfect directing, perfect protagonist and arguably one of the best and most iconic film villains of all time in the brilliant Hans Gruber. When Die Hard features comedy in its narrative, it has a wonderful sense of wit and provides many of the film's best moments. The action sequences are equally as strong, providing moments of great tension and sheer awesomeness. Die Hard is the kind of movie that knows how ridiculous the terrorism threat really is and isn't afraid to point it out, unlike for example DC films that simply love to shout 'LOOK HOW DARK THE WORLD IS'. If you haven't seen Die Hard, then watch it now. You're missing out on one of the all-time greatest thrillers, mother****er.

5

RedFoot

08-25-16, 01:37 PM

You have an interesting ratings system, to say the least.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-25-16, 01:39 PM

You have an interesting ratings system, to say the least.

In what way? It's the Movie Forums rating system. :confused:

RedFoot

08-25-16, 01:46 PM

More so on what movies you give a perfect score to. You seem to rate a lot of films very highly. Mr. Bean's holiday for example.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-25-16, 01:48 PM

More so on what movies you give a perfect score to. You seem to rate a lot of films very highly. Mr. Bean's holiday for example.

True. I love Rowan Atkinson's Mr Bean. If you read some of my other reviews I can be very harsh if I want to be though. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory only has a 0, for example.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-26-16, 04:19 PM

Judoon In Chains

I've never been the biggest fan of the Judoon. Their design is brilliant and the episode they debuted in - Smith and Jones - still remains one of the best companion introduction stories of the new series. It never feels like the Judoon are used that brilliantly though. Whenever they appear they don't make much of an impression, yet the concept of space rhinos for hire is so great that they could easily be the focus of their own story (credit to the Sarah Jane Adventures episode Prisoner of the Judoon though for making great use of the species). Judoon In Chains proves that potential and is a much more satisfying Judoon story than their televised appearances.

Judoon In Chains follows the story of Judoon Captain Kybo (Nicholas Briggs), who fled the Judoon's attempts to terraform a planet currently occupied by the sentient life forms known as the Aetius (Sabina Franklyn). The sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) represents Kybo's defence in a victorian court and through Kybo's statement to judge and Judoon jury we hear of how he crashed to Victorian Era Earth and became a part of a travelling circus (with the Doctor as his translator), along the way forming a friendship with drawf Eliza Jenkins (Kiruna Stamell) and discovering a love for poetry.

Placing the Judoon in a victorian court is a neat concept and provides some much needed development for the race that hasn't been present in other stories featuring the Judoon. Whereas they may initially appear stiff and judgemental, the story highlights their importance in having to stick religiously by the laws of the universe. This is one of those courtroom dramas where you can see clearly understand the views of both parties: by abandoning his post Kybo was showing himself to be a liability but equally the right side of his brain was being influenced by the Aetius. The Judoon are loud, nasty and ruthless (especially in the way they attack Victorian England) but whilst their actions are unforgivable it is clear that they are doing it for the same reason we would: the fear of the unknown, the fear of something that is a Judoon but at the same time so very not 'Judoon'. Kybo's behaviour after encountering the Aetius is not Judoon-like.

This is further proved at the rapid rate Kybo's intelligence improves. For all their might the Judoon are usually small-minded...but here we have a Judoon who learns to read and write poetry within an extremely short period of time. This allows for a more sympathetic character than if Kybo had been a simple Judoon. You find yourself truly caring for the disgusting way Kybo is treated at the circus simply because Kybo demonstrates more human characteristics than his fellow Judoon. The story notes mention it as inspired by the iconic classic film The Elephant Man and it shows throughout not only in the way Eliza refers to Kybo as 'the rhinoceros man' but also in the amount of care treated by the writers towards the character. Kybo is quite possibly the best supporting character Big Finish have ever created and I hope at some point they bring him back.

It feels appropriate also for a courtroom drama to be the sixth Doctor story in this set. This incarnation of the Doctor has been seen in this setting before - for an entire season! - in 'Trial of a Time Lord' so to return to a type of establishment that is undoubtedly a big part of this incarnation's time in the TARDIS seems somewhat fitting. Colin Baker works extremely well in this setting, his speeches being suitably grandiose and excellently performed with an air of arrogance and self-righteous determination. Because of this, Judoon In Chains sees one of Colin Baker's greatest performances as the Doctor.

If anyone should be applauded for this release however it is Nicholas Briggs. To keep up that performance as the Judoon where he has to put on a throaty voice for the entirety of the audio drama is an amazing effort and something he must be applauded for. It must be extremely hard work on his throat and I really wouldn't want to be in his position attempting it. To manage to record a one hour audio drama with that voice required for 98% of the audio drama...that's dedication. The Queen's a Whovian: she should knight him for it. Arise, Sir Nicholas Briggs of Judooneese. You have done the Whovian fandom a great service in our entertainment needs.

Speaking of Judooneese, a worry of mine was that the Judoon were going to be speaking it for majority of the audio drama. Thankfully Big Finish have them use their communication device pretty early on and the ingenius concept of a Judoon with accelerated intelligence means that we get to hear him learn our language anyway. Judooneeese is fine in small doses but as a language can become annoying if heard for extended periods of time. This is also a problem with the Sycorax (which I will mention in the Harvest of the Sycorax review) that Big Finish have found a way round. It's nice hearing these alien languages rather than just English the entire time but equally we need our native language in order to properly relate to characters who are members of other alien races (something which is especially important in a story like this).

Overall, Judoon In Chains is a classic and should be listened to by Whovians and non-fans alike. It's a sweet and charming story that had it been made as a film would have undoubtedly won an Oscar for Best Picture. When people say the Big Finish stories are better than the televised episodes of Doctor Who then this is the audio drama they should use as an example of that bold claim. The dedication by Nicholas Briggs shows the amount of love and attention that has gone into this release and whoever came up with the decision to give the sixth Doctor a courtroom drama in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters set needs to be applauded for it. It's a very clever decision and helps this audio drama to make it one of my favourites by Big Finish out of the ones I have listened to. Judoon In Chains uses the Judoon better than the TV Series and its spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures; I am pretty certain that anybody who previously disliked the Judoon would soon be converted after listening to this hour-long story.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

08-27-16, 01:54 PM

Dr Who And The Daleks

Usually I do not honour requests to review films on my blog but there was a particular reader who was insistent that I review the Peter Cushing film Dr Who And The Daleks, based on the serial The Daleks. I had no intention of watching the film before but I thought the reader in question - who goes by the name Adam B - made a very good point:

I don't think canonical should limit a film review site as that would be daft and adverse to what a film review site should be.

Adam is of course right. A film review site shouldn't be limited by what is or isn't canonical. It is still a film and should be treated as a product in its own right. I therefore decided to give Dr Who And The Daleks a go; this one's for you, Adam B.

Dr Who And The Daleks stars Peter Cushing as the titular 'Dr Who', an inventor who lives with his grandchildren Susan (Roberta Tovey) and Barbara (Jennie Linden). Barbara invites her boyfriend Ian (Roy Castle) round to the house and Dr. Who shows him his latest invention: the TARDIS, a machine that is capable of travelling through space/time. When Ian accidentally sets the machine in flight it arrives in the middle of a petrified jungle on Skaro. Its occupants the Thals live in fear of the Daleks, who they happen to share the planet with. Dr. Who and Ian must persuade them to fight the Daleks in order to retrieve the fluid link that the Daleks have acquired and that they need to return home.

One thing that Dr. Who And The Daleks does well is the way that it adapts the plot of the very first Dalek serial (simply called 'The Daleks'). All the key plot beats are there, including the iconic scene where the suckers (replaced by claws here) are coming towards Barbara as she backs against the door. Some plot elements are even improved on, such as Susan's fear of the figure lurking in the forest. The cinematography during this scene where the Thal Alydon (Barrie Ingham) tries to prise the TARDIS door open is actually pretty scary. He seems like a genuine threat to Susan given how utterly menacing he appears during that shot. Of course once he apologises for scaring Susan he is a very kind and thoughtful Thal who doesn't pose a threat to Susan's well-being, but we don't know that and neither does Susan.

The set design in the petrified forest is also great. The outdoor sequences on Skaro are better than the outdoor sequences in The Daleks as everything looks much more realistic. It's almost as though a petrified forest is actually there rather than a studio set. Scott Slimon has done a good job with the set decoration in the forest that should quite rightly be applauded. The Dalek City is also an improvement over the Dalek City in the TV Series; in the show although it looks very impressive the city was created as a plastic model with electronic inlay used to make it appear as though it was in the distance. Here the Dalek City looks much more like a real city you can walk around as opposed to an obvious (if clever and technologically impressive) practical effect.

Where the set design doesn't work is in the interior of the TARDIS. The TARDIS interior looks nothing like it does in the show and as a set it is way too simplistic. Gone are the white roundals; instead the look of the TARDIS resembles that of a garage rather than an unearthly machine. Worst of all, all it takes to pilot what should be a complex machine is to push down a lever. Just a simple lever. Dr. Who does have to set a destination first otherwise he has no idea where he's going but it's nothing compared to how William Hartnell piloted the TARDIS in the TV Series as it were in 1963.

Director Gordon Flemyng in fact pays little respect to the general source material beyond the plot of the serial it is based on. I can excuse the Doctor being human given that it wasn't an established point in 1965 (the year the film was released) that he was an alien but what is inexcusable is the main character actually being called 'Dr. Who'. It's incredibly cheesy to hear the characters refer to him as 'Doctor Who'; it just doesn't sound right as a name. What kind of person would literally be called Doctor Who? It's like a fireman calling himself Fireman Where or a dentist adopting the name 'Dentist How'. To add further insult to the TV Show's fans, Barbara is now 'Dr. Who's' granddaughter. Yes: you read that right. Barbara is no longer Susan's history teacher, she's actually related to the main character. As for Ian Chesterton, he still acts as a love interest for Barbara Wright but he has now been made extraordinarily clumsy. Gone is the Ian Chesterton we all know and love as an action hero. Instead is an Ian who falls over stuff and struts about as though he's David Walliams' long-lost brother. Dr. Who And The Daleks is a film that changes too much for the sake of changing it rather than as a means to improve the plot.

But Gordon Flemyng doesn't just leave the changes with the TARDIS interior and crew. That's simply not enough creative control for him. He also has to go and change the Daleks. As mentioned earlier in the review, the Daleks have claws instead of suckers and that's just criminal. The suckers are an iconic part of the Dalek design and a big reason why they took off. To change it in favour of claws is simply unforgiveable. It changes too much about what makes the Daleks such a timeless design. The suckers are a big part of who they are. Not only that but the Daleks here come in a variety of colours, which quite frankly makes them look ridiculous. Victory of the Daleks would later attempt it in the TV Series and it just doesn't work. It makes the Daleks look like Teletubbies, especially when their lights are also coloured red. I prefer the 1963 Daleks to these because they actually look like machines capable of murder. These Daleks just look like they want to hug you.

Credit to the cast though as they do give it their all to show respect in their performances to the source material. Sometimes it's not always a good thing when a film is based on already-existing material and actors try to copy another actor's performance but it is more than welcome in a film that doesn't follow closely enough the TV Series as a whole it is based on. Even if I don't find his performance very believable Peter Cushing is very clearly mimicking William Hartnell's performance as the Doctor and appears pretty close in his mannerisms to how William Hartnell's Doctor reacted in the serial. Roy Castle could have been a better Ian too had he been given a better script and Jennie Linden gives a very respectable performance as Barbara. I also like Roberta Tovey as Susan, who in my view is better than Carole Anne Ford in that she portrays the character with more intelligence than can be found in Carole Anne Ford's performance.

It is a shame that these actors are all let-down by a script. Whilst by no means the worst script ever to be made into a film, Milton Subotsky's screenplay on the whole is still pretty bad. The dialogue is way too dumbed down and simplified, with lines like 'There. I can now set the controls for anywhere in time and space that we wish to go' that feel more like they came from a basic first draft than a final version of the script. It is a wonder that they managed to get such a high-profile cast to appear in this film but the actors do a decent job with what they had to work with.

To its credit, Dr Who And The Daleks does have certain elements where it improves over the Doctor Who serial it is based on. The production design minus the TARDIS on a whole is better and some scenes are significantly better executed than they were in the 1963 serial. Overall however the film shows a lack of respect towards the show it is based on through the number of pointless and unnecessary changes that are made. Barbara is now a granddaughter of 'Dr Who' and Ian is nothing like the action hero he should be. Even the Daleks have been ruined with their claws instead of suckers. The cast try their best with a poor script but ultimately their performances aren't enough to make up for the negative aspects of the film. Peter Cushing isn't all that convincing as the lead character either. Dr Who And The Daleks is an interesting watch as a curiosity but certainly not a film you would feel the need to re-watch.

2

SeeingisBelieving

08-27-16, 02:53 PM

Usually I do not honour requests to review films on my blog but there was a particular reader who was insistent that I review the Peter Cushing film Dr Who And The Daleks, based on the serial The Daleks. I had no intention of watching the film before but I thought the reader in question - who goes by the name Adam B - made a very good point:

"I don't think canonical should limit a film review site as that would be daft and adverse to what a film review site should be."

Adam is of course right. A film review site shouldn't be limited by what is or isn't canonical. It is still a film and should be treated as a product in its own right. I therefore decided to give Dr Who And The Daleks a go; this one's for you, Adam B.

It's also the fact that Dr. Who and the Daleks is a film, which is one up on the TV Movie :). By the way I hope Adam B's actually watched The Daleks :p.

When I did my review thread years ago I left it up to other members to choose what I would be reviewing. The first poster chose the Doctor and the second poster chose the story. It was great.

Where the set design doesn't work is in the interior of the TARDIS. The TARDIS interior looks nothing like it does in the show and as a set it is way too simplistic. Gone are the white roundals; instead the look of the TARDIS resembles that of a garage rather than an unearthly machine. Worst of all, all it takes to pilot what should be a complex machine is to push down a lever. Just a simple lever. Dr. Who does have to set a destination first otherwise he has no idea where he's going but it's nothing compared to how William Hartnell piloted the TARDIS in the TV Series as it were in 1963.

It would entail physical pain to agree more than I do already ;):p. This is the reason why we've had those stupid wooden inner doors on the new series TARDIS all this time.

what is inexcusable is the main character actually being called 'Dr. Who'. It's incredibly cheesy to hear the characters refer to him as 'Doctor Who'; it just doesn't sound right as a name.

I think this is before The War Machines as well.

the Daleks here come in a variety of colours, which quite frankly makes them look ridiculous. Victory of the Daleks would later attempt it in the TV Series and it just doesn't work. It makes the Daleks look like Teletubbies, especially when their lights are also coloured red. I prefer the 1963 Daleks to these because they actually look like machines capable of murder. These Daleks just look like they want to hug you.

Again, Moffat and Gatiss's fondness for these films affected what we've seen in the new series.

Peter Cushing is very clearly mimicking William Hartnell's performance as the Doctor and appears pretty close in his mannerisms to how William Hartnell's Doctor reacted in the serial.

I just thought he was doing bog standard 'old man' acting rather than being influenced by Hartnell. I've never read anything about Hartnell's reaction to these films either – I wonder what he thought?

…So when are you doing Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. :devil:;)?

DalekbusterScreen5

08-27-16, 04:50 PM

By the way I hope Adam B's actually watched The Daleks :p.
Well, he did say he's a massive Dalek fan! :p

It would entail physical pain to agree more than I do already ;):p. This is the reason why we've had those stupid wooden inner doors on the new series TARDIS all this time.
The new series TARDIS interiors have a lot more creativity than the Dr Who interior though. It's like they couldn't be bothered to put much thought into the design of the film TARDIS's interior.

I think this is before The War Machines as well.
Yep, it is.
[l

Again, Moffat and Gatiss's fondness for these films affected what we've seen in the new series.
I'm glad it backfired when they attempted the Paradigm Daleks. They looked ridiculous.

I just thought he was doing bog standard 'old man' acting rather than being influenced by Hartnell.
Fair enough. I saw a lot of Hartnell in his performance, especially when he gets Ian's name wrong at the start.
I've never read anything about Hartnell's reaction to these films either – I wonder what he thought?
I can't imagine he'd have been too impressed. He didn't like the first Jon Pertwee season.
…So when are you doing Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. :devil:;)?
Whenever it's next on Channel 5! :p

SeeingisBelieving

08-27-16, 07:16 PM

The new series TARDIS interiors have a lot more creativity than the Dr Who interior though. It's like they couldn't be bothered to put much thought into the design of the film TARDIS's interior.

I was sorry to see Matt Smith's first console room go – that was my favourite of the new ones.

I can't imagine he'd have been too impressed. He didn't like the first Jon Pertwee season.

Oh really? That's a shame as it's one of my favourites, but he probably saw it as too adult-orientated. Actually I think Season 7 has a lot in common with the early Hartnell stories just because of the total conviction and sense of 'this is really happening'.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-28-16, 03:39 PM

I was sorry to see Matt Smith's first console room go – that was my favourite of the new ones.
My favourite will always be the 9th/10th Doctor's console room. I love that golden coral theme.

Oh really? That's a shame as it's one of my favourites, but he probably saw it as too adult-orientated. Actually I think Season 7 has a lot in common with the early Hartnell stories just because of the total conviction and sense of 'this is really happening'.

Yes, he said it was too adult. I read it in the Spearhead From Space volume of Doctor Who: The Complete History.

SeeingisBelieving

08-28-16, 04:22 PM

My favourite will always be the 9th/10th Doctor's console room. I love that golden coral theme.

It was good but I disliked the way the ceiling looked unfinished. When you see the design drawings it's clear that they couldn't quite match the ambition of the 'globe' shape and it became a compromise.

I still get excited about the ceiling 'screen' effect in the TV Movie :D.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-30-16, 07:50 AM

Harvest of the Sycorax

The Christmas Invasion is often considered a classic among the Whovian fanbase, although I doubt many hold it in such high regard because of the Sycorax. Yet Big Finish's decision to have the seventh Doctor face them makes so much sense. Partly because Sylvester McCoy is the perfect voice to utter their name and partly because their race are an example of the dark themes that often plagued Sylvester McCoy's serials. Whatever way you look at it a race that can control species via their blood types is an extremely dark and scary idea; even early Sylvester McCoy such as (one of my least favourite classic series stories) Paradise Towers had a murky undercurrent to them.

In Harvest of the Sycorax, the seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) arrives on a space station in the far future, where he meets Zanzibar Hashtag (Nisha Nayar). Emotions are now considered diseases, controlled through medication and a tablet that diagnoses if somebody is scared, upset, angry.... When the Sycorax (Giles Watling) invade the space station her emotions start flooding back. In an effort to control the human population, the human race has been sold to the Sycorax as slaves except for a set few who are immune to the Sycorax's control. But why are the Sycorax so desperate to access the space station's vault?

Sylvester McCoy is quite simply brilliant in this release. It appears to be the early season 24 Doctor, which can be gathered partly through how the play generally has more comedy from the seventh Doctor rather than his darker persona in later seasons and partly through how Sylvester McCoy amazingly manages to sound as young as he did in Time And The Rani. Sylvester McCoy offers some great light relief to this story and it is a joy to listen to. It doesn't quite reach Colin Baker's performance in Judoon In Chains but it is one that I can see appealing to fans of the new series only (particularly those who hold Matt Smith's 11th Doctor in high regard).

Then there's the other star of this release: the Sycorax. I wasn't amazed by the Sycorax in The Christmas Invasion but I didn't particularly hate them either. In Harvest of the Sycorax, they are much better utilised. Their jibing towards the space station crew when they reveal they can't open the vault is satisfyingly cruel, especially when they are talking in their own language rather than trying to speak English. Thankfully, however, the Sycorax don't talk in their own language for their entire appearance in the audio drama. Once the Doctor becomes involved with them thankfully the TARDIS translation circuits kick in and we can hear them in English. They are just as cruel when they send a text to Zanzibar's tablet claiming to be from the Doctor and lure her into the vault. The Sycorax are delightfully ruthless, the kind of alien race you could imagine living in Ancient Rome and enjoying the amount of blood shed in the gladiatorial arenas.

The issue with the tablets and emotion medication is a great social commentary on modern society too. It may sound similar to the episode Gridlock but the fact that it is medication rather than mood drugs makes it all the more disturbing in my view. It feels like an idea that could fast become a reality with our reliance on tablets to provide us information. If we knew that sadness could be eliminated completely for example I think the vast majority of the world's population would be willing to take prescribed medication for it. It's the way this world is heading and writer James Goss deserves credit for realising that. If Big Finish ever return to the character of Zanzibar I hope it is in a Cyberman story; essentially the more we hide behind screens and use modern technology the closer we come towards acting like Cybermen.

Harvest of the Sycorax probably has the fastest pace of the Classic Doctors, New Monsters audios. The entire adventure breezes by in the space of an hour, meaning it is absolutely impossible to be anything other than entertained by it. This feels like a new series story first and foremost that happens to have a classic series Doctor slotted in. In my view it is definitely a more entertaining story than TV's The Christmas Invasion also: I don't think The Christmas Invasion is as great an episode as many like to claim anyway. For a Doctor debut story, disappointingly David Tennant's 10th Doctor spends majority of the episode's running time in bed. In Harvest of the Sycorax on the other hand, whilst not a Doctor debut story Sylvester McCoy features in the majority of the audio and is just as much a star of the release as the Sycorax.

Overall, Harvest of the Sycorax is a fantastic audio drama release by Big Finish, featuring some brilliant social commentary on modern society's current useage of modern tablets. The idea of emotions that can be removed through medication is suitably disturbing and the Sycorax are utilised better here than they were in The Christmas Invasion. It is a delight to listen to Sylvester McCoy's Season 24 Seventh Doctor, especially when he gives such a solid performance in the lead role. I hope that should Big Finish return to Zanzibar Hashtag in a future release it will be with a Cyberman story as a society where emotions can be removed via medication would make a strong setting for a Cyberman audio.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

08-31-16, 09:11 AM

Thor: The Dark World

After the brilliant Kenneth Branagh left as director, the replacement was always going to find it hard to follow in his footsteps with the sequel to 2011's Thor. That replacement would be Alan Taylor, the director behind the hit television series Law & Order. The sequel was entitled 'Thor: The Dark World' and it was decided that it would include the comic-book villains Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) and the Dark Elves from Walt Simonson's run of Thor comics.

Thor: The Dark World follows the awakening of Malekith, who was defeated many years ago by Odin's (Anthony Hopkins) father Bor (Tony Curran). Malekith was seeking a weapon known as the Aether; Bor secures it within a column so it cannot be used. However unknown to Bor Malekith and the Dark Elves place themselves in suspended animation so that one day they may return and try to claim the Aether. Years later Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) finds the Aether after accidentally discovering a portal in a warehouse that took her to another world. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) takes her to Asgard where she is protected by his mother Frigga (Rene Russo). Malekith and the Dark Elves invade Asgard, intending to claim the Aether that is now manifested in Jane's body and use it to destroy the nine realms.

Considering the big shoes left behind by Kenneth Branagh that he had to fill, Alan Taylor does a great job at offering an extremely enjoyable Thor movie. Whilst not as good as the first Thor film, Thor: The Dark World does at least expand on the norse mythology behind the Thor series with many more scenes set on Asgard and things like the inclusion of the Dark Elves sure to please fans of norse mythology. If the first Thor is a fish out of water film, then the second one can be mainly described as being more in the realms of fantasy. This is probably the Marvel film I'd recommend to fans of Lord of the Rings; there's even a desired object (although it's not a ring).

Even though this Thor film isn't a fish out of water, it still has a wonderful sense of humour. For example, when Jane, Darcy (Kat Dennings) and her new intern Ian Boothby (Jonathan Howard) are investigating the warehouse Darcy asks if he dropped the car keys into a portal. His awkward reply says it all. It's this sense of wit that helps Thor: The Dark World to stand out as a Thor movie rather than a standard solo-Avenger film. Whilst the other Marvel films are generally light-hearted, Thor's jokes tend to be more on the silliness of everyday life and (mainly in the case of the first movie) how an alien outsider would react to the things we take for granted. One joke in Thor: The Dark World is Thor using the London Underground to return to his fight with Malekith when a portal accidentally drops him on the station platform. The sheer awkwardness of seeing an Asgardian God taking the tube to an Underground stop is comedy gold and wouldn't work in any of the other Marvel films.

Unfortunately the Jane Foster/Darcy scenes in London without Thor don't quite work as well. The scenes are often dull to watch and you find yourself wishing for Thor to be back on-screen. It's not hard to see why Marvel has decided against bringing Jane Foster back for future Thor movies as she is a bland love interest and a little unengaging to watch. It doesn't help that Sif (Jamie Alexander) appears more like Thor's girlfriend than Jane. All it takes is one glance from Sif in Thor's direction and it seems more like they're the romantic item. I hope Marvel Studios bring Thor and Sif together in a future movie however it stupidly looks like Tessa Thompson will be Thor's love interest in Thor Ragnarok. Another problem with the London scenes is that Ket Dennings can sometimes be annoying as Darcy. Her voice literally pierces through you and you find yourself wishing Thor would just strike her over the head with Mjolnir.

Whilst the London scenes don't quite work, one thing that absolutely does is the incredible visual effects. The visual effects in this movie are without a doubt the best I have ever seen. Visual effects company Double Negative have done an incredible job with the CGI that it's hard to believe none of it's not really there. Thor: The Dark World is worth watching for the CGI work alone: this is how to do CGI. This is how to make it look real and not slapped onto the picture. Seriously, this is probably the most technologically advanced Marvel film of them all; I can't even see Avengers: Infinity War looking quite as impressive as this.

It's not all about the visual effects though. What you really want to see in a Marvel film is of course heroic action and Thor: The Dark World certainly delivers. The action sequences are extremely gripping to watch, especially with the addition of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) fighting alongside Thor. Loki in Thor: The Dark World is essentially the same as Missy in The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar. Whilst both appear to be on the side of their TV/film protagonists as the audience you are constantly unsure what their next actions are going to be. Will they betray Thor/the Doctor or are they truly on the side of good? This point is highlighted considerably when Loki appears to have betrayed Thor...only when he cries 'NOW, LOKI!' do you realise that it was a part of their plan to make it appear as though Loki was going to join Malekith's side. The action scenes are tense, thrilling and air-punchingly engaging. Thor: Ragnarok has a lot of work to do to match the action sequences in The Dark World.

One of the best parts of The Dark World is the Thor/Loki team-up. Their closeness as brothers is as complex and intriguing as the Doctor and Missy/The Master's friendship in Doctor Who. Here you have two characters who are undeniably very close but at the same time very far apart. They exist in a love/hate relationship, never as simple as 'hating' one another but neither do they particularly enjoy each other's company either. It's these character relationships that are arguably more interesting in the stories we engage with than straightforward friendships or on the opposite end of the scale 'You're evil, I hate you, end of'. It's a shame then that Loki isn't featured more. Most of his scenes feature him stuck in a prison in an Asgardian dungeon and when he is finally united with his brother Thor he spends hardly any time on the titular 'dark world' before he is killed off. Even when Loki returns at the end of the movie it is mostly as Anthony Hopkins playing Loki taking on the appearance of Odin than Loki in his true form. Tom Hiddleston's talents are wasted in this movie and he deserved a larger involvement in the film's plot. Hopefully Thor: Ragnarok will dedicate more time to Thor/Loki's complicated relationship as brothers as it is in my view one of the most compelling things about Thor.

Overall, whilst Thor: The Dark World isn't going to be thought of as a classic superhero movie anytime soon it is a hugely entertaining blockbuster flick. The CGI from Double Negative is stunning and the action sequences are extremely gripping to watch. When Thor and Loki are on-screen together it provides a number of interesting scenes that highlight the intriguingly complex relationship between the brothers. Disappointingly Loki doesn't feature in the film as much as you would expect and most of his scenes are of him alone in the Asgardian dungeon. The London scenes are a bit dull also, with Jane Foster being a considerably less engaging love interest than she was in the first Thor film (and she wasn't particularly interesting in 2011's Thor either). The film has a great sense of humour though (the car key gag is a classic) and fans of the norse mythology who haven't seen The Dark World yet would be glad to know that the sequel expands on it some more. Thor: The Dark World may not the best MCU movie but it is still a lot of fun to watch.

4

SeeingisBelieving

08-31-16, 02:10 PM

Whatever way you look at it a race that can control species via their blood types is an extremely dark and scary idea;

It was very like Faction Paradox.

Emotions are now considered diseases, controlled through medication and a tablet that diagnoses if somebody is scared, upset, angry.... When the Sycorax (Giles Watling) invade the space station her emotions start flooding back.

Well that's like Equilibrium really.

If we knew that sadness could be eliminated completely for example I think the vast majority of the world's population would be willing to take prescribed medication for it.

"I don't want my pain taken away – I need my pain!" ;)

DalekbusterScreen5

08-31-16, 04:02 PM

It was very like Faction Paradox.
I'll have to read those books sometime. Sound interesting.

Well that's like Equilibrium really.
That's a Big Finish audio I've yet to listen to. I want to get Luna Romana first though so I have the complete Quadrigger Stoyn trilogy. Hopefully there will be a sale on Companion Chronicles before long.

"I don't want my pain taken away – I need my pain!" ;)
Doctor Who is a show that seems to take a lot of inspiration from Star Trek actually. I know many criticised Nightmare In Silver because the Cyberiad was too close to the Borg.

SeeingisBelieving

08-31-16, 04:17 PM

I'll have to read those books sometime. Sound interesting.

Even earlier was Alien Bodies which I think was the first Eighth Doctor novel I read. The character of the Eighth Doctor is still taking time to set but there's a glimpse of what he'd become on audio. I liked it a lot.

Doctor Who is a show that seems to take a lot of inspiration from Star Trek actually. I know many criticised Nightmare In Silver because the Cyberiad was too close to the Borg.

It'd be interesting to find out where the Borg came from as an idea – was it the Cybermen, as people suppose, or not? I know the Cybermen were saying "You will be assimilated" at one point, or a similar Borg catchprase, as if the writers had decided it was payback time :p.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-31-16, 04:37 PM

Even earlier was Alien Bodies which I think was the first Eighth Doctor novel I read. The character of the Eighth Doctor is still taking time to set but there's a glimpse of what he'd become on audio. I liked it a lot.
I've read the eighth Doctor book Earthworld, which was good.

It'd be interesting to find out where the Borg came from as an idea – was it the Cybermen, as people suppose, or not? I know the Cybermen were saying "You will be assimilated" at one point, or a similar Borg catchprase, as if the writers had decided it was payback time :p.

Don't blame them. I'd want payback too! :p

SeeingisBelieving

08-31-16, 04:57 PM

I've read the eighth Doctor book Earthworld, which was good.

The ones I read were very early on: The Eight Doctors, War of the Daleks, Alien Bodies and Kursaal. The last two were the best but Alien Bodies was way out in front, and I particularly liked what Lawrence Miles did with an old monster ;).

DalekbusterScreen5

09-01-16, 07:42 AM

The Sontaran Ordeal

The last in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters set, The Sontaran Ordeal proved a very controversial release for Big Finish. Many complained that the Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky Sontarans shouldn't count as new monsters. If you want my angle on the 2008 Sontaran new/classic debate you can read it in my review of The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky. The Sontaran Ordeal isn't a release that's going to win over any doubters but for those who don't class 2008's Sontarans as new monsters the release does feature the Time War which *technically* could count as an abstract new series monster.

In The Sontaran Ordeal, The eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) arrives on the planet Drakkis just as it becomes a victim of the Time War. He is joined by Paladin Sarana Teel (Josette Simmon) and together they encounter a disgraced Sontaran called Commander Jask (Dan Starkey). If they are to save Drakkis from the trouble the Time War has caused then they must form an uneasy alliance - but how can they work together when they barely trust each other?

The Sontaran Ordeal is different from the other Classic Doctors, New Monsters stories in that it's more of a character piece of the Doctor, his race the Time Lords and how close they have come to the Sontarans as a race than it is the Doctor taking on a new series monster. For example, one scene sees Commander Jask try to convince Sarana Teel that the Doctor is dangerous and not to be trusted because of his race's involvement in the Time War that has devastated Drakkis. This is an interesting angle to take and something you could imagine happening in the new series through an episode with a similar tone to The Girl Who Waited. It's not as simple as Commander Jask being the 'enemy' anymore; whilst the Doctor knows he wants no involvement in the Time War, Sarana doesn't. She's only just met this man. In some ways it might sound similar to Night of the Doctor but no similarities are noticeable when listening to the audio.

The problem with the character exploration in this audio is that it slows the pace down. With a length of sixty minutes in comparison to the main range's usual 120 the last thing the audio adventure needs is a slower pace. The Sontaran Ordeal is nowhere near as fast-paced as Judoon In Chains or Harvest of the Sycorax; it is perhaps more comparable to the pace of The Sontaran Experiment than The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky. This is something that I found surprising when listening to the audio as I expected it to be the most action-packed of the Classic Doctors, New Monsters audio dramas. Out of any of the classic Doctors, the eighth Doctor is the most comparable to a new series Doctor after all. He is the only one to get his own new series minisode and a new series audio box set solely dedicated to him due for release next year ('The Time War').

Which brings me to another issue I had with this audio drama. It feels too much like a prequel to next year's The Time War than a story in its own right. This is a story that could easily have been kept back for the eighth Doctor Time War box set, purely because it feels like an extended advertisement for it. Including a Time War story in a new series box set is cool but it would have been nice to have seen the focus entirely on Classic Doctors meeting new monsters. Why couldn't the eighth Doctor's audio drama have taken place shortly after the TV Movie, for example? It would have explained why the eighth Doctor was companion-less and could have allowed for a lighter, more romantic Doctor than the darker, more subdued version towards the end of the eighth Doctor's life.

What's nice about this audio though is the chance to hear Christopher Ryan's return as a new series Sontaran. Christopher Ryan is fantastic as General Stenk and is just as convincing at playing a Sontaran as Dan Starkey. Dan Starkey and Christopher Ryan work well together as Sontarans; I've always thought it a shame that the new series has never brought Christopher Ryan back as a Sontaran since his 2008 performance. It's equally as disappointing that Dan Starkey hasn't been given a chance to play a serious Sontaran again since Strax. I know many speculated that Strax was in this release and that was why Big Finish were classing the 2008 Sontarans as new monsters...unfortunately he isn't but I don't think he would have worked in the story anyway. Strax would almost certainly have not suited The Sontaran Ordeal's tone. It's nice to hear a new Sontaran from Dan Starkey in the form of Commander Jask anyway.

Unfortunately Paul McGann's performance on the other hand is not among his best. Too many times he mumbles lines and you can't quite tell what he is saying. It's not as spectacular as his groundbreaking performance in Night of the Doctor and sounds somewhat like an off-day for Paul McGann. Not everybody is perfect all the time of course; even my favourite Doctor David Tennant wasn't up to his usual standard in Love & Monsters and the hugely popular Matt Smith was a little underwhelming in my view in the episode The Beast Below. Hopefully he'll be back to his usual standard in Doom Coalition 3. I'm not sure when I'll get round to reviewing that one myself as I will probably buy a Big Finish bundle of all four Doom Coalitions but I am sure it will probably be a top quality box set from Big Finish.

The sound design on The Sontaran Ordeal is among Big Finish's best. Howard Carter has done a good job with the audio. You can totally picture what kind of world Drakkis is and the music sounds like the kind of composition you would expect from a new series eighth Doctor episode. As with The Tenth Doctor Aventures Volume One, you forget that it's not a composer like the new series' Murray Gold composing it and iconic new series tracks like All The Strange, Strange Creatures aren't really missed. If Murray Gold ever decides to stop composing the music for the new series, then perhaps Howard Carter would be a good person to take over?

Overall, The Sontaran Ordeal is probably the weakest audio drama in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters box set. It's by no means a terrible story but it's not likely to be anybody's favourite Big Finish audio either. The main problem with it is that it feels too much like a prequel to the eighth Doctor's upcoming Time War box set. There's not enough to set it apart as a standalone story in its own right as opposed to an advertisement for the Time War release. The story's pace is also significantly slower than the other Classic Doctors, New Monsters audios too, which is a little surprising given that the eighth Doctor is perhaps the closest to a new series Doctor. Speaking of the eighth Doctor, Paul McGann's performance isn't quite as good as usual; he mumbles too frequently throughout the audio and sometimes it can be hard to catch what he says. The character exploration with the Time Lords' part in the Time War and whether Sarana can therefore trust the Doctor is interesting though and it's great to hear Christopher Ryan playing a Sontaran again. I also like Howard Carter's sound design, which helps to create a vivid image of what Drakkis would look like on-screen.

3

Overall Classic Doctors, New Monsters rating - 4

SeeingisBelieving

09-01-16, 10:35 AM

The Sontaran Ordeal

Bit of an unfortunate title really :p.

The last in the Classic Doctors, New Monsters set, The Sontaran Ordeal proved a very controversial release for Big Finish. Many complained that the Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky Sontarans shouldn't count as new monsters.

I agree, they're having a laugh. They should have used the Krillitanes, who had a lot of potential.

Unfortunately Paul McGann's performance on the other hand is not among his best. Too many times he mumbles lines and you can't quite tell what he is saying. It's not as spectacular as his groundbreaking performance in Night of the Doctor and sounds somewhat like an off-day for Paul McGann.

He definitely has them. I feel like Terror Firma was one example.

the hugely popular Matt Smith was a little underwhelming in my view in the episode The Beast Below.

I'm not sure about that but I thought he was incredible for the first 10 minutes or so – those early scenes are some of my favourite in the entire series.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-01-16, 11:21 AM

I agree, they're having a laugh. They should have used the Krillitanes, who had a lot of potential.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Krillitane are in Volume 2. I'd like to hear the Reapers make a return on audio too.

He definitely has them. I feel like Terror Firma was one example.
I've yet to listen to that one. I want to listen to Doom Coalition first.

I'm not sure about that but I thought he was incredible for the first 10 minutes or so – those early scenes are some of my favourite in the entire series.
I thought he was fantastic in The Eleventh Hour, then his performance nose-dived in The Beast Below. I remember feeling disappointed at how he played the part in The Beast Below compared to in The Eleventh Hour.

SeeingisBelieving

09-03-16, 06:28 AM

It's a shame Sally Faulkener's Isobel Watkins didn't become a companion after this serial as she is brilliant.

On the subject of Sally Faulkner I watched Prey a couple of nights ago and I thought she was brilliant in that.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-03-16, 06:52 AM

On the subject of Sally Faulkner I watched Prey a couple of nights ago and I thought she was brilliant in that.

I haven't seen her in anything else. I honestly hadn't heard of her before The Invasion.

SeeingisBelieving

09-03-16, 08:55 AM

I haven't seen her in anything else. I honestly hadn't heard of her before The Invasion.

No, I don't think I had either. What was great about her in Prey was how completely different a character it was.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-03-16, 10:31 AM

Singin' In The Rain

There's a lot of rain here in Scarborough at the moment so I thought I'd review the musical classic Singin' In The Rain. The film was so successful that it spawned a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and many stage versions of the story - including a 1983 West End production starring Tommy Steele and Roy Castle. Singin' In The Rain is one of those films that still stands up today, proven by the fact that a Broadway musical is set to open across the pond in America by this autumn.

The movie follows 1920s silent film star Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), who finds himself at the forefront of many rumours that he and his co-star Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are in a relationship. In actuality he can't stand her. Lina on the other hand is in love with Don. In an attempt to escape his fans at the premiere of his new film, Don jumps into the passing car of Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), who claims to be an actor. However at a party where Don's boss R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) shows off a demonstration of the 'talkie' Kathy pops out of a cake and reveals herself to be a chorus girl. Don teases her over the job and Kathy retaliates by throwing a cake at him. The next day Lina ensures Kathy is fired from her job, however Kathy soon finds herself working for the same film studio company as Don - Monumental Pictures. Don and Lina complete their first talkie - The Duelling Cavalier - but it performs terribly in front of its first test audience. In order to save the picture, Don, Kathy and Don's best friend Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) decide to turn it into a musical - The Dancing Cavalier. Of course, Dom and Kathy also end up falling in love.

I'm going to start by saying Singin' In the Rain is possibly one of the most perfectly cast movies of all time. The three main leads Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor have unbelievable amounts of chemistry - the Good Morning sequence is the perfect demonstration of that. They feel like a package rather than separate actors forced to work together. Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor have the comedic chemistry of Morecambe and Wise and Debbie with Gene is one of the most convincing romantic partnerships of all time. Every one of the actors in this movie deliver hilarious performances and it's hard to imagine a Singin' In The Rain film with a different cast. Hopefully this is a film that will never be remade, although with Hollywood's current tendency to produce remakes I wouldn't be surprised to see a new version sooner rather than later.

As for Jean Hagen's Lina, she makes for a very effective antagonist. Lina is repulsive, self-centered and has a very irritating voice so it's not hard to wish for her downfall (which, of course, she gets at the end of the movie in the iconic 'live lip-synching' comedy scene). Jean Hagen helps to make Lina one of those characters you really can't stand; she's like an annoying chipmunk placed in a film with lots of singing (in other words, Lina Lamont would be a perfect protagonist for the awful Alvin and the Chipmunks movies). You just want to drag your arms through the screen and strangle her. I would go as far as to say Lina Lamont is one of cinema's best comedy antagonists and again, as with the other actors it is hard to imagine her played in a film by someone else.

The songs are also perfect. There isn't one duff musical number among them. My favourites are probably the titular song 'Singin' In The Rain' and the hugely entertaining comedy number 'Make 'em Laugh'. The way that Singin' In The Rain takes something with negative connotations such as rain and twists it into a positive is very clever and helps considerably to progress the narrative of Don's love for Kathy. As for Make 'em Laugh, it is one of the movie's best choreographed moments superbly directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen and featuring a number of memorable slapstick jokes such as Cosmo running head-first into a plank of wood. Arguably the best part of the song's routine however is when he manages to run up the wall with the painted background. How Donald O'Connor managed to scale the wall and land feet-first is anybody's guess (I believed he did it without a stunt double) but Roy Castle famously injured himself whilst attempting the routine during the performance of a touring version of the West End Singin' In The Rain production.

The film isn't just a comedy though, it also features an interesting take on the transition of silent movies to talkies. Whilst we take films with sound now, back in the late 1920s it was a very new thing and subsequently many companies didn't understand how to utilise the technology. In Singin' In The Rain we see how the studio struggle to match picture and audio together, showing the problems of microphone placement. At one point a microphone placed in a bush proves problematic in how it picks up Lina's voice. Another problem they encounter is that as Lina hadn't been heard speaking in a film before (her previous films being silent)and having been banned by the studio from speaking for herself in public, audiences had yet to hear her irritating voice. The new-found technology poses a concern in that audiences can now hear the actors speak. So what do the characters do? They utilise the technology to replace Lina's awful voice with Kathy's much sweeter one.This is such a clever concept and is utilised to perfection in the film, offering probably the strongest climax of any musical ever when the audience of the Dancing Cavaliers demand to hear Lina sing a number and the curtain is drawn to reveal an unsuspecting Kathy singing on her behalf. The climax is quite rightly considered one of the greatest comedy scenes cinema has to offer and offers a satisfying comeuppance for the character of Lina when Don announces Kathy to be the real star of the film.

Overall, Singin' In The Rain is without a doubt a comedy and musical masterpiece. It offers one of comedy's strongest climaxes in the iconic curtain scene and provides a humorous take on Hollywood's transition from silent movies to talkies. Singin' In The Rain is one of those films that is simply perfectly cast; it's hard to imagine anyone else as Don Lockwood, Lina Lamont, Cosmo or Kathy. They simply are the characters and I hope this is one movie that will never be remade. You cannot improve on perfection, no matter how hard they like to try. Psycho's shot-for-shot remake didn't work because it was already a masterpiece - and same goes for Tim Burton's lame attempt to remake the late Gene Wilder's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. When you have a perfect cast, a perfect song list and a perfect climax then there is nowhere a remake can go. Nothing to improve on. Nothing that could be better than what we already have. Singin' In The Rain already makes us laugh without having to do it in a feature-length movie again.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

09-03-16, 06:32 PM

Post in this thread if you agree. We need Captain Jack back in Doctor Who this Christmas!

http://notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/thread/1899/captain-jack-when-xmas

gbgoodies

09-06-16, 04:23 AM

DalekbusterScreen5

09-06-16, 08:14 AM

Did you know that Donald O'Connor had to film the "Make 'em Laugh" number a second time because there was a problem with the filming of it the first time he did it? He was a heavy smoker at the time, so after he did it the first time, he had to take a break for several days due to exhaustion. When he came back to the set, Gene Kelly asked him to do it again, so he did it a second time.

And Gene Kelly was sick with a fever of over 102° when he filmed the dance for the title song.

I didn't know that. Shows how dedicated both of the actors were to the film.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-06-16, 09:21 AM

The Caretaker

With The Mirror reporting that Peter Capaldi will appear in the first episode of Class, I thought it would be fun to review the episode where the Doctor got a job at Coal Hill School: The Caretaker. I am usually a fan of Gareth Roberts' writing for Doctor Who as he usually brings a great sense of wit and humour to the show, however I was a little disappointed with his episode for Doctor Who's eighth series. It was a good idea to make the Doctor the caretaker of the school that has been such a big part of his life but the episode features so much wasted potential. I'll get onto that in a bit - but first: a quick synopsis.

In The Caretaker, the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) is hired as Coal Hill School's new caretaker. He decides to use the school as a trap for the Skovox Blitzer - a war robot with weaponry that can destroy an entire planet. When Clara's boyfriend Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson) accidentally turns off the chronodyne generators the Doctor has used in the school to trap the Skovox Blitzer in the time vortex, the robot is let loose in the school and the Doctor, Clara and Danny must work together to trap it back in the time vortex before it destroys the Earth.

Gareth Roberts wrote a very funny story in The Lodger but sadly none of that humour is present here. There's a great gag with the Doctor assuming Clara's boyfriend is a teacher with remarkable similarities to the 11th Doctor but aside from that there isn't anything particularly memorable compared to scenes in The Lodger (such as the Doctor's football match). It would have been nice to have seen more fish-out-of-water comedy with the Doctor as a caretaker but unfortunately the episode is too obsessed with Clara's love life. There's also no character equivalent to James Corden's Craig Owens, who was a big reason as to why The Lodger and to a lesser extent Closing Time worked. None of the teachers are particularly remarkable and the headteacher Mr Armitage (Nigel Betts), who first appeared in Into The Dalek, appears a little bland so it is baffling that he has been given his own spinoff in Class.

Thank God, then, for Ellis George as Courtney Woods. Courtney is one of the show's most three-dimensional child characters and is an absolute joy to watch. Ellis George has unbelievable chemistry with Peter Capaldi, just as Matt Smith did with Caitlin Blackwood as Young Amelia. The two bounce off each other really well and it was a wise decision by Steven Moffat to have her brought back as a temporary companion in the following episode Kill The Moon. The line 'End of the world for me tonight, whatever you do. Parents' evening.' is I'm sure something many kids - and those of us who were kids once upon a time - can relate to given the dread you would often experience when going to a parents' evening of 'Oh God, what's my teacher going to say about me?' and Ellis George says it perfectly. She really does give one of the best child actor performances of the show and is a character I think will be looked back on with fondness in years to come.

Whilst Ellis George as Courtney Woods is great, it is without a doubt a major disappointment that Ian Chesterton didn't appear in this episode. The Caretaker would have been the perfect opportunity for Ian to return given that it was set entirely in Coal Hill School and (as revealed in Day of the Doctor) Ian is currently the chairman of the board of governors. The fact that the BBC didn't bother to get William Russell to make a quick cameo is a huge let-down and possibly one of the show's biggest missed opportunities. William Russell isn't getting any younger and I would like to see him return as Ian before his time is up. The Doctor catching up with Ian would have allowed for a lovely bittersweet moment and in my opinion improved the episode considerably. Hopefully the BBC will do the right thing by casting William Russell in a cameo for Class (although I wouldn't be surprised if they don't).

The parents' evening scene is a return to form for Gareth Roberts though and feature the typical Gareth Roberts humour missing in most of the episode. It is genuinely funny seeing Clara and Danny talking to Courtney's parents about her progress before having to make a hasty excuse to leave when the Doctor requires their help. It is brilliantly played by Jenna Coleman and Samuel Anderson and shows the kind of potential the episode could have had if Gareth Roberts had been on his usual form. I wouldn't mind seeing Gareth Roberts given another chance with the Coal Hill School setting for a light-hearted episode of Class although I wouldn't particularly want to see the return of the Skovox Blitzer outside of a Big Finish audio drama.

Whilst the Skovox Blitzer is extremely well-designed by Christopher Goodman it is not a particularly memorable monster. It feels more comparable to the fifth Doctor's companion Kamelion than, say, the awesome K1 Robot. The Skovox Blitzer is more in-line of a generic one-off Doctor Who monster for the Doctor to defeat and save the day than a monster like the Clockwork Droids that lend themselves to return appearances. I can imagine Big Finish doing a good job with the character however should their license be extended to include the Twelfth Doctor Era once Peter Capaldi leaves the show. Perhaps the eighth Doctor VS the Skovox Blitzer could work quite well?

Probably the most memorable scene of this episode is Danny Pink confronting the Doctor in the TARDIS. His take-down of the Doctor's hatred of the soldiers by comparing him to an officer is brilliant. He is absolutely right that 'Time Lord' sounds pompous and his salute as though taking orders like a soldier from the Doctor shows the character up for how ridiculous is hatred for soldiers really is. It's always great to see the Doctor taken down a peg or two, especially when we know the Doctor was a soldier himself before - as the War Doctor. The Doctor may hold certain values but really he is one gigantic hypocrite and scenes in the show where this is pointed out to us tend to work really well.

