tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72301061420948823172024-03-29T14:53:28.999+00:00The Blog of Delights"I must go punch that baby."Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.comBlogger6252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-31218502246398854202024-03-29T12:59:00.000+00:002024-03-29T12:59:35.576+00:00Rise of the Powers of X #3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSpxfzyWnj7XdXpiVzvXWoOekXdXgCFSmxyrFNxxaiw73emzCCXFEvtxJtvyePhiZ4W3BddBxMBkOH0RNFL1UQBvR33KueaTijraQl1fB1dXfcss9sPJ4xcSpypzdZPl-eIbWT9VUJHfzzCtOSSyVNfIMbGaJzwsfyBp5g_JY6c7S24IbJpDi3FiA8vTk/s598/large-1425868.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="598" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSpxfzyWnj7XdXpiVzvXWoOekXdXgCFSmxyrFNxxaiw73emzCCXFEvtxJtvyePhiZ4W3BddBxMBkOH0RNFL1UQBvR33KueaTijraQl1fB1dXfcss9sPJ4xcSpypzdZPl-eIbWT9VUJHfzzCtOSSyVNfIMbGaJzwsfyBp5g_JY6c7S24IbJpDi3FiA8vTk/w400-h323/large-1425868.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">With Marvel already announcing the new line-ups and premises of their revamped X-titles, some of the lustre has come off this grand finale to the Krakoan era, the story feeling strangely like old news even as it's unfolding. Kieron Gillen's plot is built around that oldest of sci-fi chestnuts: would you kill a child to save the future? The kid in question is Moira McTaggert, a mutant gifted with the power of resurrection with all her previous memories intact, meaning she was able to usher in the Age of X. However, her disillusionment has led to her becoming mutantkind's greatest enemy and Charles Xavier has snuck back in time to kill Moira in her tenth and final life before her powers manifest. In the present, AI dominion Enigma, aware that this could end his creation, has reached out to the older, cyborg Moira, using her survival instinct to offer her immortality as part of it in exchange with helping it prosper. </div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKATs3hqakf1rdaaoJhCyhWhc6SEqRxY118FixtokgMRW9buQ2gVBSuK9iux572NnQX0Wjt3MgVGWq8kcAV_IHcGf_oQ5W5U6_ikBwiViWJf0TsEenVPfm1ZLA_0nhp4NP6SFZC8n7RVw9XnTrAwZpwkfcGaoADcgjPIBhGHh7iXGsiqVF5gqIYzdUro3/s1010/fall_of_the_house_of_x_rise_of_the_powers_of_x_promo_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1010" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKATs3hqakf1rdaaoJhCyhWhc6SEqRxY118FixtokgMRW9buQ2gVBSuK9iux572NnQX0Wjt3MgVGWq8kcAV_IHcGf_oQ5W5U6_ikBwiViWJf0TsEenVPfm1ZLA_0nhp4NP6SFZC8n7RVw9XnTrAwZpwkfcGaoADcgjPIBhGHh7iXGsiqVF5gqIYzdUro3/w400-h293/fall_of_the_house_of_x_rise_of_the_powers_of_x_promo_image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />With beautiful and intricate artwork from RB Silva and sublime colouring from David Curiel, this third issue is an attractive read though a little anti-climatic. Charles pulls a gun on the teen, telling her this was the for the best, Moira responding: "the best way is leaving the corpse of a child in her family's garden?" is dark indeed and having Charles murder the 13 year old Moira (even if she has nine lifetimes of adult experiences) would have been audacious; however, Gillen can't pull the trigger, there being a secret mental conversation that Xavier has first with Rachel Summers and then the young Moira that we weren't privy to. This being the end of this iteration of the saga does mean that Gillen can cull some other cast members, Rasputin IV finding out Cypher is actually Mister Sinister in disguise leading to the sneaky geneticist getting a sword in the chest while Xavier, for unknown reasons, kills Rachel. However, I had trouble feeling the stakes and enjoyed this issue primarily for some lovely visuals.