Reviews – Page 25 – The Bad Wilf Network

DVD review-The Moth Diaries

The cinema release of The Moth Diaries somehow managed to pass me by completely, and – for better or worse – I suspect I’m not alone in that. The reviews it got at the time weren’t what you’d call enthusiastic. It was made in 2011 and directed by Mary Harron, who also directed American Psycho, which is probably her most notable work.

The Moth Diaries is a non-too-challenging, nearly neo-Gothic, US High School teen horror flick with a few twists thrown in. I doubt very much this would have been made into a movie had it not been for the success of the Twilight franchise, although it is based on a novel of the same title, written by Rachel Klein. I’m afraid I can’t tell you whether it does justice to the book because I haven’t read it.

The story is set in an all-girls boarding school, where the arrival of a strange new girl (Ernessa Bloch) coincides with a series of accidents. Over time the lead character, Rebecca, begins to suspect Ernessa of being creepy and dangerous.

There are jealous friendships, vampire references, a handsome male teacher in an all-girls school, and even a spooky basement. Throw in a few parallels between Rebecca and Ernessa – both lost their fathers to suicide, both were avid diary-keepers – and there you have the essence of The Moth Diaries.

View it as a ghost story, or view it as the tale of one girl’s descent into madness and delusion – the choice is yours.

Lily Cole’s otherworldly looks are spot on for the role of Ernessa Bloch, and Sarah Bolger makes a decent enough fist of things in the lead role, Rebecca. Many of the other performances tend toward the one-dimensional, however.

It’s not the subtlest of movies, but subtle doesn’t come as standard in this genre. You might find there’s too much script making its way into the dialogue in places, I know I did. But for all of that, The Moth Diaries manages to build some tension in the right places and is an enjoyable watch

DVD REVIEW-Hannibal series 1

Pop quiz! Whose toes would you prefer to accidentally stepon: the well dressed, mild-mannered gentleman in the 3 piece suit, or the crazy-eyed, unshaven mental patient who is rocking in a corner, mumbling to himself?

Did you pick the mild mannered gentleman? Congratulations! You are now pâté.
That’s right; you’ve just pissed off Dr. Hannibal Lecter, everyone’s favourite rudeness-abhorring, people-eating psychiatrist. In the new series, simply titled “Hannibal”, he comes in the form of a devastatingly elegant Mads Mikkelsen, who appears in every episode dressed to the nines in either exquisitely tailored 3 piece suits or equally exquisitely tailored chef’s whites – although those whites do tend to beliberally splotched in blood and guts of questionable origin.

The series takes place in the years leading up to HannibalLecter’s capture by Will Graham (as detailed in the book and film Red Dragon). The characters meet in a the first episode, where retired FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), is drafted back in to help catch a serial killer by FBI Director Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne). Graham’s gift, his “genius”, lies in his ability to inhabit the minds of serial killers. This is illustrated in the show in the most literal fashion – Graham closes his eyes, and with a few soundtrackswooshes, we get to watch him mentally recreating each murder he investigates. His great fear, and the fear of everyone around him, is that he will lose the ability to separate himself from the minds of those killers. Concerned for Graham’s mental health, Crawford has him meet with noted psychiatrist Dr Hannibal Lecter. As Graham continues to work with the FBI on further cases, he becomes a regular patient of Dr Lecter, ostensibly so that Lecter can keep an eye on his mental state, but really so that Lecter can observe Graham’s ongoing breakdown, like a creepy kid with an ant farm.

Where Mikkelsen plays Lecter with a formidable amount of grace, poise and an almost reptilian lack of emotion, Dancy’sWill Graham is a scruffy, rumpled mess who veers from twitchy, manic rambling to near catatonia in the space between ad breaks. You can actually see the emotions writhing across his face as he tries to differentiate between imagination and reality. When not losing his mind chasing murderers, Graham is a soft-spoken, soft hearted kind of guy, who adopts stray dogs off of the street, so you know he’s a goodie. Unfortunately, his talent for seeing himself, in his mind’s eye, committing horrific murders is sending him right off the deep end.
And boy, howdy – are these murders ever horrific. I would not be surprised to learn that the writers have a running bet on who can come up with the most gruesome tableaux. This series gives us such memorable gems as Human AppendageJenga; The Devil’s Cello; Still Life with Regurgitated Ear; and one of my personal favourites, Sweetbabyjesus I Will Never Eat Mushrooms Again.

