Last night I saw the midnight showing of the new Captain America movie - and my God it was one hell of a roller coaster ride! The title is not kidding when it says 'Civil War' because this really is a war between the Avenger team. Friends are fighting friends, and they're not holding punches, to say the least, Marvel were not holding back when making this movie. It has to be seen to be believed.
You may be thinking just why I'm saying that - the trailer gives the plot away right? They're all fighting over the Sokovian Accords. Wrong!
Well, half right, there's other things at play here too, which I won't go into for spoiler reasons. What I will say is that the trailers are completely misleading, Marvel have presented every clip to look one way, when in the actual film, it's going another. They've actually used different takes in some cases than they do in the film, to mislead it's audience. And somehow, that really, really works. You expect a scene to be going in one direction, then Marvel throw the curve ball at you and leave you reeling.
To say the least, this film is two and a half hours of tense fighting, mainly focusing on Chris Evan's Captain America, and Robert Downey Jnr's Iron Man. Characters like Black Widow, Bucky Barnes, Hawkeye and Vision are involved, but the argument is centered around Cap and Tony Stark. It's agonising to watch their friendship deteriorate, even as they desperately try to stay friends, while remaining on opposite sides. What I enjoyed about this was that the character did try to talk it out, and that both sides of the argument were shown.
In this film, there is no right and wrong, there is just Steve Roger's opinion, and Tony Stark's, and you as the audience member can choose which side you are on. It's a tough one to call though, both sides have their good arguments, and both sides also have their bad. Both make mistakes along the way, both try to do what they think is the right thing, and they are both right in their own ways. Even now, I'm still on the fence about which side I'm on, I still honestly do not know. I don't think I ever will choose a side for definite, it's just too difficult to call.
Besides all this angst and pain, the film is also surprisingly funny in places. Paul Rudd's Ant Man is as funny as his solo film, Bucky and Falcon have sort of teamed to make a great double act, who bounce off each other, and Steve Roger's well.
And, who'd have thought it, but Spiderman is hilarious in places. Honestly, I never find Spiderman funny, in fact, I generally find him a bit tedious and boring. But this film really brings him to the fore, in some ways he and Black Panther steal the show. For once Peter Parker is compelling, actually looks like a teenage boy, and acts like it too. Tom Holland did a fantastic job playing him, and I feel like after his own solo film, I may actually become a Spiderman fan.
Likewise, Black Panther was not what I was expecting. For some reason, I was expecting a more wild character, someone who would not listen to anybody and would act within his own needs, but I was wrong. T'Challa is incredibly regal and calm, willing to listen, yet absolutely lethal in his search for revenge. I don't know much about his character history, but his future in the MCU is going to be very interesting to say the least.
All in all, Captain America: Civil War is a masterpiece, possibly the best Marvel movie to date. The ending is unexpected in a lot of ways, and is going to lead perfectly into Avengers: Infinity War. There's brilliant light and shade throughout, you will laugh and cry for the entire film. There's only a few niggles I have with the film, and those are either down to personal preference, or because I was expecting something different (mostly at the end credit scenes, of which there are two. The scenes are good, but I was expecting a different character to be in one, but that's just me). But this film is incredibly, honest to God amazing.
And one thing is for certain, the Avengers will never be the same again after this.
Showing posts with label brilliance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brilliance. Show all posts
Friday, 29 April 2016
Thursday, 3 March 2016
Happy World Book Day!
I love books, always have done, ever since I was a small kid. I was lucky enough to be brought up by a Mum who is a true bookworm, and so was always being read to, and reading by myself. It was to a point where I was reading on twenty minute car journey's (without feeling sick, might I add), and I ran out of room on my shelves, so had to get rid of a load (which hurt, a lot). I read so much that by the time I was ten, I had run out of children's books to read and so started on Kathy Reiches - and I'm really not joking on that one either. At ten, I was reading Kathy Reiches' Bones series.
As a high schooler, I read nearly the entire Angus, Thongs, And Perfect Snogging books in two weeks, which inspired several more trips to Waterstones to pick up book-to-film/film-to-book adaptions. I had to slow down a bit for my GCSE's and A levels (and to start writing too, of course), but I still kept at it really quite diligently.
Even now, I'm a big fan of books, I want to be an author when I graduate, so of course I love books. As I write this, I'm listening to a song called Boys In Books Are Better by Carrie Hope Fletcher, because I relate to it so much. If you haven't heard that song, here's the link:
As a high schooler, I read nearly the entire Angus, Thongs, And Perfect Snogging books in two weeks, which inspired several more trips to Waterstones to pick up book-to-film/film-to-book adaptions. I had to slow down a bit for my GCSE's and A levels (and to start writing too, of course), but I still kept at it really quite diligently.
Even now, I'm a big fan of books, I want to be an author when I graduate, so of course I love books. As I write this, I'm listening to a song called Boys In Books Are Better by Carrie Hope Fletcher, because I relate to it so much. If you haven't heard that song, here's the link:
But what is it about books that I love so much? Well, that's a hard question, because there's so much.
There's the escapism element, for a start. I love getting lost in a story line, being completely and utterly swept up in it all. I tend to read teen fiction and things about the supernatural, I love getting so lost in it, I forget that vampires/werewolves/whichever mythical creature is involved isn't real.
Falling for the characters is another reason, because as Carrie above says, boys in books really are better. Who wants a real guy when you can read about Finnick Odair or Draco Malfoy? (I'm a Slytherin, what can I say?) Nobody! Fictional men may not be perfect, they may have their flaws, but damn it I love them anyway (even when most of them are dead... and not coming back).
Finding strength in characters too, I have always looked up to strong female characters. So while I fall for Kili, Draco and Shane Collins, I'm also looking up to Katniss, Eve Rosser and Valkyrie Cain. I love to read about these brilliant outcasts, who come in and save the world. Sometimes I like to imagine that I'd be as amazing as them in the same situation, even when I know that I'd die within five minutes. It's fun to pretend for a little while, after all.
Before I spend the next six years telling you all the reasons why I love books, I should probably wrap this up. Basically, I love it all. Books are an incredible thing. They provide hours of entertainment, introduce us to new concepts, inspire us, and so much more. And all of it with just words, just 26 letters, rearranged again and again, to make sentences, which make paragraphs, which makes stories. Honestly, where would we be without stories? Without Harry Potter, without Bilbo Baggins, without Skullduggery Pleasant? Nowhere, we would be bored, we wouldn't know what adventure and bravery was.
But with books, we can sail the high seas, fight the Capital, stop Valentine. We fall in love, solve mysteries and crimes, travel to far off places - some of which don't even exist. We can do all of that and more. For someone like me, who's socially awkward and doesn't like to leave the house all too often, a book is a godsend.
So what is it that I love about books? Everything, really. I love it all. Books are magical things, and if everybody spent more time reading them, I think we would all be that little bit more magical ourselves.
