House of Cards (Season 2): Review

Frank's back. Netflix-exclusive series House of Cards returned in February of this year, and what a season it is. Following the events of season 1, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is now Vice President of the United States, alongside a comparatively weaker President Garrett Walker (Michael Gill). The loose-ends left over from his previous career as Deputy Whip need to be tied up, and the groundwork needs to be laid so that Frank can continue ascending...with the end goal being the presidency itself. 

Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey)

Many new players are introduced to the dangerous game of chess this season, such as Frank's replacement Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker) and his new shady lawyer Seth Grayson (Derek Cecil). None of these roles are included merely for the sake of it though, as everybody has a crucial part to play in the Underwood's sinister game. I say Underwoods instead of simply Underwood, because Frank's wife Claire (Robin Wright) plays a much larger part in the grand scheme of things, often being just as ruthless as the main man himself. Within the first few episodes, Claire tells a woman that she will let her baby "wither and die" inside of her if it becomes necessary, instantly positioning herself as a dangerous person to confront. 

My main criticism of the first season of House of Cards was that due to the context of the programme huge, mind-blowing twists were not possible. The very first episode alone disproves this and then some. I don't think I have seen an opener quite as effective in a very long time, and it instantly brings you back into this world of deceit and murderous consequence. It's truly commendable how the episode plays out, because it sacrifices some key story elements from season 1 in order to quickly establish this as a new chapter in the Underwood story. The Frank seen previously is a mere kitten compared to the blood-thirsty monster shown on screen in season 2, and each episode is all the better for it. Season 1 took quite some time to gather momentum, but these new instalments are scarily rapid in grabbing you by the throat and rarely letting go. 

Claire Underwood (Robin Wright)

But none of this rapid storytelling would be possible if it weren't for the free structure in which they are released. Identical to the previous episodes, all of season 2 is available right now on Netflix so that they can be viewed at your own chosen pace - a style which fits the series perfectly. Episode 1 continues immediately on from the previous season, and is appropriately titled 'Chapter 14' rather than Chapter 1, meaning that the required character introductions are thankfully out the way. Every single episode is packed with twists and turns which simply could not have happened previously. 

I have no real qualms with this instalment of House of Cards aside from I now have to wait until next year to continue watching. It improves on every fault I held with the previous season, and exceeds every expectation I had. Yes, the many new characters mean even more sub-plots, but this is no bad thing, it just means that your full attention is required. 

Verdict

House of Cards Season 2 is easily one of the best things I have seen since the incredible Breaking Bad concluded last year. If the quality continues to climb at the rate it has so far, then I can definitely see it joining my most beloved programmes I've seen. Roll on 2015. 

"Power is better than money for as long as it lasts...

...but it never lasts."

The Lego Movie: Review

Lego played a big part in my childhood. Receiving a new Lego set was the pinnacle of excitement for me as a child, whether it be Star Wars or Harry Potter, I played with it for hours upon hours. So when I heard that The Lego Movie was being made, I hoped that it would assert the same nostalgia as Toy Story evokes nowadays. Thankfully, it does. 

The Lego Movie revolves around a stereotypical builder by the name of Emmet (Chris Pratt), who one day breaks the monotony of his life by discovering the 'piece of resistance'; an object which will defeat the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrel). All of this is foretold by a godly figure called Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), who gathers a team compiled of many heroes such as Batman (Will Arnett), an adventurous girl named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) & a 1970s astronaut figure (Charlie Day). Constantly on the tail of the group is a bi-polar police officer played by Liam Neeson, who is wholly loyal to Lord Business. 

Emmet (Chris Pratt)

In case it isn't clear, there's a lot of celebrities featured in The Lego Movie, all of whom present their characters in an incredibly entertaining fashion. It's often argued that animation movies should hire 'real' voice-actors to play roles, but I genuinely think that The Lego Movie would be considerably worsened if people like Morgan Freeman didn't participate. From start-to-finish, the cast make the on-screen action all the more enjoyable to watch, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The Lego Movie is also just a fun movie to watch. Although it's highly likely that the majority, if not everything was produced through CGI, within the world of the movie it is all Lego. Even the ocean is made with thousands of individual pieces of Lego, which just makes it a very fun film to take in, and draws you in even more. I'd imagine the fight-scenes within the film took a very long time to produce, as every explosion and gunshot is created entirely out of the globally-recognised pieces of plastic. 

Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman)

Similar to the many great films Pixar have produced over the years, the humour in The Lego Movie appeals to both children and adults. I found myself laughing consistently thoughout, some times far more than in any comedy I have watched recently. There's not as many jokes which appeal exclusively to adults which may be found in movies like Toy Story, but the humour definitely isn't dumbed-down for the sake of the main audience. I'd easily recommend it to anybody and be surprised if they didn't find something to like. 