The show is beautifully framed and shot with composition soartistic some scenes are like watching a painting come to life. This includes not only the stomach-troubling crime scenes, aswe also get to watch as Dr Lecter prepares a series of beautifully presented gourmet meals, comprised mainly of human organs. As a bonus, we also see him feed these lavish meals to his nearest and dearest and completely unsuspecting friends. If you find yourself screaming “Don’t eat that, it’s people!” at the TV, rest assured that you are not alone.
Supporting characters include Caroline Dhavernas as Dr. Alana Bloom, concerned colleague and almost-but-not-quite love interest of Will Graham; Kacey Rohl as Abigail Hobbs, the daughter of a killer who impales women on deer antlers; Lara Jean Chorostecki as Freddie Lounds, a tabloid blogger so greasily hateful you’ll be wanting to introduce her to Francis Dollarhyde personally; and of course Gillian Anderson as BlondeScully. No, sorry. She plays Dr. Lecter’sown shrink with a possibly shady past, Dr. BedeliaDuMaurier.

The series overall is well-written and features excellent performances from the whole cast, and it ends on a cliffhangerthat will have you counting down til next year’s second series. Best of all, if you watch it right before dinnertime,“Hannibal” can also serve as one hell of a diet aid.

Extras:
Eat The Rude Featurette
First Look Featurette
Forensics 101 Featurette

Hannibal is released on DVD and Blu ray from September 2nd.

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Episode 96:Kick-Ass (2010)

In which Martyn and Gerrod meet up with the intention to record a review of Kick-Ass. But, you know how it goes, they mostly talk about themselves.

As mentioned in this episode, we will be dropping the explicit tag for a few weeks.

The show can be accessed via different places, including Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry and Itunes.

Martyn-@BadWilf
Gerrod-@GECharleS
Pete-@BeeblePete

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Review-The Lone Ranger

When John Reid (Armie Hammer) is on a train returning to his hometown, he encounters Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner), an outlaw who is going to trial for his crimes. Tonto (Johnny Depp) is also on that train, having been arrested simply for being an Indian warrior. When the train is robbed and attacked by Butch’s gang, Cavendish escapes. A spirit horse revives Reid after he’s untimely death and it soon becomes Reid’s mission to bring Cavendish to justice.

The film fails in almost every aspect, the script is clunky and the tone never feels right.
The script isn’t the only problem, the movie relies on the charm of it’s leading men. The problem is, Hammer and Depp have absolutely no chemistry . The movie is dull and doesn’t deserve your time or money.

Blu ray review-Parker

Parker, a movie based on the character from Donald E. Westlake’s long-running series of novels, has seen many iterations in the past, but the character has never been permitted to keep his name. Jason Statham portrays the titular character in this film, a career criminal who only robs those who arguably deserve it. He’s mentored by Hurley (Nick Nolte), who puts him in touch with Melander (Michael Chiklis) and a few other like-minded thieves with the intent of robbing a county fair. However, things go awry when his partners go rogue and start opening fire on innocent bystanders. Melander then attempts to bully Parker into using his share of the take to invest in a bigger robbery. When Parker refuses, he is shot, dumped in a ditch, and left for dead. A passing family finds him and takes him to a nearby hospital. As he recovers, he seeks revenge on the gang, who are now living in Palm Beach.

While in Palm Beach, Parker meets Leslie (Jennifer Lopez), a down-on-her-luck estate agent who has recently moved back in with her mother. She is about to have her car repossessed and is in danger of losing her job if she doesn’t make a sale. Parker poses as a wealthy Texan looking to buy property, but Leslie thinks something is off about him (probably Statham’s poor Texan accent). Parker soon reveals his true intentions to Leslie, and she agrees to help him for a cut of the profits.

