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Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Bandersnatch is interactive feature released through Netflix and was directed by David Slade (30 Days Of Night, Hard Candy) and stars Fionn Whitehead, Craig Parkinson, Will Poulter and Alice Lowe.

There has been some debate over whether this should be classed as a TV special or a movie, in my opinion it’s a movie but with it being interactive, this is a whole new breed of entertainment and it has me excited. 

This has to be one of the craziest things to come out of the entertainment world in 2018, nothing can create buzz these days like a new headline addition to one of Netflix’ most popular shows, i think Disney+ has a challenge on its hands in 2019 because i think Netflix is about to become a new beast altogether after this release.

The story focuses on a game designer called Stefan, set in the 1980s this tells the story of Stefan trying to develop a choice based video game called ‘Bandersnatch’ based on a novel in which the author had gone insane and killed his wife when trying to process all of the choice branches. 

In Bandersnatch you interact and choose Stefan’s outcomes, there are 6 different endings to the story and just like you can imagine, with this being Black Mirror, you guessed correct that this movie ends up pretty strange with each ending. 

I won’t spoil all the endings here but i will tell you of my favourite, and that was Stefan discovering that he was part of a test to control him and monitor him, very much an MK Ultra scenario, this had the best ending and the most suitable ending when you consider all the elements in the story, but the stories range from predictable, reasonable to bat shit insane.

Sometimes you make the incorrect choice, and you bounce back to select the right one, but the story is still altered, this is about alternative realities and Stefan remembers certain traits from the previous path that you chose. 

In terms of performances, i think they were all pretty standard except for Will Poulter who plays another designer who has a string of hits under his belt, and tries to explain to Will of all the possibilities and explains how the timelines and choices actually work, his character was really good here and Poulter was a great casting for this role, he was fantastic in The Revenant also.

The cinematography to be honest wasn’t anything special either, this does feel like a TV movie, but it’s ok, because it does feel like an extended version of Black Mirror and i don’t think they wanted this to feel like a hollywood blockbuster event.

I did like the practical effects though, everything seemed to really fit the 80s themes and the few times that PAC showed up, who is a demon within the game/novel.. it looked great because it was either a suit or puppet like construction. 

Interestingly enough though, after watching all the endings and outcomes, i can say that i wouldn’t watch this on my own again, but there is joy in watching others to see what choices they make and i can imagine this going down well in a room full of friends and family.

★★★★½ Other than the rewatchability factor and potentially some of the strange pacing at times, this is a unique and new experience that will find its feet with more experiences in the future. this was so much fun and so refreshing.

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Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns was directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) and stars Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Whishaw.

The film is a direct sequel to the original Mary Poppins that was released 50 years ago, Mary Poppins returns to the banks family to help save their home from repossession from the bank and help them deal with the grief of losing the mother of the family.

When this movie was first announced i was skeptical, there is a reason why Mary Poppins never had a sequel for 50 years surely? well i was mistaken, because this movie not only captures the original but reignites imagination into the cinema that i haven’t seen for years.

The film’s cinematography and choreography are great, the pacing is on point and the performances are excellent and i expected this to be a nostalgic play on the original, however it's far from it, this movie makes bold decisions from having a completely original score to not having many nods to the original.

But Mary Poppins Returns manages to capture the spirit of the original, and it’s just such a nice film, it’s full of great surprises and because of how far technology has come, they have utilised CGI and animation in all the right ways.  

Emily Blunt was the perfect casting for Poppins, she played the role so well and it was very difficult to tell the two apart, it felt like it’s picked up just where we left her. 

My criticism of the movie is probably the songs, they aren’t as catchy as the original songs from spoonful of sugar and let's go fly a kite. 

 Lin Manuel Miranda was good in the movie, he was a fun character and i liked the call back to the rooftop chimney sweepers, but again they didn’t just replicate the song and dance routines. 

This film isn’t practically perfect, but its fun and it left me with a smile on my face at the end of 2018, and i can see how people can cling onto a story like this and for it to be worth something to them. 

What was interesting was the audience in the cinema, there were mostly grandparents taking their grandchildren to see this movie and i believe Mary Poppins Returns will become just as important to this generation as the original did to them.

Disney’s movies have re-occuring messages and themes and this is no exception, this is about family and imagination and happiness, what more could you ask for? 

★★★★½ A fantastically fun movie with some great cinematography and choreography, not to be missed if you are a fan of musicals.  

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Bird Box

Bird Box was directed by Susanne Bier, it is a netflix release that stars Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Tom Hollander and BD Wong.

The movie focuses on the a pregnant woman at the end of the world, the earth has suddenly had creatures appear that if you look at them, will make you commit suicide. Now she must navigate with a blind fold and avoid these creatures with her children.

Netflix yet again has delivered a fantastic post apocalyptic movie alongside Cargo that was released earlier in 2018.