Overall, The Caretaker is perhaps Gareth Robert's weakest episode. It doesn't contain the great sense of wit you expect from his episodes (bar the excellent Parents' Evening scene) and bar Courtney Woods the characters are bland and forgettable. It is far from the worst Doctor Who episode however. The TARDIS scene where Danny Pink confronts the Doctor after being found using the Doctor's invisibility watch is fantastic and the Skovox Blitzer is a very well-designed monster. Ellis George is one of the show's best child actors and the Parents' Evening scene is extremely well-acted by Jenna Coleman and Samuel Anderson. It is hugely disappointing though that William Russell wasn't given a cameo scene as Ian Chesterton as I believe it would have felt like a natural fit for the story. The Caretaker is very much an average episode of the show: not terrible but not great either. It falls somewhere in the middle - 'just good' - which is a shame as the idea of the Doctor as a school caretaker has a lot of potential.

3

SeeingisBelieving

09-07-16, 07:03 AM

Just seen that an animated version of The Power of the Daleks will be released through BBC Store on 5 November, the date of its original broadcast.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-07-16, 07:48 AM

Just seen that an animated version of The Power of the Daleks will be released through BBC Store on 5 November, the date of its original broadcast.

Yes, the first episode is also going to be released at 5:50pm - exactly 50 years since the time it was broadcast. There's a DVD release coming too. Fantastic news for this fandom; I can't wait to finally be able to watch Power of the Daleks!

DalekbusterScreen5

09-07-16, 11:50 AM

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

I have no idea why I didn't review this film before in light of Gene Wilder's tragic passing...but it's time to put that right. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is undoubtedly a classic; the fact that it was remade with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp is as criminal to me as Ben Hur's 2016 remake is to many people. This is a film that should never have been touched; like the other film I reviewed recently Singin' In The Way it is the absolute definition of perfection. In fact, if you looked up the word 'perfection' in the dictionary you would probably find 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. If Roald Dahl hadn't interfered by declining the film rights there would have been a sequel to the film based on the follow-up book Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. So damn you Roald Dahl for stopping one of the best films of all time from getting the sequel it deserved.

The film follows the iconic story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) is a young boy living in poverty with his grandparents Grampa Joe (Jack Albertson), Grandma Josephine (Franziska Liebing), Grandpa George ( Ernst Ziegler) and Gramma Georgina (Dora Altmann). Due to his financial troubles he is forced to simply watch as his friends by sweets from the sweet store. Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) announces on television that he has hidden golden tickets which grant access to a tour around his factory and an unlimited supply of chocolate in five Wonka chocolate bars. Four of the tickets are found by German boy Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner), spoilt British girl Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), American girl Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson) and American TV addict Mike Teavee (Paris Themmen). After Charlie finds some money in the gutter and uses it to buy two Wonka bars (one for himself and one for his Grampa Joe), he finds the fifth golden ticket and takes his Grampa Joe along for the tour. Unlike the other kids who turn out to be self-obsessed, Charlie is shown to have a kind and loyal heart, thereby becoming the only child to find out that the tour was merely a test by Mr Wonka to find his successor as owner of the factory.

There's a reason why this version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is called 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' and that's because Willy Wonka is the real star of this version. It is a smart decision by director Mel Stuart as he is a far more interesting character than Charlie Bucket. The problem with Charlie is that he is too perfect and that's one of many things the 2005 remake fails to understand. Willy Wonka has real character flaws: he's arrogant, stubborn and has to learn to embrace his humanity in order to realise Charlie deserves to be the new factory owner. He is also a very charming presence brought wonderfully to life by Gene Wilder. Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka may be eccentric but he is also very charismatic and has a very convincing flamboyancy which Johnny Depp's Wonka never had. Gene Wilder was simply perfect for this role and I doubt anyone would ever be able to top the performance he gave as Willy Wonka. He simply is Mr Wonka.

The child actors are also extremely talented in playing their roles. Peter Ostrum's Charlie is far superior to Freddie Highmore's take on the character. Peter Ostrum plays the character with an endearingly naive quality and you feel more for this Charlie's financial situation than you do with Freddie Highmore's Charlie. Julie Dawn Cole, Denise Nickerson and Paris Themmen all feel exactly like the characters they are portraying also. There isn't a duff child actor among them; this is a movie that is extremely well cast, right down to the excellent casting of Grandpa Joe in Jack Albertson. As with Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka, Jack Albertson gives Grandpa Joe a real charm and definitely feels like a definitive version of the character. I didn't really care for the character played by David Kelly in the 2005 version but Jack Albertson makes for an extremely convincing and engaging watch as the character.

The major difference between the two versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are the songs. The songs in the 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are awful - the lyrics are taken directly from the book but sound too modern in the way they are performed. In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, however, they are one of the strongest parts of the film. Instead of relying on the book, here we have original songs that are instantly memorable; the kind that you will find yourself singing all day after only one listen. The best song is of course the classic 'Oompa Lumpa', a simple and catchy little song with a strong resemblance to children's nursery rhymes that helps to highlight the dark irony of the fates awaiting the selfish kids on the tour.

The portrayal of the childrens' fates, you see, is incredibly dark for a childrens' movie. That's another thing Willy Wonka understands about the Roald Dahl story: at its heart Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is essentially a thriller for kids. The selfish kids' have to be dark because the whole point - the whole message - of the book is that if you think of your own personal greeds above all else there will be consequences for your actions. It's Roald Dahl's warning for kids - and perhaps some adults too, who possess negative/child-like selfish qualities. The film has this amazingly sweet tone when disposing of, say, Augustus through the pipe in the chocolate river (which leads to the fudge room) and it offers this darkly ironic tone that feels like exactly what Roald Dahl was trying to achieve with the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book. Whereas with 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the dark tone was too obvious, in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory makes it much more subtle and it feels truer to the way the book wants the deaths to be seen.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory even manages to improve on the book. Charlie may still appear too perfect but here the character is actually allowed to make a mistake. Charlie and Grandpa Joe both try the fizzy drinks in the Fizzy Lifting Drinks Room despite Wonka's warning to them and in the aftermath of their mistake they cause expense to the factory to clean up the mess left behind by their disregard for the rules. Charlie as a result feels much more of a rounded character than he did in Roald Dahl's story; he actually feels real as opposed a typical 'Mary Sue'. Everybody has their flaws, everybody makes mistakes - even those who appear kind-hearted are capable of them - and the screenplay by David Seltzer acknowledges that. Charlie is still not as selfish as the other kids by allowing him to make a mistake, if anything you want him to own the factory more because of it.

The cinematography by Arthur Ibbetson is one of the strongest components of the film. Arthur Ibbetson perfectly captures the magic and wonder of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Everything feels like the fantastical candy land it should be, everything brightly lit to appear sweet and colourful and certain shots like this one give a real sense of depth like the factory is its own mini-world living upon our own:

https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2016-03/15/15/enhanced/webdr06/enhanced-buzz-22285-1458068931-5.jpg

Willy Wonka's chocolate factory feels like the Hogwarts of 1971. It has that real sense of awe that can be found in the Harry Potter films and it's a shame that Roald Dahl didn't allow a return for this world.

I don't understand why Roald Dahl hated this version of his book so much as it is definitely the best take of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory there will ever be. The movie is perfectly cast: Gene Wilder is a revelation as Willy Wonka and it was obvious Johnny Depp wouldn't be even half as good in the part. The original songs are catchy and addictive, the cinematography is spell-binding and the child actors are among the best that there ever has been in a film. Unlike the 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory realises that Charlie is too perfect to be the main protagonist and wisely makes the decision to have a more flawed character in Willy Wonka as the lead. It also improves on the book by allowing Charlie to make a mistake. This Charlie is 99% perfect rather than 100% and the story is vastly improved because of it. Simply put: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a classic and there will never be a Willy Wonka better than the late Gene Wilder.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

09-08-16, 07:59 AM

The Invasion - Animation of Episodes One and Two

I know what you're thinking: "But DalekbusterScreen5, you've already reviewed The Invasion". Well, let me explain: in light of the announcement that Power of the Daleks is going to be released as an animation I thought I would review the first animated Doctor Who missing episodes: The Invasion Episodes One and Two. The animated episodes that started it all. Without them, we wouldn't had The Reign of Terror, The Ice Warriors or, yes, Power of the Daleks. The Invasion's animated episodes proved that animation could work as a way to watch these episodes that tragically may never be found.

Episode One of The Invasion sees the TARDIS crash in a field on Earth when it comes into contact with missiles. The Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) decide to find Professor Travers to help them prepare a circuit from their ship. They ring the doorbell. A young model - Isobel Watkins (Sally Faulkner) answers. She tells them that Travers is in America with his daughter Anne and her father Professor Watkins is staying in the house. Watkins works for International Electromatics and has been missing for weeks. The Doctor and Jamie decide to pay a visit to the company where he works believing Travers can help them with the repair of the circuit. In episode four, the Doctor rescues Jamie from a container containing what is later revealed to be a Cyberman. Zoe and Isobel are brought into the building by Tobias Vaughn's (Kevin Stoney) guards and taken prisoner so that they can be used as bait. Tobias threatens to the Doctor that Zoe will face the consequences if he and Jamie don't hand themselves in. UNIT save the Doctor, companions and Isobel with a helicopter: Zoe and Isobel climb through the window in the room they are imprisoned in and the helicopter pilots throw down a rope ladder for the group. The Brigadier tells them that he suspects that the ship found on the dark side of the moon and International Electromatics' deep space transmitter may link into current UFO sightings. The Doctor thinks the crates they discovered links in and decides he must go back to International Electromatics with Jamie to investigate.

Firstly, let me mention something I stupidly forgot to bring up in the review of the entire serial: Kevin Stoney is amazing as Tobias Vaughn. I have absolutely no idea why I forgot to say that for my review of The Invasion as he is without a doubt one of the show's best one-off villains. He has a very strong sinister presence and the way he plays Vaughn with such a cold, quietly menacing demeanour is captivating to watch. Of course, in these episodes we only get it through animation but the animators did a good job at capturing Kevin Stoney's mannerisms from the other episodes.

In fact, some may say the animators here have an advantage over, say, the animators of Power of the Daleks - who only have a few surviving clips to go on. That doesn't stop The Invasion's animated episodes from being top-class animation though. It is somewhat unsurprising that the animation is so strong given that the episodes were made by the team behind Danger Mouse - Cosgrove Hall - but everything looks so rich, crispy and detailed. Granted, it's not to the quality of Disney cartoons but animated Doctor Who episodes are never going to have that kind of budget. The Cosgrove Hall animations have been the best animated representation Doctor Who is ever going to get for a while (although judging by the trailer for The Power of the Daleks it looks like that's soon going to change). The animation here is so engrossing to watch that you forget about the Cybermen's absence until the end of episode 4 (despite this being a Cyberman serial).

What really works about the animation is the genius decision to animate it in black and white. With the releases of The Reign of Terror, The Moonbase, Planet of Giants and The Ice Warriors it is easy to forget that black and white may not have been the standard for animated missing episodes of Doctor Who before 2006. It is thanks to the decision made by Cosgrove Hall that we get these animations in black and white. Black and white is extremely effective for missing William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton serials not just because the real episodes were black and white (making the animation authentic) but also because it's very atmospheric. One of the things I enjoy about watching Hartnell and Troughton era Doctor Who is the atmosphere that the episodes not being in colour provides. An Unearthly Child wouldn't be the same colourised - and the same goes for The Invasion. Black and white adds to the 'hide behind the sofa' value of Doctor Who; it gifts a certain chill to proceedings that wouldn't be there if they had been filmed in colour.

One of the things you want from an animation recreating a missing episode like this is for the characters to look like the actors they represent - and this is certainly true here. They look exactly like them, meaning that watching the animation mixed with the live-action isn't a distracting experience at all.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/tardis/images/0/09/JamieZoeSkeptical.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120719141623

https://stuartreviewsstuff.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/iv1.png

The best character design in my opinion is that of the second Doctor. The animated Doctor basically is Patrick Troughton here and from pictures of recent animation efforts I don't think any other company has even come close to providing a better likeness than here...that was before the Power of the Daleks announcement. That's right: the animation company behind The Power of the Daleks has somehow managed to improve on Cosgrove Hall's second Doctor:

http://static.srcdn.com/slir/w1000-h675-q90-c1000:675/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Doctor-Who-second-doctor-in-new-animated-The-Power-of-the-Daleks-series.jpg

The thing I find most incredible about The Invasion animations though is the quality of the off-air audio recording. It sounds as though it was recorded today rather than nearly fifty years in the past. The sound is crystal clear and you can hear everything that is said perfectly. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it sounds almost as though it was recorded especially for the animated episodes. There's no obvious sound problems, no sudden dip in the quality between the audio of the surviving episodes and the missing episodes' audio. It's simply a perfect recording and helps contribute to what is arguably the best animated representation of missing Doctor Who episodes so far...until Power of the Daleks, of course, which is obviously going to be awesome.

Overall, The Invasion's animated episodes are mind-blowing. The quality is top-notch and exactly what you would expect from the people behind Danger Mouse. The decision to animate the episodes in black and white is utter genius and provides an atmospheric experience and the characters look exactly like the actors they represent. The Patrick Troughton animated character in particular is a very strong resemblance and is by far the most accurate in my view...well, until The Power of the Daleks' animation is released. If you haven't seen the animated episodes of The Invasion, then what are you doing browsing Movie Forums? Go and watch them! NOW! They are a must-see experience and feel exactly like watching missing Doctor Who episodes from the past.

5

SeeingisBelieving

09-08-16, 10:13 AM

I reviewed this story when the DVD came out, around 2007, and did exactly the same – doing the animated episodes as well. Here's what I said at the time:

The animated The Invasion episodes are less free than Scream of the Shalka in the sense that they have to reflect the surviving filmed footage to create a smooth narrative, and the animators do that very well indeed. Lighting is used to spectacular effect, for instance as Gregory’s team are reactivating the Cybermen in episode four; the way Gregory’s glasses and his men’s visors catch the pulsating white light is brilliant. In episode one, the silhouetting of the Doctor in the van’s windscreen as it approaches works very well, as do all the subsequent silhouette sequences. The light effect of the wire fence projecting over the faces of the driver and the TARDIS crew as they hide from the guards is also very atmospheric, and the fences themselves look very ominous in the stark lighting. Another nice touch is the wispy smoke surrounding the companions as they leave the lorry. The smoke is further utilised to bring the furthermost IE guard forward to threaten the driver, as he becomes blacker, and therefore more intimidating, as he steps through it. The Doctor and Jamie rowing in the canoe is good, especially when they go dark as they pass into the tunnel, and also the rotoscoping of the Doctor moving away into the shadows. The TARDIS uses some very moody lighting in the opening and the replication of the console is great, and seems to have an inviting glow about it, with the little spheres of light that circle the tubes. This is repeated for the Cyber Director later on.

All the backgrounds are really well sampled from the source material so that it’s obvious where the viewer is being taken as the animations fill in the gaps. Vaughn’s office is particularly well recreated, and made more solid by the beams of light coming through the windows. There are many instances of the animators adding details that enhance the story, such as the little spying device in the room where Zoe and Isobel are held, and the little IE logo on the transistor radio. It’s also a very clever idea to have a Cyberman logo fade in for a second over the ‘heart’ of the Cyber Director at the conclusion of episode one. Rutlidge’s videophone is a nice little bit of reimagining, with the “Line II” message on its screen, and the code-like graphics displayed next. The flickering zigzag lines on the communication screens are very effective throughout.

The reconstruction of the TARDIS in space is well designed, but the shots of the moon and Earth, and the missile, look more basic. The passing Cybership is a nice idea, though there’s a flatness about it. When the Cyberman breaks out of the cocoon at the end of episode four, again there’s a flatness to both the creature and the cocoon material being brushed aside that lets it down. The vehicles are done well, with very economical details. The cow looking up at the light and sound which soon becomes the TARDIS is a nice little quirky moment and the simplified countryside behind the cow is nicely done. It’s also good when the Doctor walks past the cow and its ear flickers. It’s a clever touch to have Isobel hidden by the door as she opens it to find the Doctor outside, as it enhances the humour. Cutting from Zoe and Isobel using the flash of the camera to the Doctor and Jamie at the IE building works well, and when Vaughn looks out at the Doctor and Jamie leaving the building in episode one, it’s effective having London reflected in the glass. The Doctor’s eye looking through the door at the IE guards at the start of episode four is good, and it’s doubtful whether such a shot would have worked in the filmed version.

When the guards pull their guns on the driver in episode one, there is something a bit too precise about the movements, which seem to match too closely. There’s something of an American series impression about this moment, and given how inept Vaughn’s men are seen to be later in the story, these two look like proper heavies. The killing of the driver is interestingly cut, because even though the gunshots are represented exactly by the visuals, the animation makes the scene quite dark and quite brutal, and I wondered whether the actual footage would be quite so bold. The helicopter sequences are well done, with the effect of hair and clothes being blown. The Doctor jumping on the roof is a bit silly, obviously sampled from the conclusion of this story, but the shots of the IE guards firing are successful and the helicopter flying into the clouds and disappearing finishes the sequence nicely.

On the DVD extras for The Invasion the animators discuss what a “gift” it was to have actors like Patrick Troughton and Kevin Stoney to animate because of their expressive features. Apparently they were quite happy with the design for Vaughn in particular very early on. They also mention that animating the girls and Jamie was more difficult because there was less to exaggerate or caricature. From my perspective as a viewer, I had the opposite reaction! I found that Zoe and Isobel were exactly right for the actresses, and yet the more distinctive Doctor and Vaughn were less of a success, almost like the added details were getting in the way of them being recognisable.

The animated Second Doctor disappointed me a bit. What the animators do capture is Troughton’s concentration, with his keen look under the eyebrows. Many recognisable poses are used for the Doctor that instantly call to mind other stories. The way he holds his hands, or his jacket for instance. It’s a wise decision to cut away from the TARDIS crew laughing at the cow, as can be seen from the rather sluggish way the Doctor’s head looks as he smiles; there’s a limit to the kind of movements needed for things like this in this style of animation. The nature of the cut-out like elements for Flash animation makes the characters look quite stiff-necked or hunched over at times. The Doctor banging the console in frustration doesn’t get the energy that Troughton must have had in the scene, his arm looks a little too long and his hand is quite basic too. The little white flecks to enhance the banging are fun though. The Doctor’s “Oh shut up you stupid machine!” to the IE answerphone must have lost a lot in the transition from live-action. Troughton’s audibly doing his characteristic frustrated outtake of air, and it’s a shame not to see that. When the Doctor exits the TARDIS and stands in the field, Troughton’s features are too smooth and make him look too young, and he does look a bit too rugged at times. In the scene with the Doctor trying to ask Isobel about Watkins’ whereabouts, you can just about sense how funny the scene might have been with Troughton playing it, frustrated by the distraction. The silhouettes of the Doctor and Jamie walking through the IE building corridors are great, and the sampled shot of someone playing Troughton looks perfect for his movements. A similar shot with Vaughn standing by the screen opening later is less successful. When the Doctor and Jamie first meet Vaughn, and Jamie puts his foot in it, forcing the Doctor to hand over the circuits, there’s the impression that many of the nuances have been lost. Troughton’s “Oh, how very kind” when Vaughn insists on sending the circuits to his technicians for instance – there’s an immediate conflict there. The two characters are on the offensive straight away. In episode four it’s a bit strange of the Doctor to be so dismissive of Jamie when Jamie tells him what’s inside the crate. When the Doctor and Jamie run past a guard in silhouette in the same episode, the Doctor looks much smaller than Jamie, and unfortunately his coat tails are too short.

Jamie and Zoe look very good, and very like the actors. Frazer Hines is perhaps slightly more exaggerated though. It’s good when Jamie says “I think we’ve landed”, the way he puts his hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, as the animators are referencing the actors’ live performances really well. They do the same with Zoe as they’re hiding from the IE guards. It’s good when Jamie’s suggesting that Watkins might have been kidnapped, and it’s a shame that we can’t see this little example of the double act for real. Jamie’s “Goodbye Mr Vaughn, and thank you for the radio” is very stilted really, and there’s a feeling that Frazer Hines would have been more friendly and more expansive in his playing of it.

Wendy Padbury is often like a rabbit caught in the headlights as Zoe, and her wide-eyed and rather stoic reactions in the animations are just like her! Ironically she’s the most expressive. It’s great when she grimaces as Jamie says she looks like a “chicken” with the feather boa. It’s a shame that the animators got the costume wrong for episode one, and in fact the early drawings do appear to show her in the catsuit rather than the dress from the middle part of the story. Isobel also is fantastic, and Sally Faulkner’s personality comes over very well. However, the first time we see Isobel, a camera’s pointed at her and it’s flashing. She’s clearly supposed to be modelling, but for some reason her pouting and general stillness just makes her look fed up! It’s great the way her hair bounces, and they also give her a funny little tick on this line: “…I moved in because I got — kicked out of my studio last week”. The sequences with Zoe modelling are very good, with more movement in the figures.

The Brigadier is not always that recognisable and successful, particularly the full face shots. He’s too square-jawed and heavy-looking. Benton looks recognisable and I get the feeling that when Benton is saying that HQ want the Doctor and Jamie, the scene was just as stiff and flat as it seems here, especially when his partner says “Right, let’s get ‘em”. Other good likenesses for the Army characters are Captain Turner, Sergeant Walters and Rutlidge. Watkins and Gregory are brilliant also.

Packer is excellent, but Kevin Stoney’s inimitable features are lacking much definition, a similar problem to the Doctor. This means that in these animated episodes, Vaughn loses a lot of his personality. He also seems to angle his body awkwardly as he presses the communicator link after the Doctor and Jamie leave his office at the end of episode one, and unfortunately his shirt collar is buttoned in the wrong direction as he looks out of the window in episode four. The animators do recreate Kevin Stoney’s physical performance admirably though. Early in episode four he’s examining his nails as he’s talking to Packer and soon after makes a ‘roof’ shape with his hands and then breaks them open as Vaughn talks about using and discarding the Cybermen. Another notable scene is Vaughn’s reaction to the female receptionist at the Ministry of Defence – which would certainly have been interesting to see in the original!

The driver at the beginning is well created, and the IE guards look extremely sinister with their black shades. It’s good when the driver tells the Doctor and his friends to “Get lost” as the animation gives him more movement and personality than when the Doctor was banging the console earlier. The lip movements for all the characters are very effective, with good detail, like the tongue position being factored in. Hands tend to look a little like gloves at times though, which is a shame.

These episodes are a wonderful accompaniment to The Invasion, and go some way to describing an era that at times is very indistinct because of the amount of junked material.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-08-16, 10:33 AM

Your review is so much more in-depth than mine. I don't know anything about technical things with animation like rotoscoping.

SeeingisBelieving

09-08-16, 10:48 AM

Your review is so much more in-depth than mine. I don't know anything about technical things with animation like rotoscoping.

To be fair I did go into it in a lot of detail and it probably took me a few weeks to complete. If I can get chance I'll post the rest but it's quite long :p.

SeeingisBelieving

09-08-16, 02:16 PM

Here's the full 2007 review:

The Invasion

The Invasion really got me into black-and-white Doctor Who, and probably made me more open-minded about black-and-white productions in general. Years later when it was announced that the junked episodes were to be animated for the DVD release I was overjoyed. At the time of writing, it’s disappointing that there seem to be no plans to produce another of these releases in the future. I’ve grown up with and enjoyed Cosgrove Hall’s animations, and it seemed long overdue to me that they should work on Doctor Who with Scream of the Shalka. What I’ve seen of that adventure I quite liked, with its very distinctive design style and its exaggerated highwayman/vampire-like version of the Doctor. I would have particularly liked to see them work with William Hartnell’s Doctor, but I can see how stories featuring classic monsters, especially monsters soon to be returning in the current series would help the marketing of such a project. Perhaps we’ll see The Ice Warriors in a year or two, I hope so. For this review, it seemed appropriate to review the newly completed version of The Invasion recently released on DVD, including the two animated episodes.

The Animated Episodes

The animated The Invasion episodes are less free than Scream of the Shalka in the sense that they have to reflect the surviving filmed footage to create a smooth narrative, and the animators do that very well indeed. Lighting is used to spectacular effect, for instance as Gregory’s team are reactivating the Cybermen in episode four; the way Gregory’s glasses and his men’s visors catch the pulsating white light is brilliant. In episode one, the silhouetting of the Doctor in the van’s windscreen as it approaches works very well, as do all the subsequent silhouette sequences. The light effect of the wire fence projecting over the faces of the driver and the TARDIS crew as they hide from the guards is also very atmospheric, and the fences themselves look very ominous in the stark lighting. Another nice touch is the wispy smoke surrounding the companions as they leave the lorry. The smoke is further utilised to bring the furthermost IE guard forward to threaten the driver, as he becomes blacker, and therefore more intimidating as he steps through it. The Doctor and Jamie rowing in the canoe is good, especially when they go dark as they pass into the tunnel, and also the rotoscoping of the Doctor moving away into the shadows. The TARDIS uses some very moody lighting in the opening and the replication of the console is great, and seems to have an inviting glow about it, with the little spheres of light that circle the tubes. This is repeated for the Cyber Director later on.

All the backgrounds are really well sampled from the source material so that it’s obvious where the viewer is being taken as the animations fill in the gaps. Vaughn’s office is particularly well recreated, and made more solid by the beams of light coming through the windows. There are many instances of the animators adding details that enhance the story, such as the little spying device in the room where Zoe and Isobel are held, and the little IE logo on the transistor radio. It’s also a very clever idea to have a Cyberman logo fade in for a second over the ‘heart’ of the Cyber Director at the conclusion of episode one. Rutlidge’s videophone is a nice little bit of reimagining, with the “Line II” message on its screen, and the code-like graphics displayed next. The flickering zigzag lines on the communication screens are very effective throughout.

The reconstruction of the TARDIS in space is well designed, but the shots of the moon and Earth, and the missile look more basic. The passing Cybership is a nice idea, though there’s a flatness about it. When the Cyberman breaks out of the cocoon at the end of episode four, again there’s a flatness to both the creature and the cocoon material being brushed aside that lets it down. The vehicles are done well, with very economical details. The cow looking up at the light and sound which soon becomes the TARDIS is a nice little quirky moment and the simplified countryside behind the cow is nicely done. It’s also good when the Doctor walks past the cow and its ear flickers. It’s a clever touch to have Isobel hidden by the door as she opens it to find the Doctor outside, as it enhances the humour. Cutting from Zoe and Isobel using the flash of the camera to the Doctor and Jamie at the IE building works well, and when Vaughn looks out at the Doctor and Jamie leaving the building in episode one, it’s effective having London reflected in the glass. The Doctor’s eye looking through the door at the IE guards at the start of episode four is good, and it’s doubtful whether such a shot would have worked in the filmed version.

When the guards pull their guns on the driver in episode one, there is something a bit too precise about the movements, which seem to match too closely. There’s something of an American series impression about this moment, and given how inept Vaughn’s men are seen to be later in the story, these two look like proper heavies. The killing of the driver is interestingly cut, because even though the gunshots are represented exactly by the visuals, the animation makes the scene quite dark and quite brutal, and I wondered whether the actual footage would be quite so bold. The helicopter sequences are well done, with the effect of hair and clothes being blown. The Doctor jumping on the roof is a bit silly, obviously sampled from the conclusion of this story, but the shots of the IE guards firing are successful and the helicopter flying into the clouds and disappearing finishes the sequence nicely.

On the DVD extras for The Invasion the animators discuss what a “gift” it was to have actors like Patrick Troughton and Kevin Stoney to animate because of their expressive features. Apparently they were quite happy with the design for Vaughn in particular very early on. They also mention that animating the girls and Jamie was more difficult because there was less to exaggerate or caricature. From my perspective as a viewer, I had the opposite reaction! I found that Zoe and Isobel were exactly right for the actresses, and yet the more distinctive Doctor and Vaughn were less of a success, almost like the added details were getting in the way of them being recognisable.

The animated Second Doctor disappointed me a bit. What the animators do capture is Troughton’s concentration, with his keen look under the eyebrows. Many recognisable poses are used for the Doctor that instantly call to mind other stories. The way he holds his hands, or his jacket for instance. It’s a wise decision to cut away from the TARDIS crew laughing at the cow, as can be seen from the rather sluggish way the Doctor’s head looks as he smiles; there’s a limit to the kind of movements needed for things like this in this style of animation. The nature of the cut-out like elements for Flash animation makes the characters look quite stiff-necked or hunched over at times. The Doctor banging the console in frustration doesn’t get the energy that Troughton must have had in the scene, his arm looks a little too long and his hand is quite basic too. The little white flecks to enhance the banging are fun though. The Doctor’s “Oh shut up you stupid machine!” to the IE answerphone must have lost a lot in the transition from live-action. Troughton’s audibly doing his characteristic frustrated outtake of air, and it’s a shame not to see that. When the Doctor exits the TARDIS and stands in the field, Troughton’s features are too smooth and make him look too young, and he does look a bit too rugged at times. In the scene with the Doctor trying to ask Isobel about Watkins’ whereabouts, you can just about sense how funny the scene might have been with Troughton playing it, frustrated by the distraction. The silhouettes of the Doctor and Jamie walking through the IE building corridors are great, and the sampled shot of someone playing Troughton looks perfect for his movements. A similar shot with Vaughn standing by the screen opening later is less successful. When the Doctor and Jamie first meet Vaughn, and Jamie puts his foot in it, forcing the Doctor to hand over the circuits, there’s the impression that many of the nuances have been lost. Troughton’s “Oh, how very kind” when Vaughn insists on sending the circuits to his technicians for instance – there’s an immediate conflict there. The two characters are on the offensive straight away. In episode four it’s a bit strange of the Doctor to be so dismissive of Jamie when Jamie tells him what’s inside the crate. When the Doctor and Jamie run past a guard in silhouette in the same episode, the Doctor looks much smaller than Jamie, and unfortunately his coat tails are too short.

Jamie and Zoe look very good, and very like the actors. Frazer Hines is perhaps slightly more exaggerated though. It’s good when Jamie says “I think we’ve landed”, the way he puts his hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, as the animators are referencing the actors’ live performances really well. They do the same with Zoe as they’re hiding from the IE guards. It’s good when Jamie’s suggesting that Watkins might have been kidnapped, and it’s a shame that we can’t see this little example of the double act for real. Jamie’s “Goodbye Mr Vaughn, and thank you for the radio” is very stilted really, and there’s a feeling that Frazer Hines would have been more friendly and more expansive in his playing of it.

Wendy Padbury is often like a rabbit caught in the headlights as Zoe, and her wide-eyed and rather stoic reactions in the animations are just like her! Ironically she’s the most expressive. It’s great when she grimaces as Jamie says she looks like a “chicken” with the feather boa. It’s a shame that the animators got the costume wrong for episode one, and in fact the early drawings do appear to show her in the catsuit rather than the dress from the middle part of the story. Isobel also is fantastic, and Sally Faulkner’s personality comes over very well. However, the first time we see Isobel, a camera’s pointed at her and it’s flashing. She’s clearly supposed to be modelling, but for some reason her pouting and general stillness just makes her look fed up! It’s great the way her hair bounces, and they also give her a funny little tick on this line: “…I moved in because I got — kicked out of my studio last week”. The sequences with Zoe modelling are very good, with more movement in the figures.

The Brigadier is not always that recognisable and successful, particularly the full face shots. He’s too square-jawed and heavy-looking. Benton looks recognisable and I get the feeling that when Benton is saying that HQ want the Doctor and Jamie, the scene was just as stiff and flat as it seems here, especially when his partner says “Right, let’s get ‘em”. Other good likenesses for the Army characters are Captain Turner, Sergeant Walters and Rutlidge. Watkins and Gregory are brilliant also.

Packer is excellent, but Kevin Stoney’s inimitable features are lacking much definition, a similar problem to the Doctor. This means that in these animated episodes, Vaughn loses a lot of his personality. He also seems to angle his body awkwardly as he presses the communicator link after the Doctor and Jamie leave his office at the end of episode one, and unfortunately his shirt collar is buttoned in the wrong direction as he looks out of the window in episode four. The animators do recreate Kevin Stoney’s physical performance admirably though. Early in episode four he’s examining his nails as he’s talking to Packer and soon after makes a ‘roof’ shape with his hands and then breaks them open as Vaughn talks about using and discarding the Cybermen. Another notable scene is Vaughn’s reaction to the female receptionist at the Ministry of Defence – which would certainly have been interesting to see in the original!

The driver at the beginning is well created, and the IE guards look extremely sinister with their black shades. It’s good when the driver tells the Doctor and his friends to “Get lost” as the animation gives him more movement and personality than when the Doctor was banging the console earlier. The lip movements for all the characters are very effective, with good detail, like the tongue position being factored in. Hands tend to look a little like gloves at times though, which is a shame.

These episodes are a wonderful accompaniment to The Invasion, and go some way to describing an era that at times is very indistinct because of the amount of junked material.

The Surviving Episodes

As I watched The Invasion again, something unusual occurred to me about Patrick Troughton’s performance. Unlike most of the Doctors, Patrick Troughton created a character for his interpretation that bore little resemblance to the actor’s own personality. The success of that character shows what a talented actor he is. However, in this story, perhaps because of the extended length, Troughton’s characterisation seems to become less believable and the Doctor to some degree gets lost in the fabric of the story. His “We appear to be right in the middle of the hornets’ nest” is an example of where he stops being a lively and engaging presence and submerges into the broader narrative. I decided that there was something positive to be found in other Doctors’ portrayals being more like their own personalities. Perhaps there’s an ease in their presence that carries more authenticity, and keeps them interesting through a story.

Another thing to observe is how effective the scenes are with Troughton and Frazer Hines as Jamie. The slapstick, brilliantly silly humour that’s created between them is one of the hallmarks of this period of the show. The first evidence of this in the surviving episodes is at the beginning of episode two. Troughton and Hines’s bit of business as the Doctor and Jamie see they are being followed, hanging onto each other and demonstrating the slow realisation is hilarious. Their little run down an alley before their escape is blocked is also good, with Patrick Troughton’s aghast look as the Doctor realises there’s no way out. Troughton’s idea of dealing out cards as the strangers approach the pair is also typical of his ingenuity and humour. Their scenes inside the UNIT HQ continue the comedy feel, with their completely childish behaviour and the Doctor’s preference for a biscuit to go with his tea. Troughton’s “It’s Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart!” sounds almost unhinged, and quite possibly Christopher Eccleston remembered these sort of moments for his version of the character. His response to the Brig’s order for a transceiver “What is that, a tank?” is funny, but he tops this possible ad-lib off with the delighted expression he has and the way he reaches out eagerly for the device. As the pair go after Zoe and Isobel to the IE building, Troughton’s little beckoning gesture to Jamie is clever, and the Doctor and Jamie’s escape from Packer into the lift is well done. The “Kilroy Was Here!” graffiti is a nice touch as well.

The Invasion also has some classic Jamie moments. One of the best is as Jamie gets into the back seat of Vaughn’s car, and then quickly opens the door and gets in the front instead, smiling at a bemused Packer. Frazer Hines’s little prod of the Doctor’s sleeve on “Like the disappearance of Professor Watkins” is good, as Jamie obviously thinks he’s doing better than anyone else at piecing together the mystery. Jamie’s usual bluffing that he understands scientific gobbledegook comes up again here too, as Watkins describes his invention. The Doctor’s “Put it away” as Jamie shows the Brigadier the radio that Vaughn gave him is very funny. Another very simple but very entertaining scene is the relaxed way the Doctor and Jamie walk into Watkins’s front room and help themselves to sandwiches. When Jamie falls out of sleep and walks over to the Doctor’s lecture party, Troughton’s “Oh, how d’you do Jamie” is credibly tired and impatient. It is ultimately a great shame that with such a good part for Jamie, Frazer Hines couldn’t be a part of the finale.

When the Doctor asks the Brigadier whether he can search the IE building, Patrick Troughton returns to a style of playing the Doctor reminiscent of when he first started. There’s a keenness and a sharpness about his expression harking back to the days of stories like The Moonbase. Another very vivid sequence is where the Doctor opens up Jamie’s radio and notices something which makes his mood change. Troughton draws out “Well well well. What have we here?” very precisely and there’s a big contrast in tone with the Doctor’s prior banter with Jamie. Troughton’s face is so descriptive as the Doctor and Jamie watch the Cyberman come to life in episode five, and his energy is good when the Doctor realises what the micro monolithic circuits are for. Troughton has an odd moment talking about the Cybermen spaceships where he seems to have trouble with the lines, but just about gets away with it because of the intrigue he creates. He also puts a lot of interest into the description of the Cybership’s trajectory using the map. The Doctor losing his depolariser is quite a lame moment really, and considering that he recovers at the beginning of the next episode, seems futile. When the Doctor destroys the Cyberman in Vaughn’s office, Troughton sells the mentor device brilliantly. His jumping as the explosions go off behind him in episode eight is delightful and he’s excellent when the Doctor starts to tidy himself up as Isobel starts taking pictures of him. The scenes with Patrick Troughton and Kevin Stoney are incomparable, and there’s also a sense of Troughton strengthening his character to avoid being eclipsed by Stoney’s charisma as Vaughn. Troughton’s quick “Oh, how kind” is great as Vaughn gives the Doctor his magnet back in episode three. It’s also well worth the six episode wait to see Troughton’s delivery of the line “But you’ll have to have the Professor’s help to do that won’t you? We’ve got the Professor”. This is such a perfect delivery because the Doctor is reflecting Vaughn’s habitual smugness back at him as his plans crumble away — it’s a magnificent touch from Troughton.

Kevin Stoney is first class in this story. Since The Invasion I can only recall Christopher Gable being as immersed in a performance as Stoney is here. The droll, amused quality he gives to Vaughn is what makes the character, but there’s a permanent implication of violence building under this. When he rages at various moments throughout, it’s a big switch. It’s also significant that he can use this to turn what would otherwise be an ordinary-sounding name like “Packer” into something memorable and insidious. Stoney makes Vaughn very succinct with his movements and responses, and echoes the kind of confident terseness of Adolfo Celi’s Largo in Thunderball. His quick little signal to Packer to get the return van moving is one such moment, and his “You might even offer him a little encouragement” to Packer about Watkins in episode three. Rather like the Master in Frontier in Space, Vaughn gets irritated with his alien allies, and he’s seen to abruptly cut off his meetings with the Cyber Director a couple of times. It’s good how Vaughn is simply amused by Zoe’s destruction of his reception computer as well.

A strange, but very involving scene with Stoney is in episode three when Vaughn is musing about the Doctor’s “machine”. Stoney has his finger and thumb placed in an unrelaxed way under his chin. The way he strokes his cheek seems to imply something, and perhaps it’s a way of Stoney giving the audience an idea that Vaughn is not quite as human as he appears; almost as if Vaughn’s upgraded body hasn’t grown on him quite yet and he’s experiencing a ‘phantom limb’ effect. A further scene with this impression is when Vaughn is pondering why the Doctor has sabotaged the lift, and Stoney rotates his head slowly on each beat of the dialogue. Shortly after, Stoney rubs around his eye as Vaughn’s reassuring Packer that the fugitives will be caught; it’s such a small detail but it achieves great importance. It’s also good when Vaughn is trying to reestablish his hold over Rutlidge in episode five; the way he browbeats the man, and then ends with a slippery “Good fella”. A brilliant piece of delivery is his “Revive it. Just enough to bring it out of its cocoon”. He tops this off by leaning confidently on the edge of the machine. The feel of ease and confidence continues as the invasion gets closer. By episode six, Vaughn has his jacket unbuttoned as he taunts Watkins, in a brilliant sequence with exceptional performances from Stoney, Ian Fairbairn and Edward Burnham. Vaughn’s savage blow to Watkins, followed by his ridiculing of the unfortunate man is very strong. Vaughn’s collapse in episode eight is very effective and brilliantly conveyed by the actor. The unusual touch of the Doctor and Vaughn forming an alliance at the end is one of the most memorable parts of this story. Vaughn’s death looks quite shocking in how the effects work, and in how Stoney plays it.

Nicholas Courtney is completely wry and believable when the Brigadier arrives, demonstrating the man’s resolve, although it’s a bit disconcerting that at first he seems to call John Levene’s character “Benson”! Later in the story it’s very funny when he gets to ask Benton “What’s the flap?” twice in a matter of seconds. His moustache is possibly one of his least believable unfortunately, and might as well be animated… It’s also worth noting that the Brigadier remembers the Doctor and Jamie after a four year gap, but after only a few weeks, they can’t instantly remember him. The Brigadier also talks about not being as much of a sceptic as he was, although The Web of Fear doesn’t really cast him as an out-and-out sceptic. Courtney also notes on the DVD commentary that he just managed to complete the line about IE’s micro monolithic circuit design in episode two (1), but his broken delivery goes with the character nicely. The Brigadier seems to have an extremely easy relationship with the Second Doctor here. Compare the episode six scene where they’re talking about getting “action” in Watkins’ lab with later lab scenes with Jon Pertwee’s Doctor in stories like Doctor Who and the Silurians. Courtney also gets to participate in the fun with this delicious exchange between Jamie and the Brig:

“’Course they’re Cybermen, any fool can see that”.
“Well you do McCrimmon”
“Eh?”
“You know them”.

As Wendy Padbury says on the DVD commentary, Zoe is “So BBC!” (2), and comes over as quite haughty and stuffy. Zoe isn’t supposed to be from that far in the future, but she still seems too comfortable in the 20th Century, and certainly this type of character was a lot more successful with the earlier Vicki. Wendy Padbury also seems a little self-aware, for instance when Zoe tells Isobel that the TARDIS is “…a bit more sophisticated” than 20th Century transport. Her line about Zoe worrying about the Doctor and Jamie not being logical is also very hard to bear, as is the sequence with the insoluble Algol problem she feeds the computer. There’s a funny little moment in episode five when Zoe second guesses the Doctor about the visitors to Vaughn’s building, and it’s not clear whether Padbury has stolen the line from under Troughton’s nose! It’s a brilliant character touch though.

Sally Faulkner is very good as Isobel, making her quite ditzy and flighty. She does seem a little conscious of the camera at times early on, but this doesn’t continue. She and Wendy Padbury give the girls’ screams in episode two 110%. Her scene with the Brigadier about the possibility of Isobel taking pictures of the invaders is great, and predates some of the similar conversations he’ll be having with Liz the following year. The scenes with Faulkner and Robert Sidaway creating the characters’ little love interest is quite successful as well. What perhaps is a little strange is the lack of exchange between Isobel and Watkins as relatives, particularly when he is rescued.

James Thornhill and Robert Sidaway produce authentic characters that work well with the Brigadier. Sidaway falls a little short though when Turner’s calling Jamie, Zoe and Isobel in the sewers, as his calls sound rather false and self-aware. Edward Dentith puts in a good turn as Rutlidge, with his preoccupied look. It’s unfortunate when Clifford Earl as Major Branwell shouts “Stand by three just in case” behind him, when he’s actually supposed to say it to Sgt Peters – sat right next to him! Of course it’s great to see John Levene here making his debut as Benton, with the character exactly the same as he would be up until the Tom Baker era. It’s priceless at the end when he breaks the anticipatory silence by dropping a cup. Edward Burnham’s Watkins is a very realistically portrayed figure, with his constant fear of brutality and his revulsion at the sadism of his captors; Ian Fairbairn’s Gregory is well created; and Dominic Allan’s also very good as the unfortunate Policeman.

Peter Halliday makes Packer a complete psychopath, with his many imaginings about how best to inflict pain or kill people; and the way he’s often self-satisfied about it, folding his arms with glee in the lift sequence, or resting his hand on his hip. When Vaughn is threatening Watkins in episode three and compliments Packer on his talent for persuasion, Halliday’s little modest smirk is great. His shrill “MOVE!” to the guards later on is less of a success though, making him much more obviously the comedy villain. It’s also interesting over the episodes to watch Packer slowly become less intimidated by Vaughn as Vaughn becomes less certain about his security, and Packer ends up with Vaughn by the scruff of the neck at the end, which you would never have believed could happen!

Peter Halliday’s turn as the Cyber Director voice is a great success, with its slightly vibrating, androgynous quality as enhanced by the effects. The normal Cybermen have a slightly Kandy Man-like quality to their voices, which doesn’t achieve the same kind of menace as earlier Troughton stories. However, when they approach Turner and his men in the sewers, in the dim lighting, the effect is much better and particularly ominous when one says “Do not move”, which at first isn’t immediately understandable. There’s something very frightening about orders coming from something moving so slowly, and in such an ambivalent voice.

Don Harper’s score is part and parcel of The Invasion, exuding the ‘60s and placing the story firmly in that period for all time, really. On the commentary, Nicholas Courtney mentions that he found the UNIT music a little more suited to the Navy than the Army (3), perhaps because of the almost whistle-like nature of some of it. However, I think it serves really well as an all-purpose military theme as it conveys things being done efficiently. The music in Vaughn’s office is also very good, and throughout there’s a grittiness and a reality about the score that keeps a slightly dark tone to the piece.

The blatantly fascistic uniforms of Vaughn’s men are funny, in that it looks like no-one has ever thought of them in that way, and been suspicious. There’s a good ensemble for Kevin Stoney, making Vaughn every inch the suave Bond-like adversary. The UNIT uniforms have a European look that fits in with the idea of the organisation more than regular Army uniforms, but again, a supposedly secret organisation probably would go for the innocuous rather than the distinctive. In any case, I still like these uniforms the best.

Vaughn’s office is obviously a fantastic conceit, to have two identical offices in different places and therefore only one set. It’s also got some clever touches, such as the multiplied circular viewscreen on the wall. There’s something appropriate in how it reduces Packer to an even more insignificant and toadying minion because of the level of the screens, and the boxed-in and trapped nature of the face. These things add to the sense of Vaughn’s total mastery of his domain. The large transparent map which also serves as a doorway to the interior of the Hercules UNIT HQ is very good. The IE reception computer is dated, but well put together, and the animated episodes show its resemblance to a face more clearly. It’s slightly odd in episode three when the Doctor uses what looks like his recorder as a small telescope! Very odd, that. As with the Underground sets in The Web of Fear, here the sewers look very realistic, if pleasantly free of water and other things… The Cyber Director is an elaborate piece of work which suggests far more about the Cybermen than perhaps the silver-suited creatures we see later. The elements inside moving around, such as the pump-like object in its tube all suggest the equivalent of organs. The Cybermen cocoons look good, and the devices that connect to them to revive the creatures. The new Cybermen design works very well, although in colour they do lose a lot of their menace I think. It’s very good that their heads look like part of the rest of the body as the collars wrap over the neck, and the flashing lights on their chest units look great. The piping also looks functional and the extended ‘ear muff’ effect on the head is a very interesting development in the design. The Cyber guns are well designed and the Cyberships look very good, with their segmented structures.

This may sound a bit obvious, but from the moment I switched from the animations to the actual episode two, there was a lurch, as if there was something very reassuring about the actual material and seeing the real actors. The handheld shot of the Doctor and Jamie walking along, followed by the UNIT people is good, and gives the thing a gritty, realistic feel. Douglas Camfield also uses a zoom into the UNIT car as the Doctor and Jamie see it. When Vaughn is speaking to Packer in episode two, Douglas Camfield reinforces the feeling of domination created by the set design by shooting Kevin Stoney from a low angle and filling the screen with a close up of the actor. The shot from inside the Hercules transport plane works very well, as the light slowly comes into a dark screen, and all of the introductory sequence for UNIT is good. Camfield also leads the viewer a lot, such as his directional shot of Zoe and Isobel approaching the IE building, the slow drop down the surface of the building, finishing on the door. It’s good the way Camfield shoots Jamie, Zoe and Isobel in the sewers as well, quite low. There are lots of large close ups here, and with such brilliant actors, the effect is tremendous. The framing of the Doctor in foreground and Vaughn in the distance in their discussion in episode seven is one example. UNIT’s battle with the Cybermen is handled extremely successfully, with close ups of the Brig directing his men. The shots of the Cyberships approaching, and being attacked and destroyed are also very well executed.

It looks a bit feeble to have a Cyberman helping and guiding its fellows down into the sewers, but in the interest of health and safety, you can’t argue with it! The Cyberman in the sewer grabbing Jamie is poor, as it would most likely have taken his leg off at the very least. The shot of the Cyberman falling over the rooftop when Vaughn shoots it is rather pathetic unfortunately. It also has to be said that the Cyber Director spends the entire story sitting behind Vaughn, but is blissfully unaware of his plans to betray the Cybermen. This makes the wonky door behind him in episode five almost appropriate! In the scene with Vaughn daring Watkins to shoot him, it really pays off to show his reaction before we see the bloodless, smoking bulletholes. Unfortunately the loss of time to film UNIT rescuing Watkins makes for quite a scramble of explanatory scenes that look very disjointed. However, it’s arguable whether the casual viewer would feel too cheated about it. The scenes of people succumbing to the Cyber-hypnotic signal are mixed, with the first man being the best set up sequence. The others look a bit too cued. To have Turner say “We’ve just seen hundreds of them coming out of the sewers” is quite an obvious scene setter, perhaps “There are hundreds of them…” would have been less noticeable. The Cyberman throwing the drain cover away like it weighs nothing is a great moment, and the Cybermen slowly coming down the steps with St Paul’s Cathedral behind them is still a classic and ominous sequence. It’s a pity that the episode eight reprise adds “Vaughn” to the Doctor’s “Is this what you wanted, to be the ruler of a dead world!?”. Camfield’s decision to fade to white when the Cyber Director is destroyed by Vaughn pays off well, as it suggests a force coming off the device that would knock the Doctor and Vaughn to the floor. The optical effect of the invisible TARDIS at the end is a great success.