Despite being promoted as an action-comedy, the trailers for Parker were misleading. Statham and Lopez are not the new Riggs and Murtaugh, and the film is not a comedy. However, the pair do have chemistry, and it’s refreshing that Lopez isn’t a love interest for Statham’s character, as he is in a fully committed long-term relationship.

Statham’s performances have improved with every film, and he has an instant likability that some actors would have difficulty pulling off. However, the actors in Parker are let down by the script and direction. The writers can’t decide what kind of man they want Parker to be, and the director, Taylor Hackford, comes across as a first-time director. You would never believe he had directed an Oscar-nominated film.

The blood and violence in Parker are a bit over-the-top, and the film almost becomes a laughable parody, which is fine for something like The Expendables, a love letter to over-the-top action films, but not for Parker. Overall, the film is a clichéd mess and could have easily lost 30-40 minutes. There are characters that don’t really fit in the movie or even need to be there. It feels incredibly forced when we’re asked to feel emotion for them.

⭐️⭐️

The extras include an informative commentary by Director Taylor Hackford in which he discusses the source novel, casting, production, and effects.

Episode 95: Star Trek into darkness

In which Martyn and Mark attempt to discuss the film, but find it difficult to stay on course and they travel around the trekverse.

The show can be accessed via different places, including Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry and Itunes.

Martyn-@BadWilf
Gerrod-@GECharleS
Pete-@BeeblePete

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Episode 94:Man of steel

In this episode, we delve into the world of superheroes and explore the film that redefined the iconic character of Superman: Man of Steel. Directed by Zack Snyder and starring Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, this movie took audiences on a journey through the hero’s origins and his struggle to find his place in the world.

We’ll discuss the film’s stunning visual effects, epic action sequences, and emotional depth, as well as the controversial choices made by the filmmakers in terms of Superman’s characterization and the darker tone of the story.

Join us as we explore the themes of identity, sacrifice, and hope that are at the core of Man of Steel, and examine how it fits into the wider context of the superhero genre. We’ll also take a look at the legacy of the film and its impact on subsequent superhero movies.

Whether you’re a die-hard Superman fan or just curious about the movie that reimagined one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, this episode is sure to be a fascinating exploration of Man of Steel and its place in the cinematic universe.

It was recorded on an extrememly hot day, in Martyn’s garden so, there is a bit of background noise.

The show can be accessed via different places, including Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry and Itunes.

Martyn-@BadWilf
Gerrod-@GECharleS

Pete-@BeeblePete

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Film Review-Despicable Me 2

Despicable Me grossed over $540 million in 2010 and became the 10th-biggest animated motion picture of all time. So, a sequel was inevitable.

Set a year after the events of Despicable Me, Gru (Steve Carell) has settled in as a parent to his adopted children Agnes, Edith and Margo. Gru is a calmer character in this film compared to the 2010 film.

He uses his old Evil Lair, his chief inventor Dr Nefario (Russell Brand) and his Minions to produce jam. The film lacked the emotional depth of first film. But, that isn’t to say that it’s a bad film, I just felt a sense of déjà vu, it’s pretty much the same story, but with a love interest in place of the children.

It’s clear from the advertising that the Minions – those knee-high yellow Tic-Tacs, on a poster near you are key to the commercial equation of the franchise. So they swarm all over the place doing various child-pleasing routines in hard hats and beachwear, while Gru gets embroiled in an afterthought of a plot, involving a secret agent called Lucy (Kristen Wiig) who’s also, predictably enough, his love interest. Steve Carrel phones in his performance, with that not very funny accent.

It’s his co-stars that shine here, Russell Brand is once again brilliant in his role, as is Miranda Cosgrove. It’s worth stating that this cynical 30-year old isn’t the target audience for this, but children will undoubtedly love it. There were a few adult pleasing moments, a reference to Invasion of the body snatchers had me howling with laughter. If anything this feels like nothing more than a set up to the Minion spin-off, which is coming out next year. Fun, but forgettable it’s worth seeing in 3-D, for the end credits alone.