The only major issue I held with The Lego Movie was the twist towards the end. Without spoiling anything, it will either undermine the movie for you or make it even more enjoyable. I personally found it to do a bit of both, and actually result in a slightly emotional scene, but some may argue that it detracts from the film as a whole. 

Verdict
The Lego Movie is an incredibly entertaining movie which will mostly appeal to those who played with Lego as a child, but I'd imagine everybody will find something to love. The many celebrity cameos do nothing but add to the experience, and the twist towards the end is, although a bit jarring, generally entertaining. I'd happily sit through The Lego Movie again, just to take-in the unique animation and frequently enjoyable script. 

"You are the most interesting, most talented and most extraordinary 

person in the universe."

Movie 43: Review

I've put off watching Movie 43 for a very long time, considering all of the dreadful feedback it received when it was initially released in January of last year. The plot of the film vaguely revolves around three teenagers trying to find the "most banned film on the internet", which is appropriately titled Movie 43, although the American version of the film has a completely alternate plot revolving around movie producers pitching this film to a company. Regardless of this, both versions contain this plot solely to string together 12 un-funny, crude, horrific sketch comedies containing an unbelievably star-studded cast of actors. From Hugh Jackman to Stephen Merchant; nobody is left out. 

Johnny Knoxville

I have literally no idea why so many well-known celebrities would agree to be a part of this truly appalling movie. One of the opening sketches features Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet attending a blind-date, but the 'hilarious' twist is that Hugh Jackman's character has a pair of prosthetic testicles on his neck which only Kate Winslet appears to notice. This successfully sets the tone for the rest of the movie, with scene after scene revolving around a tiresome concept dragged out far beyond being funny. A theory I have heard is that the actors were made to feel guilty after signing their contracts so they became obliged to continue the production, but when you reach a sketch revolving around a woman wanting her fiancée to defecate on her, it becomes very hard to believe any such ideas. 

Emma Stone

Speaking of defecation, Movie 43 really leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the juvenile areas of comedy. Incest, periods & blatant racism all make an appearance, and none are handled in a remotely funny manner. In fact, the only slightly entertaining sequences of the movie such as a scene between Stephen Merchant and Halle Berry didn't rely heavily on these kind of topics at all, and were much better for it. The majority of the film seems as if a young, pre-pubescent boy was behind everything, which isn't ideal when there's such critically acclaimed actors present. 

Although it may seem like I'm being pretentious about Movie 43, that's only because there is genuinely nothing redeemable about this film. I'm all for 'low-brow' comedy when it's done correctly, and I even enjoy the earlier Scary Movie films which feature huge amounts of this, but Movie 43 simply isn't good. I really wish I could say otherwise, because I'm a fan of many actors featured, but it just is downright awful from start to finish. 

Verdict
In case it isn't obvious, I'd highly recommend giving Movie 43 a miss. It only runs for around 90 minutes, but felt as if it dragged on for far, far longer. Unless the American version is drastically different, I have no idea why this film was ever made, and feel bad for everybody involved. Do yourself a favour and watch a comedy such as Airplane which shows just how successful a rapid flurry of jokes can be. 

"Teenage boys are physically attracted to naked women."

"Our research doesn't show that, sir."

Recently released trailers

Following yesterday's new trailer for the highly anticipated Godzilla re-boot, I've decided to present a few trailers released over the past few months which I am personally very excited for, and maybe a couple that you might have missed due to them not being heavily publicised. Next to each is also the date on which it was released, just to give some chronological awareness to this list: 

X-Men: Days of Future Past (29/10/13)
Back in 2011, X-Men: First Class was released which provided an entertaining glimpse into the history of the beloved comic-book series and also gave the leading role of Charles Xavier to the talented James McAvoy, alongside Michael Fassbender as a young Magneto. Days of Future Past looks similar in that it features both of these characters and their respective actors, but also features Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart to play their older counterparts, as the story revolves around time-travel and the prevention of a devastating war which would end both humanity and the lives of the mutants. Aside from a strangely abrupt transition halfway though, the trailer released for Days of Future Past sets a very dramatic tone which the film will hopefully live up to. 

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (18/12/13) 
This trailer opens to Gary Oldman addressing a crowd of people over a mega-phone, describing how the world has practically collapsed following the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes released in 2011. The length of the trailer makes it feel more like a teaser than anything, but it gives a brief look into when the film will be set and how the events of the previous instalment will play heavily into the plot. It's definitely a movie which I'll want to watch this year. 

Interstellar (14/12/13)
The teaser for Christopher Nolan's upcoming space-themed movie Interstellar doesn't exactly give very much away concerning the plot of the movie, but I'm very excited regardless. Every single film by Nolan that I have seen has been amazing at the very least, so I can't imagine that Interstellar will break this trend. The trailer is very serious and philosophical; something which gives it a very 'Nolan' feel, and the decision to have Matthew McConaughey narrating only adds to the established atmosphere. 

