Film Review-John Wick:Chapter Two

When discussing John Wick: Chapter 2, it’s important to consider what made the first film so successful. The original John Wick was a breakout hit in 2014, thanks in large part to its simplistic yet effective storyline, stunning visuals, and tight, well-choreographed action scenes. The film quickly became a cult classic, earning a reputation as one of the best action movies in recent memory.

With the sequel, director Chad Stahelski faced the difficult task of trying to build on that success while still staying true to the original. Some fans might argue that he succeeded, while others might say that he fell short.

One of the biggest differences between the two films is the storyline. While the first film was relatively straightforward – a retired hitman seeks revenge after the death of his dog – the sequel is a bit more convoluted. It’s divided into four distinct parts, each with its own set of characters and conflicts.

Some viewers might find this approach to be overly complicated, and miss the simplicity of the original. However, others might appreciate the expanded world-building and character development that comes with a more complex storyline.

Another key difference between the two films is the level of humour. While the original John Wick had its moments of levity, the sequel amps up the comedy considerably. This is largely thanks to the chemistry between Keanu Reeves and Common, who share a number of hilarious scenes together.

Overall, while opinions on John Wick: Chapter 2 may vary, it’s hard to deny that the film is an impressive follow-up to the original. The action scenes are just as breathtaking as before, the visuals are stunning, and the commitment of the cast and crew to their vision is evident in every frame. And of course, Keanu Reeves continues to prove that he’s one of the most charismatic and talented action stars working today.

Forget Neo, forget Ted. Keanu Reeves will forever and always be John Wick.

John Wick:Chapter Two is out in the UK 17th February 2017.

Review-Blair Witch

In 1999, The Blair Witch Project shook Hollywood to its very core, two young filmmakers managed to break new ground and breathe life into the found footage sub-genre. As well as breaking box office records, it was the first movie to realise the true potential of Internet marketing.

Like with most franchises that have a dud sequel, Blair Witch pretends Book of Shadows never happened and serves as a direct sequel to the original. 

The new film focuses on James (James Allen McCune) who happens to be the younger brother of, Heather, who disappeared in the first film. James and his film student girlfriend Lisa (Callie Hernandez) find a video on the internet, which convinces James that even after twenty years, Heather may still be alive. 

James decides that no matter how remote a chance, he has to take it. So he and Lisa, along with their friends Peter (Brandon Scott) and Ashley (Corbin Reid) head into the woods in Burkittsville, Maryland (formerly Blair), where they meet local odd-couple Lane (Wes Robinson) and Talia (Valorie Curry), who posted the video online.

From there on in, the film is pretty much a rehash of all the things that made The Blair Witch Project so original. We get stick figures, piles of rocks, handprints and steady-cam POV footage of actors running through the woods, whilst screaming. 

Back in ’99 this all felt fresh original, but now it’s been done to death. Apart from slightly expanding the mythology surrounding the stick figures, there’s nothing innovative here. 

This feels less like a sequel and more like a modern day remake, the slow-burn of the original, along with rawness of the grainy footage has been replaced by quick glossy digital cuts. Nothing about this film feels found, it’s sleek and well-crafted, to maximise the profits from the YouTube generation. 

The fact that James is Heather’s brother is entirely tangential and unnecessary. 

I suppose in many ways, this film is poetic. The Blair Witch Project kick started the found footage sub-genre, it’s only fitting that Blair Witch is the final nail in its coffin.

 

Review-Ice Age:Collision Course 

Although the Ice Age films have never quite reached the same level as Pixar, they’ve consistently given us lovable characters and fun filled-family friendly adventures. For 14 years Scrat, Manny and the gang, have kept us coming back for more.

But, with Ice Age: collision course it feels that the Blue Sky franchise, has lasted longer than the actual Ice Age.

Whilst chasing his elusive acorn, Scrat is accidentally hurled into space. In orbit, he causes a meteor to head towards Earth. 

Back on the ground, our 12 main characters attempt to stop the collision. 

All our old favourites are back-Manny, Sid, Diego and the rest of the herd, along with Simon Pegg’s Buck the weasel (last seen in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs) and let’s just thank our lucky stars that he is. His re-introduction to the group, along with Pegg’s charismatic voice, adds life to an otherwise completely dull film. 

