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If you’re looking for a break from the stress of COVID-19 and 2021, you might want to consider watching a world-ending disaster movie. Although the trailer for the film Greenland initially seemed like a generic Gerard Butler disaster movie, it turns out to be a more nuanced take on the genre. The story follows John Garrity, a Scottish structural engineer living in Atlanta, Georgia, as he tries to reunite with his estranged wife and diabetic son amid an impending disaster.
Unlike many disaster movies, Greenland focuses on themes of human survival and how people react in times of crisis. The film portrays the family’s encounters with people who are terrible, opportunistic, and altruistic, adding a realistic feel to the proceedings. Morena Baccarin and Gerard Butler’s chemistry is wonderful, and they feel authentic as a troubled couple doing what they can to save their son.
While some viewers may find the film to be a slow burn, others might appreciate its more nuanced take on the disaster movie genre. Given the global crisis we’ve all recently experienced, Greenland’s themes of human survival and the best and worst of humanity may resonate more deeply.
Greenland is available on Prime Video starting February 5th.
Following last year’s festive specials, we’re back in Scatterbrook accompanying Worzel Gummidge on another madcap adventure. As with the last two, ‘Saucy Nancy’ is written and directed by Executive Producer Mackenzie Crook.
Worzel is rich, for a scarecrow. He’s found £20 and the money is burning a hole in his pocket, he wants to buy a door. So he enlists ‘the chillun’ Susan (India Brown) and John (Thierry Wickens) to help him find one. Whilst at a salvage yard, he stumbles across his old foul-mouthed friend, Saucy Nancy (Shirley Henderson). The sea is calling Nancy and she wants to get back to it, our trio of heroes vow to help her.
The two specials last year were undoubtedly the highlight of the festive period. This year is no different. This is a well-written and well-directed family adventure, bursting with heart and humour. Once again, Brown and Wickens feel like brother and sister and the entire cast have such natural chemistry, that a walking talking scarecrow seems like the most normal thing in the world. Shirley Henderson is an absolutely wonderful addition, in all her (scarecrow) sweary ways. There’s also a great turn from Venessa Redgrave as “Peg”.
Steve Pemberton and Rosie Cavaliero take more of a back seat in this, as Mr and Mrs Braithwaite, but they’re both still excellent in their respective roles. Mr Braithwaite has even softened to the kids “these two are different, they’re keepers” he tells his wife.
After the year we’ve had, it was extremely comforting slipping back into the innocent world of Worzel Gummidge. This show is about love, hope and trust, which is what we could all do with right now.
Mackenzie Crook has once again proved, that he is more than a worthy successor to Jon Pertwee. Ten Acre Field is in very safe hands.
Worzel Gummidge: Saucy Nancy – airs tonight at 5:55pm on BBC One.
The Dimension Cannon gives the character Rose Tyler her own series, in four audio dramas by Big Finish Productions. Billie Piper reprises her role as the first of The Doctor’s travelling companions in 21st century Doctor Who.
Shop girl turned sci-fi action hero Rose Tyler is consigned to a parallel universe with her mum, Jackie (Camille Coduri) and a parallel version of her dear departed dad, Pete (Shaun Dingwall). They’ve turned their attention to helping protect not only their world from extraordinary threats but also many other Earths. They’re following in the footsteps of Rose’s beloved Doctor: the charismatic, time-travelling space alien whose defence of Rose’s Earth left her separated from it – and him.
The Dimension Cannon offers Rose a chance to bring The Doctor back into the fight – and into her life again. For short periods of time the cannon allows her to visit other parallel universes that offer clues to the whereabouts of The Doctor. On her first trip she’s reunited with a parallel version of Clive, a conspiracy theorist who was murdered in Rose’s universe. Bark Benton reprises the role of Clive throughout the set and it’s good fun to have him back.
The four stories take us to four new parallel versions of London, where we’re introduced to startling alternate versions of the well-loved characters that head up this series. This collection of audios is not so much a spin-off from Doctor Who as it’s a spiritual follow-on from ‘Father’s Day,’ the episode that introduced us to the ‘original’ Pete Tyler and led us through dark times leading up to his death.
Chasing The Doctor inevitably means getting to know the locals in each different London and Rose finds she already knows many of them all too well. She gets personally involved in the lives of the people she meets, encountering Jackie, Pete and others in slightly different forms. It makes arriving in each universe a treat for the listener – and leaving each of them is tough all round.
Big Finish tie-in plays lure us into the audio realm by offering us characters and situations that are proven successes on television. They honour these successes with intriguing stories that at least equal their predecessors in quality. Rose’s story in Doctor Who has a lot of heart – and heartbreak. These new tales are equally engaging character pieces.