It would be hard to imagine an eight part story working and sustaining interest for that number of weeks today, and The Invasion does feel very long and seems to end on at least two occasions! This said it’s certainly one of the best performed stories of this period and is very well written; one of my favourite ideas is Isobel writing on the wall to remember things. It’s a great shame that the Brigadier and Co never got a chance to meet the Cybermen again. There are some risible ideas in the story nevertheless — it’s a bit ridiculous after the Yeti invasion that the Brigadier would need to convince sceptical superiors. UNIT’s very existence would suggest that they are not sceptical any more. The idea of the Cyberships having no means to destroy incoming missiles is also very hard to accept. The Cybermen, while very well redesigned and directed are in the end quite a weak menace compared to the unprecedented character of Tobias Vaughn, undoubtedly one of the best ever Doctor Who villains.

References
1 Nicholas Courtney in The Invasion DVD commentary, 2006
2 Wendy Padbury in The Invasion DVD commentary, 2006
3 Nicholas Courtney in The Invasion DVD commentary, 2006

Bibliography
The Invasion DVD Release (BBC Worldwide 2006)

DalekbusterScreen5

09-08-16, 02:49 PM

Wow, you even have bibliographies with your reviews. I only do that with university assessments.:eek:

SeeingisBelieving

09-08-16, 02:57 PM

Wow, you even have bibliographies with your reviews. I only do that with university assessments.:eek:

Yeah, it was so involved there needed to be that kind of structure to it. The TV Movie one went into overdrive :p;).

DalekbusterScreen5

09-08-16, 03:26 PM

Yeah, it was so involved there needed to be that kind of structure to it. The TV Movie one went into overdrive :p;).

You should have your own review thread called 'SeeingIsBelieving: A detailed study into the workings of cinematic and televisual entertainment'. :p

SeeingisBelieving

09-08-16, 05:11 PM

You should have your own review thread called 'SeeingIsBelieving: A detailed study into the workings of cinematic and televisual entertainment'. :p

[Makes a mental note of the title] ;)

I enjoyed doing them at the time because it was really my way, as a fan, of keeping my hand in, keeping the interest. That's not there now and it's a shame really that I never got round to doing the same thing for Matt Smith, John Hurt or Peter Capaldi.

And it was random, a bit like Tom Baker's decision to have clips sprung on him for his Years tape. What I did each time was entirely down to the two forum members who got the posts in first: Doctor and Story.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-10-16, 09:13 AM

Alvin And The Chipmunks

There are many great family films out there that have so much heart to them that they are enjoyable for both adults and children alike...this movie isn't one of them. The film may be based on one of the most beloved cartoon series of all time but it clearly only exists as a mere cash grab in the hope that parents will say to their kids 'Hey, I used to watch that when I was little'. For the film intended to revive Alvin and the Chipmunks (which to be fair, it was successful in doing) 20th Century Fox decided to make it a mix of real life and animation. This idea in itself isn't bad - Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Looney Tunes: Back In Action worked pretty well with the format - but any idea needs a strong script in order to be good.

Alvin & The Chipmunks has perhaps the lamest plot for a kids movie. The chipmunks Alvin (Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney) have their tree in which they live cut down and are sent to Los Angeles, where they meet songwriter David Seville (Jason Lee). David discovers the chipmunks are able to sing and decides to capitalise on their talent to sell his songs. Record executive Ian Hawke (David Cross) decides to turn the Chipmunks into a brand after they sing one of Dave's songs to Ian. They are immediately given a record contract and embark on a world tour.

It's a wonder that children have taken to the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise because it's such a boring premise for a family film, especially one based on Alvin and the Chipmunks. I'd love to know how who said at 20th Century Fox 'Hey, you know what would make a great Alvin and the Chipmunks movie? The story of how they got their first record contract!'. Has anybody sat down and watched an Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon and thought 'Hmm, I wonder how they became such a successful band?'. Would kids watch the cartoon and even think that? It truly bewilders me how this film became such a success among families with a premise that is bland; Nostalgia Critic reviewed this film not long ago and talked of an animated film that saw the chipmunks and their female equivalents the Chiquettes (who aren't introduced in the live-action version until the 'squeakuel') travel around the world in a hot air balloon (a quick Google search tells me it is called The Chipmunk Adventure). That sounds like a much stronger premise for a family movie.

That's not the main problem of this movie though. Oh no, the main problem is far worse. The main problem is the Chipmunk's voices. They are so irritatingly squeaky that you just want to grab the little ******** and chuck them in a fireplace. Yes, this movie makes you want to burn chipmunks alive. When I watched this movie I spent majority of the time hovering my hand on the 'mute' button on the remote control. The worst thing is when they sing; it is hard to understand why any record executive would think they have any musical talent as their singing is excruciating to sit through. If they auditioned for The X Factor, I have no doubt that even Louis Walsh would give them a 'No'. Their version of the Witch Doctor song is particularly dreadful. It's clear that all the sound designers have done is taken the voices of the actors and turned the pitch up: something that even a six year old could do if given the means to do so.

When a film makes you want to murder the main characters you are supposed to root for, you know that the writers aren't doing a particularly good job. Three people worked on the screenplay - Jon Vitti, Chris Vicardi and Will McRobb - and it's still not very good. For example, you are supposed to believe that the Chipmunks want to go back to Dave when the *obvious villain* Ian Hawke turns out to only care about the money they bring rather than the chipmunks themselves, yet Dave shows a lack of interest towards them throughout the movie and seems more like he hates them than anything else. Dave only shows any interest in them to sell his songs, so really he is no better than Ian Hawke. I also thought that Nostalgia Critic made a very good point in his review video: the Chipmunks all seem to have Alvin's mischievous personality. To be fair to the writers, I would say that Simon has a more distinctive personality from Alvin though; he does naturally seem like the brainy one of the trio and doesn't react in quite the same cheeky way as the other two chipmunks. Both Alvin and Theodore being mischievous takes away from Alvin as a character though as he doesn't quite seem so unique and the natural lead singer of the band.

Then you've got Jason Lee's performance as Dave: you can clearly tell the actor doesn't care. He's like a robot. In fact, it's a shame he didn't reveal himself as a Terminator sent to kill the chipmunks for being so bloody irritating. Everything Jason Lee says is emotionless. Even when he shouts 'Alvin', it sounds more monotone than it does an actual shout. I don't blame him for phoning his performance in given how terrible the movie is but it only goes to make the film even more of a chore to sit through than it already is. It's obvious that Jason Lee must have been experiencing money troubles at the time, otherwise why would he have agreed to appear in the film when he clearly doesn't care?

Alvin and the Chipmunks was very ambitious with its decision on how to represent the chipmunks. Whilst past mixes of live-action and animation opted for a cartoony look for their non-human characters, here they have opted to try and make the chipmunks look real via Rhythm & Hues Studios. The result is quite frankly terrible. The 2016 Jungle Book worked so well with the approach because they actually looked like real animals, whereas here the chipmunks are so obviously CGI and it takes you out of the movie. It's easier to except cartoon characters resembling cartoon figures (as in Who Framed Roger Rabbit) because they are cartoon characters anyway, but the moment they become realistic - unless the CGI really works as with Baloo - you end up with a result that looks fake. You may believe Superman can fly in Superman: The Movie but you won't believe singing chipmunks are real in Alvin & The Chipmunks. It is definitely among the most unconvincing CGI in a film I have ever seen.

Overall, Alvin & The Chipmunks is a terrible movie. Somehow 20th Century Fox managed to creates a film that makes you want to brutally murder a bunch of CGI chipmunks - CGI chipmunks that don't even look real anyway. Their singing is so excruciating that it is totally unconvincing that any record executive would want to give them a record contract. I can't even imagine Louis Walsh signing them up and he manages Jedward (who bare many similarities with their equally squeaky singing voices). Jason Lee is like a Cyberman playing the part of Dave, not even managing to shout a convincing 'Alvin' and the premise of the movie itself is dull. Who wants to watch a movie about how the chipmunks secured a record contract? They're singing chipmunks! Who bloody cares?

0

DalekbusterScreen5

09-12-16, 10:57 AM

The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances

With a new spinoff announced for Captain Jack in the form of a Big Finish audio drama (The Lives of Captain Jack), I thought it would be a good idea to look back at the two parter that introduced the character to the Whoniverse - The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. An ongoing debate in fandom is who actually created Captain Jack. Whilst Steven Moffat was the first to write the character, Russell T Davies gave the character to Moffat to introduce in his two parter. Personally, I see Steven Moffat as the character's creator as he is the one who first established the character's personality onscreen. Without Moffat's writing first, Jack may have been a completely different character with a completely different personality. Whilst I'm not as in love with The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances as other members of the Whovian fandom, if it wasn't for this story Captain Jack may not have become arguably the most compelling of the new series' recurring characters to date.

The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances finds the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and Rose (Billie Piper) arrive in WW2 London, where a young child called Jamie (Albert Valentine) is terrorising the population by spreading what appears to be a disease that turns everybody he touches into gas mask zombies. Whilst Rose searches for a young boy crying for help and is rescued hanging from a barrage balloon by con man Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), the Doctor meets the young boy's 'sister' Nancy (Florence Hoath). Eventually the Doctor and Rose learn that the gas mask zombies have been created by nanogenes (robots that take on the appearance of glowing specks and are capable of healing wounds) from a Chula ambulance that Jack crashed in the middle of war-torn London. In order to save London from the nanogenes, the Doctor, Rose and Jack must reunite Jamie with his mother.

It's not hard when looking at this story to see why the character of Captain Jack became so popular. John Barrowman as Captain Jack is perfect casting and is extremely fun to watch. There is literally never a dull moment when Jack is around, his cheeky nature balancing nicely off Christopher Eccleston's more serious take on the Doctor. One great scene shows Jack admiring Rose's arse through a pair of binoculars. To me that is the scene in this two parter that sums up Jack's character best; it shows how progressive Doctor Who as a show is and always has been that it introduced its first bisexual character in 2005. That's at least 10 years before other television shows started introducing bisexual characters, maybe even longer than that. The only other bisexual character in a television show I can recall is Marcus Dent in Coronation Street and he wasn't revealed as bisexual until 2012, when he developed feelings for hairdresser Maria Connor.

Christopher Eccleston is much better here than he is in other Series 1 stories as the Doctor too. By this point he feels much more comfortable in the role, especially with the humour that the part requires. Earlier in the series some of Christopher Eccleston's more light-hearted lines felt a little forced but here it sounds somewhat more natural coming from his mouth. The line 'Oh, that's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp.' would have probably felt stiff said by early Eccleston but here the way he says it to Rose works well. He still isn't the best Doctor at the more comedy-orientated elements (hell, he's probably my least favourite Doctor out of all the actors to play the role) but it shows that he might have improved had he stayed on for a second series. This is something that even Christopher Eccleston himself has begun to acknowledge; in recent interviews he has stated he regrets leaving Doctor Who after such a short space of time and could have improved at the comedy had he continued. Here's hoping Big Finish can convince him to record some new audio adventures of the ninth Doctor as it could be a Colin Baker scenario: the audio ninth Doctor being better than the TV ninth Doctor.

The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances has possibly one of the best one-off characters in any episode of the show too. Florence Hoath is brilliant as Nancy; an extremely likeable young woman who feeds homeless children in her shelter. She's a woman with a heart of gold, yet she's certainly no Mary Sue. Her weakness is actually pretty dark for Doctor Who, in that she refuses to accept a kid of hers who in her mind is a 'mistake'. You see, Nancy is a mother who gave birth at the age of sixteen. She's the victim of an unfortunate young pregnancy. It can perhaps be argued that in the same way Kill The Moon is a subtext for abortion, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances is more the story of a young woman facing her 'mistake' and having to accept him for who he is rather than as someone who wasn't meant to happen than it is about gas mask zombies. Nancy could have made a brilliant companion and it is a wonder that she didn't join the ninth Doctor, Rose and Jack in the TARDIS (although it would have been a bit crowded).

My problem with The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances is that I don't find the gas mask zombies that convincing as a threat. The catchphrase 'Are you my mummy?' is creepy in the way it is spoken regardless of the character's age in a childlike voice but it isn't clear enough what the gas mask transformation does to its victims. Do they lose their humanity? Is it like a mental condition such as dementia where they're no longer the same person but merely a reflection of who they used to be? Do they have the same memories or only simplified versions of them (does Jamie only remember Nancy being his mother?)? None of this is made clear enough in the two parter and it would have been nice to have had more clarity by Steven Moffat as to how tragic becoming a gas mask zombie is.

Having said that, the climax of 'everybody lives' still remains one of the most heart-warming moments the show has ever had. You truly feel the Doctor's joy when he says it and it feels like a natural conclusion that makes sense given what has happened earlier in the story. The foreshadowing is all there for a satisfying pay-off and is expertly written by Steven Moffat, in a way that I couldn't possibly imagine this story having any other ending. It's sort-of like if Steven Spielberg directed a Doctor Who episode: the kind of magical conclusion you'd get from a Spielberg film like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Spielberg movies were an inspiration for Moffat when writing this two-parter. Maybe one day the show could even get Steven Spielberg to direct a Steven Moffat episode?

The two parter also features one of the most impressive scenes in the 2005 revival so far: Rose hanging from a barrage balloon. This scene was filmed in front of a green screen at a hangar at RAF St Athan (in the Vale of Glamorgan) and in my view wouldn't look out of place in a blockbuster movie. It's jaw-dropping how convincing it looks and there are no obvious signs that it is green-screened (as can be found in some TV Shows with a higher budget):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYkCdnZi_x4

The CGI in that scene by The Mill is still incredible ten years' on, the tractor beam Captain Jack uses to beam Rose up being another effect in that scene that feels extremely real. If you showed that to anybody without bias towards Doctor Who and asked them how old the CGI is, I would predict their response would be '2016' rather than '2005'.

Overall, I might not have as much love for The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances as other Whovians (personally I prefer Silence In The Library/Forest of the Dead) but it is still a great two-parter and a successful introduction for Captain Jack Harkness. John Barrowman was perfect casting as Jack and it isn't hard to see why years later many of us are begging for his return in the main show after being absent since 2010. Christopher Eccleston gives one of his best performances as the Doctor and Nancy is one of the show's most likeable one-off characters. The gas mask zombies may not have impressed me as they did other viewers but their catchphrase is certainly creepy, even if what the gas mask transformation even means for its victims isn't explained enough in the two parter for me to really care or find them scary. The CGI is still amazing though (especially the barrage balloon sequence) and it's hard to believe the visual effects here are ten years' old.

4

SeeingisBelieving

09-12-16, 02:26 PM

The two parter also features one of the most impressive scenes in the 2005 revival so far: Rose hanging from a barrage balloon. This scene was filmed in front of a green screen at a hangar at RAF St Athan (in the Vale of Glamorgan) and in my view wouldn't look out of place in a blockbuster movie. It's jaw-dropping how convincing it looks and there are no obvious signs that it is green-screened (as can be found in some TV Shows with a higher budget):

Yeah, I think if I saw it again now it would still look amazing. Very successful shot, that.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-12-16, 03:46 PM

Yeah, I think if I saw it again now it would still look amazing. Very successful shot, that.

I honestly think it puts many blockbuster films to shame. Achieves exactly what the Mill set out to do: provide visual effects that wouldn't look inferior if somebody turned over to a Harry Potter film on the other side.

SeeingisBelieving

09-12-16, 04:05 PM

I honestly think it puts many blockbuster films to shame. Achieves exactly what the Mill set out to do: provide visual effects that wouldn't look inferior if somebody turned over to a Harry Potter film on the other side.

Yeah, it's totally convincing. And even in the same story, the gas mask transformation was very believable and scary.

SeeingisBelieving

09-12-16, 04:39 PM

This is something that even Christopher Eccleston himself has begun to acknowledge; in recent interviews he has stated he regrets leaving Doctor Who after such a short space of time and could have improved at the comedy had he continued. Here's hoping Big Finish can convince him to record some new audio adventures of the ninth Doctor as it could be a Colin Baker scenario: the audio ninth Doctor being better than the TV ninth Doctor.

I'm guessing you've heard this interview:

https://soundcloud.com/774-abc-melbourne/christopher-eccleston-on-drive-with-raf-epstein

– and once again there's the drip feed of 'revelations' about what happened with production in 2005. I must say the chances of Eccleston doing Big Finish sound the best they ever have, but I don't buy into this "light comedy" idea. What's wrong with just 'humour'? To my mind the humour was off-kilter and wrong for Eccleston anyway and I think the best humorous line in the season was this:

Rose: "He was saying that he always wanted to see the stars"
Doctor: "Tell him to go and stand outside then"

Maybe that felt truer than anything else he was given to say, simply because of how Northern it sounds. He's a bit too close to Earth and reality, I think, or maybe the truth, or both; so, I think the Doctor was, in his case, an insurmountable part at the time.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-12-16, 06:17 PM

Yeah, it's totally convincing. And even in the same story, the gas mask transformation was very believable and scary.
Yeah, that was incredible. I think the new series of Doctor Who is perhaps the greatest example of groundbreaking television CGI/special effects.
I'm guessing you've heard this interview:

https://soundcloud.com/774-abc-melbourne/christopher-eccleston-on-drive-with-raf-epstein
Yep, that was the one I was referring to - and where I found Eccleston's responses hugely surprising.

I must say the chances of Eccleston doing Big Finish sound the best they ever have, but I don't buy into this "light comedy" idea. What's wrong with just 'humour'? To my mind the humour was off-kilter and wrong for Eccleston anyway and I think the best humorous line in the season was this:

Rose: "He was saying that he always wanted to see the stars"
Doctor: "Tell him to go and stand outside then"

Maybe that felt truer than anything else he was given to say, simply because of how Northern it sounds. He's a bit too close to Earth and reality, I think, or maybe the truth, or both; so, I think the Doctor was, in his case, an insurmountable part at the time.

That and the ninth Doctor's whole treatment of Mickey were some of the first series' highlights for me. It was great whenever the Doctor would call Mickey 'Rickey' because it showed just how alien the Doctor is.

SeeingisBelieving

09-13-16, 09:39 AM

That and the ninth Doctor's whole treatment of Mickey were some of the first series' highlights for me. It was great whenever the Doctor would call Mickey 'Rickey' because it showed just how alien the Doctor is.

It was also harking back to getting Ian Chesterton's name wrong :p.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-13-16, 10:00 AM

It was also harking back to getting Ian Chesterton's name wrong :p.

I didn't think that, although the ninth Doctor is clearly doing it out of spite to annoy Mickey whilst it was more a sign of age with the first Doctor.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-13-16, 10:48 AM

Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention

Wallace and Gromit is one of the best animated franchise of all time; in terms of success, it is the UK's nearest equivalent to Pixar's Toy Story series. When you see Wallace & Gromit, you expect a quality piece of entertainment. So I was hugely excited back in 2010 when it was announced that the plasticine duo would be getting their own primetime BBC1 series. Unfortunately, that excitement soon led to disappointment - it wasn't a terrible series by any means but hardly the hit many expected.

Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention saw Wallace (Peter Sallis) as the host of his own documentary series about real-life science inventions and contraptions. The series mixed stop-motion animation segments with live-action footage of real machinery and real interviews with inventors.

Which brings me onto the first point: the interviews. When Aardman produced their first documentary series in Creature Comforts, the interviews were far more interesting in the way that the audio recordings were synced with the lips of plasticine animals. None of that creativity is present here, lending for stiff and uninteresting interviews. The interviews would have been much more engaging had they been coming from the voices of the plasticine people of the Wallace and Gromit universe. Additionally, it would have made much more sense for the real-life footage to have been plasticine environments as it is odd seeing Wallace introducing segments filmed in real life. It doesn't make a lot of sense given that Wallace shouldn't have knowledge of our universe given that it isn't the same as the stop-motion world of Wallace & Gromit.

The live-action segments are made worse by the irritating narration by Ashley Jensen. Ashley Jensen is extremely patronising; half of the time it feels as though she is talking down to you rather than treating you as an intelligent intellectual. World of Invention was broadcast primetime on BBC1 yet the choice of narrator means it feels more like an afternoon CBBC show. A better narrator for this show would probably have been a presenter along the lines of Dara O' Briain or Brian Cox; someone who oozes a natural intelligence without intimidating the audience. I had not heard of Ashley Jensen before World of Inventions but she would probably be a better fit for CBBC than a BBC1 primetime.

The best elements of the show are the Wallace and Gromit stop motion animation. The classic Aardman humour are in these segments, be it one of Wallace's machines going awry or the famous expressionistic eyebrows of loveable pooch Gromit. It makes you wonder why the BBC didn't commission Aardman Animations to make a series of half an hour Wallace and Gromit shorts instead as World of Invention struggles whenever Wallace and Gromit are off-screen. The idea of Wallace as a presenter is appealing but would perhaps have worked better with a Saturday night game show rather than a documentary. A game show would have suited Wallace's personality more and could have been based around one of his infamous wacky inventions. Imagine the variety that could have been introduced with the rounds if each one were to be based off a different invention by Wallace. It could have been a hugely imaginative show and far better than the dreadful Don't Scare The Hare.

One thing that Wallace and Gromit's World of Inventions has going for it is that it genuinely feels like a documentary series Wallace would make were he to become a documentary presenter. The title sequence with the dream-bubble sequence feels well-suited to Wallace's personality; the kind of hare-brained/weird idea that Wallace would suggest for the title sequence of the show. It also maintains a good sense of continuity with the Wallace and Gromit shorts: for example, the title sequence features the getting-out-of-bed contraption from Curse of the Were-Rabbit. It's like you're actually watching a show by Wallace and Gromit - like this is their concept rather than anyone else's. This doesn't feel like a show from the mind of Nick Park, it feels like a show from the mind of Wallace.

Overall, Wallace & Gromit's World of Inventions is a low point for Wallace and Gromit. It has some strong points - in particular the stop-motion segments and the fact it feels like a show actually created by the characters themselves - but the live-action segments don't mix well with the stop-motion animation and the narrator of said sequences Ashley Jensen is patronising towards viewers. It's a shame they didn't go down the Creature Comforts route of setting everything within the stop-motion universe, with the audio recordings from the interviews synced with plasticine characters. It would have made for a more engrossing watch in my view and undoubtedly allowed for a more natural progression between Wallace in the studio and the documentary sequences.

3

DalekbusterScreen5

09-15-16, 11:10 AM

2012

It is weird to think four years on that many were convinced 2012 would be the end of the world. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's laughable how worried many of us were that the world would end. The conspiracy that 2012 was 'the end' all came from the rather tenuous link that the Mayan calendar happened to end on that year. The theory was that aeons ago the Mayans had foreseen a time where the Earth would die and their calendar stopping at 2012 was their way of signalling when it would happen. Of course, this all turned out to be a load of nonsense - otherwise we wouldn't be here now - but not before writer and director Ronald Emmerich (the director of the popular sci-fi film Independence Day) decided to create an apocalyptic film about it simply titled '2012'.

In 2012, American scientist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) discovers that the Earth's core is heating up and warns U.S. President Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover) of the instability of the Earth's crust, which could result in the end of the human race if the world isn't prepared. Meanwhile, writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) learns of the same information and tries to save his family - ex-wife Kate (Amanda Peet) and kids Noah (Liam James) and Lily (Lilly Curtis) - from apocalyptic disaster.

If there's one thing that this movie has going for it, it's the CGI. The CGI in this film is incredible, be it megatsunamis or massive buildings collapsing. It looks extremely convincing and feels like an accurate reflection of what the apocalypse would be like if it were to happen in real life. If the mayans saw anything, it wouldn't surprise me if they actually saw the movie 2012 and mistook it to be what actually happened in the year 2012. The visual effects company Hydraulx have provided some of the best effects ever to be seen in a movie and it's unfortunate that their talents are wasted on a sub-par movie.

The action pieces are expertly directed also. You can tell that Ronald Emmerich knows how to direct disaster movies; the action scenes with the natural disasters are intense and exciting, providing a few memorable moments in a movie full of forgettable scenes. I get the feeling with both this movie and Independence Day that Ronald Emmerich would be one of those directors who would benefit with having a shortage of money to play with as opposed to a massive film budget. He seems like someone who is easily distracted by the big money shots and consequently the character moments fall flat.

You see, my main gripe with the movie 2012 is the characterisation. This is an area that falls flat in the movie, as the script by Ronald Emmerich is weak and provides little reason for us to care about the characters. We are clearly supposed to care about Jackson's family but they feel devoid of personality; they are more like stock characters than ones who are properly fleshed out. Their lines consist of generic dialogue such as 'That guy's crazy. Right, daddy?' and 'So, now that you have your map, where are we going?'. Even the main character's dialogue is rather simplistic in nature, spouting lines including 'We're going to need a bigger plane.' and 'Get in the ****ing car'. Ronald Emmerich tries to add personalites through humour but the jokes often feel forced (especially 'Do you think you've changed since we separated?', 'I certainly eat a lot more cereal now').

This isn't helped by the poor acting- it's almost as though the actors realised the script was bad and couldn't be bothered with the film anymore. Even Chiwetel Ejiofor is bland as Adrian Heimsley and John Cusack sounds more like a robot than he does a human being. Amanda Peet's character is only really there for the romance angle and is instantly forgettable in the role. Then there's the child actors Liam James and Noah, who are perhaps the biggest pile of bland out of all the actors in the movie (which is saying something). I couldn't care less about them; in fact, I would rather see them die in the apocalyptic environment rather than survive. John Cusack as Jackson may as well have chucked them in the volcano in Yellowstone Park for all the difference it would have made to the movie.

This isn't the worst thing about the movie 2012 however. Earlier in the review I mentioned how the disaster sequences are great. Well, guess what? The best parts of the movie often take ages to pop up! The pace of the movie 2012 is so creakingly slow that majority of the time you find yourself bored waiting for something to happen. 2012 is a shocking two hours and thirty eight minutes long when really it only needed to be an hour and a half. There is literally no reason for this film to be the length of a Harry Potter movie; Harry Potter is a series known for its depth due to JK Rowling's famously long books so there was a reason for majority of the films to be nearly three hours long. Here there is hardly any depth to the characters never mind the plot, especially for a film so close to hitting the three hour mark.

Overall, 2012 is an over-long movie with a ridiculously slow pace and poor characterisation. The writing is terrible, with most of the dialogue feeling generic. The actors actually appear as though they couldn't be bothered to act in this movie - but who can blame them given how little they are given to work with? The only elements of this movie that can be recommended are the excellent CGI by Hydraulx and the perfectly executed action sequences. Action and CGI however does not (and never will) make a good movie. If you want a great disaster movie, watch The Day After Tomorrow. 2012 is a literal disaster...and not in a good way.

1.5

DalekbusterScreen5

09-17-16, 01:12 PM

Marco Polo (Telesnap Reconstruction)

For a while I have been wanting to review a Doctor Who serial that is completely missing but I have never been able to think up a satisfactory way of doing so. That's the reason for the delay of this review: I was desperate for my next review to be of a missing Doctor Who serial and spent some time trying to decide which missing story to review and what the review will be related to that currently exists. As the title says, I decided upon Marco Polo and after considering between reviewing the story represented in the DWM Special 'The Missing Episodes: The First Doctor' and the telesnap reconstruction (a picture slideshow of surviving images from the serial put to the surviving audio recordings) on 'The Beginning' box set I opted for the latter.

Marco Polo is arguably the most sought-after of Doctor Who's missing serials; it is the story pretty much every Whovian wants to see, be it animated (as with Power of the Daleks) or found. It follows the story of famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo's (Mark Eden) journey from Pamir Plateau in Asia to the Imperial Palace in Peking (China). The Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions Ian Chesterton (William Russell), Barbara Wright (Jaqueline Hill) and Susan Foreman (Carole Anne Ford) join his group of travellers - young Chinese woman Ping-Cho (Zienia Merton) and Mongol War Lord Tegana ( Derren Nesbitt) - when Marco decides to requisition his TARDIS as a gift for Emperor Kublai Khan (Martin Miller) in exchange for his freedom from working for the emperor and subsequently allowing him to return home.

Bizarrely despite the actual serial being nearly three hours long the telesnap reconstruction only lasts half an hour and as a result it doesn't quite work. A lot of scenes that would have featured in the serial are cut altogether and the entire reconstruction feels somewhat disjointed as a result rather than a natural representation of the story. I can understand why a three hour reconstruction may not be feasible but why not an hour, for instance? Or split it up by episode: half an hour reconstruction for episode one, half an hour for episode two etc... Half an hour simply isn't long enough for a story as big as Marco Polo: one that, let's not forget, has been adapted into both a film and two ten episode-long seasons outside of Doctor Who.

The half hour cut also means that the story tends to drag, as a lot of the action sequences featuring Mongol soldiers that would have been present in the serial are gone and 90% of the time you are hearing the voices of the characters instead. It makes for a very dull watch, especially when you can't actually see things like Tegana's numerous betrayals and Tegana and Ian's sword fight. You're relying entirely on the images and a lot of the time the telesnaps aren't that interesting. This is a missing serial that would benefit more from the animation treatment than it does from a telesnap reconstruction; it feels like one of those William Hartnell stories that is very visual in the way it is represented, in the same way that The Daleks wouldn't work if you couldn't see that sucker moving towards Barbara and all you had was a telesnap picture to go on. The first episode of An Unearthly Child on the other hand would work much better represented through telesnaps as the lack of a picture would reinforce the mystery of just who this 'Doctor' is (although I wouldn't wish for An Unearthly Child to be missing in place of Marco Polo).

To be there to those behind the telesnap reconstruction, they do try to make it more interesting. They add a neat graphic showing Marco's journey to the Imperial Palace on a map; a graphic that I would imagine isn't too hard to create given that you see it used a lot on shows such as Clarkson, Hammond and May's Top Gear but at least is an attempt to provide something different to telesnaps. It offers some variety for the visuals but it isn't quite enough to sustain your interest through the poor half-hour cut. Sadly I imagine many young new series fans who watch the Marco Polo telesnap reconstruction would be put off the story because of how slow the half-an-hour version is but I do think Marco Polo is a missing classic series serial with lots of potential.

The character of Marco Polo, for example, comes across as a very interesting historical figure. There's certainly something about him viewers seem to like, considering what I mentioned earlier about the movie and television series. From the way he is represented through the audio in the telesnap reconstructions he seems like a character who could one-up the Doctor; a very intelligent and authorative figure who also happens to travel in his own 'box' (in this case, a caravan), with his own companions by his side. Ping-Cho herself is very similar to Susan Foreman in that she is a bright if naive young woman with a close, possibly paternal relationship to Marco. You could even say Tegana is Marco Polo's Master before the character of the Master was even conceived. It seems possible to me that Verity Lambert and Sydney Newman were inspired by the travels of Marco Polo when coming up with the concept of Doctor Who. There are many similarities that can be drawn and it makes Marco Polo's story feel like a natural fit for Doctor Who's first celebrity historical story.

It sounds like a story that may have contained some of the show's best acting also. Mark Eden's take on Marco Polo sounds like it would be engaging if the visuals had survived and the main cast all sound like they gave strong performances. I even like what you can hear of Zienia Merton's Ping Cho; she sounds like a character who could have potentially been a Doctor Who companion had they decided to add another companion to the mix this early on to the story. I wish we were able to see the Doctor's game of backgammon with Emperor Kublai Khan as William Hartnell and Martin Miller sound as though they have a natural chemistry.

The sets look extremely lavish for the classic series too, especially in the first series of its run. It is surprising how much the telesnaps look like pictures for a film production than they do a television one. Marco Polo seems like a serial that if it still existed many would applaud for its production values, especially considering the shoestring budget of the time. Again, this is one of the reasons why it would benefit more from an animated reconstruction than it does a telesnap one. It still wouldn't beat actually seeing the episodes themselves though; it's unfortunate that this is all missing as I would watch it in a double heartbeat.

I mean, the story itself represented in other mediums such as the missing episodes DWM magazine I mentioned earlier show what looks like a hugely exciting story full of adventure, danger and peril. In other words, like all the best William Hartnell serials. I'm sure if this story existed it would be hugely engrossing to watch; probably more comparable to, say, BBC1's The Musketeers than the bore that was ITV's Downton Abbey. There's a common idea among certain sections of Doctor Who fandom that historicals are boring but whilst I don't think they would work in the new series, I think the classic series approached them in an interesting way. I would say the same for ITV's Victoria; I usually find period dramas boring but Victoria in my view is much more engaging than a bunch of posh ladies talking about first world problems whilst Lord Grantham serves them tea.

Overall, the Marco Polo reconstruction is a poor attempt at representing the classic missing Doctor Who serial that is Marco Polo. The half hour cut from three hours of audio feels haphazard with many important scenes left out. This makes it a bore to watch, with many exciting sequences having hit the cutting room floor in favour of the characters talking. Variety is added through the means of a map documenting Marco's progress during his journey across Asia but it is not enough to make it a compelling watch. I have a feeling however that if Marco Polo were to turn up, it would live up to its reputation among fandom as one of William Hartnell's most beloved stories. Marco Polo sounds like an interesting character and the sets in the telesnaps look extremely impressive. It also sounds like the serial boasts some incredible acting, with phenomenal chemistry between William Hartnell and Martin Miller. In other mediums Marco Polo is a far more entertaining story, so my advice to anyone interested in the serial is to avoid the telesnap and read the much superior DWM Special magazine The Missing Episodes: The First Doctor; it is a much stronger representation of the story and documents all seven episodes rather than attempting to cut it down to one piece.

Telesnap reconstruction - 1
Potential as a classic series serial - 5

SeeingisBelieving

09-17-16, 02:40 PM

For a while I have been wanting to review a Doctor Who serial that is completely missing but I have never been able to think up a satisfactory way of doing so. That's the reason for the delay of this review: I was desperate for my next review to be of a missing Doctor Who serial and spent some time trying to decide which missing story to review and what the review will be related to that currently exists.

It can be a bit difficult – I never completed my review of The Power of the Daleks and I read the script, listened to the soundtrack and looked at the telesnap reconstruction DVD. Of course now I think I'd have to also factor in the upcoming animation just for the sake of completism (or should that be obsession :p;)?).

Marco Polo is arguably the most sought-after of Doctor Who's missing serials;

The Power of the Daleks should be but Marco Polo has a fantastic reputation. It's the only missing story that I haven't listened to.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-17-16, 05:34 PM

It can be a bit difficult – I never completed my review of The Power of the Daleks and I read the script, listened to the soundtrack and looked at the telesnap reconstruction DVD. Of course now I think I'd have to also factor in the upcoming animation just for the sake of completism (or should that be obsession :p;)?).
The animation will be a lot easier to review. You should definitely go back and do it!

The Power of the Daleks should be but Marco Polo has a fantastic reputation. It's the only missing story that I haven't listened to.
I really wish the rumours that Marco Polo had been found when Enemy of the World and Web of Fear were announced as back in the archives had been true. I'd love to see Marco Polo as it is supposed to be seen.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-18-16, 12:41 PM

Grease Live

Many were impressed by America's latest attempt at a live TV musical - Grease Live - when it aired earlier this year. I'm not quite sure why. Here in the UK the show aired on the 3rd February in pre-recorded form on ITV2, which to be fair made Grease Live better than the other rubbish you typically get on that channel. Grease Live always had a hard act to follow in the original classic starring John Travolta, so I suppose it was never going to be as good - but that's not the reason why I didn't really enjoy it.

Grease Live follows the story of school student Danny Zuko (Aaron Tveit), who is surprised to see his Summer holiday romance Sandy Young (Julianne Hough) enrol at his school Rydell High. But will their romance be able to continue at the school? Or is Danny too concerned about maintaining his bad boy image for it to work?

Whilst the scope of the television movie is impressive, the illusion of the popular television musical movie is spoilt by a number of bizarre decisions made by the production crew in the making of this film. The first is the idea of having a live audience. This takes away from much of the levity from the scenes as you are too aware that it's not real; the production as a result becomes too self-conscious of its existence and it starts to feel more like a tribute show to the Grease movie rather than a production in its own right.

Then there's the addition of behind the scenes sequences; these consist of sections played before an ad break and actors walking between sets. I would have much preferred the behind the scenes sections relegated to a separate behind the scenes show as with ITV's The Sound of Music Live, which managed to slot one inbetween episodes of Coronation Street. It is too distracting from the plot of the movie and feels as odd as if the upcoming Marvel film Doctor Strange, for example, featured Benedict Cumberbatch interacting with the boom operator. Going behind the scenes is all very interesting but it doesn't work when slotted into a work of fiction - one of the reasons why I don't like DVD/Blu-ray commentaries is that it interrupts the storytelling of the movie and the same principle applies here.

The same can be said for the random performance by Jessie J of Grease Is The Word. Don't get me wrong, Jessie J is a great singer and has a very nice voice but how does it fit with the movie? It doesn't make the slightest bit of sense. Who is Jessie J supposed to be here? Is she a teacher? Why is she singing to the audience? Having Jessie J singing the iconic Grease song doesn't even benefit the movie. It just feels random and out of place, as though Jessie J was on her way to a concert and accidentally ended up at the recording for Grease Live. If Jessie J really wanted to be in this then they should have written a part specially for her; maybe she could have been a music teacher?

The most impressive thing about this film is perhaps the production design. The set design by David Korins is brilliant. It looks as though they filmed in a real school; the fact that it was a set is only obvious from the behind the scenes sequences. They even had a whole exterior set with a school building! Fox must have spent billions on the set creation; it feels so much like a real place, like this is a school you could actually visit. Corridors are re-created, there's a whole flipping carnival in one scene and the Frosty Palace American diner set is impressive.

The acting is also wonderful. The entire cast thankfully are strong singers, especially Aaron Tveit) and Vanessa Hudgens (Betty Rizzo) does an incredible job given her father had passed away on the day of recording. You can't tell that she is upset even though she will have obviously been feeling emotional during the shoot and her acting and singing therefore isn't affected by it at all. It is very brave that she still continued her role in the production as Betty despite the circumstances. Julianne Hough makes for a good Sandy, although certainly not as great in the role as Olivia Newton-John was in the original. She's probably the best they could have hoped for with a new Sandy as I doubt anybody would be able to compare to the original Sandy Young.

Overall, Grease Live was a production that had a lot of potential that was unfortunately spoilt by three poor decisions by the producers: the addition of a live audience, the random performance by Jessie J and the insertion of behind the scenes features into the broadcast. These all spoilt by the illusion for me that I have come to expect from TV movie musicals. Of course, it doesn't help that Grease Live aired only two months after ITV's outstanding Sound of Music Live,but having said that Grease Live as a production in its own right could have been so much better had smarter choices been made. The acting is very strong though and the production design by David Korins is definitely a highlight. It's as though they filmed in a real school rather than one mocked up in a studio; everything from the school corridors to the school's gym is very impressive and it is clear Fox pumped a lot of money into the production of this TV musical. Grease Live is nowhere near as good as the original but it can at least be appreciated for the production values and acting from all involved, especially Vanessa Hudgens after her tragic loss.

2

DalekbusterScreen5

09-19-16, 11:02 AM

The Unicorn and the Wasp

I am currently taking part in Movie Forums' latest Survivor game 'Murder Mansion', so I thought I'd review the episode where the Doctor solved a murder mystery: The Unicorn and the Wasp. The Doctor had suggested visiting Agatha Christie to his previous companion Martha Jones in Last of the Time Lords, so it was no surprise that the Doctor Who production team decided to follow this up in the next series. And it certainly doesn't disappoint. An Agatha Christie Doctor Who episode is just as good as you would expect it to be, full of murder, mystery and extremely enigmatic characters. In some ways, it is widely different to anything Doctor Who has done before. In others, it feels like perfect Doctor Who. It's a surprise this episode isn't considered a classic by more people as to me this is the quintessential David Tennant story and arguably one of the best celebrity historicals to date.

The Unicorn and the Wasp sees the Doctor (David Tennant) and his companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) arrive on the day Agatha Christie (Fenella Woolgar) goes missing. Soon they find themselves with Agatha in the middle of a murder mystery. Professor Peach (Ian Barritt) has been murdered and the Doctor, Donna and Agatha must find out who the culprit is. Was it the owner of the country estate Lady Eddison (Felicity Kendal), the young vicar Reverend Arnold Golighty (Tom Goodman Hill), the war veteran Hugh Curbishley (Christopher Benjamin), the jewel thief Ada Mullins (Felicity Jones), Arnold's brother Roger Curbishley (Adam Rayner), the butler Greeves (David Quilter), Roger's boyfriend Davenport (Daniel King), Indian woman Chandrakala (Leena Dhingra), cook Mrs Hart (Charlotte Eaton) or perhaps even the Doctor, Donna or Agatha Christie?

The Unicorn and the Wasp is a great deal of fun to watch; it is a story that plays to Catherine Tate's strengths as a comedy actor, providing many light-hearted moments. My absolute favourite has to be when the Doctor is poisoned and Donna is tasked with finding a way to shock him out of it. The scene is played perfectly with David Tennant and Catherine Tate, who know exactly how to play the exaggerated facial expressions needed to pull it off. Donna's shock being a kiss is hilarious and helps to enforce that this is a new series Doctor/companion dynamic where they're simply best friends travelling the universe as opposed to yet another romantic relationship. I loved the 10th Doctor and Rose Tyler together but overall I prefer the 'best friends' relationship between the Doctor and companion as in my view it is much more entertaining to watch and doesn't tire as quickly as the will-they/won't-they of 10 and Rose.

It helps that the pace is so well-plotted by writer Gareth Roberts; there is literally not one dull moment in this story. It rolls along at a rollicking pace and is hugely gripping from start to finish. The murderer never appears too obvious or too stupid; even though it is hard to guess who committed the murders when it is revealed the logic makes a lot of sense. It is not only a fun comedy episode but also a very strong murder mystery that nicely captures that sort of eery atmosphere of murder mysteries. If there's one complaint I'd have about this episode it's that I wish it was longer - and that's not really a complaint. If it leaves you wanting more, then it has done its job well.

The 'monster of the week' - a giant alien wasp known as the Vespiform - is also one of the new series' strongest CGI designs. The visual created by the Mill is absolutely fantastic and it actually looks like a real giant wasp. If I saw that outside my window in real life, I'd run five hundred miles...and then maybe five hundred more when it starts following me. Wasps are scary enough as it is but giant-sized they are terrifying. The sting from a giant wasp (or 'Vespiform') scarcely bears thinking about. 'Vespiform' is possibly among Doctor Who's most awesome names for an alien race too. It rings off the tongue nicely and feels right as the name for a species of giant wasps. I hope one day Big Finish bring them back for some new series audios as they deserve a return appearance. To me they are like the new series' Wiirn: a race that's obscure to anyone other than hardcore Whovians but are such an amazing concept that they deserve to be appreciated more.

Agatha Christie fans will be happy with Fenella Woolgar's portrayal of the famous author. She is absolutely brilliant in this episode and offers a very endearing portrayal of Agatha; she portrays the author with a fierce intelligence that could almost rival the Doctor's and the way they explain her mysterious disappearance is extremely clever. It's great the way certain new series episodes explore the mysteries surrounding certain historical figures and offer explanations within the Whoniverse for them; I imagine it sparks the imagination of many kids who watch the series and to me is something Sydney Newman would probably impressed by given that the original brief for the show was for it to be educational. The reason behind the disappearance may be fictional but many kids won't have even known she had disappeared before seeing this episode. I hadn't known myself as a 12 year old and therefore the show taught me that Agatha Christie disappeared in 1926 and turned up ten years' later with no recollection of what happened.

The way the episode plays with the idea of the bootstrap paradox most recently referred to in Under The Lake/Before The Flood in terms of Agatha Christie's books is also very impressive. The episode suggests that the adventures in this episode subconsciously inspired Agatha Christie to write Death in the Clouds and Donna also refers to the plot of Murder of the Orient Express to Agatha Christie, suggesting that she got the idea of the book from Donna (even if she can't remember doing so). This is another thing I like about the new series that the classic series didn't really do: the way it suggests certain ideas may have been influenced by the Doctor's travels through time and space. Donna may have had to have mentioned Murder of the Orient Express to Agatha Christie for it to have been written in the first place. It's such an inspired idea and one that works well with a show like Doctor Who where the lead character can visit any period of history.

This episode boasts the return of Christopher Benjamin (who previously played Henry Jago) to Doctor Who and whilst it's disappointing that he didn't reprise his previous role it is still great to see him again in this episode. Christopher Benjamin is very convincing as Hugh Curbishly and it is a wonder you don't see him more on television. Age shouldn't be an excuse for not featuring a certain actor if they are still fit enough to act and it is a shame that people of a certain age like Christopher Benjamin are featured so little. He does well despite being 80 years old to continue his acting career; he mainly records Big Finish audio dramas now but recently appeared in David Yates' latest film The Legend of Tarzan as Lord Knutsford.

Overall, The Unicorn and the Wasp is an incredibly fun and entertaining story by Gareth Roberts that deserves more appreciation than it tends to receive. The episode is extremely well-plotted, with a thrilling breakneck pace and the comedy performance from David Tennant and Catherine Tate is hilarious. It's also fun the way the episode plays with the real-life character of Agatha Christie, her mysterious disappearances and in-universe influences for some of her murder mystery books. The Vespiform is a very realistic work of CGI and it is great to see the return of Doctor Who veteran Christopher Benjamin, who still looks incredibly healthy for an 80 year old man. The Unicorn and the Wasp is perhaps the definitive David Tennant episode - it's funny, dark, fast and extremely energetic. Pretty much sums up Tennant's Doctor actually.

5

Optimus

09-19-16, 02:01 PM

Nice reviews mate. Add some pics tho mate, glam this thread up a little.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-19-16, 04:18 PM

Nice reviews mate. Add some pics tho mate, glam this thread up a little.

Thanks. Pictures is a good idea actually. I'll take your recommendation onboard.

SeeingisBelieving

09-19-16, 05:45 PM

Thanks. Pictures is a good idea actually. I'll take your recommendation onboard.

To be fair you have occasionally thrown the odd picture in when it was relevant :).

DalekbusterScreen5

09-19-16, 05:59 PM

To be fair you have occasionally thrown the odd picture in when it was relevant :).

That I have, but I am willing to add more.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-20-16, 11:16 AM

Juno

Pregnancy isn't perhaps the most obvious idea for a comedy. As somebody of the male gender it may be hard to know how hard it is exactly for women carrying a large bump in their stomach - especially for someone like the character in this film who doesn't want the baby in the first place - but I doubt it is the most pleasant of experiences. The pregnant comedy has been attempted before in the movie Junior, featuring a pregnant Arnold Schwarzenegger:

http://www.vokrug.tv/pic/product/1/e/0/0/medium_1e00811ada6149693886b6747107bc28.png

Unsurprisingly, it's generally considered a poor movie - on Rotten Tomatoes it has a score of 32% rotten. Juno, on the other hand, is a film that featured countless praise from the critics; upon release it was certified fresh on the Rotten Tomatoes site with a fresh rating of 94%. Personally I don't quite understand why the film has such a high amount of praise; it's an okay film but not the masterpiece many hailed it as.

In Juno, sixteen year old girl Juno (Ellen Page) finds herself in the middle of an unborn pregnancy and decides to take an abortion. However once she enters the clinic she quickly changes her mind and decides to have the baby regardless. As she doesn't want the responsibility of looking after the baby, Juno searches for suitable parents to raise the kid as her own and comes across husband and wife team Mark (Jason Batemen) and Vanessa Loring (Jennifer Garning). She agrees to provide a closed adoption for them but begins to feel strong emotions towards the baby's father Paulie (Michael Cera). Will she admit that she loves Paulie? Or will Paulie have to accept he and Juno will never become an item?

http://s5.favim.com/orig/140820/couple-ellen-page-juno-love-Favim.com-2010877.jpg

My main problem with Juno is that it doesn't quite work as a comedy. I rarely found the jokes funny and it seemed like the film would work better as a drama. This is a film with plenty of heart; it is a sweet, good-natured take on the issue of unplanned pregnancies at such a young age. It doesn't really feel like the kind of idea that should be a comedy to begin with; there's nothing particularly funny about a sixteen year old falling pregnant and I think a proper comedy would feel obtuse if one were to be attempted on the subject matter. It would be like creating a light-hearted musical about Jimmy Saville or a period drama where Adolf Hitler is portrayed as a war hero.

Another thing that doesn't quite work is the suggestion that Juno and Mark have a strong romantic affection for one another. This is a thirty eight year old man developing feelings for a sixteen year old! It's just creepy and so uncomfortable to watch, also proving to be a pointless sub-plot given that it is clear Juno is in love with Paulie anyway. It's fine showing them as friends with a lot in common but the moment they start hinting that they fancy one another is the part of the film where Juno completely drops the ball.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R5WS6_kmmTI/R769SdvsicI/AAAAAAAAFLI/lX2XKjQAn6E/s400/juno_1825.jpg

Another strange decision the film makes is to portray the character of Vanessa as sympathetic. We are supposed to feel sorry for her because her husband is a 'big kid' and clearly doesn't want the kid as much as her but if anything I felt more sorry for Mark when watching this movie (even if he is a creep). Vanessa comes across as an extremely pushy and self-centered woman and it is hard to see why a character like Mark would want to be with her. She won't even let him embark on a music career or watch VHS horror movies; instead he's confined to writing radio jingles. I sincerely hope that if I get married one day I marry a woman who lets me watch Doctor Who and embark on a writing career as there is absolutely no way I would let somebody take those things away from me. I would sooner divorce such a woman and tell her I'd rather chase my dream of writing television and film than be with her.