The rest of the herd exist purely to regurgitate bad subplots, from 80’s sitcoms. Manny is an overprotective father. Crash and Eddie are there to annoy. Sid is there to be pathetic. Diego is there to be sarcastic, the women exist to be the women and, so on. 

The film isn’t awful, it’s just weak and doesn’t live up to its predecessors. There’s enough bright colours and fart-jokes to make Collision Course a hit with young kids, but there really isn’t enough to keep adults interested.

When Dreamworks realised Shrek’s popularity was waning, they did the smart thing, pulled the plug and gave Puss in boots a spin-off. Blue Sky need to follow suit and let Scrat and Buck have an adventure. 

Episode 159:Gladiator Live at The Royal Albert Hall

In which Martyn and Gerrod attend and review Gladiator Live, at The Royal Albert Hall.

Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama filmdirected by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson.

The film was jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures.

It stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed (in his final role), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, and Richard Harris.

Crowe portrays Hispano-Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor.

The podcast can be accessed via different places, including Audioboom, Tunein, Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry, Player fm and Itunes.

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Pete – @BeeblePete

Gerrod – @ingerrodsmind

Check out the official Bad Wilf Vlog. Check out Gerrod’s Vlog. Check out Pete’s channel.

Review-The last man on the moon

In December 1972, Captain Cernan became the last man to step foot on the moon. He did so with excitement and pride, but so few of us know his story. However, Captain Eugene Cernan has decided to share his epic and, deeply personal story with the world. The Last Man On The Moon tells his trials and tribulations, his love and loss and how he overcame all this, to walk on the surface of the moon.

This is documentary filmmaking at its finest, the film was five years in the making. Every single piece of information has been meticulously investigated, sourced and double-checked to corroborate the narrative being told.

This is a made with love and passion. Cernan knows how to tell a story, the nostalgia and pride in the astronaut’s face, whilst he reflects quickly draws you into the vacuum of space. At times, I felt like I was there with him.

That feeling of excitement has never left Cernan. He described the experience of seeing Earth, from the lunar surface as “sitting on God’s front porch.”

I felt ignorant going in to this, as I didn’t know much, if anything about Captain Cernan. After watching the documentary I would love to meet him, I have so many questions I would like to ask.

I highly recommend this film. In my eyes, Cernan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Neil Armstrong.
The Last Man on the Moon is in cinemas from 8 April with a special Nationwide Live Q&A in cinemas with Captain Eugene Cernan only on 11 April hosted by Sir Jackie Stewart.

Click here for tickets.

For further information on THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON please visit:

http://thelastmanonthemoon.com/

www.facebook.com/TheLastManOnTheMoon  

www.twitter.com/LastManOnMoon

Running Time: 96mins Cert: PG

Episode 152:Raiders of the lost ark live

In which Martyn and Gerrod talk about Raiders of the lost ark live, at The Royal Albert Hall.

For more information on upcoming events at the Roayl Albert Hall click here.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 action adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman.

It was produced by Frank Marshall for Lucasfilm Ltd., with Lucas and Howard Kazanjian as executive producers.

To listen to us review the Indiana Jones saga, click here.

The podcast can be accessed via different places, including Audioboom, Tunein, Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry, Player fm and Itunes.

Twitter:

The Royal Albert Hall-@Royalalberthall

Martyn – @BadWilf

Pete – @BeeblePete

Gerrod – @ingerrodsmind

Email:info@badwilf.com

Review-Raiders of the Lost Ark live. 

I’ve been a long-time fan of the Indiana Jones franchise. I remember being transfixed, aged 8-when I saw my first instalment of the Saga (The Last Crusade). Steven Spielberg’s 1981 movie is still as exciting over thirty-years on.
  
This event was a world first, John Williams full score was performed by the 21st century Orchestra and conducted by their founder, Ludwig Wicki. 

I’ll admit, I was sceptical when I first heard about this film/orchestral mash up. Just how would it work? It turns out, tremendously well.
  
