DVD Review-Legend

Tom Hardy is arguably this generations greatest actor. He’s true method and can become anyone you want him to be. Need a thug? He’s there. Need a road warrior, he’s there. Need a young Jean Luc Piccard? He’s there-although he would probably rather delete Star Trek:Nemesis from his CV.

Legend charts the rise and fall of London’s most notorious gangsters, The Krays. Hardy plays both Ronnie and Reggie.

This isn’t the first time identical-twin performances have been done, but it is the first time it’s been done this well. The visual illusion is perfect and at times, it’s all too easy to forget that both parts are being played by the same man. It’s a flawless blend of special effects, cinematography and great performances. Everyone involved in making it seamless deserves a special round of applause.

Hardy gives a mesmerising performance and at times, very nearly upstage himself. He expertly manages to convey two completely different characters with Reg and Ron, Reg is the suave and smooth talking ladies’ man.  Whist Ron is gay and psychotic.

The performance is the most impressive part of the film. At times, it seems as though too much thought has been given to how they would make Tom Hardy play twins. Instead of actually making a decent film.

The narrative is weak and predictable. Supporting characters, don’t get the attention they deserve and subplots are dropped as soon as the become inconvenient. You never quite know why Nipper (Christopher Eccleston) is so intent on bringing them down.

Legend’s biggest problem is that it isn’t the first film the Krays have been the subject of, which means it doesn’t add anything we don’t already know about the infamous twins. A 10-part TV series with this cast would have been so much better.


Legend is out on DVD and Blu Ray on January 25th. 

Leela and The War Doctor

Today saw thousands of fans flock to Slough, for Big Finish day 8.

The big finish team announced live on stage, that the fourth box set in The War Doctor saga will see Louise Jameson’s classic companion Leela reunite with the War Doctor (Sir John Hurt), as the horrors of the Time War come ever closer to home.

Producer David Richardson said:

“I’d often wondered what became of Leela during the Time War, and working on these War Doctor tales has given us a wonderful opportunity to explore that. And it’s irresistible territory – the Warrior of the Sevateem reunited with an old friend, who has become a Warrior in the Time War”.

Jameson has previously reprised her role in multiple Doctor Who releases, starring opposite Tom Baker in three series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures and with fellow companion Lalla Ward in the popular spin-off series Gallifrey.

Executive Producer Nick Briggs added:

“Over the many years of working with us, Louise has brought so much extra depth to the character of Leela, and given the nature of her backstory and involvement in the affairs of Gallifrey it was a natural choice to have her involved in the Time War. And like John Hurt, she’s a genuinely uplifting person to work with.”

Doctor Who – The War Doctor 4: Casualties of War will be released in February 2017, and is available to pre-order now. You can listen to the first exclusive teaser below.

Episode 150:Gwen Stephanie Awakens

In which two mates get drunk on rum and discuss Star Wars:The Force Awakens. They also touch upon the death of Lemmy (RIP) and the disapointing Doctor Who Christmas special, The husbands of River Song.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (also known as Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens) is a 2015  epic space opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams.

It is the first installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the seventh installment of the main Star Wars film franchise, following Return of the Jedi (1983).

The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow.

The Husbands of River Song is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. First broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2015, it is the eleventh Christmas special since the show’s revival in 2005. It is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon.

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

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Pete – @BeeblePete

Gerrod – @Nerdthro_P

Email:info@badwilf.com

Macualay Culkin reprises his role as Kevin McCallister

As a child of the 80s/90s, I loved the first two Home Alone movies. I was the exact same age as the character of Kevin McCallister when both films were released.

A conversation my generation has long had is “whatever happened to Kevin?” Well now, the man himself answers the question. In this NSFW short, Maculay Culkin reprises his role and lets us know what he’s been up to.

 

 

#drwhodaniel update video message from Christopher Eccleston and a visit from RealSFX

Well, just because it was the weekend it doesn’t mean our campaign has been resting on its laurels. Oh no.

Saturday saw Daniel receive a large Dalek, from a very kind Twitter user.

It also saw the realsfx team visit Daniel in hospital, they essentially brought the Doctor Who festival to his ward. They gave him a shed load of merchandise and even a Christmas tree. Daniel was also interviewed by the Daily Mail.


Sunday saw Daniel receive a video message from the ninth Doctor himself, Christopher Eccleston. The video is very sweet, very touching  and greatly appreciated by everyone involved in the campaign. What’s impressive is that for the most part, Eccleston did it in character.