Juno is saved from being a 1 or entirely 2 star review by the excellent acting in the movie. Ellen Page is fantastic as Juno and I can't imagine anyone else in the role. You get the feeling that she has heavily researched the issue of teenage pregnancies as she helps the character of Juno feel 'real'. Jason Bateman is great at playing the inadvertently 'sympathetic creep' too and Jennifer Garning is good at playing the obnoxious wife. More than any movie, it's the acting that carries the film here and is, I suspect, the reason why it received such glowering reviews.

http://casuallycritiquingcinema.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/7/8/25788969/4402977_orig.jpg?387

The film has a very nice style in the way it is presented that feels unique to this movie. The opening has this quirky 'notebook drawing' aesthetic with the visuals that cannot be mistaken that feels like director Jason Reitman's (the son of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman) unique stamp:

http://cdn.artofthetitle.com/assets/sm/upload/m8/l0/zs/3i/juno_t2.jpg

It's a very smooth transition too, from live-action to a sketchbook drawing:

https://vimeo.com/5524430

It is certainly the best and most interesting way to present the opening credits, as opposed to the usual generic titles plastered over live-action footage you see in most movies.

Overall, Juno is a film with real heart and warmth, however as a comedy it falls flat. This is a movie that would work much better as a drama; a teenage pregnancy doesn't feel like an idea that's ripe for mickey-taking and the jokes are so careful to appear good-spirited that the humour feels somewhat forced. Then there's the odd suggestion that a 38 year old man has feelings for a 16 year old woman, which frankly is just creepy and not helped by the fact that you actually feel sympathy for this guy given how unfairly he is treated by his pushy wife. The film does have superb acting from all involved though and the way Jason Reitman makes the movie his own with a unique visual style in the opening credits is commendable. When you see the opening credits to this film, you know it's Juno and not, say, Junior - which I don't ever want to watch in my life as Arnold Schwarzenegger looks pretty terrifying with a pregnant bump.

http://artistviewblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Arnold-Junior-Belly.jpg

2.5

DalekbusterScreen5

09-21-16, 11:13 AM

The Girl Who Died

With director Ed Bazalgette announced for this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, I thought I'd take a look at the first episode he directed: The Girl Who Died. Much of the disappointment many have of this episode stems from the poor marketing of Series 9: Maisie Williams' character was hyped up to ridiculous proportions in the Series 9 trailer that many expected her to be an important character from the series' past mythology.

http://images-cdn.moviepilot.com/images/c_fill,h_245,w_245/t_mp_quality_gif/oo0ig7t1jdzbn8se9qq6/who-is-maisie-williams-playing-in-doctor-who-series-9-what-took-you-so-long-old-man-529672.jpg

The picture above is from the following episode The Woman Who Lived however without context it suggested the character is someone we should already have been familiar with. You can imagine then that many were upset when it turned out she was just an ordinary viking girl called Ashildr who happens to become important later on. This was one of a few problems I had with the same trailer - my other notable complaint is that to advertise it as the 'Same old, same old' (as 12 says in the trailer) was a silly mistake as it suggested to audiences that there was nothing new about this series of Doctor Who.

http://67.media.tumblr.com/748d027ec83eeaf86ee1d87689e88112/tumblr_nub0bccE6h1u1ok9so1_1280.jpg

It's a shame that the marketing spoilt the enjoyment of certain episodes as The Girl Who Died in particular is an episode that deserves a higher level of appreciation.

The Girl Who Died sees the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) arrive in a viking village, where they are confronted by vikings who subsequently destroy the Doctor's Sonic Shades. Much to the Doctor's surprise, Odin (David Schofield) is very much 'real' in this village and invites the viking warriors to the majestic hall Valhalla on Asgard. Clara and Ashildr (Maisie Williams) are taken with them and they find themselves onboard a spaceship, where Ashildr declares war on Odin and the advanced warrior race known as the Mire. With the warriors killed, the Doctor decides to train the farmers and local traders left to fight but it seems like his work is cut out when they appear to be completely useless.

The idea of the Doctor teaching the Viking traders/farmers how to fight is a very funny one given that it subverts the image you usually see on television of the Vikings all being fighters. In real life of course there would have been sections of the Viking community whose job was to sell livestock and plant crops; in fact, the warriors people are most familiar with were probably a very small part of who the vikings were. It is hugely entertaining therefore to see vikings who are unfamiliar with how to wield a sword become the warriors they rely on. It is The comedy is very well-directed by David Schofield and has a Dad's Army feel about it, where the Doctor assumes the role of Captain Mainwaring (a very fun performance by Peter Capaldi) and the vikings are 'stupid boy' Private Pike. There's a very British idea to the concept too, in that we are willing to see the underdogs overcome the threat and emerge triumphant over those who are much more likely to win. It possibly wouldn't have been as much fun with the viking warriors taking on Odin and the Mire but by giving the viking community what seems like a very thin chance of success the episode is undeniably a product of this country and not, say, America (who through BBC America co-produced Series 9 with the BBC).

http://nerdalicious.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Doctor-Who-The-Girl-Who-Died-T10-005.jpg

The Girl Who Died is possibly an episode that has a lot in common with the Key to Time serial The Pirate Planet. Odin is a character who reminds me a lot of the Pirate Captain from that serial: he has a very similar look and larger-than-life presence to the Captain and you have to wonder if Jamie Matheson was inspired by the serial when he wrote this story. The Girl Who Died doesn't quite reach the heights of The Pirate Planet but Odin is a very fun character that suits an episode like this aiming for a very light and comedic tone. I don't think he's a character with potential to return but as a one-off character he is huge fun to watch; it's a shame that Brian Blessed couldn't play the part as originally planned as this feels like the perfect character for him. I can see why they wanted Brian Blessed for the role:

https://www.thedungeons.com/london/images/in-page-slideshows/brian-blessed/large/brian-in-character.jpg

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/reehines/files/2015/10/ODIN.jpg

Unfortunately his alien army aren't quite as memorable. The Mire are just your generic 'Monster of the week' villains and display too many similarities to past Doctor Who monsters such as the Sontarans and the Draconians. I can't imagine the Mire will catch on the same way as, say, the Sontarans have since their first appearance in The Time Warrior and I can't even imagine Big Finish using them in their audio dramas. It doesn't feel like there's a lot that could be done with The Mire; their characterisation is pretty much non-existent and despite being an alien 'species' they have a more robotic feel to the way they move and interact. You never quite get the sense they are this big warrior race we're told they are either; they feel more like background monsters than anything else.

The way they are defeated is extremely clever though. The 'fire in the water' pay-off with electric eels is hugely satisfying after the build-up to the Mire fight and sees the Doctor use his vast intellect instead of just waving his Sonic Screwdriver around. In any other episode the other part of the solution with Odin terrified by a giant wooden puppet by Ashildr and Clara threatening to upload footage of the incident recorded on a mobile phone to a galactic video-sharing network wouldn't really work but in an episode like this that's clearly not intended to be taken seriously it is a strong conclusion to what is a very fun episode to watch. I like the use of the Benny Hill theme for example, even if it's a joke that you see coming before it happens.

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p035720h.jpg

What surprised me was how early the revelation of why the 12th Doctor has the same face as Caelicius was explained. At the time of broadcast it felt way too soon for it to be revealed in episode five of Series 9 and in hindsight I still believe it should have been kept back for Hell Bent. It's such a pivotal moment for this Doctor as it leads to him saving someone who goes on to inadvertently cause Clara's two exits (yes, she doesn't just have one exit but two - in the previous series counting the Christmas Special she left three times then came back). This time her last exit is permanent but it doesn't happen until the very last episode Hell Bent. It's disappointingly never explained why 12 also shares the same face as Frobisher from Torchwood: Children of Earth:

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/torchwood-john-frobisher-peter-capaldi.jpg

...although the best time for that to be explored would be for John Barrowman to return as Captain Jack.

Now onto the revelation of Ashildr: a moment that was built up to before the first episode of Series 9 even aired. Whilst Maisie Williams is amazing in the role of Ashildr, the revelation that she's just some random viking girl who is made immortal by the Doctor is ultimately disappointing thanks to the unnecessary hype surrounding the mystery of her character. I would much rather she had turned out to be a newly-regenerated Susan or Romana rather than a random girl from the past. It's a very unsatisfying reveal - the complete opposite of, for example, Missy as the Master in Dark Water/Death In Heaven the previous year - and I wish they hadn't hyped Maisie Williams' in Doctor Who up so much purely because of the Game of Thrones connection. If there's nothing we should know about the character, then don't make a big deal over her. Ashildr turns out to be a very intriguing character anyway and Maisie Williams has so much chemistry with Jenna Coleman (who is also brilliant in this episode) but there's no way her character should have been undermined by a fake mystery.

Overall, The Girl Who Died is a fun episode with some great comedy moments from Peter Capaldi and a viking community unfamiliar with sword-fighting. There's clear inspiration from The Pirate Planet; like the Pirate Captain in that serial Odin is a very fun antagonist who adds to one of the show's most light-hearted comedy episodes. It's nice to see the Doctor use his brains rather than a Sonic Screwdriver or Sonic Shades for once too; the conclusion with electric eels is very clever and one of the new series' best episode resolutions. Unfortunately the Mire is a very generic threat and the mystery surrounding Ashildr ultimately leads to a disappointing reveal that doesn't mean a great deal until later episodes in the series. The Girl Who Died is a very funny episode though that perfectly uses Peter Capaldi's comedy talent and features a pivotal moment for the Doctor where he discovers why he has the same face as Caelicius from The Fires of Pompeii (a moment that really should have been in the Series 9 finale Hell Bent).

4

SeeingisBelieving

09-21-16, 05:06 PM

This was one of a few problems I had with the same trailer - my other notable complaint is that to advertise it as the 'Same old, same old' (as 12 says in the trailer) was a silly mistake as it suggested to audiences that there was nothing new about this series of Doctor Who.

You're right. It sounds completely negative.

the Doctor assumes the role of Captain Mainwaring (a very fun performance by Peter Capaldi)

I thought that Capaldi would probably have been first choice for Frazer in the film version, but being in Doctor Who would have prevented that.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-21-16, 07:31 PM

You're right. It sounds completely negative.
It's like if Toy Story 3 had been advertised with the incinerator scene.

"This new Toy Story is rubbish so we're killing the toys..."* :D

*Of course, it wasn't. It was an absolute masterpiece and somehow managed to improve on Toy Story 2.

I thought that Capaldi would probably have been first choice for Frazer in the film version, but being in Doctor Who would have prevented that.
He's probably glad he wasn't in it in the end judging by the reviews.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-23-16, 11:32 AM

Toy Story 3D

It's hard to believe Toy Story is twenty years' old. It is one of those rare films that despite the advancement in technology and changes to society, it never shows its age. Toy Story is an animated classic that can be enjoyed by any age, from zero to one hundred and six. It is the Citizen Kane of CGI animation and certainly doesn't fall into the pit of many animated films of being strictly 'kids only'.

Toy Story tells the tale of toy cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), who - as Andy's (John Morris) favourite toy - is the leader of a group of toys living in Andy's bedroom. One day Andy is given a new toy for his birthday - 'Space Ranger' Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), whose many features including a karate chop action and retractable rings make him Andy's new favourite toy. Woody becomes jealous of Buzz's popularity with their owner and decides to knock him down the side of a desk using a table lamp. His plan goes awry however when the lamp instead sends Buzz falling through the window and Woody finds himself accused by the other toys of murder. Can Woody find Buzz and convince the other toys that it wasn't an attempt of murder?

One of the things I love about Toy Story is the character journey Buzz and Woody both embark on. Both have very strong character arcs and development and neither are the same at the end of the film as they were at the beginning of it. Woody goes from a self-obsessed sheriff consumed by jealousy to a loyal, selfless cowboy who is happy to let Buzz save himself from scary toy-torturer Sid (Erik von Detten), whilst Buzz starts as an arrogant, cocksure action figure who believes he is a real 'Space Ranger' to a vulnerable and depressed man who discovers the harsh reality that he is in actual fact a toy, finally ending with acceptance for who he really is. These toys don't feel like toys, they are real people who go on very real experiences: experiences of jealousy and disillusionment that many face in day-to-day life. Toy Story may be about toys that come to life but at its core it is a true-to-life story that many can relate to - and that's why it works so well.

http://i.imgur.com/KapOvRP.jpg

Of course, a lot of these themes are helped by Randy Newman's score. I know a lot of people complain about how Randy Newman's music tends to point out things which are obvious and whilst in some cases this can be true (his songs for James And The Giant Peach, for example) his songs for Toy Story in my opinion enhance the narrative more than they hinder it. You've Got A Friend In Me is a classic but many tend to forget I Will Go Sailing No More, a song that highlights Buzz's self-denial about not being a toy and help to up the emotional stakes for the character.

http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg472/Blu-news2/Screenshots/ToyStory02.jpg

If the scene where Buzz tries to fly doesn't plug at your heart string, then you're not human. The Toy Story series is full of many emotional moments and Buzz's self-denial is definitely up there. It's a scene with so much heart that it's impossible not to feel sorry for poor Buzz.

It's not all about tearful moments however. Toy Story is also a film with a great sense of humour. This is something that can be appreciated more when you go back as an adult and notice many jokes that went over your head when you were younger. One of my favourite lines has to be Woody's retort to Buzz 'The word I'm searching for I can't say because there's preschool toys present'. As a twenty year old it's obvious when watching this scene that Woody was referring to a swear word - my suspicion being the 'c' word. Then there's the hilarious moment Bo Peep says to Woody "Whadda ya say I get someone else to watch the sheep tonight?" - it doesn't take much imagination to work out why Bo Peep wanted somebody else to look after the sheep. Even the jokes kids will get, such as 'That's not flying. It's falling with style!' are genuinely funny, rather than the stupid potty-humour some animated films fall back on.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-11fnDF9t3LE/U2fqJ97fNiI/AAAAAAAAZWQ/1va4KdHsoQk/s1600/toys.png

Besides the humour, there are a great variety of memorable moments to be had. There's the iconic race to get to the moving van, for instance, where Buzz (with a rocket strapped to his back) is holding onto Woody with the RC Car.

https://i0.wp.com/caps.pictures/199/5-toy-story/full/toy-story-disneyscreencaps.com-8784.jpg

Then there's the scene where Woody reveals to Sid that he and the other toys are alive in an attempt to save Buzz from being burnt to cinders. I dread to think how messed up that kid became before he was hired as a binman:

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/n8WTPI63B73zKLIZ718GuA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/http://l.yimg.com/cd/resizer/2.0/original/vgXv4J6zwDZ-dzk69TiHtDdNmrY

That's what's great about Toy Story though: it knows it's a family movie but it's not afraid to add a few dark moments to the plot. It doesn't treat kids like idiots, it treats them as intellectuals. That's what all the best family films do: they play to the inner intelligence of children. Because children are clever and they don't require pussy-footing to understand serious themes.

It's also a film that gets the voice-acting spot-on. You can't imagine anyone else voicing Buzz Lightyear or Woody as the voices of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks are perfect for the characters. They are Woody and Buzz.

https://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2014/11/1505442_10152063381369130_582245883_n.jpg

Don Rickles is perfectly cast as Mr Potato Head too. His voice just sounds right coming from the character's mouth. Even Wallace Shawn as Rex, who arguably doesn't have as great a part as the other actors, is basically exactly how you would imagine Rex would speak. It's like every one of those actors who voiced these characters were meant to provide their voices for this film, almost as though it was meant to be. It's the lightning-in-the-bottle of animated films and there will never be one any more well cast than here.

I have owned this film on 3D Blu-ray for a while now and decided to give the 3D a go the other day. Well, let me tell you something: I don't regret owning the 3D Blu-ray at all. The 3D is more depth than popping-out-of-the-screen 3D but it is an incredible experience and actually manages to add new life to the movie. The 3D somehow gives it the feel of an animated movie released in the 2010s' rather than 1995. There's an amazing 3D sequence near the end of the film where it actually looks as though the snow is falling in front of you.

http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u446/Stormaggedon24/Screen%20Shot%202016-09-23%20at%2015.25.32_zpsa90ohami.png

If you have a 3D TV, it's well worth buying the 3D Blu-ray.

Overall, Toy Story will always be one of the greatest animated movies of all time. It's funny, it's heart-warming, it's exciting, sad, thrilling and has a dark undercurrent: everything a family movie should be. The film also boasts great character development for its lead characters with Buzz and Woody, who go on satisfying character journeys that fundamentally change the (toy) people they are. Every character in this movie is perfectly cast and Randy Newman's score is like the icing on-top of a plastic toy cake. I Will Go Sailing No More should really be regarded more fondly as one of Disney's best film songs, even if it's not as good as You've Got A Friend In Me. The film was re-released in 3D back in 2009 and I would definitely recommend grabbing hold of the 3D Blu-ray version. It is mainly depth 3D with a few pop-outs but it helps enhance the narrative of the film - and the 3D effect with the snow at the end is amazing.

5

nebbit

09-24-16, 01:35 AM

Nice review :up:

DalekbusterScreen5

09-24-16, 05:12 AM

Nice review :up:

Thanks. :)

DalekbusterScreen5

09-24-16, 09:02 AM

Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel

The latest issue of Doctor Who: The Complete History covers School Reunion, The Girl In The Fireplace, Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel and this year is also fifty years since the Cybermen's first appearance so today I thought I'd review the Rise of the Cybermen two parter. One of the interesting things about the Cybermen is how drastically their design evolves over their appearances in the show. Their Tenth Planet appearance, for example, is completely different to their look in The Moonbase:

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tenth_cyber_3548.jpg

http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u446/Stormaggedon24/cybermen_zpsvnzqaqto.jpeg

Their 'Cybus' redesign is arguably the most radical change for the Cybermen:

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/aliens/images/d/d6/Cyberman_cybus.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20111216141445

Because of this, many Whovians are not fans of the Cybus look - in my view, however, they are forgetting how it has always been a staple of Cyberman history for the look to fluctuate between designs.

Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel has a good reason for the Cybus design too. The story takes place in a Parallel Earth, where Rose's (Billie Piper) Dad Pete Tyler (Shaun Dingwall) is still alive and is a successful businessman running a health drink business called Vitex - a subsidiary of Cybus Industries. The TARDIS falls through the time vortex and crashes in the Void, rendering the machine lifeless as it is outside the universe where it can claim energy from the rift. Mickey (Noel Clarke) leaves the TARDIS and finds they are in a parallel version of London. Meanwhile, the Doctor manages to find a small part of the TARDIS that is still alive and gifts it some of his own life energy. Elsewhere, Cybus Industries leader John Lumic (Roger Lloyd-Pack) is working on an experiment to upgrade human beings into Cybermen...

First, I'm going to come out and say it: I like the Cybus Cybermen. I think the design by Peter McKinstry works extremely well for 21st century Doctor Who. It's cool, it's modern and it works within the context of the two parter. These Cybermen aren't our universe Cybermen, they are parallel universe Cybermen where they were invented by John Lumic. They look like somebody's invention too. Some Whovians tend to forget that the reason for the cloth face in The Tenth Planet is because the production values at the time were poor. They couldn't afford a design like the Cybus one - and if you put a cloth-faced Cyberman in front of the cameras today it would look ridiculous. Can you imagine a kid taking this seriously:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v698/mikeyb_137/TenthPlanet3.jpg

John Lumic is possibly one of the new series' best human villains too. He is absolutely despicable; an arrogant, cold and heartless businessman who ironically is not too brilliant to a Cyberman himself. He's pretty much the polar opposite of Pete Tyler and the exact kind of cruel man you could imagine inventing something like the Cyberman. John Lumic is played expertly by Only Fools And Horses actor Roger Lloyd-Pack and I cannot imagine anyone else in the role. When he becomes the Cyber Controller it is such a satisfying pay-off to his character.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a1/6e/5f/a16e5fdbe1f75ced8bd2f5a581722b7f.jpg

It's not all about returning to the classic era with the Cybermen however. The story is also hugely inventive with the way it represents a parallel London. There's zeppelins in the sky, the UK has a President and everybody wears ear pods (before ear pods came a thing - this is a parallel 2006). In many ways it reminds me of Back to the Future Part 2's optimistic take on 2015, although in this case we have a parallel version of what the present at that time could have looked like had we gone down another path. Then again: maybe that's what 2015 really is in Back to the Future Part 2? Maybe we are actually seeing a parallel 2015 Hill Valley? Nevertheless this is probably among Doctor Who's most inventive settings. The optimistic outlook on what a parallel world would look like is a lot more interesting than a dystopian one and it's fun to see Pete Tyler's previously mentioned get-rich-quick schemes actually come to fruition.

https://m0vie.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/doctorwho-riseofthecybermen3.jpg

Talking about fun, this is a Doctor Who episode with a great sense of humour. Writer Tom MacRae injects some great lines throughout, such as how the Doctor's line 'We fell out of the vortex, through the Void into nothingness. We're at some sort of no-place, a silent realm, a lost dimension...' is immediately followed by Mickey looking outside and replying 'Otherwise known as London'. Then there's the brilliant moment Rose discovers that in this parallel universe she is a dog, played with great humour by both Billie Piper and David Tennant (who are great throughout this two parter - David Tennant demonstrates EXACTLY why he is the best Doctor).

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/17/7e/3c/177e3cb255a24bd17268516f004aacfd.jpg

The second episode of the two parter, Age of Steel, even manages to do something better with the Cybermen than was done in the classic series. There's a great sequence that really highlights the horrors of Cyber-conversion, as you see how the Cybermen in this world are created:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwnbQfjkdkU

It is a very dark sequence with blades and pincers swirling around in the conversion chamber. This is a scene that wouldn't look out of place in a horror movie: a true hide behind the sofa element, even if they likely wouldn't have got away with it in the classic series without Mary Whitehouse complaining.

Speaking of the classic series, this two parter features a brilliant companion exit that feels like one you would get in a classic series serial. Noel Clarke's Mickey Smith decides to stay behind at the end of Age of Steel in order to help fight the resistance against the Cybermen, an exit which bares many similarities to Susan Foreman's exit in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. It's a companion exit that highlights his growth as a character: no longer is Mickey the 'idiot' from Series 1, now he's a full-grown hero. He's the underdog who against all those who doubted him has become a figure of bravery and nobility. Like the Doctor, neither cruel or cowardly. Mickey is perhaps the new series male companion with the most character development of them all. Over the course of series one and two you see him go on a real journey and Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel feels like a natural conclusion of that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpghGKjTkjw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvOJH3LoJh8

Overall, Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel is unfairly criticised for the redesign of the Cybermen but within the context of modern audiences and the story's plot it makes so much sense. The Cybus design is extremely effective and has a very modern, very cool look you wouldn't have got with a more faithful take on the Cybermen. This is a two parter that conveys the horrors of Cyber-conversion better than any Cyberman story that came before it; with John Lumic you've also got a villain who as with Tobias Vaughn in The Invasion is no more than a Cyberman himself, through the way he conducts his behaviour - unlike Vaughn, he even becomes one himself: a high-ranked Cyberman, no less, as the Cyber Controller. There's a wonderful sense of imagination and humour in this story's representation of a parallel 2006 London; seeing Rose as a dog is one of the highlights of the new series of Doctor Who. Mickey Smith's exit is also perfect for his character, demonstrating how he has gone on a more impactful character journey than any new series male companion that has followed after. No longer the 'idiot', Mickey is now a hero and the brilliant conclusion to his character is one of many reasons I would recommend this story.

Mickey would later return in Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel and The Stolen Earth/Journey's End but unlike Rose Tyler his return appearances do not detract from his original exit from the show.

5

SeeingisBelieving

09-24-16, 11:43 AM

many Whovians are not fans of the Cybus look - in my view, however, they are forgetting how it has always been a staple of Cyberman history for the look to fluctuate between designs.

My understanding is that many fans reacted against the extremely robotic nature of these Cybermen. Davies just took the Tin Man analogy a bit too literally in presenting them for a new audience, possibly an overreation in making them different to the Borg in Star Trek.

Some Whovians tend to forget that the reason for the cloth face in The Tenth Planet is because the production values at the time were poor. They couldn't afford a design like the Cybus one - and if you put a cloth-faced Cyberman in front of the cameras today it would look ridiculous. Can you imagine a kid taking this seriously:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v698/mikeyb_137/TenthPlanet3.jpg

I don't think the decision to use a cloth face was budgetary – I'm sure they could have run to a metallic mask if necessary, and in The Moonbase only months later the whole head was covered with a mask.

Also, on the subject of scariness, here's a great quote from around 2009 from Gallifrey Base member Beano:

The key to Cybermen, in my opinion anyway, is that you should feel sorry for them. They've gone wrong. Their story is almost entirely tragic. Their goal is simply to survive because that's all they have left of their humanity, the drive for survival. And they don't understand why people don't want to become like them, so when they are fought against they simply don't understand why and it's almost like pathos in the end.

I totally agree with this and it's also why my favourite Cybermen are the ones in Sword of Orion, just because of how they sound. The cloth faces were so appropriate because it evokes a surgical mask and the implication of surgery in their creation. That, combined with the emotional emptiness might not be scary for kids but I think it would stick in their imagination and make them think.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-24-16, 11:56 AM

My understanding is that many fans reacted against the extremely robotic nature of these Cybermen. Davies just took the Tin Man analogy a bit too literally in presenting them for a new audience, possibly an overreation in making them different to the Borg in Star Trek.
I'd say that's more a sign of the times though. In a world full of computerised devices it makes sense that the show would start to represent Cybermen as being more like robots. Plus they have the parallel universe angle to explain why they are different to the classic series Cybermen.

I don't think the decision to use a cloth face was budgetary – I'm sure they could have run to a metallic mask if necessary, and in The Moonbase only months later the whole head was covered with a mask.
I'm not so convinced, especially when the Daleks were going to have pincers but they resorted to suckers.

The cloth faces were so appropriate because it evokes a surgical mask and the implication of surgery in their creation.

I didn't think of that. That's a good point. I wonder if there's anything you could say the suckers on the Daleks evoke?

SeeingisBelieving

09-24-16, 01:41 PM

I'd say that's more a sign of the times though. In a world full of computerised devices it makes sense that the show would start to represent Cybermen as being more like robots. Plus they have the parallel universe angle to explain why they are different to the classic series Cybermen.

Yes it's a good point that devices and especially wearable devices were worth thinking about. The thing I don't like is that it was at the expense of really defining what the Cybermen are about, parallel universe versions or not.

I'm not so convinced, especially when the Daleks were going to have pincers but they resorted to suckers.

And yet they could afford the 'lamp' ray gun device and all the other metallic components for the Cybermen outfits :)? It's not always about financial compromise. They were supposed to have a proboscis coming out of their chests as well which would have looked really creepy.

The sink plunger on the Daleks is more of an argument, you're right. It might have been a technical consideration as well if it would be too costly to use pincers if they could spend the money elsewhere – plus, they didn't know the Daleks would take off like they did.

I'm just trying to think of some Hartnell robots or creatures that did have pincers – I'm sure there will be some :) – oh I know: the Mechonoids (kind of).

I didn't think of that. That's a good point. I wonder if there's anything you could say the suckers on the Daleks evoke?

Well with suspension of disbelief (i.e. not seeing it as something for unblocking the sink) a sensor of some kind. I quite liked what they did during the McCoy era with the cutout sections on the Imperial Daleks' suckers, allowing it to also act as a key to open doors. And obviously how they used it in Dalek was pretty good. In the Hartnell era they did a good job of alternating what the Daleks had on their sucker arm – geiger counters, cutting tools etc.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-25-16, 05:05 AM

Well with suspension of disbelief (i.e. not seeing it as something for unblocking the sink) a sensor of some kind. I quite liked what they did during the McCoy era with the cutout sections on the Imperial Daleks' suckers, allowing it to also act as a key to open doors. And obviously how they used it in Dalek was pretty good. In the Hartnell era they did a good job of alternating what the Daleks had on their sucker arm – geiger counters, cutting tools etc.

I do wonder how the Daleks change what is on their arm though. Do they use each other's suckers to swap things over?

Optimus

09-25-16, 06:03 AM

Nice review on Toy Story. I'm a big fan of the whole trilogy with number 3 being my favourite. My little boy also loves them, and has numbet 2 on repeat in our house all day.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-25-16, 06:45 AM

Nice review on Toy Story. I'm a big fan of the whole trilogy with number 3 being my favourite. My little boy also loves them, and has numbet 2 on repeat in our house all day.

Thanks. Toy Story 3 is also my favourite. It's rare when a sequel manages to beat the original but both Toy Story 2 and 3 manage to take the same themes from the first movie and improve on them. I never thought there'd be a better Toy Story film than Toy Story 2...how wrong was I.

SeeingisBelieving

09-25-16, 10:10 AM

I do wonder how the Daleks change what is on their arm though. Do they use each other's suckers to swap things over?

Do you remember in Death to the Daleks when the Doctor says "they're great technicians" – I think they've just got the mechanics down to a fine art, with all these things automated for them. If they need a temporary change they just have machines to swap the tools over for them. I'd forgotten about the machine guns actually – I liked that idea.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-25-16, 11:01 AM

Do you remember in Death to the Daleks when the Doctor says "they're great technicians" – I think they've just got the mechanics down to a fine art, with all these things automated for them. If they need a temporary change they just have machines to swap the tools over for them. I'd forgotten about the machine guns actually – I liked that idea.

I'd like to see them do something creepy with the replacement of the sucker one day, like in a future episode they replace it with the dead hand of the last person they exterminated. I don't know why they'd need a dead hand though.

SeeingisBelieving

09-25-16, 01:23 PM

I'd like to see them do something creepy with the replacement of the sucker one day, like in a future episode they replace it with the dead hand of the last person they exterminated. I don't know why they'd need a dead hand though.

That reminds me of the 'gory bit' in The Apocalypse Element

Where the Dalek cuts out a Gallifreyan eye to open the door

DalekbusterScreen5

09-27-16, 07:12 PM

Gravity

As part of this forum's 'Movie Chain' I was challenged to watch the 2013 sci-fi thriller Gravity, directed by legendary Harry Potter director Alfonso Cuaron. The film received glowering reviews from the critics and was the winner of numerous awards, including seven Oscars and a Golden Globe for Best Director. It is generally considered the Avatar of 2013; a film that combined effective 3D with strong storytelling. The version I watched was in 2D; a free copy I received through Google Play. Whilst I don't think it's as good as its reputation suggests, I still found it a hugely enjoyable movie - especially in comparison to many terrible modern movies such as Alvin & The Chipmunks and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Gravity sees biomedical engineer Doctor Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and her commander Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) performing a routine spacewalk to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Houston Mission Control warn them that a Russian missile strike on an abandoned satellite has created a chain reaction that has created a cloud of debri. They are advised to abandon the mission and return to Earth. The debri hits their space shuttle The Explorer and the Hubble Space Telescope, sending the pair tumbling into space. Will they survive? And most importantly, will they manage to return home?

http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/gravity-2013/homepage_Gravity-2013-1.jpg

One thing that I found surprising about this film was the horror element to the plot. There are two jump scares in the film involving dead astronauts, neither of which I ever expected. The make-up department have done a great job with the astronaut with a hole through his head; it looks extremely realistic - so realistic, in fact, that it is a wonder that the film managed to achieve a 12a rating instead of a 15.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/gravitymovie/images/4/47/Shariffcorpse.png/revision/latest?cb=20131226220808

Gravity is a film that many times reminded me of The Blair Witch Project; it may seem like an odd comparison to make - one's a found-footage horror, the other a thriller set in space - but to me the similarities are obvious. Both focus on the fear and paranoia of their respective female leads - in Gravity Ryan's terror of being lost in space, in The Blair Witch Project Helen's fear of finding herself lost in the woods - and are more about playing with that emotion than utilising a central antagonist as with most movies. In fact, in both films it can be argued the antagonist is the environment. It's the environment our protagonists have to conquer - that's their key to success.

Gravity is at its best when it uses sound to convey the horror and loneliness of space. Random cuts between music inside a space shuttle (for example) and the lack of sound outside (bar radio communications) help to create a convincing atmosphere that sells just how traumatic the experience of being trapped in space would be. This means when Ryan is later able to contact an Eskimo, we feel her joy at finally being able to hear something different. As with any film the music also plays a big part in telling us how to feel but often with Gravity it's the lack of sound followed by sudden music or new voices that convey a bigger sense of emotion.

http://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/gravity-sandra-bullock.jpg?w=680

The use of sound is nothing compared to the stunning cinematography however. Gravity is one of those movies that probably needs to be seen on a cinema screen to be fully appreciated; its CGI shots in space are absolutely breath-taking, creating an expansive vista that helps compliment some stunning cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki.

https://reelfreak.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/gravity-movie-review-space-2.jpg

In my opinion this is the best cinematography in any film I have ever seen and I am baffled that the university lecturers aren't showing it as part of the Advanced Cinematography module. It seems exactly like the kind of film the lecturers would not only admire for the storytelling techniques but also have a deep appreciation for for the sheer beauty of the shots that it is composed of. Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (a film that is being screened as part of the module) has great cinematography but nothing that can rival Gravity.

Many films would spend ages of exposition before they get to the jaw-dropping scenes in space - but no, not this movie. Gravity throws you straight in at the deep end, with the crew already in space. There's no messing about here. Gravity is the kind of film that gets straight to the point, allowing for a strong pace that eliminates many of the unnecessary padding some films can be the victim of. In no time at all, Ryan and Matt are at the Russian Space Station - in any other movie it would have probably taken them forty-five minutes to get there. It helps that this film is kept to a wise running time of an hour and a half, as opposed to the two hour standard of most recent movies. Sometimes ninety minutes is all that's needed to tell a good cinematic story - this is certainly the case with Gravity.

As with any film, it is helped largely by its cast. Both Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are amazing in their roles; it's worth noting that this movie is largely a one hander with Sandra Bullock, although like Peter Capaldi in Heaven Sent she is so good that you barely notice that she doesn't interact with anybody else on-screen for 90% of the movie. She has a certain amount of screen presence that an actor in a one-hander needs in order for it to work. Peter Capaldi and Sandra Bullock both have that presence - in fact, wouldn't it be great to see them in a film together? Whilst I would have liked to have seen more George Clooney, this is really Sandra Bullock's movie - her chance to shine.

https://drnorth.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/sandra_bullock__george_clooney_gravity.jpg

So how come I don't think it's as good as the critics made out?

Well, for two reasons.

The first is that the film feels too much like it was made to be viewed in 3D rather than a movie in its own right. Many of the shots come across as though they were made with the 3D effects made in mind and it hinders the viewing for anyone such as myself watching in 2D. One shot sees Ryan swinging around on the detached arm of The Explorer: a shot that would have looked amazing in 3D with Ryan coming out of the screen but in 2D comes across as gimmicky without the gimmick being present.

http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/gravity-trailer-boom02.jpg

From watching it in 2D, it seems as though I'm missing something - as though I'm watching a theme park ride without actually being on the ride. It's a shame because this movie would have the potential to be a five-star film had it been made so it could be experienced the same watching it in 2D as the impact would have been with the 3D visuals.

Another issue I have with the film is that the characterisation of Ryan appears somewhat sexist in its portrayal of a female astronaut. I get that she's supposed to be inexperienced and getting lost in space would be a terrifying ordeal but half of the time Ryan comes across as useless - especially when the other character is male and is a space veteran, thereby making the more experienced of the pair. Why couldn't Ryan have been the veteran and Matt the inexperienced one (although the casting would have to have been different)? Or why couldn't they have both been the same gender? In fact, there's a much simpler solution to this: have Ryan do something other than panic and flap her arms about in Matt's presence. The only time Ryan does anything remotely intelligent is towards the end of the film when she's trying to return home and uses a fire extinguisher to propel her to the Chinese Space Station.

Overall, Gravity is a wonderful film with great use of sound and possibly the best cinematography I have ever seen. It is impressive how the screenplay by Jonas Cuaron rather than opting for exposition to introduce the characters dives straight into the space setting. I also like how the plot takes inspiration from The Blair Witch Project in the way that it explores the fear and paranoia of being lost in space and utilises the setting as the central antagonist rather than introducing a moustache-twirling villain. The film is mainly a one-hander with Sandra Bullock, who has a great amount of screen presence meaning that you forget that she's the only character in 90% of the film. Unfortunately the film suffers from many of the shots being geared too much towards creating a compelling 3D experience, meaning many of the shots lose their intended impact in 2D. I'm a big fan of 3D so watching a film that was clearly made for it in 2D is frustrating when you can tell the shots were made with the medium in mind. The characterisation of Ryan also suffers, coming across like a callback to the sexism of the 60s rather than a modern female character. Overall, I would definitely recommend Gravity, even if certain factors let it down.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

09-29-16, 10:51 AM

Super Cafe: Who's A Hero

With the recent news that Canadian actor Justin Chatwin will be playing a superhero in the Christmas Special of Doctor Who, I wanted to review an already-existing piece of Doctor Who media where the Doctor meets one. I have yet to see 1968's The Mind Robber (Yeah. I know.) and the Doctor hasn't actually met any superheroes in post-Mind Robber stories, comics, or memorabilia....apart from LEGO Dimensions (which I will review at a later time) - and the brilliant episode of YouTube series Super Cafe 'Who's A Hero'.

Super Cafe is a regular YouTube series featuring Superman (Daniel Baxter) and Batman (Daniel Baxter) hanging out in a cafe, where they discuss their superhero exploits and, most recently, Batman's version of Pokemon Go known as 'Batman Go', which helps him track down criminals in Gotham.

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For Doctor Who's 50th anniversary in 2013, the YouTube channel behind the Super Cafe series - How It Should Have Ended - decided to release two videos in celebration: How Doomsday Should Have Ended starring the 10th Doctor and Who's A Hero, featuring the eleventh Doctor.

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Super Cafe sees the Doctor (Daniel Baxter) hanging out with Batman (Daniel Baxter) and Superman (Daniel Baxter), where they discuss various subjects including the events of the Doctor Who Series 7 finale Name of the Doctor and why the Doctor couldn't save Krypton.

Whilst I don't think it's as good as Super Cafe's past episodes, it is still one of the funniest videos on YouTube. Batman's visit to the TARDIS to ask Clara if she wants to know his secret identity is hilarious, as is his insistence that he would have saved Amy and Rory from the Weeping Angels. The Doctor's putdown of Superman's offer to help him defeat the Daleks is also a very memorable moment; he tells Superman it is hard to snap a Dalek neck given that they don't have one, referencing Clark Kent's controversial murder of General Zod in The Man of Steel.

The animation is also of a much higher standard than many other animated shorts on YouTube. The amazing thing about the HISHE animations is that they feel like a hugely professional production, despite how (as with everything on the video sharing site that isn't a trailer or advert) they are made by a group of amateurs. You could imagine this being broadcast on, say, ITV2 or Cartoon Network. The movement of the characters may be limited but they are drawn to such a convincing style that you tend to forget that all they're really doing is sitting and occasionally moving their hands.

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It is unfortunate however that voice-artist Daniel Baxter can't quite get the 11th Doctor's voice right. Whilst it is impressive how he manages to make each character sound distinctive and different from one another the Doctor doesn't sound like the Doctor in this incarnation. In fact, he sounds more like Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka and it is distracting combined with the 11th Doctor's animated body (which bears a very strong resemblance to Matt Smith). It feels like rather than trying to copy Matt Smith's speech patterns Daniel Baxter instead opted to voice him as a generic eccentric character. It is disappointing considering Batman and Superman both sound perfect but hopefully the Super Cafe series will return to the eleventh Doctor in future so he can have another chance at trying to get the right voice (although if the Doctor does return to the Super Cafe, I would imagine it would be as the 12th Doctor this time).

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Who's The Hero does miss a few tricks also; for example, when Superman asks the Doctor why he didn't save Krypton, why doesn't Batman then question why he doesn't go back in time and save his parents? The Doctor is a time traveller, from their point of view he should have the power to bring Bruce Wayne's parents back from the grave (even though we know that wouldn't be possible because their deaths are likely a fixed point in time) so it seems strange that Batman is more bothered about saving Amy and Rory. Also: why doesn't Clara speak at the end of the video?

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It's strange how she just stands there, especially when Clara is probably the Doctor's most talkative companion. Why doesn't she comment on the fact that Batman's in the TARDIS? It's flipping Batman! Clara says more when you save her in LEGO Dimensions than she does in this video...and she only has one line in that. I am sure HISHE could have hired a voice actor for Clara Oswald, even if it were someone who sounds nothing like Jenna Coleman. The eleventh Doctor doesn't sound like the eleventh Doctor here anyway.

Overall, Who's The Hero may not be as good as the other Super Cafe videos but it still makes for a very entertaining watch. Batman's obsession with how the Doctor didn't save Amy and Rory is hilarious, even if it seems weird that he cares more about the Doctor's inability to save them rather than his own parents. The animation is also top-notch, above the rest of the animated videos on YouTube - even if the characters' movements in them appear restricted. Whilst Daniel Baxter does a good job of voicing Batman and Superman, however, he clearly struggles with the eleventh Doctor and provides too much of a generic eccentric voice rather than something that strictly sounds like Matt Smith's incarnation of everybody's favourite Time Lord. It's also odd how Clara doesn't speak in the scene where Batman enters the TARDIS; for arguably the Doctor's gobbiest companion you would think she'd at least comment on Batman in the TARDIS console room - this is the same Clara Oswald who would later fangirl over meeting Robin Hood, for crying out loud! Surely she'd have something to say about meeting Batman? Who's The Hero is definitely worth a watch but don't expect it to be as good as other entries in the Super Cafe series.

3

DalekbusterScreen5

10-05-16, 03:44 PM

Dalekbuster Screen 5 Reviews is now on Facebook:

http://dalekbusterscreenfivereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/dalekbuster-screen-5-is-now-on-facebook.html

SeeingisBelieving

10-07-16, 03:49 PM

DalekbusterScreen5

10-08-16, 10:55 AM

This year's Doctor Who Christmas Special is The Return of Doctor Mysterio, featuring a "comic book superhero". Initially I thought they were talking about a real comic book character but this seems to be a bit like the Ninth Doctor audio Night of the Whisper. Not crazy about the name, given that I just think of Mysterio the Spider-Man villain, and there's an obvious pun on 'Doctor Who' into the bargain.
Yeah, I don't like the title. Like 'The Husbands of River Song', it feels a bit tacky - almost as though Moffat couldn't think of a title to call it and just named it the first thing that came to his mind.

I quite like the idea itself but it seems a bit late to the party given the wealth of comic book revivals we've seen recently, especially on TV.
To me it seems like a bizarre thing to do at Christmas, especially in a year where this is the only episode to air. I would have rather seen the Doctor and Captain Jack have a Christmas reunion - in fact, they could have just called it 'Christmas Reunion' and made it a spiritual successor to School Reunion. Christmas is about family and Jack is like a part of that given how he served as a companion and is sort of like a modern Brigadier, so it would have felt more festive.

SeeingisBelieving

10-08-16, 10:59 AM

Yeah, I don't like the title. Like 'The Husbands of River Song', it feels a bit tacky - almost as though Moffat couldn't think of a title to call it and just named it the first thing that came to his mind.

Tacky's a good description.

To me it seems like a bizarre thing to do at Christmas, especially in a year where this is the only episode to air. I would have rather seen the Doctor and Captain Jack have a Christmas reunion - in fact, they could have just called it 'Christmas Reunion' and made it a spiritual successor to School Reunion. Christmas is about family and Jack is like a part of that given how he served as a companion and is sort of like a modern Brigadier, so it would have felt more festive.

I think you're right, it probably should have been at least a one-off return for Jack.

DalekbusterScreen5

10-08-16, 11:19 AM

I think you're right, it probably should have been at least a one-off return for Jack.

I think a one-off is all anyone wants for Jack in the Moffat era. I'd be fine with Jack just appearing once in the Chibnall era too, so long as he appears.

SeeingisBelieving

10-08-16, 01:02 PM

I think a one-off is all anyone wants for Jack in the Moffat era. I'd be fine with Jack just appearing once in the Chibnall era too, so long as he appears.

Yeah, I don't think anyone expected the Master to turn up in Moffat's run either (I'm saying that through gritted teeth :p).

DalekbusterScreen5

10-08-16, 03:32 PM

Two & Two

Directed by Iranian director Babak Anvari, Two & Two in my opinion has to be one of the best short films ever made. At only six minutes long, it is the ultimate proof that it doesn't matter how long a film is so long as it tells the narrative compellingly in its running time. Two & Two tells its story better than many films that take two hours and a half to tell theirs (I'm looking at you, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen). Unsurprisingly the short film was nominated for a BAFTA in 2011 for 'Best Short Film, where disappointingly it lost to Pitch Black Heist (directed by John Maclean).

The film takes place during a Maths lesson at a school in Iran. The teacher (Bijan Daneshmand) begins to scribble a familiar sum on the blackboard - two plus two - however instead of teaching that it equals four, the school kids are told that the answer is five and are instructed to repeat the (wrong) answer. One kid (Ravi Karimi) rebels against the teacher, refusing to learn that two plus two equals five when he knows the answer is four. The teacher refuses to back down and brings in a group of older students to reinforce his teaching.

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One of the things I love about this short is its extremely powerful allusion to Iran dictatorship. The entire short is basically a metaphor for the Iranian army and the country's powers-that-be and the way that it tells that metaphor is extremely clever. One scene shows the older students use their hands as guns; whilst that may sound silly, in context it is actually extremely unsettling and highlights the horrors of life in a country run by a dictatorship. Then there's the central concept of 'two plus two equals five'; by using a sum everyone is familiar with and knows the answer to it successfully evokes its message in a simple and thought-provoking way. We all know two plus two equals five so when we see children forced to learn it we are made to question whether because a figure with the most authority in a certain scenario says something is correct if it necessarily makes it 'right'.

Then there's the sheer simplicity of the short film. There's no fancy cinematography, no multiple locations...it's simply just a group of schoolchildren in a maths lesson with a teacher. Many may read this and think 'Wow, that doesn't sound very exciting' - but it's the mundanity of the location that makes it relatable. Two & Two is essentially a story that relocates the political situation of Iran into an environment that we all have had to sit through at some point. Everything that happens in the narrative is at a very human, very grounded level and this helps to evoke a bigger sense of shock at the events which unfold over the course of the film. Who hasn't known - or even been - that kid in the classroom who challenges the teacher? Who hasn't known that stern, by-the-book type of teacher who won't take any nonsense from his pupils? Sure, the teacher in this case may be crueller than your standard battleaxe but it is still something we can all relate to with our school experiences.

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It is a short that's extremely well-directed by Babak Anvari. The way that the older students come in draws direct parallels to the way a soldier would stand to attention - and that's all thanks to the way Babak Anvari has blocked them to walk in, arms behind back as though its the teacher's army awaiting orders. The motion where the students then pose their hands as though firing shot guns is also very slick; everything has clearly been very well-rehearsed before shooting. It's not your simple 'two fingers to represent a gun' either; they actually mime holding a gun and focusing on their target to aim. It's remarkable how precise and to-detail everything is.

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This is all complemented by the excellent use of sound. The way the sound of gunfire for example is juxtaposed with the hands of the older students help makes the aftermath of the short all the more powerful and the decision to have composer Gavin Cullen's music only during the credits of the film means the focus is kept primarily on the shock of the events in the classroom whilst also emphasising the mundanity of a maths lesson. This ongoing conflict with the mundane and the sinister two plus two is five situation creates a sort of irony to what is supposed to be a place of learning. This school is no more an educational institution than it is a prison, the maths lesson being more a mindless brainwashing session than actual teaching.

Two & Two has no major actors but that is probably a good thing, as it would arguably distract from the plot if, say, Gary Oldman was playing the teacher and Tom Holland the student. Instead the parts are played by Iranian actors and it feels more authentic for it. Every one of the actors does a great job, from the older students to the kid at the end who scribbles the number five from his book. By far the best actor is Bijan Daneshmand as the teacher. He has a real disturbing quality not dissimilar to Alan Rickman as Professor Snape and you get the impression that he is the last teacher you would want to get on the wrong side of. Bijan Daneshamnd's teacher is cold, menacing and extraordinarily creepy - the most hatable, nightmarish teacher you could possibly imagine. He's the worst person you could have teaching a boring and sometimes frustrating subject like Maths...and not just because of the way he insists that two plus two doesn't equal four (although admittedly that does make him a poor teacher - what would Ofsted think?).

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Overall, Two & Two is one of those short films you absolutely have to see. It is a storytelling masterpiece, masterful in the way it keeps its elements simplistic and uses the combination of picture and sound to represent the horrors of countries run by dictatorships. Babak Anvari has made the wise decision to set it all within a classroom - a situation we can all relate to. The acting is very strong, especially Bjan Daneshmand who is basically Two & Two's Professor Snape. Many directors should take note that you don't always need two hours and a half or three hours to tell a good story: sometimes all you need is six minutes. In those six minutes, Two & Two makes a bigger impact than any of Michael Bay's Transformers movies and showcases exactly what the cinematic medium can do in the right hands - and Babak Anvari is certainly one of those 'right hands'.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

10-19-16, 06:09 PM

Moving In

Doctor Who comics have a long history of introducing their own companions. It started with John and Gillian in TV Comic, grandchildren of the Doctor who travelled with their grandfather during his first and second incarnations.

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Most recently in Titan Comics' Doctor Who line, the tenth Doctor has gained two new companions (Americans Gabby and Cindy), the eleventh Doctor is travelling with a librarian called Alice and the 12th Doctor has picked up a future rocker called Hattie.

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The main magazine - Doctor Who Magazine - hasn't however done it for a while. They have had comics companions before - most notably shape-shifting penguin Frobisher - but recently they have tended to focus on the television companions. It therefore makes a change to see DWM use the gap between Doctor Who series to create their own companion for the Doctor - 1972 college student Jess, who previously helped the Doctor and then-companion Clara defeat the vampire Corvids in The Highgate Horror.