Tuesday, 29 December 2015
And Then There Was One Massive Plot Twist
Hey everyone, I hope your Christmas' were fun and you got everything you wanted! I had a pretty good time, and have mostly been sitting on my arse doing nothing all week. Well, when I say nothing, I mean watching TV, and my God did I stumble upon one hell of a TV special.
Of course, I'm talking about And Then There Were None, the BBC's latest adaption of Agatha Christie's novel, and over three nights I was utterly hooked on it. I'd been looking forward to watching this show ever since I saw the advert for it a while back, to be honest, I probably would have watched anyway because a) Aiden Turner is in it and I love that man a lot, and b) it's a murder mystery. If there's one thing I love to watch, it's a murder mystery, or really anything to do with murder. So, I sat down and watched it, and I fallen in love.
First of all, the plot is amazing, ten strangers are invited to an island, each one with a secret, and slowly they get killed off one by one, not knowing who is behind it. Each person is killed according to poem that hangs in every persons room in the house, and when a body is found, the ten statues in the dining room reduce numbers. This could have gotten very monotonous after the third murder, possibly even predictable, but it never did. I was on tender hooks the entire time, wondering who was going to die next, and how it was going to be done. For the first two episodes, I resisted looking up the whole poem, but I had to by the end episode, just to see if I could get any clues from it, all I got instead was the creepy factor amping up further.
Secondly, the characters were incredibly cleverly written. Each one is hiding a common secret - they're all guilty of murder in some way or other, and none of them have been caught for it. Between a doctor who drunk on the job during a surgery, to a cop who killed a gay man simply for being gay, every single one has killed at least one person and none feel the least bit guilty for it. And while some characters are sort of likable, you as the audience don't really warm to anyone. Not to say that they all deserved to die (though let's be honest, Douglas' Booth's character was a complete asshole and was pegged to be 'the first to go' from the start) but you don't actually route for anybody, not really. I found myself liking Aiden's character, not just for his face (or his body, dear lord that towel scene was a nice edition, thank you producers that one) but because he was honest. He admitted to his killings, and while showing no sign of remorse, he did show some brain, and some kindness at times. He didn't just think of getting himself off the island, he did try to help the others he trusted to. So I liked him. Which (spoiler alert) made his death quite painful in the end, at least he was second to last to go, so it wasn't too bad.
Nothing is all too obvious in plot line either, nothing is revealed straight away. You have to watch all three episodes to get everyone's story, and to figure out who is behind all this. It is never made clear, or even hinted at, whether the killer is part of the ten or if they is another player in the mix. Trying to figure it out is nigh impossible, as at every turn you find out something new that creates a new theory. I had so many I lost count, and never once was I right in my deductions. At one point I went so far as to think that maybe this was all happening in someone's head, and that this was some sort of psychotic break Shutter Island style, which seemed very plausible. Every theory seemed plausible as I went along, and I never expected the plot twist at the end.
Now, I'm going warn you SPOILERS AHEAD. IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, SCROLL PAST THIS BIT RIGHT NOW. I HAVE WARNED YOU.
At the end, just when I thought I would never find out who was behind all the murder (let me tell you right now, if that had happened, I would have hit the roof in anger and this review would be very different) to find out that it was the judge all along - I never saw that coming in a million years! In hindsight, I probably should have, judge/jury/executioner and all that, but I honestly didn't! I immediately discounted him after he faked his death, thinking him as just another victim, and possibly the sanest one of the lot. So to see him actually reveal that he was behind all of it, as a sort of 'get the uncaught bad guys' before dying himself, wow I had never even considered it. I actually screamed a little when I did if I'm honest.
SPOILER FREE ZONE STARTS AGAIN HERE.
Truly, And Then There Were None was a brilliant thrill ride of a TV show. Combing suspense, gore, murder and wonderful plot twists into a beautiful three hours. It distinctly reminded me of an old fashioned How To Get Away With Murder mini series, set in the space of a few days instead of a few months. I love every single second of it, and wish to see more things like this in the future! BBC get right on it, I need more!
Did anybody else see anything good over the holidays? If so, let me know, I need more things to watch to distract me from my essays and currently not much is working. Also, if you watched this show, let me know some of your theories, were you as shocked as I was when the killer was revealed? Let's start a discussion going, I sure as hell don't want to let this show end so soon!
Of course, I'm talking about And Then There Were None, the BBC's latest adaption of Agatha Christie's novel, and over three nights I was utterly hooked on it. I'd been looking forward to watching this show ever since I saw the advert for it a while back, to be honest, I probably would have watched anyway because a) Aiden Turner is in it and I love that man a lot, and b) it's a murder mystery. If there's one thing I love to watch, it's a murder mystery, or really anything to do with murder. So, I sat down and watched it, and I fallen in love.
First of all, the plot is amazing, ten strangers are invited to an island, each one with a secret, and slowly they get killed off one by one, not knowing who is behind it. Each person is killed according to poem that hangs in every persons room in the house, and when a body is found, the ten statues in the dining room reduce numbers. This could have gotten very monotonous after the third murder, possibly even predictable, but it never did. I was on tender hooks the entire time, wondering who was going to die next, and how it was going to be done. For the first two episodes, I resisted looking up the whole poem, but I had to by the end episode, just to see if I could get any clues from it, all I got instead was the creepy factor amping up further.
Secondly, the characters were incredibly cleverly written. Each one is hiding a common secret - they're all guilty of murder in some way or other, and none of them have been caught for it. Between a doctor who drunk on the job during a surgery, to a cop who killed a gay man simply for being gay, every single one has killed at least one person and none feel the least bit guilty for it. And while some characters are sort of likable, you as the audience don't really warm to anyone. Not to say that they all deserved to die (though let's be honest, Douglas' Booth's character was a complete asshole and was pegged to be 'the first to go' from the start) but you don't actually route for anybody, not really. I found myself liking Aiden's character, not just for his face (or his body, dear lord that towel scene was a nice edition, thank you producers that one) but because he was honest. He admitted to his killings, and while showing no sign of remorse, he did show some brain, and some kindness at times. He didn't just think of getting himself off the island, he did try to help the others he trusted to. So I liked him. Which (spoiler alert) made his death quite painful in the end, at least he was second to last to go, so it wasn't too bad.
Nothing is all too obvious in plot line either, nothing is revealed straight away. You have to watch all three episodes to get everyone's story, and to figure out who is behind all this. It is never made clear, or even hinted at, whether the killer is part of the ten or if they is another player in the mix. Trying to figure it out is nigh impossible, as at every turn you find out something new that creates a new theory. I had so many I lost count, and never once was I right in my deductions. At one point I went so far as to think that maybe this was all happening in someone's head, and that this was some sort of psychotic break Shutter Island style, which seemed very plausible. Every theory seemed plausible as I went along, and I never expected the plot twist at the end.
Now, I'm going warn you SPOILERS AHEAD. IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, SCROLL PAST THIS BIT RIGHT NOW. I HAVE WARNED YOU.