The movie definitely is trying to compete with ‘A Quiet Place’ one of the most popular movies of the year in which you must not make a sound rather than not looking, the movie also has themes clearly inspired by ‘The Happening’ and really its a more improved version of that movie.

This movie has a combination of tones that i really like, there are a few things that bug me though, the camera angles feel restricted and tight, there are not many wide shots and a hell of a lot of close ups and frustrating editing choices and this in turn makes me believe that A Quiet Place is ahead of this movie.

It definitely feels a lot more budget, but what it does do right is the suspense, we never see the creatures and that for me is a huge advantage for this movie and it is a lot scarier than A Quiet Place. 

The acting was good, the standout obviously being Sandra Bullock, some of the characters are a little bit stereotypical and some being very expendable, unfortunately the way the movie starts convinces us that everyone else we meet in the film is going to die and i do sometimes question why movies are laid out this way as it becomes slightly predictable in the third act of the movie.

Unfortunately, other than a few glimpses on the news at the beginning of the movie we don’t get to see the widespread affect that this has had, i would be surprised if we get a sequel too, it feels like a one off movie unlike ‘A Quiet Place’ which is another advantage this movie has. 

★★★★ A really enjoyable movie with some very suspenseful moments and a stand out movie amongst the netflix library. 

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The Lost Boys

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The Lost Boys was released in 1987 and directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman & Robin, The number 23) and it stars Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Corey Haim and Kiefer Sutherland.

The movie follows a family who moves to a small town in California after the mother had a lengthy court divorce they move in with her father, however not is all what it seems when they discover disappearances in the town is linked to an ancient gang of vampires.

It’s hard to believe this was directed by the same guy that directed Batman & Robin, one of the worst movies ever made because The Lost Boys is one of my favourite movies, it has become a cult classic that not only is directed so flawlessly but it has great performances, soundtrack and set pieces and more importantly it's super fun.

The contrast of characters are so good here and they don’t really play to stereotypes other than the vampires themselves being hair metal bikers. i loved the comic style they went for here and some of the best scenes are when Corey Feldman is giving advice on how to kill a vampire.

I compare this movie with the original Fright Night, because its an 80s vampire movie that feels like a comic book and doesn’t take itself seriously, id say this is the better movie of the two, i compare them because i remember buying them both together in a combo VHS. 

I am yet to watch any of the sequels, so i can’t talk for them but this is a movie i expect to be remade terribly (again just like Fright Night) 

And there is actually a big twist in the story that i always somehow forget in this film and that Kiefer Sutherland’s vampire is not the head vampire we are led to believe to be, and it always surprises me and its one of those rare twists that you never see coming. 

But it's a bright and fun movie that i always have a blast when i watch, i have the movie on Blu Ray and it looks fantastic, i can only pray that this film comes to 4K soon.

The standout performance here is definitely Sutherland, he is the memorable face here. 

★★★★★ There is no point of the movie i dislike, there is nothing i would change and its a favourite, this is a must watch for 80′s horror fans. 

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Jumanji / 4K Blu Ray Review

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Jumanji was released in 1995 and directed by Joe Johnston (Captain America The First Avenger, Jurassic Park III) and it stars Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst and Bonnie Hunt.

The film follows Alan Parish as he finds a strange board game called Jumanji buried in a construction site, he gets sucked into the game and vanishes for years, 2 children who live in the same house find the game and free Alan but they must finish the game to return life to normal while fighting off jungle beasts. 

Jumanji is an excellent and original adventure movie that really displays the talents of Robin Williams acting capabilities, he is so fun in this movie and i love every second of this film, even if the CGI looks a little weak these days.

While its a very averagely filmed blockbuster, it’s the storytelling ability without the need for much exposition that helps this movie, and the pacing is perfect, there is always something happening in each scene that feels fresh and exciting and it never really slows down.

Kirsten Dunst who is very young in this movie, actually is one of the better child actors i’ve seen on screen, she's really good in this film, very convincing and she delivers her lines really well.

Infact the script is great in this movie, there isn’t any problems with it at all, nothing jumps out as over the top or unbelievable.

The only criticism i would give this movie is the CGI which looks dated now, but the way that the movie is lit exposes the creatures more because its all set during the day, Jurassic Park got away with a lot of scenes because a lot of the T-Rex scenes were set in darkness. 

I remember going to see this film in the cinema, and i remember the buzz of the film well, there were people queuing to see this film up the street. 

This particular version i have watched now is the 4K, i was so intrigued to see what the quality is like and i have to say this is the best looking cut of the film i’ve ever seen and the sound quality is very good too, it never looks grainy at all, unfortunately there are no new additional scenes, that's the next thing i would like to see going forward is a special edition of this movie with any new content that's floating around in the studio vaults.  

This movie faded away for some time until the sequel was released last year, it didn’t manage to match the quality of this movie but it was still fun.