Moving In sees the Doctor's TARDIS no longer operational, taking time to recover after the events of the previous issue (which I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't read The Petsilent Heart). This means the Doctor needs somewhere to stay - fortunately for him he is invited to stay by the Collins family: Jess Collins, her young brother Maxwell, father Lloyd and mother Devina. The Doctor not being used to settling down to a normal life, a number of hijinks ensue - and there are a few nice heartwarming moments along the way.

If it sounds like the story borrows heavily from The Lodger, that's because it does. The story doesn't feel particularly original, especially when DWM's comic strip Lodger was the inspiration for the TV Lodger in the first place. It also doesn't help that we've seen the Doctor try to adjust to normal life quite a few times during the Moffat era - not just in The Lodger, but also Closing Time, The Power of Three and most recently The Caretaker. What started off as an original idea has become something of a trope; something that fandom almost expects.

Something the comic strip does do, however, is approach it in a different way to the other stories. Moving In focuses on the Doctor's relationships with each member of the family separately and it's nice to see the focus isn't just shifted onto the Doctor and Jess. Each member of the family gets his or her fair share of comic strip panels and it feels like you get to know the family better than if the magazine had opted for an invasion story. There are some funny moments - the Doctor trying to spice up Devina's dinner, for instance - but equally there are some touching ones - the Doctor's conversation with Maxwell.

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The most impressive thing is how the comic strip manages to keep your interest despite how it's actually a relatively uneventful issue. There's no alien invasion, no Master, no Daleks...just the Doctor adjusting to life with the Collins. It never feels particularly slow, nor do you find yourself missing the alien plots. It works a lot better than it should, even though it is essentially a breather from past events in the magazine's comic strip. The following issue (which I will review sometime at a later date) is back to business as usual, of course, but I could easily read another issue like this.

In some ways Moving In is a call-back to the UNIT era: the Doctor is unable to use the TARDIS (again), he's trapped in 1970s London (again) and he's (once again) clearly itching to leave. It's a fun to see a new series Doctor in a similar situation to the third Doctor and rather fitting that it has been done with the new series Doctor with perhaps the most similarities to the third Doctor. I hope DWM keep the 12th Doctor stranded on Earth until the Series 10 debut as it would be nice to see the Doctor kept out of his comfort zone for a while. It's something that they will almost certainly never do in the main series again.

I also prefer Jess as a companion to Titan Comics' Hattie; she feels more fully developed and less like a character created simply to fill the void between Series 9 and Series 10. Hopefully Jess won't be written out of the strip permanently and we'll get to see her return as companion when Pearl Mackie's time on the show comes to an end.

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Overall, Moving In may not be a very original comic but it does approach 'The Doctor living a normal life' story in a different angle to TV stories The Lodger and The Power of Three. This issue is more of a character driven one than in DWM's previous comic strips, meaning no alien invasions. Impressively it still manages to hold the audience's interest however and the Doctor being stranded on Earth is a nice call-back to the UNIT era of the show. Here, the Doctor's family isn't UNIT but rather the Collins - and new companion Jess is a much stronger companion than Titan Comics' Hattie. Moving In is well worth a read; just don't get too distracted by the obvious similarities to The Lodger.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

10-24-16, 07:05 PM

Class: For Tonight We Might Die

There have been a few Doctor Who spinoffs over the years, from 1981's K9 And Company to 2006's Torchwood. None, however, have featured as tenuous a link to the main show as Class. Class's connection to Doctor Who is simply the coincidence that it takes place in the same school that the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman was a student at back in 1963: Coal Hill School, now known as 'Coal Hill Academy'. Since 1963, the Doctor has worked as the school's caretaker and his most recent companion Clara Oswald was an English teacher. Given that it takes place after Clara's exit in Series 9, she doesn't make an appearance; bar the Doctor's guest appearance, there's no equivalent to Captain Jack, Sarah Jane or even K-9. It's not your traditional spinoff...but in some ways it being a spinoff actually becomes an issue for the show's first episode. More on that later.

Class follows a group of four students - Ram (Fady Elsayed), Charlie (Greg Austin), April (Sophie Hopkins) and Tanya (Vivian Oparah) - who along with their Maths teacher Miss Quill (Katherine Kelly), are tasked with protecting Secondary School/Sixth Form Coal Hill Academy from alien menaces who come through a tear in time and space. In their first episode, the Shadow Kin (Paul Mark Davis) gatecrash the school prom and when Miss Quill and the students struggle to deal with the alien menace Miss Quill is left with no option than to call in the Doctor (Peter Capaldi), who assigns them with the job of protecting the academy in his absence.

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When the spinoff was announced, I had no idea what to expect. It sounded like a pointless idea for a Doctor Who spinoff and I was bemused as to why they weren't doing a Paternoster Gang show instead. Having watched the first episode however, I found it a surprisingly addictive experience. There's a lot to love about this show and in some ways it is actually better than The Sarah Jane Adventures. As much as I liked the Bannerman Road Gang, the Class kids feel more like realistic characters. If you compare Charlie to Luke, for example, Charlie is a much more compelling character and is generally portrayed better by Greg Austin than Luke was by Tommy Knight. Tommy Knight was okay but at times (especially early on) he could be pretty wooden. No such problems with Charlie, who is wonderfully endearing and one of the Whoniverse's best alien characters.

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The standout of the Coal Hill students is by far Sophie Hopkins as April however. April feels exactly like the kind of quiet but caring character you would often encounter at school/sixth form. I love the way we get to see her frustration on never getting listened to, for example, when she tries to warn the students at the prom of the impending danger (even if it would have made far more sense for her to set off the fire alarm). I can totally imagine somebody like April doing that in real life. Fady Elsayed is also good as Ram but unfortunately it doesn't feel like we get to know him as well as we do April; it doesn't help that his girlfriend is given barely any screentime - so when a later scene comes where his girlfriend becomes a victim of the Shadow Kin we don't understand or care why he's so upset at recent events.

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Impressively the show boasts Katherine Kelly among its lead cast - and she's just as good as you would expect her to be. Miss Quill has a lovely sense of sarcasm with her students and Katherine Kelly ingeniously portrays her like Professor Snape from the Harry Potter films. You get that same sense from the writing and acting that you never quite know whether you can trust Miss Quill - she is definitely one of the Whoniverse's most complex characters in that regard and it would be fun if we ever get to see her alongside the Doctor in the main series. An episode with the Doctor, Quill and Missy would be perfect...

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...especially if it was written by Patrick Ness, whose writing here is outstanding. It is incredibly poetic and directly echoes the kind of dialogue you read in Young Adult novels (hardly a surprise given Patrick Ness is a novel writer first and foremost). For Tonight We Might Die seems like the kind of episode people expected from Frank Cottrell Boyce with Doctor Who Series 8's In The Forest Of The Night. It would be crazy if Patrick Ness is never brought onboard to write a Doctor Who episode after his debut writing his spinoff series.

The visual effects for the Shadow Kin by Milk are also very impressive, given the relatively low budget. Unlike the main show, this series has been made for BBC3 Online and as such the series is working on what will be a very minuscule online budget. You honestly can't tell watching the show that it does have a smaller budget than Doctor Who though; the Shadow Kin could easily appear in the main series without anybody telling the difference in comparison to, say, the Vashta Nerada.

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Which brings me back to my point earlier on the show being hindered by it being a spinoff to Doctor Who. You see, the premise of the Shadow Kin is strikingly similar to the Vashta Nerada from the Doctor Who Series 4 two parter Silence In The Library/Forest of the Dead. Both monsters are shadows that kill their victims; this wouldn't be a problem if Class wasn't a part of the wider Whoniverse - no idea is completely original - but these similarities become more obvious when you realise the introduction of the Shadow Kin means that there are two monsters that involve killer shadows co-existing in the same universe. If this show really had to be a Doctor Who spinoff, then Patrick Ness would have been better off simply using the Vashta Nerada as the episode's monster-of-the-week rather than trying to create the same concept from scratch.

Then there's Peter Capaldi's cameo as the Doctor. Whilst Peter Capaldi is as awesome here as he was throughout Series 8 and 9, his appearance in Class is too distracting from the episode's plot. He just randomly shows up towards the end of the episode, with a clumsy flashback to an earlier scene indicating that he was responding to Miss Quill's call for help. Class doesn't need Peter Capaldi to show up as the Doctor - at least not yet, anyway. In The Sarah Jane Adventures, the Doctor didn't show up until episode five of Series 3 - The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith episode one. The first episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures - Invasion of The Bane - was quite simply setting up the show's format and introducing us to the characters of Maria and Luke. That's what Class's first episode needed to be. Class shouldn't even be a Doctor Who spinoff: it should be a totally original Young Adult sci-fi drama as at the moment, that's what the show feels like.

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Overall, For Tonight We Might Die is a strong first episode for Class with great performances from the show's lead cast. At the moment Sophie Hopkins as April and Katherine Kelly as Miss Quill look to be the standouts, however Greg Austin is good as Charlie too. Unfortunately the episode is let down by its connection to Doctor Who; Class feels like its own show rather than a Doctor Who spinoff and would be much more successful if not connected to the wider Whoniverse. The Shadow Kin's similarities to the Vashta Nerada would be less obvious for a start and Peter Capaldi's cameo feels forced, as though writer Patrick Ness felt required to include it rather than adding the scene because it worked for the narrative he was trying to tell. Patrick Ness's dialogue is nicely poetic though and the visual effects for the Shadow Kin are outstanding for a low budget online sci-fi series. Class's first episode is well worth a watch - but would be a better watch if the Doctor Who connections didn't feel quite so forced.

4

SeeingisBelieving

10-25-16, 08:33 AM

Class: For Tonight We Might Die

Didn't even know it had started, so quality advertising there from the BBC.

The Shadow Kin do look good – actually from the artwork (is that artwork?) they also resemble the Pyroviles from The Fires of Pompeii.

And Quill is a very leading name to give a character in a Doctor Who spin off, isn't it :) ?

DalekbusterScreen5

10-25-16, 02:23 PM

Didn't even know it had started, so quality advertising there from the BBC.
Yeah, the first two episodes are on BBC3 Online now. They should have made it a BBC1 Show in my opinion.

The Shadow Kin do look good – actually from the artwork (is that artwork?) they also resemble the Pyroviles from The Fires of Pompeii.
When I saw them in the trailer, I honestly thought they were Pyroviles. In the episode they definitely bare more similarities to the Vashta Nerada though.

And Quill is a very leading name to give a character in a Doctor Who spin off, isn't it :) ?
Yeah, it's a very Who-esque name.

SeeingisBelieving

10-25-16, 02:27 PM

Yeah, the first two episodes are on BBC3 Online now. They should have made it a BBC1 Show in my opinion.

Yeah, it's an extremely odd decision.

When I saw them in the trailer, I honestly thought they were Pyroviles. In the episode they definitely bare more similarities to the Vashta Nerada though.

There's a trailer :p ?

Yeah, it's a very Who-esque name.

She'll be lucky not to be possessed by the Weed before the end of the series.

DalekbusterScreen5

10-25-16, 03:26 PM

There's a trailer :p ?

There's two trailers and a teaser:

http://typicalbanana.com/shadow-class-teaser-trailer-bbc-three_bd28a9431.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjt5SXgMqk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAycTsDzW-w

She'll be lucky not to be possessed by the Weed before the end of the series.
Especially when this is a Young Adult show!

DalekbusterScreen5

11-01-16, 06:54 PM

The Coach With The Dragon Tattoo[/B]

Episode two of Class had rather unusual scheduling: rather than releasing it a week after episode one, it was decided that it would be uploaded online the same day as episode one. If this was the second part of a two part story, I could understand...but it wasn't. I'd love to know the reasoning behind the BBC's decision on this. The Sarah Jane Adventures may have been broadcast two episodes a time, for example, but those stories were two parters and so you were essentially getting a complete story. Regardless, it doesn't affect the enjoyment of the story - Class is one of those shows you could watch for hours and it wouldn't grow dull.

Episode two focuses largely on Ram (Fady Elsayed) and his struggles after losing the events of the previous episode. His Football coach (Ben Peel) is giving him a hard time and he is generally struggling with the loss of his girlfriend Rachel (Anna Shaffer). Meanwhile, a skin-peeling dragon is roaming the corridors of Coal Hill Academy and its actions bear some connection to Ram's coach...

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Dalekbuster523/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-01%20at%2021.00.37_zpscezggxgc.png

Essentially, this episode is 'Ram's story' and I think this approach of focusing largely on one character works quite well for an ensemble cast. It allows us to relate to the characters more and develop a clearer understanding of who they are as individuals rather than a team. Episode three 'Nightvisiting' (which I will review at a later point) mainly focuses on Tanya, so this seems to be a structural decision by writer Patrick Ness - and a very smart one at that. Hopefully we can expect a Miss Quill (Katherine Kelly) -centric episode at some point, as Katherine Kelly deserves an episode of her own.

http://www.mymbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/10/Class-1.02-The-Coach-With-The-Dragon-Tattoo-coach-back.png

The Coach With The Dragon Tattoo is essentially the 'Russell T Davies' episode of the show, in that it goes more for the human angle of life in the Whoniverse rather than the sci-fi fairytale of the Moffat era. This is more about how the mundanity of life co-exists with the aliens and monsters of this world; how living in this world can, in fact, leave an impact on certain members of humanity. Remember when Mickey Smith was accused of murdering Rose Tyler because she disappeared for a year, for instance? That could easily be a Class storyline here. Some of the best stories are more about what some sections of fandom like to call 'the soap opera elements' than the genre elements; this is definitely the case here. The skin-peeling dragon is cool but that's now what makes this a strong episode; The Coach With The Dragon Tattoo is excellent more for the way it explores how Ram has been affected by the loss of his girlfriend and his leg.

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/class-episode-2-promo-pics-32.jpg

This episode relies on Fady Elsayed giving a good performance as Ram - and boy does he succeed. Fady is absolutely outstanding here and if this was a movie, I'm pretty certain he'd be nominated for an Oscar. It's thanks to Fady that you really feel sorry for the character's loss; the performance he gives is more like the kind you would expect from a top-class actor like Daniel Radcliffe. It's a very moving turn from the actor that demonstrates just how right Andy Pyror got the casting for the series.

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/class-episode-2-promo-pics-30.jpg

One thing I failed to mention in my review of For Tonight We Might Die is the title sequence. I know many are disappointed with the titles, especially the music chosen for it. I, on the other hand, love it. It is a title sequence that is very fitting for the Young Adult demographic; the visuals have a very modern aesthetic that's reminiscent of other Young Adult TV Series and the song choice is inspired with its thumping rock sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_D4aYAmxVo

The song is Up All Night by Alex Clara and whilst the lyrics don't directly correlate with the series, you can see why they picked it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAlU5xqU6fQ

In this instance, 'she don't know what we do in our spare time' could mean 'fighting monsters after school' - the 'she' being their mothers.

Unfortunately, there is a major drawback with this episode - and that's the bizarre subplot with Miss Quill and the OFSTED inspector. Seeing Quill suspect the inspector is an alien is very amusing but the way the sub plot is concluded feels very underwhelming. It turns out that the inspector is a robot - but there's no foreshadowing to this revelation, so it just comes out of nowhere. The other bizarre thing is how Quill makes it very clear she hates the inspector - yet kisses him near the end of the episode! Again, it comes completely out of nowhere; it's almost as though Patrick Ness just thought it up on the spot.

http://www.mymbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/10/Class-1.02-The-Coach-With-The-Dragon-Tattoo-I-want-you.png

The acting by Ben Peel as Ram's coach is also terrible. He is extremely wooden in the part and it's honestly a chore to watch whenever he is talking. Fortunately the skin-peeling dragon and the revelation concerning his tattoo is more important than the character himself but it's still a shame they couldn't find someone better to play the part of the coach. Looking at his IMDB he appears to be an actor who largely plays bit parts, so it is no surprise that he's the weak link of a very strong cast.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/on-demand/2016/10/17/111028572_WARNING_Embargoed_for_publication_until_000001_on_18-10-2016_-_Programme_Name_Class_--large_trans++pVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf98oAmGZYX8Vqbq2hlobTFc.jpg

A strong cast that also includes Nigel Betts as Mr Armitage. In the main series, Mr Armitage was a pretty forgettable character that didn't leave much of an impact on viewers. In episode two of Class however, he becomes a very endearing character - thanks largely down to Nigel Betts' portrayal. He is so much more interesting here that when his character exits the series, you actually feel sad that he'll no longer be in the show. For me this is the biggest u-turn I've ever had on a Doctor Who character; Mr Armitage is the kind of head teacher that everybody loves. He's the one you could imagine hanging around at parents' evening to answer parents' questions, who would know the name of every student in his school and who clearly has a great deal of care for those who study there. In just one episode of Doctor Who in a minor role and two episodes of Class in a supporting one, Mr Armitage has become a fan-favourite character who may even one day gain his own Big Finish spinoff. As Tom Baker's Curator would say, 'Who knows?'.

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Dalekbuster523/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-01%20at%2021.50.54_zpsbp0duz7h.png

Overall, episode two of Class is a moving episode that tells the story of Ram and how the events of For Tonight We Might Die have affected him. Fady Elsayed gives a phenomenal performance but unfortunately is let down by the terrible acting of Ben Peel as Ram's football coach. There is also a pointless sub plot featuring Miss Quill and an OFSTED inspector which doesn't really go anywhere. Nigel Betts is immensely likeable as Mr Armitage though (seriously, Big Finish: we need that Mr Armitage spinoff) and the series does have a fitting title sequence.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

11-11-16, 06:49 PM

Nightvisiting

Continuity is important with any form of storytelling. It's one of those things you notice when its wrong, cheer when its right and complain when it's not even there. Nightvisiting falls into the 'cheer' category. It would have been easy for this episode to ignore what came before it given that it focuses largely on a character we hadn't seen before (Tanya's (Vivian Oparah) late father) but instead the episode awards the viewers for paying attention by bringing back someone whom we had rarely seen before she met her demise in the first episode: Ram's (Fady Elsayad) girlfriend Rachel (Anna Shaffer).

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Dalekbuster523/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-11%20at%2021.33.47_zpsflgcbkvh.png

Nightvisiting opens with a montage of Tanya and family, explaining how she lost her father Jasper (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith) to a stroke. Two years later, on the anniversary of his death, Tanya retires to bed - to find her father sat in the far corner of the room. All over London, people are being visited during the night by deceased loved ones. But why are the dead returning from beyond the grave? And what do they really want from the people they visit?

http://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/nightvisiting-2.jpg

It's nice to see Class continue the trend of each episode focusing on one of the members of the Coal Hill gang. This week's is largely Tanya's story and how the death of her father has affected her two years' on. We may get to see Ram encounter his dead girlfriend and Miss Quill visited by her deceased sister but they are merely sub-plots to the narrative of Tanya's grief. We only meet Jasper for the first time in this episode but thanks to the genius montage at the beginning it feels like we've known him since the beginning of the series. The montage really makes us care for Tanya's relationship with her father; in just three minutes we get a sense of just how much he meant to her and the fact that he was cruelly taken away from his daughter so soon into her life highlights how tragic their story is. This helps to make the situation of Tanya meeting her father even more desperate, to the point where you really don't know if she will let 'Jasper' (spoilers, he isn't really her father) take her away with him. Deep down it is perhaps a metaphor for dealing with grief and learning to move on - something that all of us who have lost someone can relate to. For instance, I lost my Grandad in 2007 and I remember how hard it was to cope with the loss of the man who inspired my passion for movies (he used to work as a projectionist at the Hollywood Plaza in Scarborough). I had to move on though, just as Tanya must learn to from the passing of her Dad.

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Dalekbuster523/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-11%20at%2022.00.21_zps3jdnkumx.png

Talking of Tanya, Vivian Oparah does a very impressive job in the role. She gives an extremely powerful performance that is certain to make you cry (unless you're Donald Trump, of course). It is one of the best performances in any of the Doctor Who spinoffs, even rivalling Daniel Anthony as a homeless Clyde in The Curse of Clyde Langer. Vivian Oparah is probably the strongest actor of the four leads; I have a feeling as with Tommy Knight that she'll go onto bigger things once Class is over.

http://cdn2us.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeekus/files/styles/gallery_adv/public/2016/10/nightvisiting-class.jpg?itok=XPc5sOYu

The other highlight of this episode is the Lankins, a very creative threat who take on the form of deceased loved ones to lure the living. The idea could be considered a morbid take on the Sirens from Greek mythology: beautiful mermaids who were believed to attract sailors with enchanting music to shipwreck. The episodes' use of the Lankins places an interesting spin on the idea of heaven; the idea that heaven and hell are one and the same and also the idea that it's just sentimental stuff the 'pathetic humans' fall for. It is a view that's likely to offend a significant proportion of viewers but is a fresh take on the concept than the ideas often thrown about regarding life after death.

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Dalekbuster523/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-11%20at%2022.33.08_zpsxx59eoam.png

There is a major problem with this episode however. In the episode we are told Charlie (Greg Austin) sees a glimpse of his family during his sex with boyfriend Matteusz (Jordan Renzo), however it is never explained why it's only a 'glimpse' and not a full-blown appearance as with the rest of the Lankin's deceased. Is it because love is different in his world (as he states in the episode)? Or is it because (again, as the episode itself dictates) he hated his family for only caring about his image as prince and not respecting the fact that he's gay? Either explanations would have sufficed for why it is merely a glimpse; this is an issue that I feel would have been easy for Patrick Ness to fix.

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz282/Dalekbuster523/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-11%20at%2022.44.00_zpslco9rxrf.png

Overall, Nightvisiting is a hugely emotional episode about the story of Tanya and her deceased father. It poses interesting questions on heaven and hell. Vivian Oparah is outstanding at portraying Tanya's grief, even managing to make us question whether she will fall for the Lankin's trap (even though we know she's one of the four leads). It's great the way the episode sticks with continuity also, by bringing back Ram's dead girlfriend Rachel. The only real disappointment is the half-baked idea of Charlie only seeing a glimpse of his family. It's never explained why Charlie's is only a glimpse, something that could have been easily fixed with a line or two.

5

SeeingisBelieving

11-12-16, 12:18 PM

Tanya retires to bed - to find her father sat in the far corner of the room. All over London, people are being visited during the night by deceased loved ones. But why are the dead returning from beyond the grave? And what do they really want from the people they visit?

This sounds like a much better take on the idea they used in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday.

For instance, I lost my Grandad in 2007 and I remember how hard it was to cope with the loss of the man who inspired my passion for movies (he used to work as a projectionist at the Hollywood Plaza in Scarborough). I had to move on though, just as Tanya must learn to from the passing of her Dad.

Oh, that's very sad to hear – that's similar to John Barry's father owning a cinema in Sheffield and it giving him that early connection to movies and music. It's just been the anniversary of my Grandad's death actually – he died 2 days after Bonfire Night, 1990.

The other highlight of this episode is the Lankins, a very creative threat who take on the form of deceased loved ones to lure the living. The idea could be considered a morbid take on the Sirens from Greek mythology: beautiful mermaids who were believed to attract sailors with enchanting music to shipwreck. The episodes' use of the Lankins places an interesting spin on the idea of heaven; the idea that heaven and hell are one and the same and also the idea that it's just sentimental stuff the 'pathetic humans' fall for. It is a view that's likely to offend a significant proportion of viewers but is a fresh take on the concept than the ideas often thrown about regarding life after death.

Interesting name, the Lankins. I wonder where it came from? It is a somewhat nihilistic view of existence but the darkness of it is appealing :). I liked the 'fairies' in Torchwood for similar reasons.

DalekbusterScreen5

11-12-16, 07:27 PM

This sounds like a much better take on the idea they used in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday.
It is executed better. It helps that the episode explores the emotional experience of being visited by your deceased loved one more rather than playing it for cheap jokes (IE the ghost in EastEnders).

Oh, that's very sad to hear – that's similar to John Barry's father owning a cinema in Sheffield and it giving him that early connection to movies and music.
It was a sad time when he passed. My Grandad used to show me the projector in the box. We had a lot in common.

It's just been the anniversary of my Grandad's death actually – he died 2 days after Bonfire Night, 1990.
Sad to hear. Were you close?

Interesting name, the Lankins. I wonder where it came from?
I suppose it sounds quite fairytale-esque, which nicely fits the tone of Steven Moffat's Whoniverse.

SeeingisBelieving

11-13-16, 09:45 AM

Sad to hear. Were you close?

Yes, I suppose so. I would have liked a lot longer with him though :).

I suppose it sounds quite fairytale-esque

Yeah, I think it does.

DalekbusterScreen5

11-20-16, 06:13 PM

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

You may have noticed I haven't reviewed any Harry Potter films before this. I was planning on reviewing all eight films on the lead-up to Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (akin to how I reviewed Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters 2 before Ghostbusters (2016)) but I haven't had chance - university must always come first. Instead I will tie-in a review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with the release of Fantastic Beasts on DVD/Blu-ray. Chamber of Secrets will be reviewed when Fantastic Beasts 2 is released.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is a strange beast (sorry - bad pun). The story is set within the Wizarding World and features the author of one of Harry Potter's text books Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). There are references to Dumbledore, Grindelwald (who shows up at the end, played by Johnny Depp) and the Deathly Hallows....yet like Ghostbusters (2016) and the new Doctor Who spinoff Class it feels like its own film in its own right rather than an expansion or re-imagination of an existing universe.

https://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/FantasticBeasts_HP-200x100-e1475087011497.jpg

Sure, the film opens with the traditional Warner Bros logo in the clouds whilst Hedwig's theme plays - but it's only a tiny bit of Hedwig's theme before we hear the main Fantastic Beasts tune.

The plot itself is a deviation from the usual Harry Potter story. Instead of an all-powerful wizard hell-bent on taking over the Wizarding World, the narrative focuses on Newt trying to track a bunch of magical beasts in New York, who escape from his bigger-on-the-inside suitcase when he accidentally swaps cases with 'no-maj' (the American word for muggle) baker Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler). Magical beasts are banned in 1920s New York, so not only does Newt have to return them to his case before the people of New York hurt the creatures but he must do so whilst trying to evade the U.S. magical government MACUSA (The Magical Congress of the United States of America) - a feat made harder when Newt's future wife Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), who works at MACUSA as a Federal Wand Permit Officer, finds out about the creatures inside his case.

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/files/2016/11/wk-beasts1118-3b-1024x624.jpg&w=480

What surprised me the most about Fantastic Beasts was the movie's tone. With David Yates directing the film, I expected it to be more in-line with the later Harry Potter movies: a dark, eery world with secrets and lies to be discovered within the cracks of wizarding society. Instead Fantastic Beasts is more comparable to the first two Harry Potter films: it's a much lighter, breezier tone with comedy reminiscent of the Home Alone movies. It makes a nice change for a 2010s Warner Bros film, given how many are cringeworthy attempts at trying to be 'gritty' and 'realistic'. It's one of the reasons why I refuse to watch Man of Steel or Batman v Superman: I much prefer the lighter, comedic tone of Fantastic Beasts than 'LOOK HOW DARK THE WORLD IS'. Zack Snyder, take note: I like to have fun at the movies - and to me 'fun' means Eddie Redmayne performing a ridiculous mating dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faXUbSSHeyY

Just like the Chris Columbus films, there's the same sense of wide-eyed wonder with the beasts in the movie too. The Niffler and the Bowtruckle are my personal favourites, although I also love the Swooping Evil (a brilliant creature that looks somewhat like a cross between a bird and a stingray).

http://media.en.melty.ca/article-15570-ajust_930-f1471512124/beware-the-swooping-evil.jpg

The Demiguise (a magical monkey that's capable of turning invisible) only appears in its visible form towards the end of the movie but is one of the most memorable parts of the film. The scene where you see an invisible creature carrying a handbag across a department store is one of the film's funniest moments and almost certainly not something that would have been included in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Contrary to what many opinions have expressed, the CGI is just as convincing as it was in the Harry Potter movies; personally, I think the team at Double Negative have done a spellbinding job at showcasing JK Rowling's massive imagination on the big screen.

http://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Fantastic-Beasts-Demiguise-featured.jpg

As I stated at the beginning of the review however, Fantastic Beasts is more its own entity than a Harry Potter film. Rather than returning to the wizarding school we all know and love from the books, this movie has its own 'Hogwarts' moment: the moment where we first step inside Newt Scamander's suitcase. Like anything in the Wizarding World the inside of the case is not like an ordinary case interior; in Newt's case, there's entire environments full of the titular fantastic beasts. It's absolutely breath-taking seeing this massive world hidden inside a normal suitcase and conveys JK Rowling's wonderfully quirky approach to magic we all know and love. It's magical items like this that made us all fall in love with JK Rowling's Wizarding World and is perhaps the main reason why the stories set in this universe are such a big success.

http://www.thatsnotcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/banker-suitcase.jpg

A major issue with this film, however, is the way it attempts to emphasise the Harry Potter connection. The beginning of the movie features a quick montage of Daily Prophet newspapers referencing Hogwarts and Grindelwald's rise to power. Whilst it does a good job of setting the scene of the movie it feels a bit disjointed in my opinion, especially when the main plot of this film is Newt tracking down his magical beasts. Yes, it is pretty obvious that the sequel will focus more on Dumbledore VS Grindelwald - but then show the newspaper montage in the next movie, not in the movie that uses Grindelwald primarily as set-up for the second film. Even the scene in the trailer, where Colin Farrell's Percival Graves (who isn't quite who he appears to be) wonders why Albus Dumbledore is so fond of Newt, feels like a forced reference to the main series. This film doesn't need to over-emphasise the Harry Potter connection: it's a great film in its own right and like the BBC's Class television series would benefit more from forgetting the world it is a part of and focus on providing us a great new franchise of movies.

https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/colin.jpg?w=748&h=363&crop=1

It's not just the references to the main Harry Potter series that make Fantastic Beasts feel disjointed in places either. The Obscurus (the form that magic takes on when witches and wizards suppress their magical abilities) feels like a complication too far; with Fantastic Beasts, all that was really needed was Newt tracking down his escaped beasts. There didn't need to be a 'big bad', a monstrous form for Newt to defeat. The Obscurus is definitely an interesting idea, unique in the way it ties into the witch hunting of medieval times - but it is perhaps an idea JK Rowling could have saved for a future Wizarding World franchise rather than Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

The film has a very strong cast. My favourite is probably Dan Folger as Jacob, who provides one of the best muggle characters in the Wizarding World. Dan Folger really made me care for Jacob, to the point that I really hoped his character wouldn't be made to forget about the magical community he had witnessed (wizards and witches in the Wizarding World often have a tendency to use the obliviate spell on muggles that see magic occur). I won't give away the ending but it's not the end for Jacob I had hoped for (or perhaps it was - there's a hint at the last moment that things may not have gone according to plan). Katherine Waterston is great as Tina too, although I found her sister Queenie (played by Alison Sudol) a more endearing character. It's a shame Colin Farrell likely won't return as Percival Graves given a certain revelation; I thought he did a brilliant job at playing such a shady character. Unlike others I enjoyed Johnny Depp's cameo also; once again he looks completely different to his other movie appearances. Eddie Redmayne unfortunately is a bit of a disappointment. There's no doubting his acting ability but more often than not he does what I like to call a 'Robert Pattinson': mumbling lines in a fashion where if you weren't watching in the cinema you'd struggle to hear what he was saying. It's not particularly dramatic and comes across as boring rather than interesting.

That's not to say Eddie Redmayne's terrible, he's just not as good as you'd expect an Oscar-winning actor to be. This isn't Les Miserables Eddie Redmayne but neither is it Jupiter Ascending Eddie. His best scenes are his interactions with the magical beasts: his frantic attempts at trying to catch the Niffler are hilarious and well-played. In fact, he's actually much better at the comedy in this movie than the more dramatic moments. Early rumours for the part of Newt Scamander were that Matt Smith would play the role though and now having seen the film I think he would have done a much better job. I can understand why they didn't go for him however as the character is very similar to the incarnation of the Doctor Matt Smith played in Doctor Who and so would no doubt have drawn parallels between Newt and the 11th Doctor.

https://images.pottermore.com/bxd3o8b291gf/6yzttw858WeaKKU2KSaKke/c0c998f237cd7e5a1ae9144db03172c0/FB-TRL2-1_NH.jpg?w=1200

Overall, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is an entertaining spinoff of the Harry Potter series - but it doesn't necessarily need the Harry Potter connection. It's a great movie in its own right and often the references to the main series feel awkward. Eddie Redmayne is not as fantastic as Newt as you would expect either: if you watch this film on DVD or Blu-ray then you may need to increase the volume on your TV. Fantastic Beasts wonderfully captures the wonder and awe of the early Harry Potter films however and has a brilliant sense of humour. The scene where you see inside the suitcase for the first time is definitely the 'Hogwarts' moment of this franchise and feels just as magical as seeing Hogwarts for the first time on screen was. Fantastic Beasts is definitely a franchise you will want to return to again and again - so long as Eddie Redmayne stops emulating Robert Pattinson.

4

MonnoM

11-22-16, 01:22 AM

How have I not heard of Class until now? Going by the images alone it looks like something I'd enjoy. I like Doctor Who, so that's a good start. Seems I have some serious catching up to do.

DalekbusterScreen5

11-22-16, 05:06 AM

How have I not heard of Class until now? Going by the images alone it looks like something I'd enjoy. I like Doctor Who, so that's a good start. Seems I have some serious catching up to do.

You can find it on BBC3 Online. They upload a new episode every Saturday at 10am; currently the series is on episode 6.

DalekbusterScreen5

12-22-16, 06:19 PM

The Dying Light

The second in Big Finish's Doctor Who Quadrigger Stoyn trilogy, The Dying Light was released three years' ago this month - making this one of Big Finish's most notable Big Finish releases. This trilogy formed a part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, starting with The Beginning (which I reviewed previously) and the following month's Luna Romana.

Whilst the first release followed the first Doctor and Susan, this time it's the turn of the second Doctor, Jamie (Fraser Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) as they arrive on a dying planet with a dying sun, its people living in a city carved out of rock known as the 'Sanctuary'. They soon discover a temple within the city, where Quadrigger Stoyn (Terry Molloy) has been carving equations for draining the TARDIS of power. After being stranded by the Doctor in the previous release, Quardigger now plans to strand them - and the TARDIS crew have walked straight into his trap.

The Dying Light is pretty much a by-the-numbers adventure, but it's an enjoyable one nonetheless. It doesn't do anything particularly new, but is executed as well as you would expect from a Big Finish release offering an enjoyable release all the same. Most importantly it feels like a story that fits into the 60s era of the show, with a major focus on adventure and exploration over the new series' more bombastic nature.

This audio adventure does a particularly good job of creating a vibrant and realistic world. The wonderfully poetic words of Nick Wallace helps to create a vivid image in your mind of just how the Sanctuary would appear. I loved the mention of the sea being made up of sand, for instance, and the idea of a city being carved out of rock is a very imaginative one. Even the rescue boats are given extremely descriptive words for Fraser Hines to read out loud, helping to create a world that feels like a fully-realised part of the Doctor Who Whoniverse.

The main problem with this Big Finish audio is that unlike The Beginning, The Dying Light doesn't have a hook. The Beginning was already an interesting story because it was about an essential part of the show's mythos: the first Doctor and Susan's escape from Gallifrey. The second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe doesn't have an important part of the show's history to rely on and therefore has to present a satisfying enough story to maintain the audience's interest. Whilst for the most part it succeeds, The Dying Light still isn't as interesting as its predecessor and as a result it feels like a much smaller story - perhaps a story too small for a 50th anniversary release.

It also isn't completely clear what Quadrigger Stoyn wants. He's clearly angry at the Doctor for stranding him in The Beginning but his motives behind the TARDIS trap are unclear. What exactly does he gain from draining the TARDIS's power? Surely it would make more sense for him to steal the Doctor's TARDIS and leave Sanctuary? Quadrigger Stoyn just comes across as a bitter old man rather than a worthy foe for the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. It's a shame because Terry Molloy is clearly trying to add menace to Stoyn's actions but even his huge talent isn't enough to save the character.

Fraser Hines narration, on the other hand, is brilliant and a big reason why this release is so entertaining to listen to. He's perfect at narrating the second Doctor's lines - in fact, I'd go as far as to say he sounds exactly like Patrick Troughton - and his approach to storytelling is so engaging that you find yourself immediately drawn into the story. It wouldn't be hard to imagine Fraser Hines to narrate an episode of Jackanory should they ever decide bring the iconic kids' series back again. Fraser Hines should be hired to narrate every Doctor Who release as he has the perfect reading voice. Wendy Padbury does a good job too with speaking her character Zoe's lines but is unfortunately over-shadowed by Fraser Hines' performance.

Overall, The Dying Light is pretty much your standard 60s' Doctor Who adventure, that creates a wonderfully vibrant picture of the story's setting. Fraser Hines does an amazing job of narrating the release and the writing by Nick Wallace is impressive. However, The Dying Light suffers from the lack of an interesting hook and Quadrigger Stoyn's plan doesn't quite hold up. It doesn't make sense for him to drain the TARDIS of power when he could instead attempt to steal it from the Doctor and escape the dying planet. Hopefully Luna Romana - which I have yet to listen to - will feature one of Stoyn's better plans.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

02-11-17, 02:32 PM

Sorry for my lack of posts recently - don't worry, I haven't died. :p

I've been ridiculously busy working on a short film for university - and university always has to come first. I had intended to post more reviews but I simply haven't found the time. Filming continues tomorrow and hopefully at some point I'll be able to write another review, but I've also got my dissertation at the moment, which is a 90 page film screenplay about a failed musician called Jude who came second on a TV talent show and works as a shop assistant at a supermarket. One day her mother invites her on a cruise ship holiday, the cruise ship is sunk by the tentacles of a giant octopus and Jude falls through the depths of the sea, where she finds herself in the magical fantasy world of the octopus's underwater singing contest.

It's all told in the form of a Beatles musical, with characters inspired from the songs - so Mr Kite, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Billy Shears and others all appear.

SeeingisBelieving

02-11-17, 02:36 PM

I've been ridiculously busy working on a short film for university - and university always has to come first.

That's good advice :up:.

I had intended to post more reviews but I simply haven't found the time. Filming continues tomorrow and hopefully at some point I'll be able to write another review, but I've also got my dissertation at the moment, which is a 90 page film screenplay about a failed musician called Jude who came second on a TV talent show and works as a shop assistant at a supermarket. One day her mother invites her on a cruise ship holiday, the cruise ship is sunk by the tentacles of a giant octopus and Jude falls through the depths of the sea, where she finds herself in the magical fantasy world of the octopus's underwater singing contest.

It's all told in the form of a Beatles musical, with characters inspired from the songs - so Mr Kite, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Billy Shears and others all appear.

She's a busy girl, then :p. You've just reminded me of Cryptobiosis and how eerie it was at the end.

DalekbusterScreen5

02-11-17, 03:37 PM

She's a busy girl, then :p. You've just reminded me of Cryptobiosis and how eerie it was at the end.

It's more like The Wizard of Oz really. The octopus's weakness is friendship in a similar off-the-ball way to how the Wicked Witch of the West's weakness is water, and Jude is seeking a 'better world' like Dorothy when she's in Kansas.

DalekbusterScreen5

02-12-17, 06:46 PM

DalekbusterScreen 5 is back for a new review!

Coming sometime this week, there will be a review of La La Land. The LEGO Batman Movie review will come a little later because unfortunately the local cinema is not showing the movie this week.

DalekbusterScreen5

02-18-17, 10:34 AM

La La Land

Musicals appear to be making something of a comeback currently, so it is of no surprise that the recently released La La Land - nominated for twelve Oscars and winner of eleven BAFTAs - has been a major success for Lionsgate. That didn't stop me from naively assuming that an evening screening the night after the BAFTAs wouldn't be popular, of course. Thankfully I still managed to book seats the night before (even if they weren't the ones I'd hoped for), but at the time I was astonished at how many had been sold. In hindsight I probably should have seen it coming, but I hadn't been to a packed cinema in a while. La La Land was perhaps the biggest audience I'd been in for a film since 2012's film adaptation of Les Miserables.

La La Land tells the story of two aspiring lovers. Mia (Emma Stone), a waitress who works in a coffee shop, dreams of being a successful actress. Seb (Ryan Gosling) - a pianist who plays Christmas music at Lipton's restaurant - wants to open his own jazz club. Their paths first cross when Mia takes a shine to Seb's music, however their first encounter takes a rough turn when Seb rudely ignores Mia's approach and barges past. A chance encounter at an 80s-themed pool party where Seb is performing as part of an 80s tribute band leads to the beginning of their romance. But can the pair sustain their relationship with one another when Seb becomes part of a successful touring band, and subsequently spends a lot of time touring away from his partner?

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The most important thing about a romantic movie is the chemistry between the main stars - and Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have so much of it that you begin to wonder if they're secretly a couple in real life. This is the very definition of perfect casting for a romantic couple and it makes me glad that the original leads of Emma Watson and Miles Teller never happened. Whilst I am sure Emma Watson could have played the wide-eyed and innocent character of Mia, Miles Teller as the nostalgia-driven Seb I find much harder to imagine. Ryan Gosling is the perfect match for Seb; with just one look he gets across the character's unhappiness with the music he's playing as part of The Messengers, clearly doubting whether the old style of jazz he is nostalgic towards is still popular given the effect this very modern version of jazz music has on the crowd. With just one look at the end of the film (I won't spoil the ending for those of you who haven't seen it but it's not what you'd expect for a film like this) he gets across his feelings for Mia.

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Emma Stone's Mia arguably goes on a bigger and more interesting journey than Seb however. Mia is a woman who views her romance with Seb almost as a fairytale fantasy; a type of escapism if you will from the real world, away from her failed auditions and towards something more exciting, and must learn that life is not a fairy tale and that in order to be the successful actress she desires to become she must accept the realities of the ‘real world’. Mia learns through her romance with Seb that being successful will mean she will have to deal with lengthy periods of time away from her husband and in screenwriting terms her ultimate sacrifice she has to make in order to achieve her dreams is her romantic relationship. Emma Stone does a good job of portraying this, although between the two Ryan Gosling is clearly gives the stronger performance.

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I've talked a bit about the romance, but it's important not to forget that this is also a musical - and all good musicals need great songs. So, how do the songs shape up?

Well, there aren't as many songs as you would expect from a traditional musical - most of them are variations of the same song - but the songs featured in the movie are ridiculously catchy. My favourite is probably City of Stars. This song appears quite often throughout the film, but with good reason. It's a hummable, instantly recognisable tune that's impossible to get out of your head after hearing it once. Another favourite is the opening number Another Day of Sun, a lively song that echoes classic musicals like Little Shop of Horrors and Singin' In The Rain.

Speaking of Another Day of Sun, the routine to the song is perhaps one of the most colourful and vibrant openings to a musical ever. The way it turns something incredibly mundane (a gridlock of cars) into a bright, cheery moment echoes the brilliance of Singin' In The Rain's infamous dancing in the rain sequence. Hopefully it won't make people want to get out of their cars during a car journey and cause a massive gridlock just so they can copy the dance routine but it's a real crowd-pleaser and an excellent way to immediately grab your attention.

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Songs such as Another Day of Sun and Someone In The Crowd are so seamlessly slotted into the screenplay that they don't feel out of place either. It helps that they're original songs unlike the music featured, say, in Mamma Mia but every song feels like it serves a purpose in the script. Another Day of Sun for instance directly foreshadows the ending of the movie, with lines such as He'll sit one day, the lights are down. He'll see my face and think of how he used to know me - IE Seb in his new jazz club thinking about Mia and wondering what may have happened had they not grown apart. Someone in The Crowd is sung by Mia's roommates as they try to persuade her to go to a party with them after Mia's failed audition. It flows naturally, and it's clear the director Damien Chazelle has taken inspiration from the excellent routines in Mamma Mia.

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La La Land is a film that I imagine will become a permanent fixture on university courses. Take the cinematography by Linus Sandgren, for example. The cinematography is breath-taking, aided with some stunning visual effects. One of the most memorable scenes is in the planetarium, where Mia and Seb find themselves dancing through the stars and planets of space.

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It is hands down the most visually impressive scene in any musical and with its broad use of colour brings to mind films popular with university lecturers such as The Red Shoes and the iconic Wizard of Oz.

The production design is also on-point, giving a sense of heavy nostalgia for the golden age of movie throughout the film. Movie posters for old Hollywood films dominate Mia's flat, costumes are very 'old' in style and the Lighthouse Cafe feels like it belongs in a 1930s musical.

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Perhaps the best bit of production design is the logo Mia draws up for Seb's dream jazz club. It's a logo that makes a poignant return at the end of the film and is a very clever design, showcasing Mia's smart and inventive ideas. A lovely touch is a musical note used in place of an apostrophe; it feels exactly like the kind of logo you'd expect to see for a jazz club, adding to the film's believability.

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Overall, La La Land is without a doubt a cinematic masterpiece. The chemistry between the lead actors is the most perfect it could have been and the broad sense of nostalgia towards the golden age of Hollywood comes to life in a satisfying way through the excellent production design. The cinematography is also on point, providing many scenes that are hugely satisfying on the big screen, and the screenplay effortlessly slips the songs into the story without any of them feeling out of place. This is a wonderful romantic story with an ending that plays well to the wants and needs of its characters. La La Land will go down in history as not only the best musical of the 2010s but also one of the best musicals of all time.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

03-01-17, 07:02 PM

The LEGO Batman Movie

When I first saw The LEGO Movie in 2014, the one character who stood out to me was Will Arnett's LEGO Batman. It was to no surprise, then, that Warner Bros. announced a LEGO Batman movie spinoff in October of that year. What remained to be seen was whether this would be another Minions situation - where the main character (or in the Minions' case, characters) works better as a supporting character rather than the sole focus of his own film.

Well, after seeing the film on Saturday I'm happy to say that this absolutely isn't another Minions. The LEGO Batman Movie may not be as good as The LEGO Movie, but it succeeds where most spinoffs don't in justifying why we need to see more of this character. This isn't just LEGO Batman shoved into his own movie for the sake of his popularity, this is a movie that has clearly been made because there's a story to tell.

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After Batman (Will Arnett) fails to recognise The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) as his greatest enemy, the Joker manipulates Batman into imprisoning him in the Phantom Zone, where he finds some of the LEGO universe's most dangerous enemies lurking inside. Together they team up to destroy Gotham and take over Wayne Manor. In order to stop the Joker and his army of monsters, Batman must team up with his loyal butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes), newly adopted son Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) and the new police commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson) and learn that sometimes it's not always possible to work alone.

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Of course, it's a family movie so there's a lot of strong moral messages - mainly the importance of family and teamwork - but it's not as overbearing as some family animated movies. It doesn't feel forced either. It feels natural with the narrative of the movie, and especially the character of Batman, whose most recent iterations have seen him working alone rather than with sidekicks. In fact, given the family friendly nature of the movie it would have felt odd if Batman's tendency to work alone wasn't addressed.

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There have been some complaints from the website Voice of the Family that the film is 'pro-gay propaganda' and whilst I don't see the issue with a family film presenting its lead character as gay, this is absolutely not the case here. LEGO Batman is not gay - even if he was, so what? - and the only hints at homosexuality is the complex relationship shown between Batman and the Joker.

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The relationship between these characters is fantastic. Batman and the Joker are basically shown in this film to be more like frenemies rather than a standard 'hero-enemy' relationship. This is exactly how Batman and the Joker should be; to me, they are like Sherlock and Moriarty, or The Doctor and The Master. The friend within the enemy, the enemy within the friend. Batman completes the Joker, and vice versa. It is essentially like a romantic relationship, only fuelled by hatred rather than love - which is exactly how the film plays it. Batman's line at the beginning - 'I like to fight around' - is such a cleverly scripted piece of dialogue that is further enhanced by the Joker's well-animated bottom lip, quivering at the thought of Batman fighting other villains.

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The quivering lip may sound like an extremely small detail that's barely worth mentioning, but it's the little details that are sometimes the most rewarding parts of blockbuster movies - and this movie is no exception. There are many geeky references throughout the film, particularly to the 1960s Adam West Batman. The famous Bat symbol transition and action sound bubbles appear. At one point, Alfred even wears a LEGO version of Adam West's Batman costume.

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It's not just references to Batman either. There are references to TV/film properties such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who, Harry Potter and King Kong. Even Godzilla makes an appearance. The LEGO Batman Movie is a film that's not just a love letter to the 'world's greatest detective', but a love letter to geekdom in general. Yet it does it in a way where you don't have to understand the geeky references in order to enjoy the fun and insanity of it all. It's not about what you know, it's about how fun it is to watch on-screen.

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The animation as a whole is also very strong, but it is let down by certain inconsistencies that don't make sense within the logic of the universe shown in The LEGO Movie. In the former, water was made out of bricks; here, it's real water. The LEGO Movie was revealed to have been taking place in the imagination of a young kid called Finn, yet there's no hints of whether this takes place within the boy's imagination in The LEGO Batman Movie. There's also strangely no mention of Wyldstyle - surprising given that she was previously Batman's girlfriend. There are lots of hints at Batman being in love with Barbara but nobody brings Wyldstyle up once.

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There's also a sequence of Batman on his own in Wayne Manor/the Batcave towards the beginning of the film that goes on for way too long. I get the point was to emphasise Batman's loneliness but the sequence could have easily been cut down without it losing any of its meaning. The scene where Batman is waiting for the lobster to finish in the microwave in particular could have been a few seconds longer, as could Batman eating the lobster in the Batcave.