By presenting so many alternate versions of the original roles played by the cast, the normally-invisible work of the actors gets a bit of a peek into the limelight. I was properly immersed in and moved by the drama here but I also enjoyed listening for the subtle differences between the characters parallel to each other.
I’m very much opposed to more for more’s sake; I hate seeing delightful series run down by commercial supplements. You’ll find none of that here in Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon. This box set revisits the Tylers in a clever way that gives us more of what we’re counting on in ways that constantly surprise.
Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon is available now from Big Finish.
Martyn and Gerrod only had 15mins spare when they recorded this, so here is a very brief review of Shaft (2019).
John Shaft Jr. may be an FBI cyber security expert, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s untimely death, he needs an education that only his dad can provide. Absent throughout his childhood, the legendary John Shaft agrees to help his son navigate the heroin-infested underbelly of Harlem, N.Y. Besides, the locked and loaded Shaft has his own score to settle — both professional and personal.
The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as-but not limited to;
I adore Laurel and Hardy, I remember the first time I discovered them-age 10, in 1992. I was captivated, I would memorise scenes and try to get my friends to act them out with me. It’s clear that the team behind “Stan & Ollie” love them even more.
The film opens in 1937 with Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly) making the classic ‘Way our west’. The duo are at the height of their careers. They’re popular, happy and enjoying a good-natured chat about alimony, filming schedules and attending a party with Clark Gable.
We then flash forward 15 years with the pair reuniting after a creative break-up, hoping to use a series of live performances to generate interest in a film they want to make.
The tour doesn’t get off to a good start, they’re staying in a second-rate hotel, whilst the youngster on reception tells them how much her mum loves them, highlighting their fall from grace. The audiences is sparse and their tour manager is more interested in promoting Norman Wisdom.
Steve Coogan and John C Reilly both put in tremendous performances in this ambitious film.
Coogan has Laurel’s mannerisms down to a T, he even sounds like him. Switching between an American accent when filming and a transatlantic accent when not (Stan Laurel was originally from Yorkshire). Reilly brings a light touch to Oliver Hardy and captivates in every scene. Watching the two of them re-enact classic sketches is an absolute joy to see.
Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson star as Laurel’s and Hardy’s wives-respectively. They hold their own throughout and are portrayed as equal partners, as well as the most important people in either man’s life.
Stan & Ollie is a wonderfully sweet film, a proper love letter to true Hollywood icons. See it on the big screen.
She’s got planets to save, civilisations to rescue, creatures, to defeat… and an awful lot of running to do!
It’s difficult to believe the character of Jenny debuted in Doctor Who 10 years ago. Since then fans have wondered whatever happened to The Doctor’s daughter?
The character was rife for further exploration and it’s amazing the BBC never thought to bring her back.
Thankfully, we have Big Finish. They’ve taken the character and given her a range of her own.
The scripts are sharp, funny and perfectly honed. A lot of work and love has clearly gone into this box set. The stories are kinetic and full of real-world allegories; which in lesser hands could’ve come across as clunky.
Georgia Tennant and Sean Biggerstaff have instant chemistry as Jenny and Noah. A personal highlight is they allow Jenny to be fun. She makes jokes, which work well and relieves tension in scenes. The mystery surrounding Noah is intriguing and you finish the audios with even more questions about him.
Big Finish has done it again. The Doctor’s daughter is fantastic, a breath of fresh air. The theme music is epic. familiar but different. It perfectly encapsulates the Doctor’s nature in Jenny. The stories and the cast are engaging. The sound design is flawless.
Jenny-The Doctor’s daughter is firing on all cylinders. A perfect synergy between cast and crew. I’m practically begging for series 2.
Written By: Matt Fitton, John Dorney, Christian Brassington, Adrian Poynton
Directed By: Barnaby Edwards
Cast
Georgia Tennant (Jenny), Sean Biggerstaff (Noah), Siân Phillips (COLT-5000), Stuart Milligan (Garundel), Sarah Woodward (Vesh Taralesh), Clare Corbett (Lukaku), Arabella Weir (Angie Glazebrook), Silas Carson (Ood Leader), Rosalyn Landor (Vanessa Elledge), Olivia Darnley (Emily Cole), John Dorney (John Macguire), Pik-Sen Lim (Old Woman), Arina II (Shoon-Wei), Sara Houghton (Alitta), Paul Courtenay Hyu (Po), Adèle Anderson (Dreyda), Anthony Calf (Cal). Other parts played by members of the cast.