Guardians of the Galaxy (18/2/14)

Released far more recently, the first trailer to Guardians of the Galaxy lacks the gritty, serious tone created by these other trailers and instead chooses to embrace its comical and entertaining atmosphere through a much more jovial soundtrack and cast of characters. I'd admit that until recently I had no idea who exactly the Guardians were, but the film seems to be acknowledging this by introducing each as if the entire audience were unfamiliar with them, something which may turn out to be far more beneficial than assuming everybody has interest prior to this trailer. 

 

Godzilla (25/2/14)

And last but certainly not least, the newly released trailer to Godzilla, coming later this year. Narrated almost entirely by one of my personally favourite actors Bryan Cranston, this trailer develops upon the sinister, eerie tone that the original teaser created. Yet again very little of the monster itself is seen, and it seems as if this will be the same within the actual movie, but I have no issue with this as it builds tension far more than if everything was revealed. There's no way of knowing yet if Godzilla will successfully live up to the hype, but providing it repeats the atmosphere of the trailers, 2014 is looking to be a very good year for movies. 

Outlast: Game Review

I don't think a game has ever managed to reduce me to an anxiety-stricken wreck quite so successfully as Outlast. Within an opening text, you are told that you play as Miles Upshur; a journalist who decides to investigate Mount Massive Asylum after receiving an anonymous tip. Almost immediately things begin seeming a little strange, with stereotypical scares such as silhouettes in windows and flickering lights, but soon it appears that whatever happened at the asylum should have been left alone permanently. 

As you play as a simple journalist, you traverse the entire game armed with nothing but a camcorder with a night-vision function, causing the majority of sequences to be shown through a spooky green glow. As most of the game takes place in complete darkness, you'll be using the camcorder a lot, which is difficult because the batteries drain phenomenally quickly, leaving you in terrifying nothingness. More can be collected throughout the game, but you always need to consider conserving your power so that you're not suddenly caught being chased by murderous patients with no idea as to where you should go. 

And it's this sense of constant helplessness which separates Outlast from other survival-horror games. From start to finish, there is literally no way of fighting enemies, so you have to constantly be mindful of their positions and be prepared to run and hide if the need arises. But whether you hide under a bed, in a locker or even simply in a fireplace; nowhere is safe. On more than one occasion I was brutally dragged out from my hiding-place and killed on the spot. Yet I loved every minute of it. 

I'm a huge fan of horror already, but Outlast dragged me in and didn't let go until the very final credits rolled. The atmosphere created within the first mere moments of game-play sticks with you until the end, and causes the scares to be even more insidious and real than they ever could have been without this incredible sense of immersion. This is also due to the amazingly creepy sound-design and the game's refusal to pull anything back, particularly when it comes to gore. It's rather rare whilst playing Outlast to not see a dismembered torso or deformed, skulking, deranged killer, but it's all necessary to create a game which is this scarily engrossing. 

I have very few problems with Outlast, but the consistent need to wait for enemies to pass by certainly becomes slightly tiresome towards the end. That's not to say it's not always terrifying when you begin being chased, but after the third or fourth time of being killed, things get a little repetitive. This is particularly apparent in the cat-and-mouse sequences featuring a huge prison-guard, but it never becomes so common that it ruins the experience. Without giving anything away, the plot also wraps up completely differently to how you would expect, which I wasn't a huge fan of, but it was still entertaining nonetheless. 

Verdict

Outlast is a terrifying game which hooked me almost instantly. Like with most 'scary' forms of media, it has to be enjoyed properly by sitting in complete darkness with the sound up high, but if you can endure the constant barrage of horror, then it's a hugely enjoyable experience which I would definitely recommend.  

"You have to hide." 

Trainspotting: Review

Becoming something of a British cult-classic, Trainspotting successfully brought a relatively young Ewan McGregor into the public eye and told a gritty and realistic story about hardcore drug use. Ewan plays a young man called Renton, who is severely addicted to heroin amidst the Edinburgh drug scene. Fairly early on, Renton attempts to escape the vices which hold him by going 'cold turkey'...but fails on numerous occasions. All around him, Renton consistently sees his friends succumb to the allure of hard drugs; each with varying outcomes. It isn't till a life-threatening incident which causes Renton's parents to intervene, that a light at the end of the tunnel begins to appear. 

Renton (Ewan McGregor)

There's no doubt that Trainspotting is a brutally in-your-face portrayal of what taking drugs will lead to. At no point does it advocate or glorify the abuse of substances, not too dissimilar to the incredible Requiem for a Dream. There's a single shot of the film which will now be permanently burned into my mind, and rightfully so, because to say this film is "one-sided" would mean condoning the use of substances, which has consistently been shown to lead to disastrous outcomes. 