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These aren't movie-destroying complaints, but they do mean the film is a four star movie rather than a five star like The LEGO Movie. One thing that this film does as well as that film is the voice cast. The voices are perfectly suited to their characters, especially (no surprise here) Will Arnett as Batman. Will Arnett again shows that he is the perfect choice for the LEGO version of Batman and provides many of the film's funniest moments; one of my favourite gags was Batman taking credit for the Michael Jackson song Man In The Mirror. Who knew Michael Jackson could be so cruel as to plagiarise Batman.

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Possibly the stand-out star other than Will Arnett's Batman has to be Ralph Fiennes Alfred. Ralph Fiennes is a natural fit for LEGO Alfred; he's exactly the kind of caring, father-like figure Batman's butler should be and has a certain calm tone to his voice that works wonders for the LEGO version of the character. I don't think there's going to be a LEGO Alfred Movie anytime soon but it would be fun to at least see him appear in The LEGO Movie's sequel. I have a feeling if any character crosses from The LEGO Batman Movie into the main movie it'll be Michael Cera's Robin though. Michael Cera does a good job with Robin, capturing the childlike innocence of this take on the character well. This Robin is one of those annoying kids you try your best to avoid at Secondary School, but at the same time you can't help but like for his natural quirks. Michael Cera's Robin has a boyish enthusiasm that is impossible not to love, miles away from the older, more grown-up and (in comparison) rather stiff Robin of the LEGO Batman games.

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Rosario Dawson is okay as Barbara Gordon. Her voice acting panders more to the kids than Will Arnett's, Michael Cera's or Ralph Fiennes. She's not quite as bad as I feared judging from the trailer for the LEGO Dimensions Story Pack, but it's still like she's in the 'This is a kid's movie' state of mind.

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Overall, The LEGO Batman Movie may not be as good as The LEGO Movie but it is still a very entertaining animated movie in its own right. There's lots of geeky references to enjoy among the madcap mayhem, and the voice acting is very strong. There are however some inconsistencies with the logic of The LEGO Movie's world and the sequence of LEGO Batman on his own near the film's beginning goes on for a little too long. This doesn't hinder the enjoyment that The LEGO Batman Movie provides however, especially compared to some animated movies that cater a bit too heavily for the kids. If anything, it caters more for geeks than it does children - and it definitely doesn't contain pro-gay propaganda. So what if it did?

4

DalekbusterScreen5

04-01-17, 07:11 PM

The Greatest Show In The Galaxy

In two weeks' the greatest show of the galaxy will return. But what of the actual serial called 'The Greatest Show In The Galaxy'?

This is a serial often held within the Whovian community as a classic, at a time when the show was struggling during its original run. The fact that this story was even made is incredible. A discovery of abestos led to the temporary closure of various studios at the BBC - but rather than leaving the story unfinished as with Shada, the production team instead resorted to filming a large majority of the scenes inside a tent at the BBC car park. Without a doubt this production team were determined to make sure this story saw completion - the kind of determination that would be seen years later when Russell T Davies revived the show in 2005.

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The Greatest Show In The Galaxy sees The Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) decide to take part in the titular circus show's talent competition after receiving junk mail from a 'junk bot' in the TARDIS, despite his companion Ace's (Sophie Aldred) reluctance. This is a Doctor Who story however, so obviously something more sinister is under way. The Gods of Ragnarok are the judges, and failure to entertain results in death.

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Having watched the story, I don't really understand the love the serial has within fandom. That's not to say it's terrible, it's just not as good as I expected. The main problem is one that plagues many of Sylvester McCoy's serials - the performances from the guest cast are too over the top and it makes it hard to take anything in the story seriously. The main culprits are T. P. McKenna as Captain Cook and Deborah Manship as Morgana. Their acting comes across as very two dimensional and they are little more than caricatures - another common issue with this period of the show.

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The pacing of the story is also an issue. It takes way too long for the Doctor and Ace to reach the circus tent, and the first episode's big cliffhanger is 'Well Ace, are we going in [to the physic circus] or not?' rather than Mags screaming (which would have surely made more sense). Quite why the writer Stephen Wyatt decided to make the cliffhanger whether or not The Doctor and Ace enter the psychic circus I don't know, but it's a terrible decision as it doesn't make sense as a cliffhanger moment.
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The fourth episode of The Greatest Show In The Galaxy is perhaps the best. The pacing improves considerably in episode four, with so much happening that there's barely time to breath. Sylvester McCoy displays a great talent for magic tricks and escapism routines; at one point he is even hanging upside down. If Sylvester McCoy hadn't become an actor, he could easily have been a magician.

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The visuals of this story are very good - in fact, they are actually on the high end of the classic series' visual effects and aesthetics. This is a nice surprise given that the production crew resorted to filming in a car park, but it genuinely looks and feels like filming took place in another country such as Spain. The well of energy is amazing and wouldn't look out of place in the new series, and the Gods of Ragnarok with the bolts of energy they fire from their hands equally wouldn't look out of place in either the Russell T Davies or Steven Moffat era of the show.

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One common criticism of the story is Whizzkid (played by Gian Sammarco). Whilst many don't like the character because he is a clear dig by John Nathan Turner at the show's fans, my issue is not so much that it's insulting towards Whovians but more that Whizzkid only exists in this story for that very reason. There's no clear narrative reason for why he dresses in 80's geek fashion, or rides a bike. He's literally just written as an excuse for John Nathan Turner to channel his fury at the time of the fanbase's negativity through Stephen Wyatt. The line about 'It's not as good as it used to be' is clear arrogance of the then-current production team's ignorance towards the criticism the show had been receiving. It's not so much that it's lashing out at Whovians but more that it shows a certain holier-than-thou ignorance that is pretty unforgivable.

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Having said that, the story does have some good ideas. The bus conductor robot is cool, and the use of music works very well. I can't imagine raps will ever work as well in the show as they do here; the raps make sense for the ringmaster's (Ricco Ross) character and are extremely catchy unlike the awful drivel most rapping consists of. The good ideas just don't outweigh the bad. Although there was clearly something not quite right about Captain Cook, I'm not sure I liked him as an antagonist - why was he so cruel towards Mags, for instance, when it is said in dialogue that he had previously saved her? I'm also not sure about the bizarre notion that Ace can hear Mags' scream in part one but not The Doctor. Unless I missed it, I don't believe it was ever explained why this was the case. Surely it would make more sense had the Doctor heard it and not Ace, given that The Doctor is of a different species?

Overall, The Greatest Show In The Galaxy isn't a terrible story but it isn't as great as its reputation suggests either. It's marred by problems, such as characters who are too over the top to be taken seriously and pacing issues. There are a few good ideas in the story though and the visuals are breathtaking despite the fact that it was filmed in a BBC car park. It's certainly an improvement on the writer's previous serial Paradise Towers, however that's not saying much. The Greatest Show In The Galaxy is not the Genesis of the Daleks of Sylvester McCoy's serials but it's passable for the state the show was in at the time.

3

DalekbusterScreen5

04-29-17, 04:45 PM

The Pilot

It feels strange writing this review two weeks after the episode aired. I did see The Pilot as soon as it was broadcast, and I have seen both Smile and tonight's episode, Thin Ice - but I haven't found time to review them. I was planning to one or two days after broadcast, but I have been extremely busy with my 90 page dissertation (yes, that's right: 90 pages. I'm writing a feature film screenplay). It's kind of fitting, because the title of this episode is odd itself.

Doctor Who has already had its Pilot in An Unearthly Child, yet this episode claims to be the beginning. In some ways, it's right. This is our introduction to Bill Potts. The start of her story, just after Clara's ended. In other ways, it's like claiming 2016's The Jungle Book is the original Disney Jungle Book. It isn't. Regardless, that's the title Steven Moffat chose - and its probably this pedantic analysis of the title that he wanted fans to give. There is a literal pilot in the episode - a puddle that possesses the body of Bill's (Pearl Mackie) crush Heather (Stephanie Hyam) - but the character is not really the major focus of the episode despite being the primary antagonist, so I doubt Moffat is referring to her. More on the puddle pilot later.

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The Pilot is interesting in that much like The Return of Doctor Mysterio it creates a large gap between the last episode and this one. Moffat's Doctor Who has done this often to accommodate Big Finish but this time it's different. We are told The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Nardole (Matt Lucas) have been guarding a Gallifreyan vault for somewhere between 50-70 years, and during this time the Doctor has been posing as a university lecturer at St Luke's University in Bristol. We find out in the following episode Smile that he swore an oath not to leave Earth. This is perhaps the most compelling mystery of the Moffat era, and arguably the most unpredictable story arc the 2005 revival has done.

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During his time lecturing at St Luke's University The Doctor notices that a canteen worker has been regularly sneaking into his lectures, and has been reacting differently to his lectures compared to the students. The students look puzzled when they don't understand something. The canteen worker smiles. Her name is Bill Potts, and The Doctor decides to make her a student - with himself as her private tutor. Meanwhile, Bill's crush Heather notices something strange about a puddle. Instead of reflecting, it shows the same symmetrical face back. The puddle chooses Heather as its pilot and pursues The Doctor, Bill and Nardole across time and space hoping to take Bill with her on its space journey.

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The puddle monster is a fun threat, but much like 2005's Rose the episode is more about introducing Bill than it is the monster-of-the-week. This can lead to the puddle monster feeling a little under-developed compared to other Moffat creations such as The Silence and the Weeping Angels. It's a cool concept that does what the best Moffat monsters do - take an ordinary childhood fear like stepping into a puddle and turn it into an alien menace - but because it isn't the episode's primary focus, it never feels like a credible adversary for The Doctor. It's for this reason that I hope the puddle monster appears again - I'd like to learn more about its origins and if it has any connections to The Flood from The Water of Mars (it bears striking similarities). Hopefully next time the puddle monster won't be played by Stephanie Hyam though.

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Stephanie Hyam is terrible. She is possibly the most wooden, dull, uncharismatic actor ever to appear in Doctor Who. Every line she speaks is said in an emotionless monotone voice that makes it sound like she's under a Cyber-conversion process - in fact, maybe she was about to become a Mondasian Cyberman before the puddle monster took over? They are returning in the two part finale. I have no idea what Bill sees in Heather because Stephanie Hyam's portrayal ironically makes her come across as wet and boring. Couldn't the puddle monster have chosen someone more interesting as its pilot?

Thankfully, Bill Potts is a very interesting character. Bill is a wonderfully inquisitive companion brilliantly played by Pearl Mackie. She's the companion who asks questions that have never been asked before, such as why the words on the police box exterior are in English and 'Where's the toilet located in the TARDIS?'. The latter is something I've personally always wanted to know. Why has no companion asked that before?

As for The Doctor's other companion Nardole...well, he's just kind of there at the moment. Matt Lucas isn't given anything of note to do, and it's hard to form an opinion either way. I'm not sure what the point was in bringing back Nardole: he was barely in The Husbands of River Song, made little to no impact in The Return of Doctor Mysterio and in both Smile and Thin Ice he features even less. He may as well not even be there. Matt Lucas isn't really needed when Pearl Mackie does such a good job as Bill.

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The Pilot contains some of Steven Moffat's best writing for the show. Just look at this pre-titles sequence, for example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5mxHesQs7k

It's probably one of the best exchanges between Doctor and companion (even if it feels like it should have come later into the episode) and definitely one of the Moffat era's finest scenes. Much like Rose there is generally a slower pace to this episode, but it's a wise decision that helps us get to know who Bill is as a character. After the frantic pace of Series 9, it's a very welcome change of pace too. Having episodes where a lot of things happen is very fun to watch, but it runs the risk of becoming exhausting for the viewer if done too often.

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The Pilot's main focus may be to introduce new viewers to the show, but there are plenty of nice references and call backs for those of us who are already fans. For instance, the Movellans from 1979's Destiny of the Daleks appear briefly fighting a war with The Daleks, and Nardole is given the Fourth Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver. There are even framed pictures on The Doctor's desk of his granddaughter Susan Foreman and wife River Song.

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Intriguingly the camera lingers for a very long time on Susan's photo. Could it be foreshadowing her return? The Doctor did say that one day he would return to her...

Probably the best piece of fan service in the episode is the Impossible Girl theme playing when Bill refuses to have her memory wiped by The Doctor. It's a touching moment as the Doctor remembers his own memory being wiped, and hopefully is foreshadowing the Doctor beginning to recall who Clara is. It would be a shame if this incarnation of The Doctor regenerates without remembering his most significant companion.

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Overall, The Pilot is a good introduction to the character of Bill Potts. Pearl Mackie does a great job at playing the part of Bill, especially in the knowledge that it's her first proper TV acting role. The puddle monster is a cool if underdeveloped concept and there are some nice callbacks to earlier episodes. However Matt Lucas as Nardole seems like an unnecessary inclusion and Stephanie Hyam is dreadful as Bill's crush Heather. The Pilot is essentially the 'Rose' of the Moffat era, and does just as good a job at introducing us to the new companion. If Bill is going to be the new 'pilot' leading new viewers into the world of Doctor Who, then I think the show is in safe hands.

4

SeeingisBelieving

04-29-17, 04:55 PM

I have been extremely busy with my 90 page dissertation (yes, that's right: 90 pages. I'm writing a feature film screenplay).

Good luck with it – don't get distracted ;).

DalekbusterScreen5

04-29-17, 05:12 PM

Good luck with it – don't get distracted ;).

Thanks. I'm enjoying it a lot - I may have mentioned it before, but it's a Beatles musical about an evil female octopus version of Simon Cowell and a shop assistant called Jude, who finds herself in a fantasy world under the sea that appears to have modelled itself after The X Factor.

DalekbusterScreen5

04-30-17, 02:14 PM

Smile

It's fair to say that many were feeling apprehensive about Smile. The writer Frank Cottrell Boyce's previous work for Doctor Who - In The Forest Of The Night - was arguably the most controversial episode since Love & Monsters. I, on the other hand, was vastly looking forward to Smile. In The Forest Of The Night was one of my favourite episodes of Series 8, and I couldn't wait to see what Frank Cottrell Boyce would write next.

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Robots known as the Vardy have been helping to prepare the planet Gliese 581d - a planet that bizarrely enough actually exists in real life - for human colonisation, working with their computer interfaces the Emojibots and a small skeleton crew. The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) arrive on the colony world to find the skeleton crew have been murdered by the Emojibots and turned into fertiliser for the planet's crops. Investigating the deaths, they discover that not only do the Emojibots communicate in emoji but that these robots also kill anyone who displays an emotion other than happiness.

Strangely for a 21st century episode of Doctor Who, this episode often feels more like a classic series serial than a forty-five minute new series story. The slow pace may be off-putting to younger viewers, but for this reviewer it was a welcome breath of fresh air. I love fast-paced episodes but every once in a while it's nice to get an episode like The Rings of Akhaten or Deep Breath that gives the audience a breather from non-stop action. Those are the nearest new series parallels, but this story's pacing bears much stronger similarities to 1975's The Ark In Space. Just like that classic Tom Baker serial, Smile takes its time to explore the world of the narrative and is more focused on the Doctor-companion relationship as opposed to the episode's monster.

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With any other Doctor/companion pairing, I'm not entirely sure Smile would have worked as an episode of the new series. The Doctor and Bill however are such a strong double act that you don't notice the slower-than-usual pace; every time they are on screen together, they are captivating to watch. Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie have a lot of chemistry together, and are exactly the kind of pair the show needs right now during its tenth series on air. Handled by a bad actor Bill's questions could easily become annoying, but Pearl Mackie makes them endearing and often they are the kind of questions you're surprised no companion has asked before. Why is the chair in the TARDIS nowhere near the controls? Why is the police box exterior signage written in English? Why does The Doctor go back to help after successfully escaping from the episode's monsters, instead of leaving in the TARDIS?

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That's not to say the episode would be rubbish without Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. Far from it. Frank Cottrell Boyce's writing is fantastic, often very lyrical and poetic. He makes any line of dialogue sound like it was written by a famous poet, and the show is lucky to have such a skilled writer working for the show. It's also clear from this episode's classic series similarities that Frank Cottrell Boyce knows his Doctor Who; sometimes that is detrimental to the story, as the inspiration the episode owes to The Happiness Patrol is very clear in its central premise and sometimes hard to ignore, but for the most part it feels more like a love letter to Classic Who rather than a direct copy.

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One thing the classic series wouldn't have had is the rich production values of this episode. Smile was filmed in the City of Arts and Science Museum in Valencia (Spain) and the choice of filming location is so strong, it makes Doctor Who look higher budget than it actually is. The Emojibots are generally a very good design too, if perhaps a little too small for them to be seen as a dangerous threat to The Doctor and Bill.

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Speaking of the Emojibots, it's a very believable idea that emojis survive as a universal language. What many viewers may not realise is that this aspect of the plot was based on actual research the writer conducted on what our language may look like in the distant future, and it makes a lot of sense given the past use of hieroglyphs by the Egyptians.

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Unfortunately, Smile is let down considerably by its solution. The conclusion of the episode involves The Doctor turning the Emojibots off and on again, literally resetting them like a computer and it leaves you wondering why The Doctor didn't just do that in the first place. It's certainly less drastic than his first suggestion - to blow the entire utopian compound up - and would have saved both Doctor and companion a lot of time. Not to mention all the lives that would have been lost if The Doctor had actually blown the place up.

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Overall, Smile is another solid episode of Doctor Who and bares surprising similarities to the classic series of the show. The pace is more reminiscent of The Ark In Space as opposed to the episode's nearest new series equivalent in The Rings of Akhaten, with a stronger focus on world-building as opposed to the monster-of-the-week. After the first episode of Series 10 'The Pilot', Smile is another episode where the Doctor/companion relationship is the main focus over the monsters featured, and the pairing of The Doctor and Bill manages to hide the slow pace that may otherwise be a turn-off for younger viewers of the show. Disappointingly however the episode has a very weak resolution and Nardole barely features. Matt Lucas' Series 10 involvement so far feels more like a last minute addition to the cast rather than a natural inclusion.

4

SeeingisBelieving

04-30-17, 04:31 PM

It's also clear from this episode's classic series similarities that Frank Cottrell Boyce knows his Doctor Who; sometimes that is detrimental to the story, as the inspiration the episode owes to The Happiness Patrol is very clear in its central premise and sometimes hard to ignore, but for the most part it feels more like a love letter to Classic Who rather than a direct copy.

I wasn't exactly thrilled at the similarity to my favourite story but it's good that, from what I can gather, Smile seems to be coming from a slightly different perspective. I quite liked the robot threat in Embrace the Darkness for example, with the Doctor having to try and reason with it.

Speaking of the Emojibots, it's a very believable idea that emojis survive as a universal language. What many viewers may not realise is that this aspect of the plot was based on actual research the writer conducted on what our language may look like in the distant future, and it makes a lot of sense given the past use of hieroglyphs by the Egyptians.

Yeah, I can see how that might happen. Good thinking.

DalekbusterScreen5

04-30-17, 05:29 PM

It's also clear from this episode's classic series similarities that Frank Cottrell Boyce knows his Doctor Who; sometimes that is detrimental to the story, as the inspiration the episode owes to The Happiness Patrol is very clear in its central premise and sometimes hard to ignore, but for the most part it feels more like a love letter to Classic Who rather than a direct copy.

I wasn't exactly thrilled at the similarity to my favourite story but it's good that, from what I can gather, Smile seems to be coming from a slightly different perspective. I quite liked the robot threat in Embrace the Darkness for example, with the Doctor having to try and reason with it.
Yeah, it's definitely a different take on the same idea. It does feel very similar to The Happiness Patrol though.

SeeingisBelieving

04-30-17, 05:38 PM

Yeah, it's definitely a different take on the same idea. It does feel very similar to The Happiness Patrol though.

What's that phrase? "Too soon" ;).

DalekbusterScreen5

05-06-17, 02:18 PM

Thin Ice (TV)

The best instalments of anything - be it television or film - make controversial decisions in their content likely to divide their viewers. That's what I like about Sarah Dollard's latest episode for Doctor Who, Thin Ice. Within those 45 minutes, you have The Doctor saying Jesus is black, Bill swearing, a kid dying.... All things you would expect the BBC wouldn't allow the show to do. Sarah Dollard certainly isn't afraid to upset her audience, given she - not Steven Moffat - was also the writer to kill Clara Oswald in 2015's Face The Raven. Clara may have been 'extracted' from her death in Hell Bent, but she still has to return to the moment she died eventually. Sarah Dollard's episode still remains Clara's main exit story.

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In Thin Ice, The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Bill (Pearl Mackie) find themselves in Regency Era London during the time of the last frost fair. Under the frozen Thames lurks a chained sea creature belonging to Lord Sutcliffe (Nicholas Burns), who is using its poo as fuel to mine and sell to the local residents. Bill must make the ultimate decision: save the sea creature and potentially place others' lives in danger, or leave it trapped under the thames and deny the creature its freedom.

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What's interesting about the creature is that it isn't alien in origin. It's just an ordinary sea creature that hadn't been discovered by anyone other than Lord Sutcliffe before this episode, like the mythical Loch Ness Monster (or the Skarasen, as those of us who are Whovians know it to be). It makes a refreshing change for the new series to deviate from the alien threat angle; the classic series of the show had done this more frequently with the introduction of species such as the Silurians and the Sea Devils. The last time the new series had introduced something from Earth as a threat without any alien interference was In The Forest Of The Night with regular trees, and even then they weren't a new species of tree as this is a new species of fish.

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This isn't the episode's only earthly threat either. Nicholas Burns may not feature a great deal as Lord Sutcliffe but in the short space of time he does appear in he instantly makes an impression. Sutcliffe is the kind of villain you love to hate, and Sarah Dollard writes him as such a despicable human being that you punch the air when The Doctor punches him for making a racist remark. If only he would do the same for Donald Trump or Nigel Farage.

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Those who didn't like the slow pace of the previous two episodes will be pleased to know that this episode has a much faster pace. With its strong focus on investigation and exploration it feels like a Jules Verne story, especially 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. The bigger supporting cast give a more communal sense of atmosphere than the wonderfully lonely and mysterious one of Smile; this is a completely different episode of the show, and offers the kind of variety that is expected from Doctor Who.

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The faster pace is definitely welcome, as it feels like since the previous two episodes we have really got to know who Bill is as a person. This episode is more an exploration of The Doctor's questionable motives and the darker aspects of travelling with the Time Lord; for example, after the child's death Bill asks The Doctor 'Have you ever killed anyone?'. The Doctor tells her that he has; a great moment no doubt for new viewers. Pearl Mackie continues to play Bill brilliantly; as I said in a previous interview, she really feels like someone who you would meet in real life. It makes a change to see a more inquisitive companion than the likes of Amy or Clara.

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Unfortunately The Doctor's other companion, Matt Lucas's Nardole, is still being sidelined. In Thin Ice, he only appears in the final couple of scenes mixing coffee into cups of tea (which really should be a crime) and guarding the vault, and it continues to make Matt Lucas's involvement seem like a waste of time. Doctor Who Magazine put it perfectly: essentially his role in the series so far is little more than 'Matt Lucas cameo of the week'. It would be nice to be given a chance to form an opinion other than indifference towards the character of Nardole. Hopefully he'll feature more in Knock Knock.

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The show's SFX also suffers in this episode. The new series of Doctor Who generally has very good special effects, but post production company Milk's effort this week is poor. The SFX of the giant sea creature are consistently unbelievable (although the giant eye is impressive), as are the special effects of people falling through the ice. Doctor Who's low budget clearly shows here more than ever before; sadly it is a case of the show being over-ambitious with its visual effects.

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Overall, Thin Ice is probably my favourite Sarah Dollard episode so far and definitely destined to be one of the most controversial episodes of the show. After The Pilot and Smile established the character of Bill Potts, Thin Ice is allowed to have a much stronger pace and has a conveys a nice Jules Verne-esque feel. It also makes a nice change for the threat to be earthly rather than alien, and Pearl Mackie is once again brilliant as Bill Potts. Unfortunately the episode suffers from yet another 'Matt Lucas cameo of the week' (as coined by Doctor Who Magazine) and surprisingly terrible special effects. These special effects are Invisible Enemy-levels of bad, and by far the worst of the new series.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

05-08-17, 08:18 PM

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2

All together now.

Aah aah ah
I'm hooked on a feeling
I'm high on believing
That you're in love with me

Hooked On A Feeling by Blue Swede doesn't appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, but it is probably the first song that comes to mind when you think of the Guardians films. Hooked On A Feeling may not have been specially written or composed for Guardians of the Galaxy, but it is arguably the most iconic comic-book movie theme besides the famous 1978 Superman score. It is partly the use of that song in the first Guardians movie that made me want to see the sequel, and whilst none of the tunes in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 quite match the heights of Hooked On A Feeling the film definitely didn't disappoint.

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The second volume of Guardians of the Galaxy finds the Guardians fighting a massive space octopus creature called an Abilisk on behalf of a gold-skinned race called the Sovereign. In exchange for destroying the Abilisk they are given custody of Nebula (Karen Gillan). Relations with the Sovereign are however tarnished when Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper) decides to steal some valuable batteries from them, provoking a space battle between the Guardians and Sovereigns which results in the Milano crashing into the planet Berhert, where Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) meats his father Ego The Living Planet (Kurt Russell). Is Ego really the loving father he seems, or is something more sinister at play?

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That synopsis showcases exactly what is great about the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Like all the best stories (Doctor Who, Ghostbusters, Elf...) its premise is completely barking mad and needs to be seen to be believed. A planet being somebody's father sounds totally ridiculous, but it makes sense within the world of the movie - plus it is addressed how a planet could make love with Peter Quill's mother. Equally it helps that these movies have a strong 'Just roll with it' tone; they never take themselves seriously, and they never expect you as the audience to either. It's good-natured fun in the spirit of 80s feel-good blockbusters.

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Somehow Volume 2 manages to feel more 80s, in fact, than the first movie. There are numerous references throughout to the decade that Quill came from. Knight Rider is referenced, Pac-Man appears and David Hasselhoff makes a cameo appearance as a brief avatar form taken by Ego, wearing his iconic Knight Rider outfit and CGI'ed to look younger. In the opening scene with the Abilisk there is even green slime, bringing to mind the Ghostbusters movies. The Sovereign's ship sees Sovereigns playing arcade machines to fire at the Milano. The 80s is obviously a clear inspiration for James Gunn, and who can blame him considering a lot of the greatest movies came from that decade?

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The first Guardians Of The Galaxy was hilarious. The second is even funnier. There are an abundance of great gags, from Rocket accidentally insulting the Sovereigns ("We thought you were a bunch of arseholes, but you're actually alright,") to Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) laughing at Peter's romantic feelings towards Gamora (Zoe Saldana). My favourite scene is probably the post-credits sequence with a Teenage Groot. I cannot wait to see what Teenage Groot gets up to in the sequel. I suspect that he will be one of the highlights of Volume 3, and possibly the best direction for Groot's character they could take.

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Speaking of Mantis, she is a great new addition to the cast and nicely played by Pom Kementieff. Her ability to feel others emotions by touching them is an interesting concept, whilst her naivety and inability to understand social interactions makes her a great character for James Gunn to pair with Drax. As with Drax, Mantis feels like a character that due to my autism I can really relate to. Both characters bear autistic traits. Drax takes things literally, whilst Mantis doesn't understand certain aspects of human behaviour. Both are good role models for autistic cinema-goers such as myself, and certainly more representative than The Accountant's emotionless killer.

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But enough about The Accountant showing autistic people as emotionless killers, let's return to Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. One thing that struck me about the sequel is that it is a much more human story than the first movie. And I prefer that. This film is about Peter Quill's relationship with his father, and that gives it real heart and soul than had it just been a repeat of the first volume. The best sequels do something different with the central premise whilst also maintaining enough of the central ingredients for it not to lose its identity. Men In Black 3 for instance kept the concept of a shady government organisation keeping aliens living among us a secret but added time travel into the mix. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 maintains the central premise of a dysfunctional bunch of outlaws working together to protect the universe, but adds in Peter Quill discovering his father. The secret to a good sequel is making it different enough to feel like its own movie, but keeping enough from the previous instalment(s) for it to feel the same. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 does this with ease.

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Chris Pratt and Kurt Russell play it beautifully. They truly feel like father and son; it's a surprise that Kurt Russell isn't Chris Pratt's actual real life father. Chris Pratt has fast become one of my favourite film actors; he has the charm of Jeff Goldblum, the presence of Harrison Ford and the awkwardness of Michael J Fox as Marty McFly. It's a perfect combination, and makes him a natural lead for blockbuster films like this one. Kurt Russell has very similar mannerisms to Chris Pratt; you can see instantly why they cast him in the role.

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Thank God they keep casting Stan Lee for his obligatory cameos also. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 contains not one but two of his very best, one in the actual film and the other in a post-credits sequence. The way these cameos work hint at something that will melt your mind, potentially linking together his cameos in every Marvel movie including the Fox and Sony ones. Stan Lee's appearances are no doubt a punch the air moment for many cinema-goers, and will spark internet debates for years to come.

I think many of these same internet commentators will also agree that Volume 2 contains the best special effects of any Marvel Cinematic Universe film so far. The film is gorgeous. The planetary environment of Ego is stunning, as are all the space sequences and the opening scene with a dancing Baby Groot on the planet Sovereign. Without a doubt this film will look stunning on Blu-ray, and for those lucky enough to own a compatible disc player, 4K Blu-ray. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 was literally made to be viewed on High-Definition screens.

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My only criticism relates to the characterisation of one of the key players in the film. Whilst Karen Gillan is fantastic as always as Nebula, her motivations aren't always entirely clear and seem to stem more from plot conveniency than anything else. At one point in the movie she goes from trying to kill her sister Gamora to suddenly being on the same side as her with no explanation. I have discussed this on an internet forum and a poster suggested her to be 'lashing out in anger at everything that happened, but then when they find a worse father, it shakes Nebula out of it' but even so it feels like there's a whole scene missing between Gamora and Nebula's brawl and the pair discovering the pile of bodies on Ego.

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Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy is another fun feel-good blockbuster from James Gunn, with real heart and a great sense of humour. Chris Pratt and Kurt Russell are great as father and son, and the special effects are stunning. Unfortunately the film is let down by Nebula's unclear character motivations - a shame given that Karen Gillan gives such a strong performance. Hopefully Volume 3 will see an improvement in one of the MCU's most engaging characters, but before then Karen Gillan is set to return in Avengers: Infinity War alongside Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista.

4.5

DalekbusterScreen5

05-13-17, 12:54 PM

Knock Knock

Since Doctor Who returned in 2005, it has featured many big name actors from the world of television and film. Bernard Cribbins, Michael Gambon, Timothy Dalton and many more have made guest appearances...yet David Suchet, arguably one of the country's most famous TV actors, has not starred in the show before now. For this reason alone there was quite a lot of buzz surrounding Knock Knock, the fourth episode of Series 10.

Did it live up to the hype?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes.

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Knock Knock sees Bill (Pearl Mackie) searching for student accommodation with her friends Shireen (Mandeep Dhillon), Harry (Colin Ryan), Paul (Ben Presley), Felicity (Alice Hewkin) and Pavel (Bart Suavek). After a number of failed attempts to find somewhere suitable to live, Bill and company are on the verge of giving up when they are approached by The Landlord (David Suchet), who believes he has a suitable property. It's dirt cheap and its rooms are very spacious. The group sign a contract to stay in the house, but it soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems. There's no central heating, the plug sockets are old and they are unable to pick up a mobile signal inside the house. There are also some very strange noises during the night, and Pavel hasn't left his room since they arrived. The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) is curious, and decides to investigate.

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I haven't been scared by Doctor Who in a while. The last Doctor Who episode I found genuinely horrifying was 2009's The Water of Mars. This isn't intended as criticism towards the show, it's just that I am older now than I was in 2009 so I am not scared as easily as I was before. Knock Knock, however, absolutely terrified me. The sound design in this episode is spot on, with lots of tense music and creepy creaking noises creating a typical horror atmosphere. There is a binaural (3D surround sound) version of the episode available on iPlayer; I haven't tried it, although I could imagine it adding a nice extra dimension to the episode. Knock Knock's use of sound is very effective without the binaural surround sound though, and helps make the show's latest attempt at a haunted house its most successful by far.

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It helps that this episode's writer is Mike Bartlett. As a playwright, Mike Bartlett will no doubt he used to writing small self-contained stories that use a single setting for maximum impact as opposed to the bigger scale stories of the new series such as The Stolen Earth/Journey's End or The Day of The Doctor. His experience as a playwright therefore shows through in Knock Knock in the way his script plays with the horror behind the unexplainable strange sounds many of us often hear during the night in our own homes. In Knock Knock's case these sounds are explained to be alien woodlice the Doctor calls 'Dryads' entering through the woodwork to feast on whoever is currently living inside the house. Unnervingly their victims also become a part of the woodwork once consumed, which is a surprisingly dark concept after the lighter episodes of Series 10 (The Pilot, Smile and Thin Ice).

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Of course, some will complain that the actions of Bill's friends are stupid. I've already seen some comments about how you wouldn't buy a house with so much wrong with it, or you would be a bit more concerned if somebody had stayed in their room for a day and never left like Pavel. I would point out however that characters doing stupid things is a trope of horror. Look at The Blair Witch Project, for instance. The filmmakers all act dumb in that, but that's what allows the horror situation to escalate. The actions of the characters in Knock Knock just show how much Mike Bartlett understands on how to make a scary episode of Doctor Who. This is a guy who clearly knows exactly what he's doing, who clearly has a deep understanding of genre and who clearly (in my opinion at least) should be invited back to write for the show again.

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The cinematography of this episode is fantastic, its moody and atmospheric lighting helping to successfully convey the familiar haunted house aesthetic. The Director of Photography Damian Bromley should be applauded for the visual aesthetic for this episode, which conveys the tone of previous haunted house episodes such as Ghost Light and Hide. Shadows are cast over the actors' faces, and the camera work often tightly framed to give an almost claustrophobic feel that works well with a hide-behind-the-sofa-style episode of Doctor Who.

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Pearl Mackie continues to impress, but the highlight of the episode is David Suchet as The Landlord. David Suchet is a revelation in the role, and gives possibly the best guest star performance since Michael Gambon in A Christmas Carol. I was so impressed by The Landlord, in fact, that I started a petition to bring the character back (https://www.change.org/p/doctor-who-bring-back-the-landlord?recruiter=40612391&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive). The Landlord is a captivatingly creepy, sinister villain and the payoff with his character at the episode's conclusion puts a lot of his behaviour into perspective. It is understandable why he's feeding students to the Dryads, but unlike the previous three episodes' monsters/villains he isn't a misunderstood character. His actions are still evil - feeding students to some alien insects is still wrong, even if it is to keep his mother alive. David Suchet plays 'evil' very well, and I hope they can find a way for him to return.

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My only complaint about this episode is that again, Matt Lucas only appears briefly at the episode. I'm not the biggest Matt Lucas fan, but he is being completely wasted in his role on Doctor Who so far and I wish the writers would feature him more so I can form a proper opinion on Nardole other than indifference. Nardole's cameos feel strangely like Steven Moffat owed Matt Lucas a favour than the character having any sort of narrative reason to be included in Series 10. His role so far amounts to moaning at The Doctor because he's not staying on Earth to protect the vault, and it comes across as more of an awkward intrusion on the episode than a scene you particularly look forward to in each story.

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Overall, Knock Knock is a very creepy episode of Doctor Who and one that I reckon will be considered a classic in ten years' time. Mike Bartlett's debut as a writer for the show is possibly the strongest since Jamie Mathieson with Mummy On The Orient Express, and I certainly hope that he will write for the show again. The combination of Mike Bartlett's writing with the excellent sound design and dark cinematography allows for an episode that perfectly captures the 'haunted house' feel, more so than 1989's Ghost Light or 2013's Hide. David Suchet is the one standout element of the episode however; he is fantastic as The Landlord and gives the strongest guest star performance since Michael Gambon 2010's A Christmas Carol. Knock Knock is without a doubt one of the greatest episodes of the Peter Capaldi era so far, written by one of the show's greatest guest writers.

5

SeeingisBelieving

05-13-17, 03:40 PM

When I saw David Suchet in A Perfect Murder there was something about him that made me think he would have been great as the Master. It is insane that nobody has ever approached him to be in Doctor Who until now, on TV or in the audios.

I liked The Waters of Mars as well. Very scary. I just couldn't stand the ending. Flatline's also a really good modern horror concept.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-13-17, 06:22 PM

When I saw David Suchet in A Perfect Murder there was something about him that made me think he would have been great as the Master. It is insane that nobody has ever approached him to be in Doctor Who until now, on TV or in the audios.
I actually saw quite a few theories before Knock Knock aired that David Suchet was The Master. Sadly he's not, but it would have been a fantastic twist.

I liked The Waters of Mars as well. Very scary. I just couldn't stand the ending. Flatline's also a really good modern horror concept.

I loved The Water of Mars' ending. I wasn't as big a fan of Flatline as everyone else, but I did enjoy it. The Boneless were a great concept.

SeeingisBelieving

05-14-17, 08:27 AM

I actually saw quite a few theories before Knock Knock aired that David Suchet was The Master. Sadly he's not, but it would have been a fantastic twist.

I'm glad there are fans that remember what the Master used to be like :p.

I loved The Water of Mars' ending. I wasn't as big a fan of Flatline as everyone else, but I did enjoy it. The Boneless were a great concept.

I didn't like the Doctor's speech at the end of Flatline but the Boneless are class villains.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-14-17, 10:51 AM

I didn't like the Doctor's speech at the end of Flatline but the Boneless are class villains.

Have you read any of the Titan comics? They brought the Boneless back in the 12th Doctor comic that I reviewed previously, The Fourth Wall.

SeeingisBelieving

05-14-17, 12:14 PM

Have you read any of the Titan comics? They brought the Boneless back in the 12th Doctor comic that I reviewed previously, The Fourth Wall.

No I haven't but it's good that they're being used. I hope they come back in the series.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-14-17, 12:35 PM

No I haven't but it's good that they're being used. I hope they come back in the series.

I suppose it depends if they fit into Chris Chibnall's Doctor Who or not. I think of the Steven Moffat era we'll see the Weeping Angels, Kate and Osgood again.

SeeingisBelieving

05-14-17, 03:50 PM

I suppose it depends if they fit into Chris Chibnall's Doctor Who or not. I think of the Steven Moffat era we'll see the Weeping Angels, Kate and Osgood again.

It's good when a creation that's associated with one era, especially with a certain tone, comes back just to see how it will work. Two really fantastic examples were actually not on TV at all – the Krotons in Alien Bodies and the Nimon in Seasons of Fear.

Thinking back, the Autons worked very well in Rose didn't they? Still scary but existing in an at times quite comedic episode – I thought the plastic Mickey was very funny, particularly the fact that Rose could hardly tell the difference. Feels like a world away from the tone of Spearhead and Terror though.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-15-17, 02:31 PM

It's good when a creation that's associated with one era, especially with a certain tone, comes back just to see how it will work. Two really fantastic examples were actually not on TV at all – the Krotons in Alien Bodies and the Nimon in Seasons of Fear.

Thinking back, the Autons worked very well in Rose didn't they? Still scary but existing in an at times quite comedic episode – I thought the plastic Mickey was very funny, particularly the fact that Rose could hardly tell the difference. Feels like a world away from the tone of Spearhead and Terror though.

The Autons were great in Rose, and I can't wait to hear the Ice Warriors in the Tenth Doctor era with Big Finish's The Tenth Doctor Adventures: Volume 2. That just sounds like such a perfect combination of monster and Doctor Who era to me.

SeeingisBelieving

05-15-17, 05:09 PM

The Autons were great in Rose, and I can't wait to hear the Ice Warriors in the Tenth Doctor era with Big Finish's The Tenth Doctor Adventures: Volume 2. That just sounds like such a perfect combination of monster and Doctor Who era to me.

Yeah, I like the sound of that as well.

I rolled my eyes when it was announced that the Mondasian Cybermen were coming back because I couldn't think of any good reason why they should. I really like them but they were perfect at that time and in that story. Then it turned out that they're Peter Capaldi's favourite monster so I felt different about it. It must have been great for David Tennant to meet his favourites, the Zygons, in The Day of the Doctor (after his own era had ended) and I wouldn't begrudge Peter that :p. To my knowledge Paul McGann hasn't been given a Yeti story yet so hopefully that will happen.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-16-17, 11:07 AM

Yeah, I like the sound of that as well.

I rolled my eyes when it was announced that the Mondasian Cybermen were coming back because I couldn't think of any good reason why they should. I really like them but they were perfect at that time and in that story. Then it turned out that they're Peter Capaldi's favourite monster so I felt different about it. It must have been great for David Tennant to meet his favourites, the Zygons, in The Day of the Doctor (after his own era had ended) and I wouldn't begrudge Peter that :p. To my knowledge Paul McGann hasn't been given a Yeti story yet so hopefully that will happen.

I'm still not entirely sure how their return will work. Their design is quite cheap by new series standards, and I hope the casual audience don't think 'Wow, they must have run out of money'.

SeeingisBelieving

05-16-17, 11:09 AM

I'm still not entirely sure how their return will work. Their design is quite cheap by new series standards, and I hope the casual audience don't think 'Wow, they must have run out of money'.

I haven't seen much of them but that was the impression I got as well. I'm not sure they've even got human hands, which would be a pity.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-16-17, 11:12 AM

I haven't seen much of them but that was the impression I got as well. I'm not sure they've even got human hands, which would be a pity.

Yeah, they wear surgical gloves.

SeeingisBelieving

05-16-17, 11:14 AM

Yeah, they wear surgical gloves.

Well I suppose that's still pretty disturbing isn't it? I love the permanently open mouth while they were speaking.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-17-17, 08:31 PM

Well I suppose that's still pretty disturbing isn't it? I love the permanently open mouth while they were speaking.

It's very alien. The new series Cybermen could learn a lot from the mouths of the Tenth Planet ones.

SeeingisBelieving

05-18-17, 08:23 AM

It's very alien. The new series Cybermen could learn a lot from the mouths of the Tenth Planet ones.

The Hartnell era is just on a different level when it comes to representing aliens. So imaginative.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-18-17, 10:02 AM

The Hartnell era is just on a different level when it comes to representing aliens. So imaginative.

It is impressive what they managed to achieve on a shoestring budget.

SeeingisBelieving

05-18-17, 10:05 AM

It is impressive what they managed to achieve on a shoestring budget.

The Monoids' golf balls in the mouths for eyes is a particular favourite :p. Works a dream.

DalekbusterScreen5

05-20-17, 01:14 PM

Oxygen

Many are describing Jamie Mathieson as the Moffat era's Steven Moffat, and it's not hard to see why. Whilst none of his episodes have particularly scared me in the same way Moffat's have, Jamie Mathieson's stories for the show mainly tend to lean towards the darker corners of the Whoniverse. This probably makes him the closest to what Russell T Davies had with Steven Moffat as a one-off writer. After Series 9's more light-hearted The Girl Who Died, oxygen is another dark episode from Mathieson in the vein of his series eight stories.

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In Oxygen, The Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Bill (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas) arrive on the space station Chasm Forge in the far future, where oxygen is sold by businesses as a commodity. The Chasm Forge crew are supplied oxygen through their space suits, programmed to give oxygen in relation to how many credits the wearer has. Things are not as they seem as the TARDIS crew discover some of the crew onboard the Chasm Forge are dead, and still walking. The suits have been killing their occupants, but is it the result of the suits' Artifical Intelligence going rogue, or has someone programmed them to do it?

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The episode gets off to a slow start, but once the plot kicks into gear it proves to be a thrilling episode. The Suits prove for very effective monsters, essentially like space versions of zombies. Doctor Who has of course played with zombies before - most notably in 2005's The Unquiet Dead - but the monsters featured here are probably the most obvious examples of zombies in the show so far, and perhaps the most interesting take.

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The idea of suits trying to kill their occupants is a very unique one, especially with the combination of the very Douglas Adams-esque idea of businesses selling oxygen. Some viewers may not like the very prominent anti-capitalism message in this episode, but I think it's one that is extremely relevant to today's society. The other day I read an online article about the Scarborough Council charging people 40p to use public toilets, and this is something that I believe is a disgusting money-making exercise. Why should you have to pay to go to the toilet? Why should you have to pay for oxygen? The two are instantly comparable, and charging for public toilets essentially turns councils into businesses.

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Two things are very impressive about the production of this episode. The first is the make-up of the space zombies. The space zombies look fantastic, and pretty much as convincing as those you see in high-profile movies featuring zombies such as Shaun of the Dead. The second is cinematography. There is a brilliant sequence in this episode where Bill is exposed to the vacuum of space without a space helmet, and the image blurs and distorts to show the effects of the exposure. It's such a clever and well-executed sequence, and one that deserves recognition for how immediately effective it is.

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It's the aftermath of the vacuum sequence with Bill that also highlights how much the 12th Doctor's characterisation has developed throughout his era. Series 8 Capaldi wouldn't have cared less that his companion was being exposed to the vacuum of space, but Series 10 Capaldi saves Bill by giving her his helmet. This results in him becoming blind, meaning we have our first disabled Doctor. Quite how this will play out in future episodes is a mystery, although it seems likely that his eye sight will be fixed when he starts to regenerate in the Truth Monks three parter. It's a bold move by Moffat and one that should be applauded.

We are led to believe before the final scene that the Doctor's blindness was cured in the TARDIS, but in the final moments it is revealed that he is still blind. The way this was revealed didn't quite work for me. It was made a little too obvious in the scene by the way The Doctor is suddenly wearing his Sonic Shades again and not looking directly at Bill and Nardole when they are talking to him. It also feels like a cliffhanger for the sake of having a cliffhanger. Why bother showing a scene in the TARDIS where it looks like he's been cured? Why not just end with the blind Doctor and companions leaving in the TARDIS for the Doctor's office at St Luke's University?

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If the cliffhanger didn't quite work, this episode did deliver in another area. In Oxygen, we finally get to see more of Nardole. This time his appearance isn't a brief cameo at the beginning or end of the episode, but as a proper companion to The Doctor like Bill. Finally I can form some sort of opinion on the character, and so far I like him. He's a fun companion for The Twelfth Doctor, and displays some interesting chemistry with Pearl Mackie. I can't wait to see more of his character in Extremis; hopefully he isn't relegated to cameo status again, as I think there's potential yet to be realised with Nardole.

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Overall, Oxygen starts off slow but once it gets going it proves to be another great episode from Jamie Mathieson. The space zombies are very effective, and the central premise is reminiscent of Douglas Adams. Also: Matt Lucas is finally featured in more than just a brief cameo! Unfortunately the game-changing cliffhanger is made a little too obvious in the final scene, and if you pay attention to the way Peter Capaldi plays it you will figure out what the cliffhanger is straight away.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

06-10-17, 02:06 PM

Extremis/The Pyramid At The End Of The World/The Lie Of The Land

Three parters are a strange beast for the new series of Doctor Who. The first parts either act as prequels to the second and third episode or a totally unconnected story, and whether they even count as 'three parters' is always a hot topic for discussion in the Whovian fandom. Personally I tend to count the prequel-part two-part three structure as a three part and the 'unconnected story' structure as something separate. That means Turn Left/The Stolen Earth/Journey's End and Name/Day/Time Of The Doctor are not three parters in my book, but Utopia/The Sound Of Drums/Last Of The Time Lords on the other hand certainly is.

Extremis/The Pyramid At The End Of The World/The Lie Of The Land counts too.

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The strange thing is that whilst all three are a part of the same story, at the same time they explore three completely different areas of science fiction. The first part, Extremis, is set inside a Matrix-style computer simulation run by the Monks as a way to plan a successful invasion of Earth. Pyramid At The End of The World, meanwhile, is an apocalyptic episode where the Monks are using the approaching doomsday as leverage to persuade the United Nations and leaders of the three most powerful armies in the world - America, Russia and China - to give consent for the Monks to invade. The Lie of The Land, meanwhile, is set in an alternate dystopian world where the Monks have been given consent and Bill (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas) are the only ones who know the truth.

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It's a clever format for the three parter, and a great way to keep things fresh. Unfortunately it feels like the three parter could have been more easily a two parter, as the first part Extremis fails to deliver the exciting promise of its hook: a book that tells its reader the truth of the world they live in, and all those who read it commit suicide upon their discovery.

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It sounds like a relatively simple and exciting premise, but the computer simulation angle results in a confusing mess and is a case of Steven Moffat trying to be too clever. It's not entirely clear how much of the episode is a simulation and how much is real, and the climax doesn't make a great deal of sense as it relies on the simulated Doctor (Peter Capaldi) using email to contact the real Doctor, despite the simulated world not being real. The email received by the real Doctor is ridiculously unspecific - two words: 'save them'. What's the real Doctor supposed to make to that? Why not 'The Monks want to invade the Earth'? And how does the real Doctor know about Bill and Penny's (Ronke Adekoluejo) date? Was the real Doctor watching the simulation through his Sonic Shades? Even so, how would he see Bill and Penny's date? The simulated Doctor wasn't there to record it.

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The flashback sequences with Missy (Michelle Gomez) are the most interesting here. These see Missy placed on trial by an unnamed species, and the Doctor is her executioner. This should have been Extremis's main story as it is much more engaging than the over-complicated computer simulation plot and placing the Doctor as Missy's executioner plays well with the character's compassion and long-standing frenemy relationship with The Master. It also contains one of Michelle Gomez's best performances as Missy, her portrayal toned down compared to Series 8 and Series 9 and veering even closer to Degaldo's Master. Michelle Gomez gives another outstanding portrayal in The Lie Of The Land that actually leads you into feeling sympathetic towards Missy as she claims to regret her past villainous acts (although it's probably a ruse to trick the Doctor into trusting his friend again).