Producer: David Richardson
Associate Producer: Georgia Tennant
Script Editor: John Dorney, Matt Fitton
Executive Producers: Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
The Church of the Outsiders is on a mission to lead mankind to a new era of evolution, one that takes them beyond the stars. But Torchwood’s Owen Harper believes they must do everything in their power to stop them. With the original Torchwood team back together in full-cast audio, fans have been eagerly awaiting this moment. Despite the actors recording their parts separately, the result is flawless. You won’t be able to tell the difference, and it’s a joyous reunion.
Set before the end of series 2, Guy Adams has perfectly captured the era, creating an episode that feels like it was plucked straight from 2008. The performances are outstanding, with John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori, and Gareth David-Lloyd all shining. Each character is given the opportunity to develop, but the Owen/Tosh relationship is a particular highlight. Owen pushes Tosh to do unspeakable things while attempting to prove himself as a capable leader.
John Barrowman’s performance in this audio is absolutely fantastic. Despite recording his parts separately from the rest of the team, his chemistry with his co-stars is still palpable. He effortlessly slips back into the role of Captain Jack Harkness and delivers a performance that is both charming and commanding. Barrowman’s energy and enthusiasm for the character and the series shine through in every line, making it a real treat for fans to hear him back in action as the iconic Torchwood leader.
Prequel stories can be challenging, but Guy Adams’ script and Gareth David-Lloyd’s performance are so compelling that there’s one moment in particular where you’ll be genuinely concerned for Ianto’s fate. With such high quality, 2018 is shaping up to be an excellent year for Torchwood on audio. This is a must-listen, earning a 10/10 rating.
Torchwood is back, and this time it is on audio with a brand new boxset, Aliens Among Us. The first volume of Aliens Among Us sets the stage for the new Torchwood, introducing us to new characters, and old favourites.
“Changes Everything” by James Goss “Changes Everything” opens up the new Torchwood, introducing us to the new team of Jack, Gwen, Mr Colchester, and Orr. Mr Colchester, played brilliantly by Paul Clayton, is a grumpy civil servant who has been tasked with managing the new Torchwood. Meanwhile, journalist Tyler Steele, played by Jonny Green, is questioning him. Tyler is a great new character, both likeable and unlikeable at the same time. Through his eyes, we meet the new Torchwood, and this is a really well-written story that sets up the future of Aliens Among Us while remaining self-contained.
“Aliens and Sex and Chips and Gravy” by James Goss This episode takes us on a funny, fast-paced romp that tackles murderous aliens who’ve invaded a hen night. It focuses on Gwen and Colchester and hints about where Gwen is headed in future box sets. What distinguishes this episode from TV Torchwood is that it has a more mature approach to mature subject matters. The title will no doubt remind you of the first series, but this episode deals with adult themes throughout. It is another really strong entry for Aliens Among Us.
“Orr” by Juno Dawson “Orr” introduces us to the titular character, an alien sexual psycho-morph. Similar to “Changes Everything”, this episode is focused almost entirely on Orr’s introduction. The character is played excellently by Samantha Béart, who manages to make the character feel believable. This episode also tackles an adult subject matter with a level of maturity that was unfortunately never seen on TV. This is another stellar episode.
“Superiority Complex” by A.K. Benedict The final episode of the first volume of Aliens Among Us gives the new Torchwood team a chance to shine. A new luxury hotel has appeared in Cardiff, with refugees right outside. The script highlights the problem with another script that, apart from the aliens, feels like it could be a true story. Every member of the team gets a chance to shine here, including Tyler, who keeps popping up. This is a brilliant way to end a brilliant box set, and it ends with an excellent cliffhanger for the second volume.
Overall, Aliens Among Us 1 is a great introduction to the new Torchwood. The boxset shows that Torchwood is at its best on audio. The stories are very politically charged, but each of the three writers on this set delivers amazing stories that feel natural and real. The characters are all well-written, and the new Torchwood team is a great mix of old favourites and new characters. With its compelling storytelling and excellent performances, Aliens Among Us is a must-listen for any Torchwood fan.
It tells the fictional story of three student filmmakers—Heather Donahue,Michael C. Williams, andJoshua Leonard—who hike in the Black Hills nearBurkittsville, Marylandin 1994 to film a documentary about a local legend known as the Blair Witch. The three disappeared, but their equipment and footage is discovered a year later. The purportedly “recovered footage” is the film the viewer sees.
The podcast can be accessed via different places, including Audioboom, Tunein, Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry, Player fm and Itunes.
Check out the official Bad Wilf Vlog. Check out Gerrod’s Vlog. Check out Pete’s channel.
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