Despite all this, Trainspotting is also a slightly humorous black-comedy, with comedic moments placed throughout. That's not to say it's a laugh-a-minute film that'll have you smiling from start to finish, far from it, but certain characters such as Renton's friends Spud (Ewen Bremner) and the scarily aggressive Begbie (Robert Carlyle) occasionally provide comic relief to alleviate the very dark tone. 

The only real problem I have with Trainspotting is that it doesn't really wrap-up as conclusively as I'd have liked it to. I expected to have some sort of conclusion to at least the main characters, but sadly that doesn't happen. The ending is far from bad, it just isn't as definitive as I would have expected it to be. 

Verdict

Trainspotting is an entertaining British film, but it definitely isn't an easy watch from start to end. It holds no punches when presenting this kind of lifestyle, which is commendable and beneficial in the end, as it creates a gritty, honest film which is well worth a watch, providing you don't mind the occasional glimpse into a darker life. 

"And the reasons? There are no reasons.

Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?"

Luther: Review

Back in July of last year, Luther concluded it's three-series run on BBC1, and was praised by many as one of the best series that the BBC has ever aired; making front-runner Idris Elba a household name. After foolishly putting it off for some time, I decided to sit down and watch all of series 1-3 in order to find out what all the fuss was about. And I was anything but disappointed. 

Series 1 opens by immediately establishing main character John Luther (Idris Elba) as an experienced police officer who will do anything to achieve what he sees as justice. Sometimes his methods are questionable, but they inevitably get the job done. After introducing a few key characters such as John's partner DS Justin Ripley (Warren Brown) & John's ex-wife Zoe Luther (Indira Varma) , the first episode follows the case of a young woman by the name of Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson). Alice's parents have both been shot within the confines of their own home, and it's up to Luther to find the killer before they strike again; Alice being the number one suspect. Without spoiling too much, Alice quickly becomes one of the best characters in the entire programme, acting almost as a Jim Moriarty to Luther. 

John Luther (Idris Elba)

Most of the continuing episodes work out in this manner, with a villain being introduced in the title sequence and the rest of the episode playing out with John Luther attempting to bring them in. But things never become stale. Partly due to the fact every episode within the first season has another unique case, but also down to the many other stories which are expertly intertwined between episodes. I won't give away anything, but the final two episodes of the first season have so much packed into them that things go past at an incredible speed. The following two series differ in that they allow two episodes per villain, meaning that there are two villains within series two and then another two in series three. Although this isn't a problem, because it fleshes out each psychopath more than series 1, it doesn't feel as fast-paced as the original series. Yet again though, there are numerous sub-plots which all accumulate to heart-pounding series-finales. 

As for the aforementioned villains: I don't think I've seen a TV show before where every single episode is as interesting as the last. Each killer is presented as strikingly different, with some being phenomenally intellectual and others simply being out to harm as many people as possible. Sometimes things do get very dark and morbid, but that's expected in a programme within this context, and the violence never becomes exploitative. For the majority of the time, the most violent actions are not seen but rather spoke about heavily, which some may argue is far worse. I'd say however, that it is much more effective, because it prevents Luther turning into a programme which has a sole goal of shocking audiences, and instead makes it an experience which never over-explains things and respects its viewer-ship. 

Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson)

The best thing about Luther however, is by far the character of John Luther himself. Idris Elba consistently raises the bar of acting by presenting Luther as a righteously flawed character who will stop at almost nothing to bring justice to those who so desperately need it. The show is full of tense, exciting scenes, but also rather emotionally-driven ones, particularly in the closing episodes of the final series. There are some huge twists which I personally didn't see coming at all. 

There are very few flaws I found with Luther. If I had to be pedantic though, I'd say that the first series' large cliffhanger is wrapped up almost too quickly as the second begins, but this allows for a new chapter in the story to begin, so this almost can't be considered a negative. One thing that repeatedly became slightly irritating however, was the carelessness displayed by many of the characters in the show. Obviously this is usually needed to progress the story and place individuals into dangerous situations, but it became a little too common to see a young girl walking home alone down a dark alley at night, only to be brutally murdered moments later. 

Justin Ripley (Warren Brown)

Verdict
Luther is exciting, tense and extremely entertaining for all of its 15 episodes. Many returning characters are enjoyable to watch, and the killers and villains are distinctively unique to one another. It's everything you could want from a police-thriller, which is why Luther is, by far, one of my new favourite TV series that I have seen, and one which you should watch right away. 

"There's no evidence of an intruder"

"But absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence?"

"I know, I'm making a leap. It's a little leap though, more of a hop."