★★★★★ My favourite Robin Williams performance, a great script and an original story, there is so much fun to be had with this classic, i’d recommend the 4K disc too.

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Jeepers Creepers

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Jeepers Creepers was released in 2001 and was directed by Victor Salva, it stars Justin Long, Gina Philips and Jonathan Breck. 

Jeepers Creepers follows two siblings travelling long distance to see their mother, on the way they are tormented by a crazed driver who runs them off the road, they are both witnesses to someone dumping bodys down a hole, and soon they are hunted down by a creature of unknown origins. 

This movie, is pretty predictable and basic horror, it features of all of those things you expect from a generic horror movie and funnily enough i actually prefer Jeepers Creepers II. 

I like Justin Long’s performance in the film but it does sometimes fall flat, its very predictable (don’t go down there, but goes down there anyway scenario) and the film does have a lot of those false jump scares that i’ve said a million times that i don’t like.

It generally feels like a low budget naughties horror that you could easily put in a box with Cabin Fever, I Know What You Did Last Summer & Final Destination. 

i remember actually buying this movie on DVD in a boxset amongst a bunch of other generic horror movies. 

I like the design and the mysteriousness of the monster that is hunting them, not alot is explained and that’s how it should be, this film would be scored much worse if we knew more about it or if it was shown off too much, which i do think is the case in the third act, it was scarier when we just saw its outline and it acted like a scarecrow.

The music is creepy and they use alot of those 50′s songs to really build the atmosphere, definately the scariest thing about the entire movie.

All in all, its pretty generic with alot of flaws but i liked it, it’s a film i’d watch every 3-5 years anyway for enjoyment. 

★★½ Flawed, predictable and generic but there is some enjoyment to be had if you are a diehard horror fan.

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Independence Day Resurgence

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Independence Day Resurgence was released in 2016 and was directed by Roland Emmerich, it stars Jeff Goldblum, Liam Hemsworth and Bill Pullman, it is the sequel to 1996′s Independence Day.

The movie focuses on the aliens from the first movie coming back with a bigger army to wipe out the human race and yet the army seems much smaller and easier to kill?

This movie is a perfect example why sometimes sequels are not worth making, i have no idea why Roland Emmerich decided to make this movie because none of it makes sense, none of it is any good and the writing is so damn bad.

The first huge mistake of this film is that they killed off Will Smith’s character between movies because he didn’t want to come back to this movie, and you can see why, i can imagine he read the script and said no thankyou!

It’s more understanding that Goldblum came back to this movie, because he probably needed the money and his performance is typical, he plays Jeff Goldblum and that is it.

Liam Hemsworth is in the movie because they couldn’t afford his brother and he plays the typical douchebag fighter pilot that gets given all the bad lines.

What is with the soundtrack and sound effects here? they straight up rip off the star wars movies in this film with the dog fights and shootouts, because the human race have used the alien technology of course.

But remember when the humans couldn’t barely take out one fighter? because they had shields? apparently that isn’t a thing here.

There is way too much CGI used in this film as well, the original movie didn’t use alot of CGI, we didn’t even see alot of the aliens in the movie either, there seems to be an over exposure of everything here.

There is also to much focus on building this expanded world and future movie possibilities rather than trying to get the movie right.

I didn’t care for any of the characters, i’d rather would have watched the world fail against the aliens and have them destroyed.

This film is not good, not a worthy sequel to the original movie and they should have just left it, i think the studio saw an opportunity to make some money.

☆ One of the worst science fiction sequels ever made and one of Roland Emmerich’s worst movies, Will Smith was smart to turn this down!

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Slenderman

Slenderman was directed by Sylvain White and stars Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles and Jaz Sinclair.

This film follows a group of teenagers who discover Slenderman on the internet and well, i don’t really know what follows because the film is terribly edited. 

Slenderman was a great concept for a movie that hadn’t been made yet, and yet it was so poorly executed in many more ways than just one, from the cast performances being absolutely dreadful and generic to the editing being possibly being the worst i’ve ever seen.

The film makes no sense, it goes from multiples dreams within dreams, to visions within dreams, you can’t make sense of what's happening.

The characters are hard to tell apart, they all have similar features and personalities, well, there are no personalities, which just makes the movie even harder to follow.

The script is poor, and characters make stupid decisions, and instead of being afraid of Slenderman, i was kinda laughing because the CGI was terrible. 

The film is so dark too, so many scenes where its hard to establish what is happening on the screen, which again, makes it even harder to follow.

There is no reason to get invested in the characters, and so you do care when one of them disappears or gets killed off.

I just became bored, there was no suspense because we’ve seen what slender man looks like, we know the story, we don’t care for the characters and it just becomes a real chore to watch.

It feels like no one cares about the movie either, everything feels executed with such a lazy outcome.

☆ One of the worst cut movies i’ve ever seen with generic performances and a poorly lit movie.