At the end, just when I thought I would never find out who was behind all the murder (let me tell you right now, if that had happened, I would have hit the roof in anger and this review would be very different) to find out that it was the judge all along - I never saw that coming in a million years! In hindsight, I probably should have, judge/jury/executioner and all that, but I honestly didn't! I immediately discounted him after he faked his death, thinking him as just another victim, and possibly the sanest one of the lot. So to see him actually reveal that he was behind all of it, as a sort of 'get the uncaught bad guys' before dying himself, wow I had never even considered it. I actually screamed a little when I did if I'm honest.
SPOILER FREE ZONE STARTS AGAIN HERE.
Truly, And Then There Were None was a brilliant thrill ride of a TV show. Combing suspense, gore, murder and wonderful plot twists into a beautiful three hours. It distinctly reminded me of an old fashioned How To Get Away With Murder mini series, set in the space of a few days instead of a few months. I love every single second of it, and wish to see more things like this in the future! BBC get right on it, I need more!
Did anybody else see anything good over the holidays? If so, let me know, I need more things to watch to distract me from my essays and currently not much is working. Also, if you watched this show, let me know some of your theories, were you as shocked as I was when the killer was revealed? Let's start a discussion going, I sure as hell don't want to let this show end so soon!
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Links And A Magical Consulting Detective.
So... it's been a while... I apologise for that, for some reason things got busy and when I did have the time for blogging, I had no inspiration. Current story of my life - 'I have time to write, yet I have no ideas/doubt my ideas... well damn, guess I'll just read all day.'
Anyway, I've decided to combine three blog posts into one, because I have time, and because I want to. My blog, my rules!
First things first, on Sunday, I finally bit the bullet and started uploading original fiction to Wattpad. I've been debating this for months, but have decided that it's a good idea to start uploading, because what have I got to lose? I've got ideas in my head, a novel series world to build, and the perfect place to start posting some short stories to hopefully gain some interest in my writing. So, I wrote my first 'worldbuilding' short story to my original novel series, and will hopefully continue to do so whenever I get the chance. If you want to check it out, the link is here. I've possibly not done everything I should have with posting it, but hey, I'm new, I'll work it out eventually. If anyone has some tips on how to use Wattpad though, please do drop me a message - I'm useless with new websites!
Another thing I've recently posted is my new vlog, this time about 'Beating Writers Block' which is a bit appropriate considering how blocked I've been lately. So I figured I'd make a vlog to a) lift my own block and b) help others with it too. I hope some of the tips in there help you guys out!
Finally on the links front, I've also set up an account on PeoplePerHour, where anybody can hire me (for a small fee) to proofread their work/write 'about me' pages, or anything like that. So if there's anything you need proofing, or written, come hire me.
Now that business is attended to, let's talk Magic Mike XXL and Mr Holmes. Two very different films, and two films I thoroughly enjoyed for completely different reasons.
I watched both yesterday back to back in the cinema with my best friend, because we love a bit of Sherlock Holmes (even though I'm die hard BBC and she's Elementary... I won't go into that, I'd be here forever) and we loved the first Magic Mike. So we thought, why not? Let's have a cinema day! And that's how we found ourselves in the cinema for six hours to watch two films of completely different genre.
I'll start first with Mr Holmes, because we saw that one first. To say that I wasn't expecting what I saw is an understatement. In my head, I expected Ian McKellin's version of Mr Holmes to be well, like my Sherlock Holmes, brash, bold, beautifully flawed. But instead, what we see is an old man, a very ill old man, trying to figure out one last case with the help of his housekeeper's son. At 93, Sherlock Holmes hasn't solved a case in thirty years, after one fateful case, yet he can't remember why it was his last case, just that it was. John wrote it down of course, as he did with all of their cases, but the ending to this particular one doesn't feel right to Mr Holmes. So he tries to remember and write it down himself, in between tending to his bees and recalling his trip to Japan for a Prickly Ash plant.
I won't tell you why he wants that particular tree, or what happens in the case, but I will say this. Mr Holmes is an incredibly sad film if you're a die hard Sherlock Holmes fan who loves the character. If you're like me, and have enough time on your hands to analyse whichever source material you love most (for me it's BBC all the way), coming to the conclusion that Sherlock Holmes is an incredibly lonely man, then this film was be just a tad bit devastating, and then some. The writers have admittedly messed with canon a lot, leading to only mentions and shots of John from the neck down, a two minute scene with Mycroft and a Mrs Hudson who never speaks. All of which makes Sherlock the centre of this film, instead of it being Sherlock-and-ensemble cast. In that sense, it was a new take on the original canon, yet at the same time, I want to condemn the writers for doing that, as I know in canon John retires with Sherlock in Sussex, Mrs Hudson does talk and while Mycroft is more in the shadows, he's still there, instead of leaving his poor brother to fend for himself in this big, dark world.
Yet, despite this, I did enjoy the film greatly. Having only seen modern BBC Sherlock and Robert Downey Jnr's versions (don't sue me Sherlockian purists) until the long awaited Victorian Christmas Special comes out, it was great to see this great character as Arthur Conan Doyle intended, just quite a few years older, and without his usual team behind him. Ian McKellin did not disappoint as Sherlock Holmes either, something I never doubted he would for a second. There was not one minute of Gandalf The Grey or Magneto reflected in his performance, I almost completely forgot he was also those characters. Ian really was Sherlock Holmes, and dare I say it, more believable than Robert Downey Jnr. Maybe because he was English and subtle in his deductions, maybe because I wasn't expecting him to turn into Iron Man at any given moment, either way, I thoroughly enjoyed Ian's performance as Sherlock Holmes.
So, while the film is incredibly sad for people who believe Sherlock Holmes to be a very isolated character in their own canon, and also had me begging to see a little bit of Sherlock's interactions with John Watson, I did enjoy it. Little Roger was a joy to watch, and the way they treat Sherlock's illness is heartbreaking and beautifully written. The little tie-ins to the canon are perfect (seeing Phil Davis - the killer in BBC's A Study In Pink was a lovely little touch to the BBC's most famous production of the stories) and the film did just enough to make it stand out against the masses of other adaptions. Well done Mr Holmes!
Magic Mike on the other hand, was a whole different ballgame. Whole different genre, whole different universe to Mr Holmes. Obviously set in the present, Magic Mike XXL focuses back on ex-stripper Mike, taking one last trip to Myrtle Beach with his old stripper gang to take part in the stripper convention. The entire crew have decided to pack in stripping and get normal jobs, and so have decided to go out on a high together, having one last dance together before they say goodbye to dancing and hello to the 9-5 grind (no pun intended).
Again, I won't give away too much, but the plot surprised me again, as the first one did too. When I walked in to both Magic Mike films, I was expecting a whole lot of hot naked men, lots of dancing and not much plot (not that I was complaining) but instead I got hot men with depth and differing personalities, a bit of stripping and a real plot line. This is not about a group of men who don't want anything but to strip for their entire lives, this is a group of men who love stripping, but want real jobs, real girlfriends, and to follow their passions.