The film played on a suspended screen, above the musicians. The dialogue and effect sounds were intact, with the Orchestra performing the soundtrack live. It wasn’t always successful, the Orchestra did very occasionally drown out some of the dialogue, but to combat this the film played with subtitles. 
  
Not only are these amazing musicians a sight to behold on stage, but the evening provided a phenomenal audio experience too-that no Blu-Ray can possibly live up to. I’ve watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, a thousand times over but this felt like the first time.

  
My personal highlight of the evening, was by far the Orchestras performance of The Raiders of the Lost Ark theme, for which they received a four minute standing ovation. 

  
What I took away from this event, is just how beautiful and timeless John Williams’ score is. This is an experience I will cherish for a life time. 

I highly recommend attending one of these screenings. Click here to find out information about the next one. 

Listen to us discuss the event here.

Watch us discuss the event here.

Film review-Deadpool 

The new Fox/Marvel superhero movie is loud, obnoxious, sarcastic, violent and sexually graphic. It’s also a tremendous lot of fun, at least for the fans. 

This has been a passion project for Ryan Reynolds for the past eleven years. But Fox never had enough confidence in the project to green light a movie. They put the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in an attempt to garner popularity and spin the character off. However they mishandled him terribly and the project looked dead. At some point in 2014, test footage for a solo movie leaked online. It was a huge internet sensation and this movie received the green light the next day. 

  
The director Tim Miller’s background is in visual effects and it shows here, the opening credits fuse great action with sublime visual effects. Instead of the normal list of actors’ names, we get a tongue in cheek poke at the superhero/action movie clitches (“A Hot Chick. The comic relief. A British Villain. Directed by an overpaid douche bag”). 

Shortly after, the Merc with a Mouth breaks the fourth wall and assures the audience that this is no ordinary superhero movie, “I may be super, but I’m no hero”.

  
Deadpool is looney toons, but with a face full of scars and a couple of swords. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it will probably be your shot of Jack Daniel’s. 

Review-Spectre 

In many ways Paramount are extremely lucky that Star Wars forced them to move Mission Impossible 5 from Boxing Day to a July release date, as MI:Rogue Nation and Spectre are pretty much the same movie. 

In Mission Impossible 5 Ethan Hunt has gone “rogue” and disappeared deep underground to track down and prove the existence of “the syndicate” as well as the man responsible for the death of his boss. Along the way, he is joined by his tech genius friend, Benji and a small fracture group whom are disobeying orders to help him. He also teams up with and saves a woman who has information regarding The Syndicate. All this happens whilst an outside force are trying to shut down the IMF agency.

In Spectre, James Bond has gone “rogue” and disappeared deep underground to track down and prove the existence of “Spectre” as well as the man responsible for the death of his boss. Along the way, he is joined by his tech genius friend, Q and a small fracture group whom are disobeying orders to help him. He also teams up with and saves a woman who has information regarding Spectre. All this happens whilst an outside force are trying to shut down the double-O programme.

So far, so similar and that’s Spectre’s biggest problem. It isn’t a terrible movie, in fact it’s actually quite enjoyable. It’s just very generic, it could be any summer blockbuster. 

The fight scenes and action pieces are stunning. The script is okay and the performances are strong, however it all just feels formulaic. It’s like someone making a lasagne from their nan’s recipe. It’s nice, but it’s just not quite right. Wait for Blu Ray. 

DVD review-The Lazarus Effect

A group of medical researchers develop a way of bringing animals back from the dead; when one of the researchers (Olivia Wilde) accidentally dies during a follow up experiment, her fiancé (Mark Duplass) uses their controversial process on her.

The film has an interesting premise, that could send a social message about the way we handle death and morality in the Western world. However, this movie is in hands of director David Gelb and writers Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater. They fumble their way along, giving us a horror movie, full of paint-by-numbers clichés, with a story that doesn’t really make any sense.

There’s no character development and the plot gets stuck in a cul-de-sac.

The cast try their hardest, but even established actors like Wilde, Duplass and Amy Aquino struggle to elevate this mess.

The Lazarus Effect is out on DVD/Blu Ray and digital download on October 19th.