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The second part - The Pyramid At The End Of The World, written by Toby Whithouse - is definitely my favourite of the three, and a massive improvement on Extremis. It's a return to the more straightforward plots of the rest of Series 10; a simple, easy to follow end of the world storyline that demonstrates the power the Monks hold. A mysterious pyramid has appeared overnight, and The Doctor, Bill and Nardole travel with the previously mentioned U.N. and military leaders to investigate. The pyramid turns out to be the Monks' ship and base of operations, and they offer to save humanity from the approaching apocalypse if they give their consent to invade.

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The Pyramid At The End Of The World is without a doubt the best episode of Series 10 so far, and it's hard to find much fault with it. It's well-paced, expertly directed and as with some of my favourite Moffat era stories such as The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon and The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion it has a nice epic feel. This is an episode that could easily be broadcast on the big screen with its sweeping desert vistas and it wouldn't look out of place. It also presents a wonderful irony to the approaching apocalypse, when the end of the world turns out to be taking place in a small British laboratory in a Yorkshire village.

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It's a clever move by Toby Whithouse to make the end of the world be caused by a simple mistake from a male and female scientist duo; the man who turned up to the lab drunk and the woman having broke her glasses on the way to work. Not a massive catastrophe or a third world war as often portrayed in apocalyptic films but simple human mistakes. Doctor Who feels right exploring the very scary idea that the end of the world could happen anytime and caused by the smallest of human errors.

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I won't spoil the cliffhanger of this episode, but believe me: you won't see it coming. The consent of love comes from the most unlikely place, and it makes complete sense for the character involved. To me it is up there with the cliffhanger to Utopia; very high praise indeed given how much Utopia's final scenes were very much a punch the air moment.

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The Lie Of The Land by Toby Whithouse sees a dystopian world where the Monks have taken over. The population of Earth believe that the Monks have always been a part of Earth's history, and Memory Police take away anybody who remembers that in reality they have only been here six months. Bill and Nardole both remember the truth, whilst the Doctor appears to be making propaganda broadcasts for the Monks. If that synopsis reminds anybody of George Orwell's 1984, where the UK population are working in a dystopian society where the government are purposefully rewriting historical documents and creating a new version of history, that's because the plot is very similar. The Monks have rewritten human history so that they were present in historical events, and the Doctor's past victories against The Daleks and Weeping Angels are now Monk victories. That doesn't mean the episode is unoriginal; instead, it very much does its own thing.

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The episode suggests the very intelligent notion that if we as humanity believed something was always there, we would ignore it as it would have always been the case. This is a great twist on the usual alien invasion story, and gives the Monks an implied power that means they don't need to offer much resistance as the people of this dystopia have no reason to fear them. Some have complained that this episode rarely depicts any conflict from the Monks towards the Doctor, Bill and Nardole but to me it makes sense as they assume the Doctor's plan to rewrite what the Monks have done won't work. We are told that if either the Doctor, Bill or Nardole attempt to change things back the mind technology that the Monks use will fry their brains - why would they bother fighting them when the Doctor or his companions will be dead if they attempt to rewrite everything back to normal anyway?

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My only criticism of The Lie Of The Land is the fake regeneration. Somehow the Doctor manages to trigger a full regeneration without changing his face, and it's never explained how he manages to avoid becoming thirteen. It's not even like the regeneration had only just started, been siphoned off or only focused on one part of the Doctor's body; the golden glow covers everything and disappears without 12 showing a different face. An explanation would have been nice - was it a projection, for instance? Also: why does he ask if the regeneration was 'too much'? Bill doesn't know anything about regeneration, so why would he even need to fake it when he shoots her? He could have simply pretended to die.

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Overall, the Monks trilogy starts off poor with Extremis but by the second and third parts it soon improves. Extremis is too confusing; basically Steven Moffat trying to be too clever. Pyramid At The End Of The World on the other hand is a classic and shows off The Monks at their very best, whilst Lie Of The Land portrays an interesting dystopian world. The Monks trilogy isn't the show's finest three parter - that honour still lies with Utopia/The Sound Of Drums/Last Of The Time Lords - but it does provide some nice variety, with all three parts exploring three distinctively different forms of science-fiction. Some may argue it's not a three parter, but to me it most certainly is.

Extremis - 3
The Pyramid At The End Of The World - 5
The Lie Of The Land - 4.5

Overall - 4

DalekbusterScreen5

06-17-17, 01:08 PM

Empress of Mars

It's sad to think that Empress of Mars could be Mark Gatiss's last episode for Doctor Who. The writer has stated he is unsure if he will return, and as someone who has enjoyed the majority of his episodes for the show I will be disappointed if he doesn't return under Chris Chibnall. Mark Gatiss gets a lot of unfair criticism from certain sections of the fanbase; he is essentially the Helen Raynor of the Moffat era, who also received a lot of harsh comments (and in my cases, personal abuse) from Whovians. Empress of Mars is Mark Gatiss's ninth episode for the show, and is probably my least favourite out of his televised stories.

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There are some nicely bizarre visual images in this story, and to begin with it has a wonderfully surreal feel. I never thought I'd see a bunch of victorians having a tea party on Mars, or the Ice Warriors waging war on an army of victorian soldiers. It's also nice to finally see an Ice Warrior story set on Mars and exploring more of the race's mythology; the introduction of the Ice Queen is cool and makes a lot of sense given how the Ice Warriors live in hives. She is essentially the queen bee who doesn't want to be disturbed...but of course, this is Doctor Who. If she were to never wake up from her tomb, there would be no story.

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Unfortunately the episode quickly runs out of steam. The tea party goes on for way too long, and it takes too much time for the Ice Warriors and their Ice Queen to wake up. The episode adopts more of a classic series style of pacing, and whilst it works with episodes such as Smile that use it to create a sense of mystery here it feels more detrimental to the story. This should be an episode with lots of action; a Doctor Who blockbuster, like Asylum of the Daleks. Instead it's more like The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood, and its central idea of human beings as the invaders is interesting but not explored enough for it to be as thought-provoking as its potential would allow it to be.

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Then there's the TARDIS misbehaving sub plot, which feels incredibly shoe-horned in and doesn't fit the episode at all. It just comes out of nowhere; Nardole returns to the TARDIS and the ship takes off, returning him to the vault he has been guarding with the Doctor on Earth. The entire sub plot seems to only exist partly so the story arc is featured in the episode and partly because Mark Gatiss didn't know Matt Lucas would be a companion at the time of writing. It's a very strange way to write Matt Lucas out of the main plot when the Doctor could have explained to Bill in one line that he's currently guarding the vault.

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Mark Gatiss deserves credit for introducing the amazing Ice Queen however. The Ice Queen is an amazing addition to the Doctor Who universe and a monster who I definitely hope we get to see return sooner rather than later. She gives the Ice Warriors a nice sense of regality which directly mirrors the victorians and their beloved Queen Victoria (a portrait of whom appears in the episode - based on Pauline Collins' take on the monarch); the Ice Queen's presence is so intimidating and the design so memorable that I have a feeling she will become one of the Moffat era's most beloved creations. Here's to many more Ice Warrior stories featuring the excellent Ice Queen, and a load of Big Finish audio dramas chronicling her rise to power. Maybe we might even see standard female Ice Warriors in future?

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Of course, one thing you've got to mention in a review of Empress of Mars is the return of Alpha Centauri (and the original voice actor, Ysanne Churchman) - and what a triumphant return it is for everybody's favourite hexapod. Alpha Centauri returns in style, answering a distress call from Mars and welcoming the Ice Warriors to the universe - and subsequently, the Galactic Federation. You see, Empress of Mars is secretly a prequel to The Curse of Peladon and it feels completely natural for the story. The story leads up to this moment with the introduction of friendly Ice Warrior Friday (Richard Ashton), and it's both Friday and the actions of cowardly Colonel Godsacre (Anthony Calf), who shoots Captain Catchlove (Ferdinand Kingsley) (Who wants to claim Mars in Queen Victoria's name), that brings the end of the Ice Warrior-Victorians war, and sees the Ice Queen forming a peaceful alliance with Godsacre. The Ice Queen is impressed with how Godsacre is prepared to sacrifice a member of his own kind for peace with the Ice Warriors , and this falls nicely in line with the Ice Warriors' code of honour.

Overall, Empress of Mars is possibly Mark Gatiss's weakest story. The episode starts off fine with surreal scenes such as a victorian tea party on Mars but quickly loses steam, and it takes too long for the Ice Warriors and the Ice Queen to wake up. There's a neat return for a classic series character though, and the Ice Queen is awesome.

2.5

DalekbusterScreen5

06-24-17, 09:03 AM

The Eaters of Light

Since the show was brought back, there has never been a classic series writer return to the show. There's been classic series directors - Graeme Harper - and classic series actors - Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, Christopher Benjamin etc.... - but never classic series writers. Until now. Finally a classic series writer has written for the new series - Rona Munro, the writer of the 1989 classic series serial Survival.

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The Eaters of Light sees the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) land the TARDIS in Second Century Scotland to test Bill's (Pearl Mackie) theory about what really happened to the missing Ninth Legion of the Roman army. Meanwhile, a light-eating locust has come through a portal from another dimension, and has been feeding on the Roman army...

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This episode is probably the closest to the classic series the new series will ever get. Throughout Murray Gold's music is very reminiscent of classic-style incidental scores, and the Doctor is written more in the vein of the classic incarnations of the character. Peter Capaldi plays it brilliantly, and his performance allows the different approach to feel like the same incarnation we've grown to know and love over three series. He bares more similarities to the Series 8 version of the 12th Doctor in this episode than the softer Series 9/10 12, but it makes sense for the character's more pacifist tendencies. The brutality doesn't feel particularly random, the Doctor is simply fed up of the rivalry between two warring factions (Romans and Pictish warriors). It's a return to the theme of 'If we fight like animals, we die like animals!' from Survival.

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One improvement the classic series approach has over the new series style is that the guest characters feel more fleshed out. We get to know these characters more; their personalities and what makes them tick. The new series generally tends to treat them as merely functions to the plot, whereas the classic series taught you to care for them as much as you do the TARDIS crew. Here they feel more like people rather than objects for the writer to play with. A particular standout is Lucius (Brian Vernel), a compassionate bisexual Roman soldier who befriends Bill.

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Some viewers have taken issue with the past being shown as diverse in both this episode and Thin Ice, but personally I don't see the issue. It sends out a nice message of inclusivity to viewers who are black and/or with a differing sexuality to those of us who are straight. It's the right kind of message Doctor Who should be sending: the Doctor should be teaching the audience that it doesn't matter if you're black, white, blue, straight, gay, bisexual, have one head or no head it's who you are inside that counts. If that means showing a more ideal version of history, then so be it.

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There's another and far more interesting choice that this episode makes than a bisexual Roman however. Many new series episodes tend to feature a lot of their monsters; The Eaters of Light, on the other hand, fits into that new series rarity where you rarely see the creature in full. The episode is more like Closing Time, for example, than it is The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon. For most of the story we only see glimpses of the creature, and this is a wise choice because much like Jaws when you see the creature in full its very unconvincing. The CGI appearance of the light-eating locust is poor, and it appears much more threatening when its lurking in the shadows. Once it is revealed you can tell it's not really there; it looks hideously fake, and takes all tension out of the episode.

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The episode is also let down by being way too talky. There's too many conversations going on in this story, and it slows the plot down to a stand-still. A lot of the scenes are expository, with Rona Munro deciding to 'tell not show' rather than the more enjoyable 'show not tell'. This episode achieved the lowest AI of the series so far, and it's not surprising. The Eaters of Light is an episode that could have benefitted from stricter script editing to cut out the unnecessary padding and replace it with scenes that strive to show the audience something instead.

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Then there are certain occurrences that take place that make the episode feel like it should have aired much earlier in the run. Bill falls down a hole...again, after falling down a hole in the previous episode Empress of Mars too. Nardole (Matt Lucas) nags the Doctor about guarding the vault...despite Missy being in the TARDIS at the end of the previous episode...yet Nardole is surprised to find her there when they return to the TARDIS. Bill doesn't know about the TARDIS translation circuit...despite having been travelling with the Doctor for quite a few adventures since the first episode. It feels as though this episode was originally episode four of the run, and these continuity errors make the story feel out of place. It's a shame more attention wasn't given to the show's continuity, as this is the kind of thing us fans notice.

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The final scene between the Doctor and Missy (Michelle Gomez) is nice, if a little too long. Rona Munro clearly understands these characters and their shared history, and whilst it's obvious Missy is playing the Doctor it will be interesting to see what will happen tonight when the Doctor tests whether she is really turning 'good'. There will inevitably be consequences, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is revealed that Missy has been tampering with the TARDIS.

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Overall, The Eaters of Light is a solid if unremarkable episode. The guest characters are stronger than usual, and it's interesting to see a classic series style adopted for a new series episode. Unfortunately the episode is let down by too many talky scenes, and the CGI is ropey. There are various plot inconsistencies too that leave the episode feeling out of place in episode ten of the twelve episode run. There's a nice scene between the Doctor and Missy however, which demonstrates how much Rona Munro understands the dynamic between the two characters.

3

SeeingisBelieving

06-24-17, 09:45 AM

Meanwhile, a light-eating locust has come through a portal from another dimension, and has been feeding on the Roman army...

When I saw the trailer the first thing I thought of was the monster in the Beowulf-inspired Outlander (2008). Your description of it as an alien "locust" is interesting because yet again it's as if the aliens have to be smuggled in under cover of the familiar. Like the giant wasp in the aptly named The Unicorn and the Wasp or the proliferation of boring aliens with animal heads. It's like we're constantly being taken back to the birth of science fiction, or the era of Flash Gordon especially – "next week the Doctor battles the orangopoid". I like early sci-fi, don't get me wrong, but I expect a bit of a mix. At least in Vincent and the Doctor the monster, though pretty inconsequential, was more original in appearance.

This episode is probably the closest to the classic series the new series will ever get. Throughout Murray Gold's music is very reminiscent of classic-style incidental scores, and the Doctor is written more in the vein of the classic incarnations of the character.

That's good to know. If I ever go back to these episodes I'll bear it in mind. The Eaters of Light is the kind of story I would have watched if I'd felt warmer towards the production, the showrunner and the lead actor.

Some viewers have taken issue with the past being shown as diverse in both this episode and Thin Ice, but personally I don't see the issue. It sends out a nice message of inclusivity to viewers who are black and/or with a differing sexuality to those of us who are straight. It's the right kind of message Doctor Who should be sending: the Doctor should be teaching the audience that it doesn't matter if you're black, white, blue, straight, gay, bisexual, have one head or no head it's who you are inside that counts. If that means showing a more ideal version of history, then so be it.

I think it's important to say that inclusivity isn't a modern invention. I remember reading about Alexandre Dumas' father, who was mixed race, and a general in the French army. I get the impression that Napoleon's original attitude was if you were French, you were in, regardless of racial differences, but that this got eroded later on, possibly more in the top ranks at any rate. Dumas senior was certainly dealt with very badly towards the end of his life.

Stories like this show peaks and troughs in historical attitudes and it's essential to represent that as faithfully as possible. I don't want to see an ideal presentation of history, I want an accurate one.

The CGI appearance of the light-eating locust is poor, and it appears much more threatening when its lurking in the shadows. Once it is revealed you can tell it's not really there; it looks hideously fake, and takes all tension out of the episode.

I keep noticing comments about the bad CGI. The Mill were great when they were doing the effects work.

I personally can't wait for this era of the show to be over, especially because of Steven Moffat.

DalekbusterScreen5

06-24-17, 09:59 AM

When I saw the trailer the first thing I thought of was the monster in the Beowulf-inspired Outlander (2008). Your description of it as an alien "locust" is interesting because yet again it's as if the aliens have to be smuggled in under cover of the familiar. Like the giant wasp in the aptly named The Unicorn and the Wasp or the proliferation of boring aliens with animal heads. It's like we're constantly being taken back to the birth of science fiction, or the era of Flash Gordon especially – "next week the Doctor battles the orangopoid". I like early sci-fi, don't get me wrong, but I expect a bit of a mix. At least in Vincent and the Doctor the monster, though pretty inconsequential, was more original in appearance.
It doesn't look much like a locust, but it's described as an alien locust in the episode. It's something that Russell T Davies did a lot of course, and it's interesting actually that Series 10 has seen Moffat taking a lot of inspiration from that era. Bill has a domestic life with her foster mother, the episodes are mostly more straightforward and of course there's John Simm's Master returning tonight. I don't think Series 10 will be looked back at as the most memorable of the new series, but it feels like the show's transitioning to a more approachable RTD-esque era. I think the Chibnall era next year is going to borrow heavily from RTD whilst hopefully maintaining its own unique identity.

I think it's important to say that inclusivity isn't a modern invention. I remember reading about Alexandre Dumas' father, who was mixed race, and a general in the French army. I get the impression that Napoleon's original attitude was if you were French, you were in, regardless of racial differences, but that this got eroded later on, possibly more in the top ranks at any rate. Dumas senior was certainly dealt with very badly towards the end of his life.

Stories like this show peaks and troughs in historical attitudes and it's essential to represent that as faithfully as possible. I don't want to see an ideal presentation of history, I want an accurate one.
I don't really know a great deal about history so I'm not sure how accurate Thin Ice and The Eaters of Light are to their respective periods. I think showing different races and sexualities in episodes set in the past is more of a non-issue really though. I mean, it is sci-fi and there are things that are way more fantastical in the show than that anyway.

I keep noticing comments about the bad CGI. The Mill were great when they were doing the effects work.
I think Milk are generally pretty good, but there is a noticeable drop in quality of the CGI in Thin Ice and The Eaters of Light. Possibly budget cuts, maybe more money spent on other episodes such as World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls.

SeeingisBelieving

06-24-17, 10:17 AM

It doesn't look much like a locust, but it's described as an alien locust in the episode. It's something that Russell T Davies did a lot of course, and it's interesting actually that Series 10 has seen Moffat taking a lot of inspiration from that era.

Wow – progress :p. I have a lot more time for Davis nowadays I tell you.

I don't really know a great deal about history so I'm not sure how accurate Thin Ice and The Eaters of Light are to their respective periods. I think showing different races and sexualities in episodes set in the past is more of a non-issue really though. I mean, it is sci-fi and there are things that are way more fantastical in the show than that anyway.

I read that argument a lot, that because it's a fantasy there's a bit of leeway with the historical stories – I don't buy into that. If the research has been done and you can take the fantasy away and still have that historical fidelity, I'm happy.

I think Milk are generally pretty good, but there is a noticeable drop in quality of the CGI in Thin Ice and The Eaters of Light. Possibly budget cuts, maybe more money spent on other episodes such as World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls.

They should have taken a leaf out of the book of their predecessors, exiling the Doctor to Earth to save money and in the case of Philip Hinchcliffe, working out what could be put into production and look the best with the money and resources available. The best producer of the show ever, that man.

DalekbusterScreen5

06-24-17, 01:54 PM

They should have taken a leaf out of the book of their predecessors, exiling the Doctor to Earth to save money and in the case of Philip Hinchcliffe, working out what could be put into production and look the best with the money and resources available. The best producer of the show ever, that man.

I think a 70s-esque era would suit Chris Chibnall well. I could imagine him writing a lot of stuff with UNIT for instance.

SeeingisBelieving

06-24-17, 03:44 PM

I think a 70s-esque era would suit Chris Chibnall well. I could imagine him writing a lot of stuff with UNIT for instance.

The only thing about Chibnall that I remember not liking was him altering the Silurians. I thought why didn't he just write for the Draconians if they wanted to see a humanoid face? At least what Mark Gatiss did with the Ice Warriors was in some way appropriate.

I love the Pertwee era and I think what Russell T Davies did with the first season echoed it really by giving the Doctor that core 'family' of characters, as well as the Earthbound feel.

DalekbusterScreen5

06-24-17, 07:03 PM

The only thing about Chibnall that I remember not liking was him altering the Silurians. I thought why didn't he just write for the Draconians if they wanted to see a humanoid face? At least what Mark Gatiss did with the Ice Warriors was in some way appropriate.

I love the Pertwee era and I think what Russell T Davies did with the first season echoed it really by giving the Doctor that core 'family' of characters, as well as the Earthbound feel.

I actually prefer the new series Silurians because you get more emotion from their facial expressions, and it's therefore easier to identify with them.

In terms of RTD, I thought Jackie Tyler's character arc in particular was brilliant. It was great seeing her go from being angry with the Doctor for taking her daughter away and distrusting him to accepting him into her daughter's life. That scene in the fish and chip shop where Jackie says how she appreciates the Doctor sending Rose back to her is great.

SeeingisBelieving

06-25-17, 08:51 AM

I actually prefer the new series Silurians because you get more emotion from their facial expressions, and it's therefore easier to identify with them.

Yeah, that's why Jon Pertwee liked the Draconians so much. I was more taken with the idea that the Silurians could look like aliens at first glance, which would make it more of a shock when you found out they were from Earth.

DalekbusterScreen5

07-02-17, 07:54 PM

World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls

The Multi-Master story: a concept that has surprisingly never been done on TV before. Until now. Last year Big Finish released the first ever Multi-Master story in The Two Masters, but this is the first time it has been done in the main series. We've had The Day of the Doctor, this is The Day of the Master. The day many Whovians have waited for all their lives. Thankfully this landmark story more than lives up to the hype of the first Multi-Master adventure - I suspect even the most skeptic Moffat hater would find it hard not to enjoy it.

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In World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls, the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) decides to test Missy's (Michelle Gomez) apparent insistence that she wants to turn good, by picking a random distress call and sending her to investigate with the Doctor's companions Bill (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas). They arrive on a Mondasian colony ship, and things quickly go awry when the ship's blue-skinned caretaker Jorj (Oliver lansley) shoots Bill. Partially converted Cybermen take Bill[SPOILER]'s body to a hospital onboard a ship, where she meets Razor (John Simm), a seemingly friendly man who works at the hospital. Later John Simm's Master confronts Missy; he is concerned about his future as a potential ally of the Doctor, and persuades his later incarnation to team up with him and turn the entire colony ship into a giant Cyber-factory.

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The Multi-Master interaction in this story is everything you would hope for. It's funny, menacing, intimidatory and totally unhinged (more in a subtle way as opposed to the clown-like antics of Simm's Master in the RTD era). John Simm and Michelle Gomez have so much chemistry, and their interactions are on par with the Second and Third Doctors in The Three Doctors, or David Tennant and Matt Smith in The Day of the Doctor. The ending is absolute perfection for a Multi-Master story - the Simm Master kills Missy, Missy kills the Simm Master. Their Multi-Master interaction ends the only way it could: with utter betrayal.

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Some fellow fans were not happy with John Simm's portrayal of the Master as insane in the Russell T Davies era. In this story, however, Steven Moffat has wisely written the part more like the classic series style of the Master and John Simm clearly relishes being able to play the role more like Roger Delgado. Several elements of the classic series Master return, including the use of disguises (the Razor disguise is fantastic - the prosthetics do a great job of disguising John Simm's face beyond recognition), a goatee, and a more suave and sophisticated demeanour. John Simm is allowed to play the Master as the darker incarnation Russell T Davies wouldn't allow - the way he always wanted to play the Master - and his performance clearly improves for it. It's a significant improvement on the Simm Master's previous appearances, and sees John Simm fast become one of the best incarnations of the Master of all time. He almost gives Michelle Gomez a run for her money.

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Michelle Gomez still remains my favourite Master. She is the Tom Baker of the Masters in my view - the one who people will look back on in years to come as the definitive Master. Michelle Gomez has given her incarnation so much depth and complexity, and Steven Moffat has written the incarnation with so much ambiguity you have no idea what she's going to do next. She's not a black and white villain, she's so much more than that. She could look to be helping the Doctor one minute, then completely stab him in the back the next. Here the mystery surrounding Missy's motives is played with to great effect in that it's never entirely clear at any given moment whether she's helping the Doctor or she has truly joined forces with her previous incarnation. At one point she tells the Doctor 'I was on your side all along', only to climb a ladder hanging from a ship piloted by Nardole and attempt to leave the Doctor behind with the Cybermen. She claims to Nardole he's dead, and Simm's Master repeats her claims. This ambiguity feels very Hitchcockian, which feels oddly appropriate for a story featuring the Cybermen.

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There's a very dark vibe throughout, and the story feels like it's deliberately evoking the Philip Hinchcliffe era of Doctor Who. Missy and the Master have a very disturbing romance - they dance and flirt with each other, and it's clear Simm's Master has feelings for Missy - in a way that feels like it would have almost certainly received an avalanche of complaints from Mary Whitehouse. The romance between these characters is so creepy it feels almost like it belongs in the DC Comics' series Gotham. Indeeed, Michelle Gomez is even a part of that universe - although John Simm currently isn't.

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The dark vibe continues with the use of the Mondasian Cybermen from The Tenth Planet. I wasn't sure whether they would work brilliantly for HD television, but in this instance I'm happy to be wrong. Their low-budget design makes them all the more scary in HD, and at no point does the design look so low-budget in crystal clear imagery that it looks noticeably low-budget. These Cybermen absolutely work for modern television, and there is a strong narrative reason for why the Tenth Planet Cybermen are there. This is the 'genesis of the Cybermen' - as Simm's Master calls it - onboard a Mondasian colony ship, so this design is needed for the story to work. Some diehard fans may worry that this contradicts Big Finish's Spare Parts, but as this takes place away from Mondas both origins can exist in the same continuity.

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I'm glad Steven Moffat decided to do this story, because it is by far the most terrifying the Cybermen have ever been in the new series - and arguably in the show's entire history. World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls is full-on horror, with scenes such as partially converted Cybermen chanting the word 'pain' as Bill walks down a hospital ward and references to the Cybermen converting children because 'there's less waste'. At one point, we see a fully-converted Cyber-Bill who believes she is human discover the truth that she has become a Mondasian Cyberman by staring into a mirror; it's a shocking moment that brings to mind classic Doctor Who serials such as The Ark In Space or The Brain of Morbius in its disturbing imagery.

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The cinematography is excellent throughout, with the Mondasian Cybermen largely kept darkly-lit or in orangey apocalyptic lighting. They do appear in a bright environment with the solar farm in The Doctor Falls, but the design is surprisingly not hampered by that. They still appear threatening, and no design flaws are exposed when they are in the open. There's also a great moment where you see Bill in the human form she thinks she still carries and the shadow of her actual Cyber self on the wall. It's a nice touch that adds to the classic Jeykll and Hyde-esque imagery.

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Talking about Cybermen, it's important to note that this isn't just a Multi-Master story but it's also a Multi-Cyberman one. We see more than one variation of the Cybermen, and it's a delight to see them share the screen. The Cybus Cybermen and the Gaiman Cybermen appear alongside the Mondasian Cybermen; neither feel like they steal the spotlight from the Mondasian Cybermen, and the Multi-Cyberman aspect is executed better than the Multi-Dalek stuff in Asylum of the Daleks. It even works better than the Multi-Dalek element of The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar; having more than one variation of the Cybermen is explained through the colony ship experiencing time dilation - time passes faster at the bottom of the ship and slower at the top. This means when the Mondasian Cybermen are at the bottom of the ship they have years to upgrade themselves into the Gaiman variation, whereas for any Mondasian Cybermen who, say, find themselves at the top where time is slower only ten seconds pass.

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This two part finale sees without a doubt the best performance Peter Capaldi has ever given as his incarnation of the Doctor. It will be sad to see him go, especially when his acting here shows he has so much more to give. The way he screams 'NO!' in this episode when Missy appears to decide not to stand with him is one of the most powerful moments of his incarnation, and on the strength of this acting abilities here he deserves to win a National TV Award for 'Best Actor' next year. Hell, he deserves to win an Oscar.

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As does Pearl Mackie. The Series 10 trailers for Pearl Mackie did her no justice, the promotional material making her performance look rather one-note. She's far from that. Pearl Mackie has been a revelation as Bill Potts, delivering one of the best companion portrayals in the series so far. She is instantly endearing, and gets an utterly fantastic exit from the show. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best companion departures the show has ever done. Bill remains a Cyberman right to the very end, and when her end approaches her essence is saved by Heather (Stephanie Hyam) from The Pilot. The consequences of travelling with the Doctor still remain, Bill is still dead but her spirit continues in puddle form travelling the universe with her true love.

I criticised Stephanie Hyam in my review of The Pilot, but here she does a great job. It's only a small cameo appearance, but Heather feels less void of personality and more like a real person (or as real a sentient space puddle zombie can be). She's not a highlight of the episode by any means, but it is definitely a step-up from her appearance in The Pilot.

Matt Lucas is enjoyable as usual in the role of Nardole, and the character fulfils an important function in the story of helping defend the solar farm against the Cybermen with grenades disguised as apples. His exit feels a bit more random, and noticeably similar to a classic series-style departure. He falls in love with Hazran (Samantha Spiro), the mother of a group of children, and the Doctor leaves him to help aid their escape to a solar farm on a higher level of the colony ship. The ending is a little ambiguous in that we have no idea if they manage to survive or if the Cybermen follow them up to the next solar farm and launch an assault on them; it's unfortunate that a character who many have grown to love has been given such an unsatisfactory ending to his story, and I hope that one day Big Finish carry on his story in a Nardole spin-off set.

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If David Bradley playing the First Doctor hadn't already leaked, the way this episode ended would have been the most unpredictable cliffhanger ever. Unfortunately the leak means that you are expecting David Bradley to turn up when he does, as we return to where the story began - the Doctor leaving the TARDIS in a snowy landscape (possibly the South Pole from The Tenth Planet) and refuses to regenerate. This time the scene continues beyond that point, and it's really no surprise when David Bradley comes into view as the First Doctor. Whilst it can't be helped that there's a certain irony to David Bradley stating he is 'the original' (no, that's William Hartnell), he does an amazing job in this fleeting cliffhanger cameo. David Bradley is so much like William Hartnell playing the First Doctor here, it's eery. He looks, sounds and acts exactly like the First Doctor we all know and love. If the It's A Wonderful Life rumours are true, I can't wait for Christmas. It sounds like a brilliant idea for a regeneration story.

Overall, World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls is without a doubt one of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time. It's Peter Capaldi's Caves of Androzani, demonstrating the sheer quality and darkness that classic series serial is known for. This delivers exactly what you would expect from the first Multi-Master story, and is possibly the most unsettling the Cybermen have ever been. The Cybermen have never been a greater threat, and there has never been a better exit for a companion than the departure Pearl Mackie's Bill gets here. If any story was to challenge The Day of the Doctor for the mantle of 'Greatest Doctor Who story', this would be the one. It's a bonafide classic, and in years to come will be held with as much affection as Genesis of the Daleks or Earthshock.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

07-09-17, 02:06 PM

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie

It feels like The Angry Video Game Nerd has been around forever. Thirteen years on, it's still one of the most popular series on YouTube - even if videos are a lot less frequent currently. For the show's tenth anniversary, James Rolfe's production company Cinemassacre adapted the series into a cinematic movie, and the result is a long, long way from a success.

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Gaming company Cockburn Inc have decided to release a sequel based on the infamously bad Atari game 'E.T.' (here referred to as 'Eee Tee' presumably to avoid copyright infringement), reasoning that the Angry Video Game Nerd's (James Rolfe) reviews of terrible video games has increased interest in poor quality gaming. People want to play bad games now, and Mandi (Sarah Glendening) believes a review from the Nerd will help sell copies. Meanwhile, the Angry Video Game Nerd and colleague Cooper (Jeremy Suarez) are working at the local game shop GameCops; the Nerd is fed up of his fans requesting he review the E.T. videogame, concerned that his review would lead to his fans becoming traumatised after playing the game themselves. A meeting with Mand leads him to reluctantly join her and Cooper on a trip to Alamagordo in New Mexico, the location of the buried E.T. cartridge myth that has generated much of the interest surrounding the game. The Nerd is determined to prove the myth is false, whilst Mandi believes that finding the mythological buried cartridges will spark more interest in the game's sequel, but their investigation leads to a much wider conspiracy involving the U.S. military, Area 51 and a captive extra-terrestrial.

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If the plot sounds messy from that description, that's because it is. The plot takes a lot of wild turns, and a lot of the characters' motivations aren't entirely clear. I was so confused as to why Mandi, for instance, actually decides to take the Nerd and Cooper to Alamagordo to explore the E.T. cartridge myth that I had to look it up online afterwards just to complete that synopsis. Even now, I'm not entirely convinced by her so-called motivation. Why would she decide to travel with the Nerd to Alamagordo when all she needs to do is get him to play the game and say it sucks? Why would Cockburn Inc even decide to waste money financing such a pointless trip that would result in the same outcome of the Nerd giving their game a bad review? Not only that but they hire an excavation team to dig for the cartridges (even if it's a skeleton crew of three because of 'budget cuts'). If they believe a not-so-glowering endorsement from the Nerd will encourage his fans to play, then why would they need to go to the bother of digging up old game cartridges and filming the outcome?

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And that's not the only thing that doesn't make sense. The U.S. military confront the group because they happen to hear them mention the words 'extra-terrestrial'. Yeah, I'm not joking. Even when the military check the back of the van and discover only video gaming equipment, they still won't leave the Nerd and co alone. What the heck is wrong with these people? Why does General Dark Onward (Stephen Mendel) and his soldiers care so much about a pair of gamers and a gaming company representative when he's got literally no reason to suspect they know anything about the central conspiracy? Does he send his men after anyone who utters the words 'extra-terrestrial'?

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This General seems about as clueless as whoever edited the movie's opening titles. Following the scene where Mandi outlines her 'Eee Tee 2' idea, this consists of a montage of Angry Video Game Nerd reviews and fan messages and is way too long. It seems to drag on forever, and you find yourself wondering if the entire film is going to be one great big montage of Angry Video Game Nerd fans alongside clips from the show. It's also annoyingly self-congratulatory. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the Nerd's videos but I just find this kind of back-slapping approach excruciating to watch. We get it. The YouTube series has been a big success. No need to bloat about what we already know.

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None of the humour in the film is quite up to the standards of the Nerd's YouTube content. The movie largely relies on cheap gross jokes such as vomiting and blood spraying out of where the General's left arm originally was. There are also a number of cringeworthy visual gags related to penises and balls. I don't want to repeat them here as I like to keep my reviews family-friendly, but needless to say they need to be seen to be believed.

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If there's one positive thing to say about Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie, it's that the special effects are charmingly low budget. They have the same charismatic feel to them as the special effects in the classic series of Doctor Who, and it feels appropriate for a nostalgic-based movie to have old-style special effects. There's no CGI here, and it would have seemed out of place in a movie that represents a modern game as having N64-style graphics. It's the same sort of practical effects James Rolfe uses with his YouTube content.

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There's some nice cameos too that will please fans of the Angry Video Game Nerd. I was particularly happy to see the Nostalgia Critic (Doug Walker) show up, and there's also a cool appearance from Kyle Justin - who sings an original song for the movie different to the AVGN theme called 'Sacred Ground of the Golden Turd'. It's nowhere near as good as the AVGN theme song, but it's at least catchy and a positive part of an otherwise poor movie. Normally I'd also mention the acting from the movie's stars in a review but there's not a great deal to discuss in that regard. They're nothing to shout about; probably the most positive thing I could say is that James Rolfe is consistent with his portrayal of the Nerd in the YouTube series.

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Overall, Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie is a poor film adaptation of the popular YouTube series with unclear character motivations and cheap jokes. The movie feels way too self-congratulatory, with too many back-slapping moments during the opening titles of the film. It's very hard to sit through and almost makes you want to chuck your laptop (or whatever you're watching it on) out of the window. If you're a fan of the AVGN though you will enjoy the cameos from stars related to the YouTube series and the special effects having a charmingly low-budget feel to them. Largely though Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie feels like one massive cash-grab, ironically like many of the videogames the Nerd has played on his channel.

2

DalekbusterScreen5

08-04-17, 12:23 PM

Spider-Man: Homecoming

This review has been a long time coming. Having seen the film over two weeks' ago I originally intended to write it over the weekend gone by, but since then I've graduated from university, found myself working as a runner on the set of upcoming indie film Scarborough, became a peer mentor for a single hour and a half session to a student who was studying a BA in Film Making and Creative Media Production and been suffering from a heavy cold that has made me feel dizzy. It's fair to say it has been a busy few days - and it's not set to get any quieter. I'm currently writing a self-published book about a vigilante with sand powers based in Scarborough, and in September I will be starting a MA by Research in Screenwriting at the University of York. Hopefully this won't impact my reviews for this blog site, but if I don't chase my dreams I'm never going to break into the Media Industry.

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My ultimate ambition is to be a screenwriter, and as an aspiring writer Spider-Man: Homecoming is a superhero movie that pleased me a lot. The film follows the newest inclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe Peter Parker (Tom Holland), who is trying to juggle his school life with his life as a superhero. When Peter discovers a bunch of criminals - lead by boss of the Toomes Salvage Company Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) - are using stolen Chitauri technology from the Battle of New York to create new weapons, he decides to take action and protect New York from this new threat. Things become complicated when Peter develops a crush on classmate and Adrian's daughter Liz (Laura Harrier), and when Peter's best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) discovers his secret identity. Meanwhile, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) is concerned about Peter becoming too much like him and resolves to make sure he doesn't make the same mistakes.

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So why did Spider-Man: Homecoming's writing please me a lot, I hear you ask?

Well, there's one important thing that Spider-Man: Homecoming does that many action blockbusters in general tend to ignore. It explores who our lead character is. Spider-Man: Homecoming is like a character study of what makes Peter Parker Spider-Man; the only thing missing is the iconic phrase 'With great power comes great responsibility'. A constant theme of the film is who Peter is without the suit - the answer being it's not the suit that makes Peter Parker Spider-Man, it's his heart and bravery. Many other action heroes would leave the antagonist of the movie to die, but here after an intense fight on a plane Peter saves Adrian's life from the unstable alien technology Mr Toomes has been capitalising on for crime and shows compassion towards the man who tried to kill him. This shows just what kind of hero Peter Parker is: he's a teenager who stands for courage and empathy, who always opts for the humane solution rather than senseless killing. Those are the best heroes to me - the ones who care even for those who have turned to the dark side, who will protect everyone and not just those who agree with his moral compass.

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Equally, the film doesn't forget that Peter Parker is a kid. He isn't perfect at the superhero stuff, and he makes some very amateur mistakes. At one point, Peter as Spider-Man leaves his phone on whilst spying on Adrian Toomes' crew. His phone rings, and it immediately alerts the criminals. If this was Tony Stark, it would be a plot point so stupid you'd be hearing the CinemaSins voice in your head - but this is a sixteen year old kid trying to be like the Avengers. It would be unrealistic if he didn't make these mistakes. With the Sam Raimi films (which weren't a part of the MCU), it was easy to forget how young the main character was but here Jon Watts uses it as a way to set Peter Parker apart from the other superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is a character who still has a lot to learn, and he goes on a pleasing character journey from wanting to be an Avenger at the start of the film to realising he needs to be a 'friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man' in order to better protect those he cares about.

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It's not just Peter Parker the film gets spot-on. It also gets Spider-Man perfect too. I never watched the Andrew Garfield films, but the Sam Raimi trilogy oddly featured a quiet Spider-Man. This version of Spider-Man, on the other hand, is much more faithful to the Spider-Man from the comics. This Spider-Man jokes whilst he fights, and has a wonderful meta quality that many will likely describe as a 'PG Deadpool'. One of my favourite Spider-Man moments from the film was our hero debating what to name the Stark Spider-Man suit's AI; if ever there was one scene in the movie that best summed up Spider-Man, this scene would be it. At one point he creates a hammock out of webbing - something that feels like it jumped right out of a Spider-Man comic.

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Talking of things that feel like they jumped out of the page, that is probably the best way to describe Tom Holland's performance. Tom Holland may have only been in two films so far as the iconic character, but he already feels like a quintessential Peter Parker. He is exactly how I imagined Peter Parker to be when reading the comics. The voice and mannerisms are perfect, and he plays both Peter and Spider-Man effortlessly. Whereas Tobey Maguire was great as Peter Parker but not so good at portraying Spider-Man, Tom Holland excels at both. There will never be a better Spider-Man than him, and whoever takes up the mantle after him is going to have very hard shoes to fill (hopefully that day will be a long way off, but it will happen eventually).

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The supporting cast of school students deserve recognition too. They are all brilliant, the particular stand-outs being Jacob Batalon as Ned and Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson. Jacob Batalon's portrayal of Ned is interesting in that he discovers Peter Parker's secret earlier than you would expect, and when he does he is both an ally and a hindrance to Peter's double life. Whilst in the film's climax he assists Peter by firing his web shooter at Shocker (Bokeem Woodbine), earlier in the movie he tells Peter's crush Liz (Laura Harrier) that Spider-Man is Peter's best friend after she states at school that she fancies Spider-Man. Ned's intentions are well-meaning, trying to help Peter be seen as 'cool' to the girl he loves but it creates added complications at the party Peter has been invited to where Liz expects both Peter and Spider-Man to turn up.

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A big part of the Spider-Man comics is Peter's high school problems versus his vigilante life, and its nice to see the film play with this, and the impact it has on his friends when he has to leave suddenly to fulfil the duties of his secret life. Poor Liz is abandoned by Peter for super-heroics twice, one at her party and the other at the homecoming dance. Laura Harrier plays Liz well, and you do find yourself sympathising with her - especially when Peter considers explaining to her why he disappears like he does, but in the end continues keeping his double life a secret.

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One common complaint from many critics about the MCU is that the villains tend to be weak, and as you would expect from a Spider-Man film this isn't the case here. Spider-Man has such a rich rogue gallery, and the Vulture is one of the most iconic. Neither the writing or Michael Keaton let down the premise of a Spider-Man film with the Vulture. Jon Watts' film shows Adrian Toomes as an everyman, working with his salvage company to clear the mess from the Battle of New York from 2012's The Avengers and it's an effective way to allow us as the audience to relate to the villain. He's an everyday man who's fed up of being the guy who has to clean up after the superheroes, who wants to be something more - a direct parallel of Peter Parker's journey in the film. Except he doesn't change. Like all great films, the antagonist is a dark reflection of our protagonist and shows what would have happened had he gone to the dark side of greed and irresponsibility - another example of why this film appeals to me as a wannabe screenwriter. In my view it's an example of great writing, and one day I would love to write something even half as good as this movie.

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Arguably one of the best scenes in the film is the tense car journey to the homecoming dance at Peter's school. Liz is Peter's date at the dance, and upon turning up at Liz's house he is shocked to find out Adrian Toomes is her father. Adrian drives them to the school, and what could have been a very simple scene turns into an amazing tense sequence where Peter knows Adrian is the Vulture and Adrian starts to figure out Peter is Spider-Man. Any moment one could expose the other's identity - will Peter tell Liz her Dad is the Vulture? Will Adrian expose Peter's secret? It gets even more tense when Liz leaves the car and Adrian turns to Peter in the car and threatens him to keep out of his business. It feels like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie; specifically I could imagine it as a cut scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Sometimes the best scenes rely on human paranoia, and we feel paranoid for Peter.

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Let's not forget this is a Summer blockbuster however, and many viewers expect plenty of action from a superhero movie. This film definitely delivers on an action front. There are many memorable action sequences - the standouts for me were Spider-Man saving his friends trapped on a lift in the Washington monument, the ferry scene spoiled in the trailers and the climatic fight between Spider-Man and the Vulture on the plane. CGI is used in this scenes, but is barely noticeable - it honestly feels like watching Tom Holland in a Spider-Man costume the entire time. They are stunning scenes to watch, and ones I can imagine many watching again and again. The Washington monument scene with Peter's friends in the lift I feel will particularly be remembered in ten years' time with as much fondness as the train fight in Spider-Man 2.

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It's the amount of love from the production crew towards this movie that makes it such a pleasing watch; you can really tell it was made by a passionate crew who care about the Spider-Man property. During the Marvel Studios opening credits an orchestral version of the iconic Spider-Man theme plays - a version of the theme that feels so triumphant in its uplifting tones that it makes you want to get up and shout 'SPIDER-MAN IS IN THE MCU!'. But then you'd probably get chucked out of the cinema, and that certainly wouldn't be much fun.

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Then there's the 'Film by Peter Parker' towards the beginning of the film, presented as a home made movie by Peter filmed during the Civil War airport battle. This feels like more than a deliberate nod to Peter's time in the comics as a photographer for the Daily Bugle, showing Peter Parker's interest in photography without actually having him work for the Bugle just yet. It's also presented incredibly well, with a lot of attention to detail such as the 4:3 aspect ratio that suggests it was filmed on a very cheap camera of the kind a school student would be able to afford, and a shaky aesthetic as Peter films from his POV as he's walking. It's very authentic towards what it's supposed to be, and very in-character.

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Before this film came out, many complained about the presence of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr). Well, in the end those complaints look ridiculous. Tony Stark is barely in the film, and that's how it should be. This is rightfully Peter Parker's film, with Tony Stark as an extended cameo. Even Happy (Jon Favreau) seemed to appear more than Tony Stark did. Robert Downey Jnr has some nice father/son-esque chemistry with Tom Holland, and personally this is something I'd like to see developed further in Avengers: Infinity War. There's some fun cameo appearances from Captain America (Chris Evans) too, in a series of cheesy 1940s self-help videos shown at Peter's school. The best one is right at the end - a post credits scene where Captain America gives you a lecture on patience. It's well worth sitting through the credits for, and is almost as entertaining as Stan Lee's numerous cameo appearances in the MCU - speaking of which, Stan Lee's cameo as a disgruntled neighbour is probably one of my favourites.

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Overall...well, how do I sum this up? I may have been busy, but this review has suddenly become the equivalent of a Peter Jackson movie. There's just so much to say about Spider-Man: Homecoming, so much that can be discussed about its merits as a piece of truly fantastic writing that it feels less like a standard superhero movie and more like a cinematic masterpiece comparable to other films in the genre held in high regard such as The Dark Knight and Iron Man. Spider-Man: Homecoming sees the main character go on a journey that feels human and relatable; we've all been or at least known that person who has strived for something more, and like all great movies whilst our protagonist comes to realise that what he 'needs' is very different to what he 'wants', the antagonist (in this case, the Vulture) is what would have happened had our hero refused to change - the dark side to Peter's light. Ultimately, however, it's 'Peter the kid superhero' that makes this MCU entry stand out from the others. This is a unique perspective for the MCU, away from the adult heroes who are billionaires or Asgardian Gods and towards the everyday person. The villain too is an everyday person. Who needs MCU Venom when you have a total reflection of Peter in Adrian Toomes?

5

SeeingisBelieving

08-04-17, 01:49 PM

Views on Jodie Whittaker :D;)?

DalekbusterScreen5

08-04-17, 01:52 PM

Views on Jodie Whittaker :D;)?

I think Jodie Whittaker is a fantastic choice, and I think a female Doctor is the right choice for the show. It will offer a fresh and new perspective on Doctor Who, and prevent it becoming stale (which I feel would have been a potential danger had they cast another white British male).

Ultimately the gender shouldn't really matter - I couldn't care less if the Doctor is male or female, black or white - but the fact is the change has to happen first for it to be accepted as the norm, so if you want it not to matter then you've got to see it happen before it can be properly accepted without the change of race or gender attracting attention.

SeeingisBelieving

08-04-17, 02:10 PM

I think Jodie Whittaker is a fantastic choice, and I think a female Doctor is the right choice for the show. It will offer a fresh and new perspective on Doctor Who, and prevent it becoming stale (which I feel would have been a potential danger had they cast another white British male).

I've only seen her in Attack the Block and the odd clip here and there. What concerns me a little is that I can't see what Chris Chibnall obviously can. That said, Peter Davison was somewhat atypical for the Doctor when he was cast, so you can't judge a book by its cover. It will be interesting to see what happens.

I agree about the danger of the series becoming stale and I think this move was inevitable to ensure its survival. I feel like they might go with someone of a different race next time, and probably still female.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-04-17, 02:34 PM

What concerns me a little is that I can't see what Chris Chibnall obviously can.
I can totally see Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, but I have no idea what her Doctor will be like. That's what excites me: whereas with Peter Capaldi I knew immediately he'd be a colder and harsher Doctor, Jodie Whittaker's incarnation could literally have any personality. I can't predict it at all.

Also: that reveal trailer was perfect. Beautiful cinematography and nicely paced. The way she looked, and her facial expression when she saw the TARDIS felt so Doctor-y to me that I instantly felt like I'd just watched the Doctor about to go on another adventure.

I agree about the danger of the series becoming stale and I think this move was inevitable to ensure its survival. I feel like they might go with someone of a different race next time, and probably still female.
I do feel like John Nathan Turner's biggest mistake was not casting a female actor after Colin Baker. Sylvester McCoy was great, but had JNT listened to Sydney Newman the wilderness years may never have happened.

SeeingisBelieving

08-04-17, 02:47 PM

I can totally see Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, but I have no idea what her Doctor will be like. That's what excites me: whereas with Peter Capaldi I knew immediately he'd be a colder and harsher Doctor, Jodie Whittaker's incarnation could literally have any personality. I can't predict it at all.

That's funny isn't it, that – I'm assuming – you know her but still find it difficult to pin down what she might be like in the role. I get the impression that she'll be similar to Christopher Eccleston.

Also: that reveal trailer was perfect. Beautiful cinematography and nicely paced. The way she looked, and her facial expression when she saw the TARDIS felt so Doctor-y to me that I instantly felt like I'd just watched the Doctor about to go on another adventure.

Didn't she look like Idris Elba from the back :)? Slightly oversized clothes for misdirection. I found it very anticlimactic dropped into the tennis I must say. I know they're going for the idea that it shouldn't be a big deal that she's the first female Doctor but I think it was a shame to make it that low-key. And also a shame that there was no proper filmed interview.