What surprised me even more, was just how respectful this film was to women. I really was not expecting this film to be so respectful to women, instead I was expecting us females to be used as basically props to hold up every male character. And while there aren't that many, given big parts, there are a few who jump in and out, all of whom aren't treated like props. They have thoughts and feelings, are witty and have desires. A group of middle aged women are not treated as throw-away women who are 'past their prime' they're treated with respect by Mike and his friends. They are told repeatedly that they deserve love and respect, that they deserve to be romanced and taken to cloud 9 by their man. Another female character does not back down to Mike once, instead puts him through his paces, and when she MCs for him and his team, she never stops telling the girls around them that they are queens and goddesses, that they are beautiful and deserve the attention these strippers are given them.
Hell, even the girls in the dances at the end aren't all stick thin models either. At least two plus sized women are given huge amounts of attention by our strippers, WOC were given huge amounts of attention, so many body types were included. I never expected that, it's subtle, but it's there, and I loved that about Magic Mike XXL.
The actual story line of the film is a good one too, the dialogue is witty again, and gives each character their own depth and personality. They're all given an opportunity to explore what they want their act to be, what they're going to do after their weekend of fun is over. It's bittersweet to watch, and more compelling than I thought. I expected pretty faces and no personality, I got pretty faces and personalities to match.
So while I wanted a tad bit more stripping (a girl does have needs) what I got was a film about beautiful men with real personalities, diverse amounts of women, and a whole lot of laughs. The Twilight and Matrix send ups were a fantastic surprise, Matt Bomer singing had me nearly falling out of my chair in surprise, and the end stripping scene more than made up for the lack throughout the rest of the film.
If you made me choose between Magic Mike XXL and Mr Holmes, I physically couldn't do it, I loved both equally for entirely different reasons. Mr Holmes was poignant and intriguing, Magic Mike was funny and a whole lot more inclusive than first thought. I'd recommend seeing both films, though just maybe not back to back, it's a culture shock to see both within the same day!
Anyway, I've decided to combine three blog posts into one, because I have time, and because I want to. My blog, my rules!
First things first, on Sunday, I finally bit the bullet and started uploading original fiction to Wattpad. I've been debating this for months, but have decided that it's a good idea to start uploading, because what have I got to lose? I've got ideas in my head, a novel series world to build, and the perfect place to start posting some short stories to hopefully gain some interest in my writing. So, I wrote my first 'worldbuilding' short story to my original novel series, and will hopefully continue to do so whenever I get the chance. If you want to check it out, the link is here. I've possibly not done everything I should have with posting it, but hey, I'm new, I'll work it out eventually. If anyone has some tips on how to use Wattpad though, please do drop me a message - I'm useless with new websites!
Another thing I've recently posted is my new vlog, this time about 'Beating Writers Block' which is a bit appropriate considering how blocked I've been lately. So I figured I'd make a vlog to a) lift my own block and b) help others with it too. I hope some of the tips in there help you guys out!
Finally on the links front, I've also set up an account on PeoplePerHour, where anybody can hire me (for a small fee) to proofread their work/write 'about me' pages, or anything like that. So if there's anything you need proofing, or written, come hire me.
Now that business is attended to, let's talk Magic Mike XXL and Mr Holmes. Two very different films, and two films I thoroughly enjoyed for completely different reasons.
I watched both yesterday back to back in the cinema with my best friend, because we love a bit of Sherlock Holmes (even though I'm die hard BBC and she's Elementary... I won't go into that, I'd be here forever) and we loved the first Magic Mike. So we thought, why not? Let's have a cinema day! And that's how we found ourselves in the cinema for six hours to watch two films of completely different genre.
I'll start first with Mr Holmes, because we saw that one first. To say that I wasn't expecting what I saw is an understatement. In my head, I expected Ian McKellin's version of Mr Holmes to be well, like my Sherlock Holmes, brash, bold, beautifully flawed. But instead, what we see is an old man, a very ill old man, trying to figure out one last case with the help of his housekeeper's son. At 93, Sherlock Holmes hasn't solved a case in thirty years, after one fateful case, yet he can't remember why it was his last case, just that it was. John wrote it down of course, as he did with all of their cases, but the ending to this particular one doesn't feel right to Mr Holmes. So he tries to remember and write it down himself, in between tending to his bees and recalling his trip to Japan for a Prickly Ash plant.
I won't tell you why he wants that particular tree, or what happens in the case, but I will say this. Mr Holmes is an incredibly sad film if you're a die hard Sherlock Holmes fan who loves the character. If you're like me, and have enough time on your hands to analyse whichever source material you love most (for me it's BBC all the way), coming to the conclusion that Sherlock Holmes is an incredibly lonely man, then this film was be just a tad bit devastating, and then some. The writers have admittedly messed with canon a lot, leading to only mentions and shots of John from the neck down, a two minute scene with Mycroft and a Mrs Hudson who never speaks. All of which makes Sherlock the centre of this film, instead of it being Sherlock-and-ensemble cast. In that sense, it was a new take on the original canon, yet at the same time, I want to condemn the writers for doing that, as I know in canon John retires with Sherlock in Sussex, Mrs Hudson does talk and while Mycroft is more in the shadows, he's still there, instead of leaving his poor brother to fend for himself in this big, dark world.
Yet, despite this, I did enjoy the film greatly. Having only seen modern BBC Sherlock and Robert Downey Jnr's versions (don't sue me Sherlockian purists) until the long awaited Victorian Christmas Special comes out, it was great to see this great character as Arthur Conan Doyle intended, just quite a few years older, and without his usual team behind him. Ian McKellin did not disappoint as Sherlock Holmes either, something I never doubted he would for a second. There was not one minute of Gandalf The Grey or Magneto reflected in his performance, I almost completely forgot he was also those characters. Ian really was Sherlock Holmes, and dare I say it, more believable than Robert Downey Jnr. Maybe because he was English and subtle in his deductions, maybe because I wasn't expecting him to turn into Iron Man at any given moment, either way, I thoroughly enjoyed Ian's performance as Sherlock Holmes.
So, while the film is incredibly sad for people who believe Sherlock Holmes to be a very isolated character in their own canon, and also had me begging to see a little bit of Sherlock's interactions with John Watson, I did enjoy it. Little Roger was a joy to watch, and the way they treat Sherlock's illness is heartbreaking and beautifully written. The little tie-ins to the canon are perfect (seeing Phil Davis - the killer in BBC's A Study In Pink was a lovely little touch to the BBC's most famous production of the stories) and the film did just enough to make it stand out against the masses of other adaptions. Well done Mr Holmes!
Magic Mike on the other hand, was a whole different ballgame. Whole different genre, whole different universe to Mr Holmes. Obviously set in the present, Magic Mike XXL focuses back on ex-stripper Mike, taking one last trip to Myrtle Beach with his old stripper gang to take part in the stripper convention. The entire crew have decided to pack in stripping and get normal jobs, and so have decided to go out on a high together, having one last dance together before they say goodbye to dancing and hello to the 9-5 grind (no pun intended).