We’ve had a great few weeks with the campaign, but we’re not yet done. We still need to get Doctor’s 4,5,6,8,10 and 11.

Keep tweeting #drwhodaniel

Update on #drwhodaniel a video message from Sylvester McCoy

As you will all be aware, along with Geeksyndicate we’ve been trying to help a very poorly Doctor Who fan have the best Christmas a fan could wish for.

Along with some other lovely fans, we’ve been spreading the word via the hashtag #DrWhoDaniel.

Over the past two weeks Daniel has been receiving gifts, cards, a visit from Frances Barber, a shed load of merch from Titan Comics, sketches by professional artists, a video message from Steven Moffat and even a visit from the twelfth Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi.

Today Daniel received a video message from the seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy.

https://www.facebook.com/ahugfordaniel/videos/469977023175252/
Thank you to everyone who has been helping to brighten Daniel’s time in hospital. Peter Capaldi visiting didn’t just help Daniel, it helped bring morale to the entire Children’s ward.

Big Finish review-Torchwood One Rule

Prior to the fateful Battle of Canary Wharf, the indomitable Yvonne Hartman embarked on a captivating escapade in Cardiff, as depicted in Big Finish’s audio spin-off series. As an avid follower of the Whoniverse, I was eagerly anticipating this prequel to both Torchwood and the Doctor Who Series 2 finale ‘Army of Ghosts’/’Doomsday,’ particularly as it delves deeper into the character of Yvonne Hartman, portrayed with gusto by Tracy-Ann Oberman.

While Hartman was a formidable force in her limited appearances, it was refreshing to witness her ideologies explored further in this tale, which sees her venture out of her comfort zone and navigate the quirks and challenges of Cardiff. One particularly irksome obstacle in her path is the boorish and bigoted mayoral candidate, Barry Jackson, whose interactions with Hartman make for entertaining listening.

The narrative is further enriched by its setting on the same day as the broadcast of ‘Rose,’ thereby evoking a wave of nostalgia and poignancy as it references the aftermath of the Auton invasion in the series opener. However, what truly elevates the episode is the exceptional writing of Joseph Lidster, who not only brings a wealth of experience from his contributions to the TV series, but also imbues Yvonne with a multifaceted personality that is both compelling and unnerving.

This feat would not have been accomplished without the impeccable performance of Tracy-Ann Oberman, whose interpretation of Yvonne is so convincing that it feels as though no time has passed since her last appearance in Series 2. With such a commanding portrayal, one cannot help but yearn for a spin-off series that solely focuses on Yvonne’s tenure at Torchwood 1.

Additionally, I must laud Joe Lidster’s superb script, which not only delivers a captivating plot but also delves deep into the psyche of Yvonne Hartman. Lidster’s writing showcases Yvonne’s unwavering commitment to her job, her sharp wit, and her intelligence, while also highlighting the darker aspects of her character that make her a force to be reckoned with. The character development that Lidster brings to the table is truly exceptional, and it is a testament to his skill as a writer. Overall, ‘One Rule’ is a triumph of storytelling that demonstrates the talent of both Lidster and the Torchwood team at Big Finish. This is marvellous addition, that proves Torchwood is one of Big Finish’s most exemplary ranges.

Episode 149:Clara’s arse

In a rare episode, Gerrod and Martyn stay sober whilst recording. They discuss the Twitter campaign Martyn is currently running with Barry from Geeksyndicate, as well as the trailers for Captain America:Civil war and Batman V Superman.

They also discusss if the word “arse” has any place in Doctor Who.

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

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Pete – @BeeblePete

Gerrod – @Nerdthro_P

Email:info@badwilf.com

Update on #drwhodaniel 

As some of you may be aware, we’ve teamed up with our friends over at Geeksyndicate, in an attempt to grant a Christmas wish for Daniel Norton, a very ill Doctor Who fan. 
  
In just six days, we’ve had an amazing outpouring of love from Doctor Who fans spreading the #drwhodaniel hashtag. The response has been great and in light of recent world events, it’s awesome to see so many people come together for a good cause.

A few days ago Barry from Geeksyndicate contacted Titan comics to see if there was anything they could do for Daniel and boy, did they come through. Just a day after Daniel received a hospital visit from Frances Barber, he received a lovely care package from Titan full of Doctor Who themed merchandise. 
  
Thanks to everyone who has spread the word about Daniel, this means so much to him, his family and the hospital staff that look after him. 

If you have anything you’d like to do for Daniel, then please give us a shout via the #drwhodaniel hashtag.