Frankie episode one-spoiler free review

A few years ago in America, there were a series of commercials featuring Cavemen advertising GEICO car insurance. A TV exec saw the ads and thought “this would make a great TV show” (It didn’t).

After watching Frankie, it’s clear that an exec at the BBC saw the Boots “here come the girls” commercials and had the same thought.
Luckily, Frankie is a good show. It’s written by Lucy Gannon (Soldier Soldier) and stars Eve Myles (Doctor Who/Torchwood) and Dean Lennox Kelly (Doctor Who/Shameless).

Frankie (played by Myles) is a nurse with a heart of gold, often putting the care of her patients ahead of her own. Her long-term partner Ian (Kelly), a police officer is starting to feel the strain of her being so caring.

The episode starts off a few days before Frankie’s 36th birthday. Ian is planning a surprise party for her, she knows. He does it every year.
Frankie is so caring, that she misses her own birthday in order to care for one of her patients. Which, is the straw the broke the camels back for Ian.

Eve Myles puts in another great performance, it’s as if the part was written for her. She injects humour and emotion and gives us a fully formed character, that we often don’t see in a series opener.
The supporting cast is also great, Kelly puts in an endearing performance as Ian, in the hands of a lesser actor, he could have come across as unlikeable, but you genuinely feel his pain when Frankie lets him down.

Be prepared to fall in love with Eve Myles all over again.

Frankie starts on the 14th of May at 9 pm, BBC1.

Have a listen to the chat the Pharos project and I had with Eve Myles last year.

TV REVIEW-BATES MOTEL:EPISODE 1

There are a few things people don’t know about me. One of those things being that I am a huge fan of the movie Psycho. A paper I wrote about the movie, achieved me my A, in a GNVQ English exam.
In 2000, I went on a tour of California and, the only thing I really wanted to do, was go on the Universal studios back lot tour, to see The Bates Motel. I still have an unused Bates Motel flannel, that I bought 13-years ago. I’ve owned Psycho on VHS, DVD and blu ray. So, when I heard A&E were working on a prequel series to my favourite film, I was apprehensive to say the least.
Now, it isn’t really truthful to call Bates Motel a prequel. It really isn’t, it’s mostly inspired by the Robert Bloch novel ‘Psycho’. It’s set in the modern-day and in a different town to the novel and the movie.

We’re first introduced to Norman (Freddie Highmoore) just after he discovers the body of his father in the garage. A cause of death is never given and from Norma’s (Vera Farmiga) reaction it hardly seems accidental. Six months later, Norma and Norman have bought a motel and moved to a new town, White Pine Bay.

Norma’s brutal rape, at the hands of the motel’s former owner kicks off the main story line. Coming home after sneaking out to a party, Norman smashes the rapist on the head, with a blunt object. Whilst Norman gets a first aid kit to attend to his mother’s wounds, the rapist taunts Norma until she stabs him multiple times. Norman wants to call the police, but his mother convinces him to help her cover it up by stating “who would want to stay at the rape/murder hotel. We came here to start our lives over and I Am Starting Over”.

Parallels have been drawn between this and American Horror Story, but Bates Motel has more in common with David Lynch’s twin peaks, than anything else. Everybody in this seemingly idyllic town is connected and they all have secrets.

Everything about this works, the pacing is great, the script is sharp and the musical score is tone setting and completely un-intrusive.
The performances are great, as Norma was a mostly an off-screen character, Farmiga as a lot more to work with than Highmoore. But, he doesn’t let the confines of playing a well-established character hold him back, there are elements of Anthony Perkins in his performance but he manages to make the role his own.

This is a true homage to a classic that leaves you wanting for more and, we’re going to get it. After this episode aired in the US, A&E announced that they’re commissioning another series.

The Bates Motel gets it’s UK premiere on Universal Channel on Thursday September 12th at 9pm.