Again, I won't give away too much, but the plot surprised me again, as the first one did too. When I walked in to both Magic Mike films, I was expecting a whole lot of hot naked men, lots of dancing and not much plot (not that I was complaining) but instead I got hot men with depth and differing personalities, a bit of stripping and a real plot line. This is not about a group of men who don't want anything but to strip for their entire lives, this is a group of men who love stripping, but want real jobs, real girlfriends, and to follow their passions.
What surprised me even more, was just how respectful this film was to women. I really was not expecting this film to be so respectful to women, instead I was expecting us females to be used as basically props to hold up every male character. And while there aren't that many, given big parts, there are a few who jump in and out, all of whom aren't treated like props. They have thoughts and feelings, are witty and have desires. A group of middle aged women are not treated as throw-away women who are 'past their prime' they're treated with respect by Mike and his friends. They are told repeatedly that they deserve love and respect, that they deserve to be romanced and taken to cloud 9 by their man. Another female character does not back down to Mike once, instead puts him through his paces, and when she MCs for him and his team, she never stops telling the girls around them that they are queens and goddesses, that they are beautiful and deserve the attention these strippers are given them.
Hell, even the girls in the dances at the end aren't all stick thin models either. At least two plus sized women are given huge amounts of attention by our strippers, WOC were given huge amounts of attention, so many body types were included. I never expected that, it's subtle, but it's there, and I loved that about Magic Mike XXL.
The actual story line of the film is a good one too, the dialogue is witty again, and gives each character their own depth and personality. They're all given an opportunity to explore what they want their act to be, what they're going to do after their weekend of fun is over. It's bittersweet to watch, and more compelling than I thought. I expected pretty faces and no personality, I got pretty faces and personalities to match.
So while I wanted a tad bit more stripping (a girl does have needs) what I got was a film about beautiful men with real personalities, diverse amounts of women, and a whole lot of laughs. The Twilight and Matrix send ups were a fantastic surprise, Matt Bomer singing had me nearly falling out of my chair in surprise, and the end stripping scene more than made up for the lack throughout the rest of the film.
If you made me choose between Magic Mike XXL and Mr Holmes, I physically couldn't do it, I loved both equally for entirely different reasons. Mr Holmes was poignant and intriguing, Magic Mike was funny and a whole lot more inclusive than first thought. I'd recommend seeing both films, though just maybe not back to back, it's a culture shock to see both within the same day!
Thursday, 18 June 2015
Jurassic World Stomping To Life
As of yesterday, I have watched Jurassic World twice, so I figured I should probably write a review for it, because my GOD is it good!
Jurassic World is the fourth film in the Jurassic Park franchise, and has been a long time in the making. Originally, a fourth film was supposed to be made in 2004, but was scrapped for many reasons, but following the sad death of Richard Attenborough, the actor who played park owner John Hammond, Jurassic World was commissioned in his honour. Fans of the original three films have been hesitant to see what this film could bring to the franchise, scared it would be a giant flop that wrecked the magic of the trilogy.
Let me tell you, they have nothing to fear. Jurassic World is possibly the best film of the franchise, and not just because of the new special effects. The story line is better, the dinosaurs are better, it's like everything got stepped up a notch and got kicked into hyper drive, creating the incredible film that is Jurassic World.
So what exactly happens in this film? Is it the same as the previous three? Dinosaurs get loose, people get eaten, hero saves the day? Well, yes, but what else is Jurassic Park for? The dinosaurs aren't going to win, the film also isn't going to be a family visiting to the park, having a lovely time without a single hitch. These films are about the park failing, people getting eaten in gory ways and well, cool dinosaurs. The franchise has never strayed from that, and I doubt it ever will, it's what it does best, and it's what people love.
Yet, even though it's a similar story line to the first three, this one is different. Things such as the fact that the park is working at the beginning of the film, has been since 2005, and business is booming. Thousands of people flock to Jurassic World every day to see the dinosaurs, and nothing has gone wrong yet.
Until the scientists make a bigger, scarier dinosaur to keep the people coming in. They've created the Indomonous Rex (if that's how you spell it, let's just say it's scary in 3d and 2d) a dinosaur bigger than a T-Rex, created specifically to be bigger, scarier and to 'have more teeth.' And what happens when it's eight weeks away from being revealed to the public? It gets loose, breaks out of it's cage and causes havoc! People are eaten, dinosaurs are killed, yet more dinosaurs are set loose to try and take this thing down. Nothing is taking it down, and it's up to Owen (Chris Pratt) to save the park and figure out how to stop this monster from destroying everything.
Now I can't tell you much about how they stop the rampage, who lives or who dies, what other beasties come into play (you can probably guess though, it's Jurassic Park we're on about) but I can say this: the final showdown is incredible. The dinosaur attacks are fantastic. And overall this film is just plain amazing. I loved every single second. I laughed, I cheered, I nearly hid behind my best friend in fear in several places. Jurassic World doesn't pull it's punches, it's a thrill ride from the first second, without straying too far from the original trilogy.
References to it's predecessors are peppered throughout, some of the old tropes are back (as in, children screaming, everyone gets covered in mud etc) without making the film feel like a throwback. This is without a doubt a homage to the original trilogy, but doesn't seem like it's trying too hard to recapture the magic, it just does it effortlessly.
From beginning to end, this film grips you and takes you on a thrill ride that only Jurassic Park can do, while making you fall in love with dinosaurs all over again. I've seen it twice now, and I can't wait to own the DVD to watch repeatedly in the comfort of my own home,
If you get the chance, go and watch Jurassic World, it is without a doubt one of the best films coming out this year. And don't forget, if you see a dinosaur, run.
Jurassic World is the fourth film in the Jurassic Park franchise, and has been a long time in the making. Originally, a fourth film was supposed to be made in 2004, but was scrapped for many reasons, but following the sad death of Richard Attenborough, the actor who played park owner John Hammond, Jurassic World was commissioned in his honour. Fans of the original three films have been hesitant to see what this film could bring to the franchise, scared it would be a giant flop that wrecked the magic of the trilogy.
Let me tell you, they have nothing to fear. Jurassic World is possibly the best film of the franchise, and not just because of the new special effects. The story line is better, the dinosaurs are better, it's like everything got stepped up a notch and got kicked into hyper drive, creating the incredible film that is Jurassic World.
So what exactly happens in this film? Is it the same as the previous three? Dinosaurs get loose, people get eaten, hero saves the day? Well, yes, but what else is Jurassic Park for? The dinosaurs aren't going to win, the film also isn't going to be a family visiting to the park, having a lovely time without a single hitch. These films are about the park failing, people getting eaten in gory ways and well, cool dinosaurs. The franchise has never strayed from that, and I doubt it ever will, it's what it does best, and it's what people love.
Yet, even though it's a similar story line to the first three, this one is different. Things such as the fact that the park is working at the beginning of the film, has been since 2005, and business is booming. Thousands of people flock to Jurassic World every day to see the dinosaurs, and nothing has gone wrong yet.