I do feel like John Nathan Turner's biggest mistake was not casting a female actor after Colin Baker. Sylvester McCoy was great, but had JNT listened to Sydney Newman the wilderness years may never have happened.

I think one of the problems was that Nathan-Turner was pretty much shackled to Doctor Who. If he left they wouldn't have replaced him, just cancelled it again. I don't think a female Doctor would have made any difference, the series would have still been criminally undervalued and lacking resources.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-05-17, 02:24 PM

That's funny isn't it, that – I'm assuming – you know her but still find it difficult to pin down what she might be like in the role. I get the impression that she'll be similar to Christopher Eccleston.
If I was to hazard a guess, I'd say she'll at least have the wide-eyed optimism of Peter Davison's Doctor. I'm not too sure on that though, it's just based on the expression Jodie gives in the reveal trailer.

Didn't she look like Idris Elba from the back :)? Slightly oversized clothes for misdirection. I found it very anticlimactic dropped into the tennis I must say. I know they're going for the idea that it shouldn't be a big deal that she's the first female Doctor but I think it was a shame to make it that low-key. And also a shame that there was no proper filmed interview.
I don't see the Idris Elba comparison personally, and I'm glad the new Doctor isn't him. I'd like a black Doctor, but I don't think Idris Elba would be the right person for the role. He tends to play characters who are too tough and brawny.

I think one of the problems was that Nathan-Turner was pretty much shackled to Doctor Who. If he left they wouldn't have replaced him, just cancelled it again. I don't think a female Doctor would have made any difference, the series would have still been criminally undervalued and lacking resources.
I think it would have at least breathed life into the series, and maybe allowed for a replacement to follow JNT.

SeeingisBelieving

08-05-17, 02:44 PM

If I was to hazard a guess, I'd say she'll at least have the wide-eyed optimism of Peter Davison's Doctor. I'm not too sure on that though, it's just based on the expression Jodie gives in the reveal trailer.

Yes.

I don't see the Idris Elba comparison personally, and I'm glad the new Doctor isn't him. I'd like a black Doctor, but I don't think Idris Elba would be the right person for the role. He tends to play characters who are too tough and brawny.

Well it's his Luther look really, plus I got the impression they'd tried to make us think it was a man under the layers of clothing, possibly even down to the way Whittaker was walking. It just made me laugh.

I quite liked the idea of Elba when Matt Smith was leaving, more because of his build than anything. What a contrast it would have been to Smith's spindliness :p.

I think it would have at least breathed life into the series, and maybe allowed for a replacement to follow JNT.

I thought Newman made that female Doctor suggestion much earlier – possibly even when Tom Baker was leaving. I know bringing back Sarah Jane Smith with Peter Davison was also considered.

In 1987 though, I think the BBC high ups were just happy for it to end. They couldn't, or didn't want to, see the potential in the series.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-05-17, 03:58 PM

I thought Newman made that female Doctor suggestion much earlier – possibly even when Tom Baker was leaving. I know bringing back Sarah Jane Smith with Peter Davison was also considered.

In 1987 though, I think the BBC high ups were just happy for it to end. They couldn't, or didn't want to, see the potential in the series.

I think a female Doctor was considered after Tom Baker, but Sydney Newman's female Doctor suggestion didn't come until he was made an advisor after Colin Baker's sacking.

SeeingisBelieving

08-05-17, 04:43 PM

I think a female Doctor was considered after Tom Baker,

Tom Baker definitely mentioned it in the interview when it was announced he was leaving. Smacks more of John Nathan-Turner putting out a story for interest than actual intent.

but Sydney Newman's female Doctor suggestion didn't come until he was made an advisor after Colin Baker's sacking.

That's interesting – I knew he was involved in the Eighties giving advice but that's very late isn't it?

DalekbusterScreen5

08-06-17, 04:48 PM

That's interesting – I knew he was involved in the Eighties giving advice but that's very late isn't it?
It is. I think it was supposed to be because the show was losing ratings, so Sydney Newman was making a suggestion that might bring viewers back.

iank

08-06-17, 06:50 PM

it was Tom's idea of a joke.

DalekbusterScreen5

08-19-17, 08:58 AM

it was Tom's idea of a joke.

Half-joke may be more accurate.

SeeingisBelieving

08-19-17, 09:00 AM

Either way John Nathan-Turner would have been happy with the frisson it must have caused.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-08-17, 07:24 PM

I'm considering self-publishing my film reviews in a book alongside the self-published ebook I'm writing. Looking on Lulu, others seem to have done that - so why not?

If I do, it'll likely be released sometime next January so I could include my review of the 2017 Jumanji.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-24-17, 01:19 PM

The Year After I Died

There are so many gaps in the life of Captain Jack Harkness that haven't been shown on-screen that it was perhaps inevitable Big Finish would explore them eventually. Hence the box set The Lives of Captain Jack; four stories that take place in four different parts of Jack's timeline. The first in this set, The Year After I Died, takes place a year after Parting of the Ways - the episode that essentially acted as the origin of Captain Jack's immortality.

This Jack (John Barrowman) is a broken and bitter man - little more than a shadow of the hero he was during the Dalek invasion of the Game Station - living on a dangerous Earth wrecked by the Daleks. Jack is hounded by reporter Silo Crook (Shvorne Marks), who is desperate to film a report on either him or the Hope Foundation. When Jack refuses to help find out what the Hope Foundation is up to, Silo sets off herself to discover the truth - and Jack finds himself reluctantly following to save her.

One thing this release does really well is create an effective picture of just how dangerous this world is. You really believe that this Earth is a perilous place to live in, with mutated animals and Dalek weapons left behind by the invasion. There isn't a great deal of time spent here - most of the narrative takes place on the Hope Foundation space port - but what you do hear of the 200,101 world immediately captures your imagination.

What's really going on at the Hope Foundation proves to be just as horrifying as the world that has been left behind by the Daleks. Maybe even more so. The twist of the rich using surgery to take whatever body part they fancy from the poor is a gruesome yet very believable one, something that you could imagine some of these rich people might actually do if given the chance. Poor Malfi (Scott Haran) has his eyeballs taken because they have a nice shade of blue, for instance, leaving him blind for the rest of the adventure. It's neat that 'humanity's oldest enemy' teased in the audio drama's synopsis isn't the Daleks or Cybermen, but the wealthy. A very real threat in the present day just as in the past or in the future.

Unfortunately for a release called 'The Lives of Captain Jack', this Jack takes a lot of getting used to. He bears little resemblance to the Captain Jack from Doctor Who and Torchwood, often giving snarky responses and coming across like a grumpy old man stuck in a young man's body. Whilst it makes sense for his character during the period of his life the audio drama is set in, such a drastic change in character highlights how much of Jack's life between Parting of the Ways and The Year After I Died we still haven't seen or heard yet. It would perhaps have been wiser for Big Finish to have released a prequel box set leading up to this story first, so we could see some development of his character leading up to this change. John Barrowman does a very good job at playing this Jack though, and tries his best to make him sound like the same Jack from Parting of the Ways.

Shvorne Marks as Silo Crook makes for a great companion role for Captain Jack; the character is very endearing, and you feel her frustrations when Jack seems determined he's not a hero. She has quite a heavy focus in this story, often making Jack seem like the supporting role rather than the other way round. I hope in future Shvorne Marks does more Big Finish as she does a very good job here, creating a character who is immediately engaging to listen to.

A great story would be nothing without a great villain, and Sarah Douglas totally owns it as the Hope Foundation's founder Vortia Trear. She is wonderfully cruel, and helps considerably to highlight the story's message about how wealth can corrupt people into turning against those worse off than themselves. That's why I never vote Conservative when there's a General Election - they only ever seem to be in it for themselves, and stuff those who don't have as much money as them.

Overall, The Year After I Died is a strong start for The Lives of Captain Jack box set. The truth behind the Hope Foundation is brilliantly gruesome, with a villain who you just love to hate. Shvorne Marks simply has to do more Big Finish as she is superb as Silo Crook, and John Barrowman does his best to sell Captain Jack as the same man we saw in The Parting of the Ways. Unfortunately Jack's change in character whilst making sense within the narrative feels way too jarring, and needed a prequel box set to properly sell it.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

09-26-17, 01:32 PM

Wednesdays For Beginners

One of the greatest recurring characters during the Russell T Davies era was without a doubt Jackie Tyler, so combining Jackie with the all time greatest recurring character Captain Jack Harkness is a work of pure genius. I hope whoever came up with this idea, be it writer James Goss or the set's director Scott Handcock was given a decent pay rise for coming up with such ingenuity. When this pairing was announced, I was beyond excited and eagerly looking forward to what sounded like a truly memorable piece.

Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri) has a stalker. Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) has been following her since he moved in at the Powell Estate, as a means of keeping an eye on Rose's mother whilst she's travelling through time and space with the Doctor. One day Jackie finds the Powell Estate totally deserted, with her only company being the stranger who has been stalking her for the last few months. Jack and Jackie team up to find out where has the entire neighbourhood disappeared to, and who is behind the disappearance.

In case you haven't already got the message, the biggest draw about this story is the pairing of Jack and Jackie - and it doesn't disappoint. They are absolutely hilarious together, evoking shades of the Tenth Doctor and Donna as they bicker and form a strong friendship. Jackie isn't shown as completely useless as she was occasionally on television either (I'm thinking of that infamous scene in Journey's End here when the Doctor wouldn't let Jackie help pilot the TARDIS). This Jackie is every much as clever as Donna Noble could be, showing occasional flashes of brilliance. It's Jackie who figures out how to bring the neighborhood back, and the solution strangely involves sausage rolls.

I never thought I'd hear John Barrowman and Camille Coduri form a duet, but that's one of the many pleasures this story offers. It also neatly sums up how much fun Wednesdays For Beginners is, adopting almost panto-like silliness with jokes about a neighbour's extremely boring CD collection and the completely barking mad idea (which works) of saving Jack from the story's monsters the harvesters by pouring a boiling pot of kettle over them. I could easily listen to a whole box set of Jack and Jackie together - in fact, I could listen to a whole box set of Jackie Tyler on her own. She is extremely engaging to listen to, and lights up any scene.

The twist that Jackie Tyler is who the story's monsters the Harvesters are searching for and not Captain Jack is predictable, but in this case I don't really care. The story is more about Jackie's world whilst Rose is travelling with the Doctor, and at times you really feel for this mother left on her own whilst her daughter's on some distant planet. James Goss's decision to isolate her even more by taking her entire neighbourhood away only highlights this even more. It's a good decision that helps us empathise with Jackie by bringing that loneliness to the forefront of the adventure.

You've probably noticed I haven't said much about Jack. Well that's because like the best Doctor Who stories, this Captain Jack story is more about Jack's 'companion' than Jack himself. Jackie Tyler is the main focus here, but Jack is still very much the main character: the hero who helps Jackie in her quest to bring her neighbours back. This story really plays to John Barrowman's talents with the humour and singing in the narrative, and with Jackie as the story's focus he still plays a vital part in the narrative. Without Jack, Jackie would have called the Doctor and Rose, and the Harvesters would have feasted on the time travellers. John Barrowman's presence is always felt when he's stalking Jackie too; you get a sense that Jack is there, even when he doesn't talk.

Overall, Wednesdays For Beginners is just as much fun as you would imagine a story where Jack and Jackie team up would be. It is at times a wonderfully silly story, and at others a character piece that leaves you feeling sorry for the isolated life Jackie leads whilst her daughter travels across time and space. One day I hope Big Finish release a Lives of Jackie Tyler box set; judging by this release, it would be the audio set of a lifetime.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

09-27-17, 06:32 PM

SeeingisBelieving

09-27-17, 06:50 PM

I might review the BBC series Trust Me at some point, because I feel like ranting about how that had the WORST ending to a television series ever.

I mean seriously, what the hell? Since when was committing fraud a good thing?

I saw a bit of that and I liked Jodie Whittaker; her acting was good. Funnily enough it was the "I'm a doctor" moment with the father. It will be interesting to see her as the Doctor, especially post-regeneration and in trailers. I don't feel like I'm going to get a light bulb over my head and think "that's the Doctor" but I won't rule it out. Being at the lowest possible ebb as a fan isn't a great place to be when they're ushering in a changeover :D.

DalekbusterScreen5

09-28-17, 12:30 PM

I saw a bit of that and I liked Jodie Whittaker; her acting was good. Funnily enough it was the "I'm a doctor" moment with the father. It will be interesting to see her as the Doctor, especially post-regeneration and in trailers. I don't feel like I'm going to get a light bulb over my head and think "that's the Doctor" but I won't rule it out. Being at the lowest possible ebb as a fan isn't a great place to be when they're ushering in a changeover :D.

Jodie Whittaker was the one thing that was brilliant throughout all four episodes of Trust Me. She was the only part I enjoyed about episode four. The other three episodes were fantastic, but the fourth is one of the worst pieces of TV I've seen so far.

I really think Jodie Whittaker's going to make an excellent Doctor.

DalekbusterScreen5

10-03-17, 06:56 PM

Trust Me

Oh, Trust Me. You started off so well, then you had to go and ruin it with that ending. First airing August 2017, this four part series by screenwriter Dan Sefton showed so much promise, yet failed to deliver on every level in the final episode. 'Woman steals her best friend's identity' is a strong premise for any TV thriller, but there are certain tropes that need to be fulfilled for it to prove a satisfying watch - one of those is seeing the web of deceit slowly unravel as more and more characters begin to find out who our lead really is - but we never get this with Trust Me. Instead the series in hindsight feels more 'meh' than 'yeh'.

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After her concerns about patient neglect to the hospital board fall on deaf ears, Cath (Jodie Whittaker) loses her job in Sheffield as a nurse. Her best friend Alison Sutton (Andrea Lowe) holds a leaving party, having decided to move to New Zealand and upon finding her CV and references in the bin, Cath sees this as the perfect opportunity to embark on a new life in Scotland with her daughter Molly (Summer Mason) as 'Doctor Alison Sutton'. A romantic relationship with fellow doctor Andy Brenner (Emun Elliott) results in him discovering her true identity, and when Molly's father Karl (Blake Harrison) follows his ex up to Scotland in order to be closer to his daughter, he begins to realise what Cath is up to. Can Cath keep up her pretence, or will either Andy or Karl expose her lies?

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The first three episodes of Trust Me were expertly directed by John Alexander and Amy Neil. You really felt the tension as characters had conversations in the hospital and turned to glance in Cath's direction. At times it seemed like her secret could be exposed any minute even though you knew whilst watching the series that there was a fourth episode to come. When Andy discovers her identity its so tightly directed that there's a certain air of unease that isn't present in the fourth episode.

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Unlike episode four these first three episodes proved extremely well-plotted and written by Dan Sefton. When Andy drives Cath to a remote location in episode three you have no idea what he's going to do. What is this guy we barely know capable of? Is he going to kill her (it's later made ambiguous in episode four as to whether he is capable of murder when it is left deliberately unclear as to whether Karl's death in hospital was caused by him or the car running him over as he saved his daughter)? Leave her stranded? Well, it turns out he's just brought her to a holiday cottage he owns. But that tension that you need for a thriller is there. Until episode four.

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Episode four unravels the build-up of the entire series, with only one more person discovering the truth - Cath's ex and Molly's father Karl. A man who is subsequently killed rescuing his daughter from traffic, leaving Andy the only other person who knows Cath's secret once more. There are no consequences for Cath's fraud, instead the series bizarrely awards her for what she's done. Apparently now it's a good thing to commit fraud and if you attempt to steal somebody else's identity: don't worry, you'll be rewarded for your outstanding behaviour.

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The excuse the series seems to give is 'Well, she's a good doctor despite not having the qualifications'. I'm sure that would wash in Judge Rinder's court. Or with the real Alison Sutton. Could you imagine if Alison discovered what her so-called 'best friend' had been doing and took her to Robert Rinder's court? That would be the show's quickest ruling, and it wouldn't be in favour of Cath.

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Episode four is a mess. Cath even takes on another lie, covering for her friend Brigette (Sharon Small) even though she had been drinking during work and her clouded judgement had nearly resulted in the death of a patient they were both working on. This makes her getting away with her fraud even more unbelievable, and seem more like fantasy than any form of realism. Nobody would get away with this much in real life, especially when in episode two Andy discovers Cath's real identity by googling 'Alison Sutton'. How come nobody else had decided to search her name by episode four? I could have accepted her other colleagues not searching for her online until episode four, but it seems ludicrous that nobody has tried to find her Facebook profile yet or contact her on Twitter.

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And why is Andy totally fine with it? I know he's her boyfriend but he only ever knows Cath as Alison until episode three (well technically the end of episode two given that's when he first discovers the truth, but Cath doesn't reveal herself to him as Cath into he calls her real name in episode three), and in episode four she goes against their decision to let Brigette take the blame. Surely that would make him trust her less?

Nope.

And in the same episode he later sees Cath in his house with another man (who we know as her ex Karl but Andy hasn't met yet). Does that make him trust her less?

Nope. He still goes along with the lie. He even winks at her when she receives her job promotion at the series' conclusion.

Andy's character motives make no sense; his decisions are less about character and more about servicing the plot. He may as well be called 'Doctor Plot Advancement'.

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The best thing about Trust Me is the performance by Jodie Whittaker. She is fantastic in all four episodes, effortlessly playing Cath as both Cath and Alison Sutton. You can tell from her role here that she is going to be the best Doctor since David Tennant; she is every bit as engaging to watch, and immediately attracts your attention in the way Tennant consistently does in any television show or film he appears in. I have a feeling many unsure of a female Doctor will soon be changing their minds about the concept once Series 11 airs.

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Overall, if episode four had been as great as the first three episodes I would have given this series five stars out of five. Unfortunately episode four is arguably one of the worst endings to a BBC drama series ever, as it unravels much of the tension and build-up from the previous three episodes in order to deliver the questionable message that committing fraud is 'great'. Jodie Whittaker's performance on the other hand is consistently amazing throughout the series and highlights just why she is such a great choice to play the Doctor in Doctor Who. Trust Me had so much potential as a thrilling BBC drama but in the end it was all wasted on a lie which really needed to be exposed.

2

DalekbusterScreen5

01-18-18, 05:51 PM

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (2017)

Nobody was asking for a Jumanji sequel. The first Jumanji, released in 1995, was a relatively unremarkable affair despite featuring an excellent performance by Robin Williams as Alan Parrish. I never particularly wanted to see a sequel to it, and if it wasn't for Karen Gillan's casting I doubt I would have seen this film at the cinema. So as you can imagine, I was pleasantly surprised when I found Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle to be more than just Amy Pond 'dance-fighting' video game henchmen in a revealing Tomb Raider-style outfit.

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Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle begins exactly where the previous movie left off. In 1996, teenage gamer Alex (Mason Guccione) discovers the Jumanji board game washed up on the beach and upon arriving home chucks it to one side claiming 'nobody plays board games anymore'. Upon seeing Alex playing a video game, Jumanji transforms into a game cartridge. Twenty years later, teenage school kids Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain), Spencer (Alex Wolff), Bethany (Madison Iseman) and Martha (Morgan Turner) all find themselves in detention tasked with clearing out an old room in the school, where they find an old video game console and the Jumanji cartridge. The gang decide to play the game, and they are sucked into their avatar counterparts in the Jumanji world. Nerdy Spencer becomes the tough Smoulder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), the tall and butch Fridge becomes Smoulder's tiny and useless sidekick Moose Finbar (Kevin Hart), awkward book worm Martha (Morgan Turner) is the sexy badass Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) and the self-absorbed Bethany finds herself in the esteemed academic Professor Shelby Oberon (Jack Black)'s body. The group are tasked with returning a magical green gem to its place in the eye of a stone jaguar, but the journey won't be easy: videogame villain Russel Van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale) also wants the gem, and with his ability to control the animals of the Jumanji jungle kingdom he will use any means necessary to take it from the group.

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The film starts off weak with scenes set at the teenagers' school, which largely feel cliche and derivative of other movies featuring teenage characters in an educational environment. You have an intelligent kid completing a fellow student's homework, the pretty one who is obsessed with her own self-image and the shy student who refuses to join in with the P.E. lesson. We've all seen this stereotypes countless times before; there's nothing new here. Thankfully these early scenes are not representative of the rest of the movie, which is much more inventive with its videogame format, but the school scenes do perhaps go on a little too long and the fact that these four characters all end up in detention at the same time comes across as more than a little coincidental.

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It's when they find the Jumanji game cartridge and console, and the teenage characters are sucked into the game world where the film really takes off. The four adult cast members - Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan - are hilarious together and have much more chemistry than their teenage counterparts. Jack Black in particular brings many laughs as a self-obsessed young woman stuck in the body of an 'overweight middle-aged man', trying to get used to certain male body parts and teaching Karen Gillan's Ruby Roundhouse/Martha how to flirt. Speaking of which, Karen Gillan more than holds her own alongside these well-accomplished comedy actors; this film neatly showcases her knack for comedy demonstrated in her many funny moments from Doctor Who Confidential, especially in the hugely entertaining scene where she tries to flirt with Van Pelt's videogame henchmen, and completely fails. It's not hard to see why Karen Gillan has quickly become one of the most successful actors to come from Doctor Who, as she is instantly endearing to watch on-screen.

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It helps that Karen Gillan appears to have extremely good taste, with both Guardians of the Galaxy and now Jumanji having proven to be solid films. Jumanji is clever in the way that it plays with certain videogame conventions; each player, for example, has three lives and upon their death (providing they still have lives left) they fall through the jungle skyline, back into the game with one life lost. There is also the nice integration of videogame stats, projected in front of them upon pressing their chests, and each obstacle faced by the gang forming a 'level'. So much thought and attention to detail has been paid to the structure of videogames, even to the point of non-playable characters having a pre-set number of responses, and cutscenes cutting into the gameplay. Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle may not be based on a videogame, but it is more a videogame movie than, say, the live-action Super Mario Brothers film, which bared no resemblance to the Super Mario game series it was based on.

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Unfortunately videogame villain Russel Van Pelt has about as much depth as Bowser in the Mario games: IE none at all. He is possibly the most two-dimensional villain of any film of 2017, his evil antics reduced to nothing more than generic villainry and his interesting ability to control the animals living in Jumanji's jungle not used to its full potential. Russel poses little-to-no threat in the film apart from in the last ten minutes, with his videogame henchmen featured more heavily as generic soldiers on motorbikes. The stakes as a result don't feel particularly high, and it is therefore no surprise when the group succeed with the help of Nick Jonas' Jefferson McDonough/Alex.

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Still, whilst the villain falls flat the action sequences are fun. Dwayne Johnson with a flame thrower is as awesome as it sounds, and Karen Gillan's dance fight scenes make for a cool watch. Both examples are well-directed by Jake Kasdan, and don't feel like they would be out of place in a videogame. Although they did miss out on a trick by not making the dance fight song Welcome To The Jungle by Guns and Roses; criminally the song only appears in the credits, and never in the film itself, which seems odd given that the film's subtitle is blatantly named after the song.

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Overall, this is the kind of film you should go into without thinking too hard about what you are watching. It's not going to change the world, and it's far from the best movie out there, but what it does give you is a fun two hour cinematic experience with four extremely funny actors. In much the same way as Disney's Wreck It Ralph, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle is a stronger film adaptation of videogames than many movies based directly on pre-existing games, and many who play videogames will likely find something to like here. However the school sequences are dull and uninspired, featuring age-old cliches seen in many school-based movies. The videogame world of Jumanji is where the film comes to life, and it's worth sitting through the boring school scenes to see the clever way in which this movie incorporates videogame elements.

3.5

DalekbusterScreen5

05-17-21, 04:15 PM

REVIEW: Soul

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Pixar, it's fair to say, never go for the typical or the obvious. Soul is a prime example of that. It's such a weird idea, to make an animated family film about a man who has a near-death experience, but it's what makes Pixar stand out from all of the other animation studios. Their films feel so mature and poignant, whilst catering to audiences of all ages, and that is always such a commendable quality for a movie to possess.

I just love the animation in the soul world known as The Great Before. It's so colourful and zany, it has its own unique stamp that's incomparable to any other animated film, and like the best fictional worlds it feels lived in. And the animation style when jazz musician Joe Gardener (Jamie Foxx) falls from the stairway to the Great After displays such creativity and energy, it really displays the talents of everyone at Pixar.

I think one of the most stand-out things about Soul however is just how diverse the animated cast is. 90% of the main characters are black, which shouldn't really be a big deal, but it happens so rarely in animated films that it's great to see ethnic minorities represented in grander numbers than before. There's plenty of people who look like me, a white person, in animated films, but I like to see that same logic applied to people who don't necessarily look like myself, the racial groups who are not as well represented, and deserve greater recognition.

This also has one of the best casts in animated movies. Jamie Foxx is the perfect voice for Joe, and Tina Fey is delightfully giddy as Soul 22. Graham Norton gives a very good turn as Moonwind, and Richard Ayoade made me laugh a lot as Counselor Jerry B. Rachel House as the accountant Terry is a very neat fit for the character, and the Post-Credits Ferris Bueller gag got a chuckle from me, even if it is a joke that has been done a lot.

This film for me was like a mix of Ratatouille and It's A Wonderful Life, with the crazy body shenanigans of Jamie Foxx's Joe (in the body of a cat) having to guide Tina Fey's Soul 22 in his body through his own life without Soul 22 messing it up. It's very reminiscent of Remy's control over Linguini in the kitchen in Ratatouille, with the scenes regarding Soul 22 discovering the wonders of life whilst living inside Joe sharing certain similarities to the plot of It's A Wonderful Life.

Overall, Soul is a film I had lots of fun with. I hope they find a way to make a sequel work in years to come, as this has the potential for a franchise with bags of imagination and creativity. Soul is one of Pixar's finest efforts to date, with a great cast, breathtaking visuals and a plot that is sure to leave you wanting more.

What do you think about Disney/Pixar's Soul? Let me know in the comments.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

05-28-21, 01:32 PM

REVIEW: Wonder Woman

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Originally published in 2020, here are my thoughts on Wonder Woman.

I don't usually watch the DC films, because they don't tend to be as good as the Marvel Studios offerings, but I have heard from a few people that this film is something really special, and I know that the critics gave it glowering reviews. It was described as a DC movie which bucked the trend, and focused on telling a great story rather than trying to pay catch-up with Marvel. As a result, I was curious to give this movie a watch, to see if it was as good as they claimed.

And boy were they right. This film is absolutely phenomenal, and not like a typical DC movie at all. It actually feels more like a Marvel Studios offering, sort of like a strange mash-up of Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. The tone is much more reminiscent of a lighter superhero offering, with many gags related to the fish out of water aspect of this Amazonian warrior in the midst of the more mundane 'real' world, which helps to keep the film fun and engaging. There's a scene in the clothes shop in particular that is hilarious, where Diana tries on various outfits and insists on carrying her sword and shield through the store. There are only so many times you can be told as an audience member how dark the world is, and it doesn't lend itself for great cinematic entertainment, so it's great to finally see a DC film that understands this and instead offers a form of escapism.

Patty Jenkins' directorial style is utterly breathtaking. There's so many stunning pieces of cinematography in this film, and the action sequences are so well choreographed. I particularly loved the Young Diana (Emily Carey) training sequences at the beginning, and when Diana (Gal Gadot) is in the World War 1 trenches and walks across No Man's Land. These scenes make for some striking imagery that is sure to linger in the mind. It feels like every shot has been meticulously planned with the framing and lighting choices, with a great deal of thought and effort conveyed into the overall look of the film.

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It helps that Gal Gadot is so perfectly cast as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, as she genuinely feels like the character lifted directly off the page. She oozes the presence of an Amazon warrior, really conveying a sense of the majestic and powerful. You really wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this woman, as she's clearly someone who means business and will do whatever it takes to protect innocent bystanders from potential threats. It doesn't feel as though they could have cast the role much better than Gal Gadot, as she really embodies the part.

Overall, Wonder Woman is a rare cinematic hit within the otherwise wildly inconsistent DC Extended Universe. With jaw-dropping sequences and an impressive turn by Gal Gadot, I found myself grinning throughout this film, and I'm glad that I gave it a chance. I'd even go as far as to say it's better than Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel (also a great film in its own right), which is a first for me because I usually always prefer the Marvel offerings to DC's output. I just feel like between the two this delves deeper into the character of the lead, and her flaws, and does a better job with the fish out of water comedy. Wonder Woman is a film which demonstrates that the DCEU is capable of delivering a great movie, if only they'd just learn to have a bit more fun with their superpowered beings.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

06-03-21, 12:40 PM

School Of Rock

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When I posted my Twitter poll a few weeks ago asking if I should watch School Of Rock, many of you voted in your numbers to say I should check it out. In some respects, I'm surprised I haven't given it a go before. I like musicals, I think Jack Black always turns in a great performance and I like a bit of rock and roll. I guess the days before streaming made it hard to watch these films unless the TV schedules aligned, or you happened to find it on Lovefilm, but now Netflix makes it much easier.

It begins strongly, with Dewey Finn (Jack Black) playing a rock concert with his band. Immediately you get a sense of the film's tone, with a hilarious failed stage dive that suggests a comedic touch throughout the motion picture. Dewey is later fired from the band, which acts as a decent pivotal moment to set up his 'want' to create a new group that can set him back on the rock scene.

A couple of key supporting characters in this film are Dewey's roommates Ned (Mike White) and Patty (Sarah Silverman), who tell him he must get a job to play his share of the rent. It's a quick and easy way to establish a motive for Dewey to assume Ned's identity and fulfil the supply teacher role at the school. School Of Rock makes you fully understand and relate to his reasons for committing what is in reality a fraudulent act, and you can relate to his decision-making process. We all need money in order to survive, after all.

Dewey fulfilling the role of a teacher is a lot of fun from the off. It's just so amusing seeing him come in, and effectively strip the rule book out of the window, removing grades, stealing kids' lunches and given them a break time every few minutes. They really play fast and loose with the juxtaposition of this seemingly dumb and useless character suddenly finding himself in a position where he is expected to teach a bunch of posh kids, who all have parents with incredibly high expectations. Their parents have paid through the odds for their private education, and they want their money's worth for sure.

Child casts can make or break a film like this, but the kid actors in this film are brilliant. The amount of talent they possess is incredible, not just in their music and their acting, but also in their own comedic ability. They have so many witty moments throughout the movie, one of my favourites being when they hurl a load of insults at Dewey at Dewey's request. You really have to applaud the casting director Ilene Starger, who did an amazing job at finding such gifted children.

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Probably one of the most interesting characters in the film is the school's principal, Rosalie Mullins (Joan Cusack). She has a pretty strong character arc, transitioning from this stern head mistress constantly worried about the looming presence of the parents who fund their kids' place at her school to this woman who learns to loosen up and have some fun. She arguably goes on more of a journey than any of the others in this flick, showing this surprisingly deep story of a woman who is too concerned about how others view her and has to let go of these worries in order to come out of her shell.

Of course, no musical would be worth its salt without a good tracklist, and School Of Rock has a decent set of songs. There's some catchy numbers here that feel reminiscent of popular hits such as 'Welcome To The jungle' and 'School's Out'. It captures the rock and roll vibe well, and it's no surprise that they adapted this film into a West End musical.

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Unfortunately there are some problematic aspects to this film. The first being something that feels a little mean-spirited coming from our main protagonist. You see, upon discovering that the auditions for Battle of the Bands is over, Dewey - acting on a suggestion from band manager Summer (Miranda Cosgrove) - decides to tell the organisers that the kids are terminally ill patients from the local hospital, and have fallen foul of a rare blood disease. This doesn't feel right to me, because it feels like emotional blackmail, and they don't really earn their place in the Battle of the Bands concert either. This rather cruel lie means that they don't even have to audition, and are just automatically included in the show by default. It would surely have been more satisfying to have shown them win their place through talent rather than through such a mean bluff.

There's also a scene in the third act that doesn't quite work on a moral level. Dewey's deception has been discovered, and the kids decide to skip class and hop on the school bus for the planned field trip, telling the bus driver (who somehow believes them, despite no staff member in sight) that he's expected to pick Dewey up from his home and take them to the concert. When the kids arrive at his flat, instead of doing the right thing and taking them back to the school, Dewey hops on the school bus and takes them on the field trip to the concert for their performance. It's frankly bizarre, and essentially child abduction given that these children are supposed to be at school and their parents have no idea where they are. It's weird that nobody noticed how problematic this is, and pointed it out during the Pre-Production process, especially when they have a scene that shows the parents worrying out of their mind.

Overall, School Of Rock is a fun family musical with a great star turn from Jack Black. Whilst there are some problematic elements to the screenplay, it's still a great feel good flick, and certain to entertain even the hardest of souls. It's no wonder that it was adapted into a West End musical, as I bet it's one hell of a show.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

06-22-21, 01:01 PM

Captain America: The First Avenger

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come so far in the past decade that it's easy to forget its early beginnings. Long before there was this vast and ever-growing cinematic universe, there were a measly six heroes sharing the same world - one of whom was recast after his one and only solo feature. Captain America: The First Avenger occupies this early space, and it makes for an interesting film to rewatch with the hindsight of later developments within the tapestry of the MCU.

I chose to rewatch this feature on 3D Blu-ray, and I'm well aware that I'm in the minority when I say that I still hold a genuine love for stereoscopic 3D. I believe it adds a certain immersion to a given movie that's missing when you watch in plain old 2D. Good 3D leaves you feeling involved in the story, as though it's a hidden doorway into another world, and the action is taking place right in front of your very eyes. Captain America: The First Avenger's 3D is by no means the most mind-blowing 3D release I've seen, but there are some impressive moments, mainly revolving around Captain America's shield, which pops out of the screen when tossed as you would expect. The underwater sequences work particularly well also, conveying a true sense of aquatic submersion.

One of the most iconic aspects of the film is the scene in the alleyway. This sees Steve Rodgers (Chris Evans) cornered by a bully (Kieran O'Connor), who proceeds to punch and torment Steve. It perfectly epitomises the spirit of the character, especially as he utters the line 'I can do this all day', which later in the film he repeats during his confrontation with Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). This is who Steve Rodgers is; he's this man with this dog-eyed determination and courage. He doesn't just give up when he's knocked aside like a rag doll, he gets back up and fights for what he believes is right. His greatest superpower is not his super soldier serum and the crazy amount of strength it gifts him, but his persistence in the jaws of danger.

In fact, the movie as a whole does a really good job at showing why Steve Rodgers is Captain America and not a stronger and more capable soldier. Take the scene where Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and Colonel Chester Philips (Tommy Lee Jones) are visited during a soldier training session by the chief doctor behind the super soldier serum, Abraham Eskine (Stanley Tucci), for instance, who's looking for a candidate to become the first super soldier. There are so many men who would be more suitable to become this more beefed up version of a soldier in this training montage, but Steve is the man who Abraham picks despite not being the most physically capable candidate, because Steve's the one who thinks outside the box and acts on instinct, to protect those around him. When the colonel tasks the soldiers with taking down the flag, Steve unscrews it so that the flag pole drops to the ground rather than trying to scale it like his fellow men, and later when he chucks what he claims to be a grenade into the training ground, Steve throws himself on top of it to shield everyone else rather than fleeing like the others. What he lacks in strength, he makes up for with his tactical mind, and his quick-thinking compassion in potentially fatal circumstances. As the doctor later tells him, it's about being a 'good man', and not a 'perfect soldier'.

It's well documented that this film contains a cameo from Jenna Coleman as Connie, and it's weird seeing the actor before she became internationally famous for her role in Doctor Who as Clara Oswald. She only gets two lines here, where she puts on an extremely convincing American accent, as a one-time date of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) at the Stark expo. It's nice seeing her in this big film, as I've been impressed by Jenna Coleman ever since I saw her in Emmerdale, and her presence makes this film a joy to rewatch. It would be nice if Marvel Studios could find a way to bring her back and give her a bigger role in the MCU, although somehow I doubt that will ever happen.

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The main romantic relationship is of course, that between Steve Rodgers and Peggy Carter. They're easily one of the greatest romances in the MCU, despite this being the only film where we get to see them together, bar a brief scene at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Their love for one another feels truly genuine, and the actors have this great amount of chemistry together; they feel like two individuals who are meant to be together, which only makes the ending when Steve ends up in the ice all the more tragic. It's almost quite Casablanca in its final conclusion, as these two star-crossed lovers find themselves thrown apart by circumstances beyond their control. Poor Peggy is made to believe her boyfriend is dead, but in reality he's just frozen in ice and defrosted in the Present Day. It's so cruel on Peggy Carter, the emotional ramifications of such an event later being something we get to see in her TV solo series Agent Carter.

America itself is shown to have this very romanticised view on Captain America. In this narrative we witness this entire country fall in love with this guy who has become a symbol of hope for Americans during the Second World War, as he puts on these cheesy theatre shows and even stars in his own war films. It's a really deep and layered dive into propaganda, and how it can create this idealistic iconography of a country's hopes in the midst of a major global conflict, even to the point of referencing the real life Captain America comic where Steve Rodgers punches Hitler in the face. It's such a great way of communicating to the audience the wartime spirits and optimism of the time, something which we know with hindsight will pay off, as the threat of Nazi Germany is eventually vanquished and Hitler defeated when the war comes to an end.

As Peggy tells Steve himself however, he's not supposed to be a mere propaganda machine. Steve is supposed to be so much more than that. This talk with Peggy is what inspires him to properly take up the 'Captain America' mantle and become the hero we all know and love. Both Captain America costumes by costume designer Anna B. Sheppard are absolutely fantastic; the first one conveys the rougher feel of an early costume nicely, which we also got with the first Iron Man costume which Tony Stark created out of scraps in 2008's Iron Man. The costume does its job for Steve, but it's not quite there yet; it feels thrown together, which is how it should be during this point in the narrative, as nobody has had the time to make him something especially for his war efforts yet due to it being a very last minute decision sparked by Peggy, The second costume is the more traditional 'Captain America' suit, and it effortlessly conveys the comic costume with such raw authenticity, whilst also avoiding the potential pitfall of looking ridiculous in the lens of a HD camera. It's probably the most perfect screen adaptation of his comics suit that you could expect, as it really evokes the look and feel of Captain America.

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One of the most important aspects regarding the MCU's first three phases was the friendship between Steve and Bucky. The First Avenger gives us our first glimpse at this, as we see the pair during the war times, and it brings so much of the film alive. Their relationship feels so natural and raw; you can feel that camaraderie practically oozing through the screen, which only makes the scene where Bucky falls off the train hit harder. In hindsight we know that he later returns in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and subsequent other films in the series, first as a brainwashed Hydra assassin and later as a more reformed figure, but it doesn't lessen the impact of this development at all. It's just devastating seeing Steve lose this man who he fought so strongly to save earlier in the film through such a tragic circumstance as this. It's a death that could have been avoided had Bucky managed to grab Steve's hand, but he didn't, and so he becomes yet another assumed fatality within this grand war.

Unfortunately this film suffers from a flaw that would come to characterise much of the MCU's earlier offerings. The MCU for many years had an issue with its antagonists, which too often were lacking character or substance. The Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) had potential, possessing such a rich comics history, but he doesn't quite manage to live up to it. For most of the film he essentially just comes across as a generic clone of Adolf Hitler, which is a shame because Hugo Weaving is a great actor who could have made the Red Skull a more memorable MCU villain had he been given more to work with. The Hydra organisation as a whole is much more interesting, demonstrating a totalitarian regime that feels separate enough from the Nazis to not feel like a direct copy. It's no surprise that Hydra would go on to play a significant role within the MCU whilst the Red Skull wouldn't appear for another seven years, as it's Hydra who feel like the more compelling threat.

The Howling Commandos are also a little under-served here, feeling largely under-written and thinly sketched compared to the other guest characters in this film. They consist of Dum Dum Dugan (Neal McDonough), Jim Morita (Kenneth Choi), James Montgomery Paisworth (JJ Feild), Gabe Jones (Derek Luke) and Jacques Dernier (Bruno Ricci), and they don't feel distinct enough from one other as individual characters to feel like separate entities. To be fair the group are later fleshed out considerably in Agent Carter, which has more time than a two hour movie to explore them in greater detail, but here their lines all feel like they could be said by any member of the Howling Commandos, and it doesn't feel as though the film has a grip on what sets them apart as a group.

Overall, 'Captain America: The First Avenger' is a strong MCU debut for Captain America. It offers a thrilling war movie within the superhero sub-genre, offering a compelling central hero and one of the franchise's most captivating romantic relationships in Steve and Peggy Carter. Whilst its villain may suffer from the same failings as other antagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the characterisation of the Howling Commandos may leave a lot to be desired, Captain America: The First Avenger offers a hugely entertaining superhero blockbuster from start to finish, and is a film that left many audiences craving more from the star spangled man with a plan.

4

DalekbusterScreen5

06-29-21, 11:12 AM

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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The Winter Soldier is a different kind of beast to most Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The franchise is largely known for its mix of typical superhero action and comedy one liners, but Captain America: The Winter Soldier delivers something different. Whilst, yes, it's still a Marvel superhero film and therefore contains all of the heroics that you would typically expect, the tone is much more grounded and serious.

I watched this film tonight on Blu-ray 3D, and let me tell you the 3D is absolutely incredible. Shields fly out, guns protrude out of the screen and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) flies right towards your eyes. It's a truly breathtaking experience, and one that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of the MCU.

3D always tends to work well with films that contain plenty of intense action sequences, for reasons which are pretty obvious (3D being all about offering spectacle). So it helps that the Winter Soldier has some of the greatest action sequences in the entire MCU. From the opening fight on the boat to the amazing and truly iconic elevator sequence ("Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?"), the action is so well choreographed. The cinematography is on point too, shot with this shaky cam style that offers some real grit to proceedings. It feels like something straight out of a Paul Greengrass Jason Bourne movie, and it gives this film a really distinct and unique flavour away from the rest of Marvel Studio's filmography.

It's something that judging by the trailers, I can imagine the upcoming Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) movie having a similar style to, especially as her scenes here are some of the highlights of this movie by far. She's always been one of my favourite characters in the MCU, because she has this really mysterious back story that's honestly quite intriguing; we learn a little more information about it here, as well as get some fight sequences that honestly manage to rival Steve Rodger's (Chris Evans) superhero antics in the film.

One thing that's really weird is seeing Agent Carter (Hayley Atwell) as an old lady. It feels so odd seeing Hayley Atwell in elderly make-up, given that we are so used to seeing her look so much younger. Her scenes with Steve are tragic though, as Steve pays her a visit and we see she has some form of dementia. It's sad seeing her suddenly act as though she's just seen Steve for the first time since World War 2, and forgetting that she'd already seen him since. It's handled so well too, as this is what dementia is like when you know somebody with it. You live through that pain of them slowly starting to lose their memory of you, like this cruel disease that keeps eating away at their brain.

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It's clever how this is reflected in the story of the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Like Peggy, he too has been losing his memories in regards to Steve, although in this case it is due to his Hydra brainwashing rather than any form of dementia. The script really plays into this, as we see Steve's determination to trigger Bucky into remembering, and it recalls his stance from the previous film, 'I can do this all day'. Steve doesn't give up on his friend, he keeps pushing for him to break the immoral programming that Hydra have placed him under. He knows his friend is still there, and can bypass the killing machine Hydra have turned him into, and he won't stop until he gets through to him.

This film is also the first to introduce Sam Wilson/The Falcon (Anthony Mackie), who will of course later become Captain America himself. Already you can see the qualities that will later make him a worthy holder of the shield. He's someone who will always help, who believes in Captain America and shows a great degree of loyalty towards the cause of battling those who seek to spread hate or misery. Sam, in short, is the perfect fit for the tales of Captain America, and it's not hard to see what Steve Rodgers likes about him.

Armin Zola (Toby Jones) returns in this film, this time with his mind inside a computer. He has created an algorithm of those he considers to be a threat to Hydra, both in the present and the future, and Hydra plan to use 'Project Insight' to eliminate these threats. This is a prime example of one of the elements I like the most about this sequel. It brings back so many past memories for Steve Rodgers; from Bucky to Hydra and Armin Zola, it's like his past is coming back to haunt him, like ghosts who will not leave him alone. It means that despite the now modern setting, it still feels intrinsically tied to The First Avenger. The algorithm allows them to throw in some really cool hints to future aspects of the MCU, such as Stephen Strange (who would later pop up in his own solo film, entitled Doctor Strange). It has that really strong thematic through line of the past and present (with hints of the future) colliding throughout, and it works extremely well.

Overall, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a prime example of how to write a sequel. It keeps its thematic ties with the original film, whilst also offering something fresh, new and distinct. This is one of those rare cases where the sequel is better than the first film, and it's no wonder that the MCU still looks to it for inspiration.

5

DalekbusterScreen5

07-25-21, 01:21 PM

Captain America: Civil War

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2016 was an odd time for cinema. With both Captain America: Civil War and Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice releasing in the same year, it seemed film studios were obsessed with having their cinematic superheroes fighting on opposing sides. One of these films, perhaps unsurprisingly, turned out much more successful than the original, and that was Captain America: Civil War. Unlike Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice's awkward attempt to cram in multiple heroes before laying the groundwork in their own films, Captain America: Civil War came after we'd already had nearly a decade of getting to know these characters, and how they operated. And that's a key factor when constructing a story like this.

As with the other Captain America films, this week I watched this instalment in 3D. Out of the three movies that make up the Captain America trilogy, this one honestly probably has the best use of it, particularly in regards to the characters of Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland). Wanda's magic shoots out of the screen, and Peter Parker's webs fly out right in front of your very eyes. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr) also lends itself extremely well to the 3D effects, with lasers protruding right into your eyeballs. And, of course, Captain America's (Chris Evans) shield provides plenty of moments where it breaks the screen too.

If this film's opening demonstrates anything, it's that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) has led a tragic life. Things just never seem to go right for this character, and you find yourself feeling somewhat sorry for her when she causes a major catastrophe in Nigeria. She's this character with all this immense power, but she can't control it, and it leads to colossal mistakes like this. This is what makes Wanda interesting as a character, somebody who previously I used to be quite down on. She has all of this pain and anguish that has built up inside, a lost soul searching for a way to be better, and I think we can all relate to that on some level.

It's this event which triggers the main crux of the film, the debate over whether the Avengers should sign the Sokovia Accords and hand control over to the U.S. government, or if they should continue to operate as vigilantes without the need to be regulated. What's great about this dilemma is that both sides have a valid response. Tony Stark/Iron Man believes that as heroes they shouldn't be above the law, whereas Steve Rogers/Captain America, fresh from his encounter with Hydra in The Winter Soldier, fears his trust will be misplaced in the hands of a government body. Personally I find myself siding more with Tony, as I think regulating superheroes in this manner sets a greater example for the everyday civilians in this universe, whereas allowing them to continue unsupervised results in a more murky divide between hero and villain. If heroes don't have to follow the same rules, then what stops them becoming a potential danger to the public?

Sadly Hayley Atwell doesn't feature this time round, as her character Peggy Carter dies off-screen. This sets up arguably one of the saddest scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as we see Steve attend the funeral of his first true love. Peggy was one of the most important people in Steve's live, and as such she gets exactly the send-off she deserves. Whilst I would have liked to have seen Hayley Atwell return, there couldn't have been a more fitting exit for her character than the one featured here, although it does serve to make the romance between Steve and Sharon (Emily VanCamp) feel a bit wrong. I'm not sure anyone was crying out to see Steve engage in a romantic relationship with Peggy's niece, and given Steve's deep feelings for her mother, it does make him come across a bit like a creep.

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Two major heroes debut in this film. The first of these is T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), who gets something of a origin story here, with the death of his dad T'Chaka (John Kani) being what leads to T'Challa becoming the new King of Wakanda, and subsequently the new Black Panther. I love how his story directly parallels Tony's here, with both character's fathers having been killed by a brainwashed Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The stakes are personal, and their different attitudes towards the actions of the Winter Soldier speaks volumes about their characters. T'Challa is more restrained in his anger, whereas Tony - being the loudmouth that he is - has a much bigger and exaggerated reaction. What culminates in a fight with a best friend for one (Tony), is a simple conversation unfolding his feelings and coming to terms with the death for the other.

The other major superhero to make his first appearance is Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and he's perfect from the start. Embodying a geeky awkwardness as Peter, and a more outgoing and quippier side as Spider-Man, this feels exactly how a live-action take on this comics character should be. It's the most perfect adaptation of the web-slinger to date, with a note perfect Tom Holland imbuing a crazy degree of screen presence. He manages to stand toe-to-toe with Robert Downey Jnr, Chris Evans and the other more established stars by this point with ease, to the point where it feels like he's always been a part of this shared cinematic universe. The impressive airport fight sequence featuring the heroes coming to blows wouldn't have been the same without this interpretation of Spider-Man, and it's weird to think that there was once a version of the screenplay where Peter Parker was not included.

One character who would go on to become significant within the MCU is one Baron Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), who makes his first appearance here and proves to be one of the shared universe's greatest antagonists to date. Sly and manipulative, Zemo knows exactly how to push the heroes' buttons, and he ultimately becomes the man responsible for splitting up the Avengers to such an explosive degree. You could even argue that it's his actions here that are ultimately responsible for their colossal failure in Avengers: Infinity War, as if Zemo had not caused this rift between the superhero team in this movie then the full Avengers team would have still been formed, and they may have stood a better chance against Thanos.

Overall, 'Captain America: Civil War' is one of Marvel Studios' best sequels to date. Whilst the romantic relationship between Steve and Sharon is somewhat questionable, the rest proves to be one of the studio at its absolute finest, with a thrilling manipulator in Baron Zemo and a perfect introduction for two of the universe's most iconic masked vigilantes. Captain America: Civil War is proof that directing duo the Russo Brothers know exactly how to approach these major superhero team-ups, and we can only hope that after Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame, they will one day make their triumphant return to the universe that defined their directing style.

5