Until the scientists make a bigger, scarier dinosaur to keep the people coming in. They've created the Indomonous Rex (if that's how you spell it, let's just say it's scary in 3d and 2d) a dinosaur bigger than a T-Rex, created specifically to be bigger, scarier and to 'have more teeth.' And what happens when it's eight weeks away from being revealed to the public? It gets loose, breaks out of it's cage and causes havoc! People are eaten, dinosaurs are killed, yet more dinosaurs are set loose to try and take this thing down. Nothing is taking it down, and it's up to Owen (Chris Pratt) to save the park and figure out how to stop this monster from destroying everything.
Now I can't tell you much about how they stop the rampage, who lives or who dies, what other beasties come into play (you can probably guess though, it's Jurassic Park we're on about) but I can say this: the final showdown is incredible. The dinosaur attacks are fantastic. And overall this film is just plain amazing. I loved every single second. I laughed, I cheered, I nearly hid behind my best friend in fear in several places. Jurassic World doesn't pull it's punches, it's a thrill ride from the first second, without straying too far from the original trilogy.
References to it's predecessors are peppered throughout, some of the old tropes are back (as in, children screaming, everyone gets covered in mud etc) without making the film feel like a throwback. This is without a doubt a homage to the original trilogy, but doesn't seem like it's trying too hard to recapture the magic, it just does it effortlessly.
From beginning to end, this film grips you and takes you on a thrill ride that only Jurassic Park can do, while making you fall in love with dinosaurs all over again. I've seen it twice now, and I can't wait to own the DVD to watch repeatedly in the comfort of my own home,
If you get the chance, go and watch Jurassic World, it is without a doubt one of the best films coming out this year. And don't forget, if you see a dinosaur, run.
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Age Of Ultron Is A Marvel
Again, long time, no see. There hasn't really been a film or TV show I've wanted to review for a while, but right now, I have to get my feelings out about Marvel's latest Avengers film - Age Of Ultron.
I was lucky enough to go to the midnight showing of the film last night, and having only just woken up, I'm still in a state of shock. Last night there were no words to describe just how incredible the Age Of Ultron is, but today, I think I can manage some at the least. Let's start with the obvious:
THIS FILM IS THE BEST THING MARVEL HAVE EVER DONE!
I'm not even overstating this either, Age Of Ultron is a masterpiece of cinema, possibly Joss Whedon's best work (and there's a lot of amazing work to compare to). This film revolves around obviously The Avengers from the original characters, and their fight against AI robot Ultron. Ultron was created by Tony, wanting to protect the world from more Chitari and other alien attacks, so New York doesn't happen again. But Ultron goes wrong in the process, deciding that The Avengers, and the entire human race, is destroying the planet, so we must all die so robots can take over. All the while fighting of the Maximoff twins, otherwise known as Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, before they team up together, which the help of a few others.
I won't give much else about the plot away because that would be too spoilery, but my God, this film packs a powerful punch. Plot twists coming from all manner of angles, beautifully written characters, hilarious one liners, Age Of Ultron is pure Joss Whedon with a Marvel twist. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire film, clinging to my best friend's hand for half of it, giggling for the rest.
Everything is beautifully written and executed, with an incredible plot to sink your teeth into. Ultron is an incredible mix of psychotic killer and confused child (and if you watch The Blacklist, bits of James Spader's Reddington come through, though it's not obvious unless you were watching for it) Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch made you care for them despite how they are so quickly introduced and thrown into the middle of the chaos. The Hulk and Black Widow break your heart. Hawkeye swings one hell of a plot twist (while perfectly explaining where the hell he was when SHIELD went down in Captain America 2 - The Winter Soldier). Thor bumbles through social interaction in a hilariously cute way. Tony Stark is well, Tony Stark in the perfectly sarky way he is known for. Rhodey aka War Machine (or Iron Patriot, depending on who you're talking to) and Sam aka Falcon make wonderful surprise cameos. The Vision is a beautiful addition too, one I hope to continue to see in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The entire cast twists together beautifully, almost like one big, insane family, complete with in jokes and running jokes (all I'm saying right now is watch your language) emotions and clashing heads.
There is still the fights from the original Avengers Assemble, but this film makes it all seem slicker. The tone of the entire film is darker, more complex. Gone are the days of Loki causing trouble because he wants to be a king, here comes the morals and a lot more adult themes. Yet the film manages to be funnier than the original, lightening the mood without taking away from the tone. It's a beautiful film, that will make you cry and laugh, and quite possibly scream DAMN YOU JOSS WHEDON at least twice. And all in all, I'm in love with this film, my only complaint would be that it needs to be LONGER. There's so much plot and plot twist to cram in that some things have had to be shortened, there could have easily been an extra half hour added onto this film and it would not have dragged at all. I never wanted this film to end, and because it did end, I'm going to have to see it at least three more times before it comes out on DVD, just to keep my Marvel fix going.
All in all, Marvel has done it again and made an incredible film for us to enjoy. Go and watch this film as soon as you can because it is a masterpiece of superhero cinema. If Marvel continue on this path, I cannot wait to see where they will go next!
I was lucky enough to go to the midnight showing of the film last night, and having only just woken up, I'm still in a state of shock. Last night there were no words to describe just how incredible the Age Of Ultron is, but today, I think I can manage some at the least. Let's start with the obvious:
THIS FILM IS THE BEST THING MARVEL HAVE EVER DONE!
I'm not even overstating this either, Age Of Ultron is a masterpiece of cinema, possibly Joss Whedon's best work (and there's a lot of amazing work to compare to). This film revolves around obviously The Avengers from the original characters, and their fight against AI robot Ultron. Ultron was created by Tony, wanting to protect the world from more Chitari and other alien attacks, so New York doesn't happen again. But Ultron goes wrong in the process, deciding that The Avengers, and the entire human race, is destroying the planet, so we must all die so robots can take over. All the while fighting of the Maximoff twins, otherwise known as Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, before they team up together, which the help of a few others.
I won't give much else about the plot away because that would be too spoilery, but my God, this film packs a powerful punch. Plot twists coming from all manner of angles, beautifully written characters, hilarious one liners, Age Of Ultron is pure Joss Whedon with a Marvel twist. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire film, clinging to my best friend's hand for half of it, giggling for the rest.
Everything is beautifully written and executed, with an incredible plot to sink your teeth into. Ultron is an incredible mix of psychotic killer and confused child (and if you watch The Blacklist, bits of James Spader's Reddington come through, though it's not obvious unless you were watching for it) Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch made you care for them despite how they are so quickly introduced and thrown into the middle of the chaos. The Hulk and Black Widow break your heart. Hawkeye swings one hell of a plot twist (while perfectly explaining where the hell he was when SHIELD went down in Captain America 2 - The Winter Soldier). Thor bumbles through social interaction in a hilariously cute way. Tony Stark is well, Tony Stark in the perfectly sarky way he is known for. Rhodey aka War Machine (or Iron Patriot, depending on who you're talking to) and Sam aka Falcon make wonderful surprise cameos. The Vision is a beautiful addition too, one I hope to continue to see in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The entire cast twists together beautifully, almost like one big, insane family, complete with in jokes and running jokes (all I'm saying right now is watch your language) emotions and clashing heads.
There is still the fights from the original Avengers Assemble, but this film makes it all seem slicker. The tone of the entire film is darker, more complex. Gone are the days of Loki causing trouble because he wants to be a king, here comes the morals and a lot more adult themes. Yet the film manages to be funnier than the original, lightening the mood without taking away from the tone. It's a beautiful film, that will make you cry and laugh, and quite possibly scream DAMN YOU JOSS WHEDON at least twice. And all in all, I'm in love with this film, my only complaint would be that it needs to be LONGER. There's so much plot and plot twist to cram in that some things have had to be shortened, there could have easily been an extra half hour added onto this film and it would not have dragged at all. I never wanted this film to end, and because it did end, I'm going to have to see it at least three more times before it comes out on DVD, just to keep my Marvel fix going.
All in all, Marvel has done it again and made an incredible film for us to enjoy. Go and watch this film as soon as you can because it is a masterpiece of superhero cinema. If Marvel continue on this path, I cannot wait to see where they will go next!
Saturday, 23 August 2014
Twice In A Month - Wow!
Two blogs in a month, wow, I think I may be ill!
Nah, I'm joking... But I need to do a blog on Peter Capaldi's debut as the brilliant Doctor in Doctor Who, because wow. I am in awe of him. He was BRILLIANT!
Now, without giving much away with story line, the episode 'Deep Breath' includes Sontaran's, T-Rex's, gags, darkness, so many references to the 10th Doctor and so much more. It was absolutely brilliant, Stephen Moffat ticked nearly all the boxes in introducing a new Doctor.
The madness of the regeneration, hints of how the new incarnation will be, an interesting story, brilliant one liners, everything! Beloved old characters came back, or at least from what I can tell. Admittedly, I haven't seen anything of Matt Smith's Doctor apart from his work in the 50th, and his initial work just as he regenerated from David, so I missed a lot of Drax and his crime solving friends. But I liked them a lot (got a lot of Sherlock Holmes vibes from Vastra too - go Stephen for the references and technically making WhoLock happen) having always enjoyed badass women and Sontarans.
But the best thing about the episode was the references to David Tennant's (my favourite - if you hadn't guessed) Doctor, an old story line partially revisited, a few more references peppered through the episode. I saw this at the cinema so the previous explanation from Strax of regeneration and all the mentions of David, including images, made me a rather happen Whovian!
Though, back to the main point, what is Peter Capaldi like as The Doctor?
To put it shortly, he is The Doctor. Instantly, he is The Doctor, without a second's hesitance, he is The Doctor. He is sarcastic, witty, powerful, demanding of attention and steals each scene he's a part of. Capaldi is effortlessly The Doctor, the man of so many faces, centuries old and full of knowledge of the world, questioning of every situation. He is exactly how I want a Doctor to be, mad, yet controlled. Knowledgeable, but in wonder of the world, the universe. In short, I love him. Not as much as I love David Tennant, but it's early days yet, I could grow to love him just as much. He's got the makings of an amazing Doctor, and I for one cannot wait for more!
Nah, I'm joking... But I need to do a blog on Peter Capaldi's debut as the brilliant Doctor in Doctor Who, because wow. I am in awe of him. He was BRILLIANT!
Now, without giving much away with story line, the episode 'Deep Breath' includes Sontaran's, T-Rex's, gags, darkness, so many references to the 10th Doctor and so much more. It was absolutely brilliant, Stephen Moffat ticked nearly all the boxes in introducing a new Doctor.
The madness of the regeneration, hints of how the new incarnation will be, an interesting story, brilliant one liners, everything! Beloved old characters came back, or at least from what I can tell. Admittedly, I haven't seen anything of Matt Smith's Doctor apart from his work in the 50th, and his initial work just as he regenerated from David, so I missed a lot of Drax and his crime solving friends. But I liked them a lot (got a lot of Sherlock Holmes vibes from Vastra too - go Stephen for the references and technically making WhoLock happen) having always enjoyed badass women and Sontarans.
But the best thing about the episode was the references to David Tennant's (my favourite - if you hadn't guessed) Doctor, an old story line partially revisited, a few more references peppered through the episode. I saw this at the cinema so the previous explanation from Strax of regeneration and all the mentions of David, including images, made me a rather happen Whovian!
Though, back to the main point, what is Peter Capaldi like as The Doctor?
To put it shortly, he is The Doctor. Instantly, he is The Doctor, without a second's hesitance, he is The Doctor. He is sarcastic, witty, powerful, demanding of attention and steals each scene he's a part of. Capaldi is effortlessly The Doctor, the man of so many faces, centuries old and full of knowledge of the world, questioning of every situation. He is exactly how I want a Doctor to be, mad, yet controlled. Knowledgeable, but in wonder of the world, the universe. In short, I love him. Not as much as I love David Tennant, but it's early days yet, I could grow to love him just as much. He's got the makings of an amazing Doctor, and I for one cannot wait for more!
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Sherlock Is Back!
Warning! Spoilers ahead!
Okay, I think i'm calm enough to write a review of the long awaited third season of BBC Sherlock, kicking off with 'The Empty Hearse.' To say the least, I was excited for this, I've been a very passionate Sherlock fan since the first episode aired, and I've been waited for this since Sherlock fell to his 'death' two years ago. So yes, I was excited, getting to the point where I was literally warning everyone I knew for weeks that if they dared disturb me during this, I was going to be biting their heads off. I was almost unplugging the phone, to make sure nothing disturbed my enjoyment of this episode, which in hindsight, was a good idea, seeing as the phone rang half way through.
But anyway, back to the review of The Empty Hearse. The episode started where The Riechenbach Fall left off, with Sherlock on the roof of St Bart's, talking to John on the roof, before he jumped. Then, we saw how he did it, using a bungee cord and Moriarty's body disguised as his own to fool John into thinking he's actually dead, when in fact he's bounced back up through the window and KISSED Molly Hooper (lucky, lucky woman) before walking off into obscurity. So then it turns out that this is just a theory by Anderson, who's lost his job due to his obsession with how Sherlock survived the fall. Lestrade turns him down and tells him he's feeling guilty for being involved in Sherlock's death, but Anderson is insistent, Sherlock is alive, he believes in Sherlock Holmes! Lestrade remains suspicious and tells him Sherlock is dead, he fell to his death and there is nothing bringing him back.
We then see John standing at Sherlock's grave, holding hands with a mystery woman, before seeing Mrs Hudson, he hasn't been round very often, it's been too hard for him to come over, because he isn't over Sherlock's death. Mrs Hudson believes him and John announces that he's met someone, and he's planning on marrying them. Mrs Hudson takes this as John has moved onto another man, leading to a very funny 'I'm not gay!' conversation, though Mrs Hudson still believes that John and Sherlock were a couple. (Bless that woman, I believe they're a couple too.)
And then another person is introduced, someone is running through the woods, in tatty clothes and long, messy hair, there's a helicopter chasing them, as well as people on the ground! Eventually, the figures falls and gets surrounded, and we then see this strange man being tortured by a Serbian man. The tortured man's face is not shown, but it's clearly Sherlock, as he starts deducing things about his torturer, making him run off to see his wife in the act of cheating on him. There's been another man sitting in the shadows, who comes over, telling the tortured man in chains that there's a terrorist plot in London, and his little brother needs to come back to London. Finally there's a shot of the tortured man's bowed head, it's Sherlock, and he smiles!
Obviously Sherlock is straight back to London and as he talks to Mycroft, he has a moment of looking like Khan with his sleeked back hair, and we start to see the 'new' him. He's definitely more bulked up, and a bit more human as he talks about popping out of a cake to surprise John, though he's still Sherlock underneath, with his lack of understanding of John moving on with his life. We also see more of this new nature when he goes to tell John he's alive, and this is really where Mark Gattiss out does himself with his research into what the fans wanted with a hilariously funny attempt to surprise John, involving a ridiculous French accent and a drawn on moustache, ending with a 'long story short, not dead.'
Martin Freeman is amazing with his reaction to Sherlock being alive, he doesn't faint like he does in the book, but instead reacts violently three times, leaving Sherlock with a bust lip and a bloody nose. Mary is also an instant hit with me, as she is a bit cheeky, and instantly likes Sherlock, and is clearly good for John too. I immediately warmed to her, before the episode aired, I was unsure of her and whether she would come between John and Sherlock (I ship those two a ridiculous amount) but she proves within minutes of her first appearance that if anything, she'll push them together more, and maybe provide some sanity between the two with their hectic lives.
Now I won't give anymore away, you'll have to watch the episode yourselves, but it is brilliant TV, and well worth the wait. Season three is shaping up to be different to the first two seasons, Sherlock is very different, he's more human for sure, and now up for a laugh. Mary is taking up a bit more of John's time, but other than that, the show is essentially the same. Sherlock and John, solving crimes in 221b, Sherlock is still a (lovable) smart arse, John still sasses him, Mrs Hudson is still not their house keeper and Mycroft still sticks his nose in, but this feels more homely, big things have changed, but the show is essentially the same. Though it's slightly worrying over whether Sherlock is back on drugs again, seeing as he is so much more human, and having auditory hallucinations. And we have a new nemesis in our midst, but where would the series be without it?
But in all in all, the episode is well worth the wait, it's funny and sweet, and heart warming in places. I can not wait for more from the series, and as they said in the seven minute preview from Christmas; The Game Is Back On!
Okay, I think i'm calm enough to write a review of the long awaited third season of BBC Sherlock, kicking off with 'The Empty Hearse.' To say the least, I was excited for this, I've been a very passionate Sherlock fan since the first episode aired, and I've been waited for this since Sherlock fell to his 'death' two years ago. So yes, I was excited, getting to the point where I was literally warning everyone I knew for weeks that if they dared disturb me during this, I was going to be biting their heads off. I was almost unplugging the phone, to make sure nothing disturbed my enjoyment of this episode, which in hindsight, was a good idea, seeing as the phone rang half way through.
But anyway, back to the review of The Empty Hearse. The episode started where The Riechenbach Fall left off, with Sherlock on the roof of St Bart's, talking to John on the roof, before he jumped. Then, we saw how he did it, using a bungee cord and Moriarty's body disguised as his own to fool John into thinking he's actually dead, when in fact he's bounced back up through the window and KISSED Molly Hooper (lucky, lucky woman) before walking off into obscurity. So then it turns out that this is just a theory by Anderson, who's lost his job due to his obsession with how Sherlock survived the fall. Lestrade turns him down and tells him he's feeling guilty for being involved in Sherlock's death, but Anderson is insistent, Sherlock is alive, he believes in Sherlock Holmes! Lestrade remains suspicious and tells him Sherlock is dead, he fell to his death and there is nothing bringing him back.
We then see John standing at Sherlock's grave, holding hands with a mystery woman, before seeing Mrs Hudson, he hasn't been round very often, it's been too hard for him to come over, because he isn't over Sherlock's death. Mrs Hudson believes him and John announces that he's met someone, and he's planning on marrying them. Mrs Hudson takes this as John has moved onto another man, leading to a very funny 'I'm not gay!' conversation, though Mrs Hudson still believes that John and Sherlock were a couple. (Bless that woman, I believe they're a couple too.)
And then another person is introduced, someone is running through the woods, in tatty clothes and long, messy hair, there's a helicopter chasing them, as well as people on the ground! Eventually, the figures falls and gets surrounded, and we then see this strange man being tortured by a Serbian man. The tortured man's face is not shown, but it's clearly Sherlock, as he starts deducing things about his torturer, making him run off to see his wife in the act of cheating on him. There's been another man sitting in the shadows, who comes over, telling the tortured man in chains that there's a terrorist plot in London, and his little brother needs to come back to London. Finally there's a shot of the tortured man's bowed head, it's Sherlock, and he smiles!
Obviously Sherlock is straight back to London and as he talks to Mycroft, he has a moment of looking like Khan with his sleeked back hair, and we start to see the 'new' him. He's definitely more bulked up, and a bit more human as he talks about popping out of a cake to surprise John, though he's still Sherlock underneath, with his lack of understanding of John moving on with his life. We also see more of this new nature when he goes to tell John he's alive, and this is really where Mark Gattiss out does himself with his research into what the fans wanted with a hilariously funny attempt to surprise John, involving a ridiculous French accent and a drawn on moustache, ending with a 'long story short, not dead.'
Martin Freeman is amazing with his reaction to Sherlock being alive, he doesn't faint like he does in the book, but instead reacts violently three times, leaving Sherlock with a bust lip and a bloody nose. Mary is also an instant hit with me, as she is a bit cheeky, and instantly likes Sherlock, and is clearly good for John too. I immediately warmed to her, before the episode aired, I was unsure of her and whether she would come between John and Sherlock (I ship those two a ridiculous amount) but she proves within minutes of her first appearance that if anything, she'll push them together more, and maybe provide some sanity between the two with their hectic lives.
Now I won't give anymore away, you'll have to watch the episode yourselves, but it is brilliant TV, and well worth the wait. Season three is shaping up to be different to the first two seasons, Sherlock is very different, he's more human for sure, and now up for a laugh. Mary is taking up a bit more of John's time, but other than that, the show is essentially the same. Sherlock and John, solving crimes in 221b, Sherlock is still a (lovable) smart arse, John still sasses him, Mrs Hudson is still not their house keeper and Mycroft still sticks his nose in, but this feels more homely, big things have changed, but the show is essentially the same. Though it's slightly worrying over whether Sherlock is back on drugs again, seeing as he is so much more human, and having auditory hallucinations. And we have a new nemesis in our midst, but where would the series be without it?
But in all in all, the episode is well worth the wait, it's funny and sweet, and heart warming in places. I can not wait for more from the series, and as they said in the seven minute preview from Christmas; The Game Is Back On!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)