</div><div><br /></div><div>70s Rating: *** </div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-10046966623491061952024-03-28T22:41:00.003+00:002024-03-28T22:41:50.780+00:00The Apprentice 2024 - Week Nine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyWn2d0TGdkFZegc1MELOcQqjMCFALHuOrU1gXnZDWWtqGyEunpEXb_QRbnOpKAZzWafZeAIiq1vCDbv6Al23ef0I3ZbkkiBhHSq731bUu3rG74FH9amIFns31gFgFP57GFy00WjJkR_d5DizSr0eXJ9duUoAQJJiB1JiXdnMRJDETEmPcntWTVhVQP4t/s822/Snapinsta.app_290283563_626510488341161_1112276217433493314_n_1080-e1706005233652.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="822" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyWn2d0TGdkFZegc1MELOcQqjMCFALHuOrU1gXnZDWWtqGyEunpEXb_QRbnOpKAZzWafZeAIiq1vCDbv6Al23ef0I3ZbkkiBhHSq731bUu3rG74FH9amIFns31gFgFP57GFy00WjJkR_d5DizSr0eXJ9duUoAQJJiB1JiXdnMRJDETEmPcntWTVhVQP4t/w400-h281/Snapinsta.app_290283563_626510488341161_1112276217433493314_n_1080-e1706005233652.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This week, Lord Sugar brought out that old chestnut the TV selling assignment, tasking the remnants of Teams Supream and Nexus with picking and flogging tat on shopping channel JTC. Tre, who had been on TV LOADS of times apparently - and did he tell you he was in a band? - led Supream while Raj led Nexus with a unique plan to pick an item that was unique but very normal. Okay then. Tre meanwhile just told his team he had trust in them whenever they asked for any guidance whatsoever. He put himself up for presenting with Rachel while Raj went with Dr. Paul and Maura, Flo and Phil relegated to the gallery where Phil planned 'Project: Stitch Up Flo'. Phil and Steve got to pick some products that would appeal to, well Phil and Dr. Paul. It's important to improve your mastication, after all. Raj meanwhile had fallen in love with a rotating fan. Tre's face when he saw Steve wander in with that godawful paddling pool was gold. He was keener on the Daft Punk face mask. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5gP4j44sZTXFPZm359ef9Kkqsl-bQFhB9HLS6ReZL_gt0H7jzcAlNT3I2Zes0FFGxSGy_2rFHSJeNh6WlUvTCweeZ0HySXn0XqttxKxhDGRhGGOUHxRqcjHOYIfIYbC1rDeh6wSPLwnj6RWsk_i29sa_gr9aFSWDb3CQYtMjvdizA53Y8MBIG11wqZbV/s1200/p0h61nyp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5gP4j44sZTXFPZm359ef9Kkqsl-bQFhB9HLS6ReZL_gt0H7jzcAlNT3I2Zes0FFGxSGy_2rFHSJeNh6WlUvTCweeZ0HySXn0XqttxKxhDGRhGGOUHxRqcjHOYIfIYbC1rDeh6wSPLwnj6RWsk_i29sa_gr9aFSWDb3CQYtMjvdizA53Y8MBIG11wqZbV/w400-h225/p0h61nyp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Onto the presenting and the TV trained Tre struggled with having a voice in his ear, especially Foluso's megaphone shouting. "You can have adult fun in here too," opined Rachel about the paddling pool. For Supream, Dr. Paul was as slick as you'd expect (getting fulsome praise from Sugar) while Raj was hopeless. But what about Maura? Maura is that colleague you might have who has the mug that says 'you don't have to work here, but it helps!' and who, though occasionally diverting, usually has your teeth fixed in a grimace hoping she'll go out for lunch. Maura couldn't be more excited to sell a fan with Raj, so excited that the pair kept talking over each other. Maura then shouted her way through a tent demonstration. This was Maura on Red Bull, Monster and Crack all at once and probably had JTC viewers reaching for the volume control (they received record complaints). Lord Sugar suggested she should have been selling Nurofen. With Phil having been switched and losing again (the ninth time), he was obviously doomed so of course he was given another chance (does he have compromising photos?). Raj and Maura were sacked for possibly the worst presenting ever. Neither were contenders and Phil will go next week. <p></p></div><div>70s Rating: ***</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-19359162816087339672024-03-28T15:49:00.000+00:002024-03-28T15:49:46.333+00:00Doctor Who - Born to Die <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXpfD86R0uKiIKz7soeCy4_ljrkNonyHPIk-CA4uy4PP0jbMkyLDLgD4fCMp1mB8DSlY8Xvr38mDeht6mspOyPaUF0Lre7fuN0ZvLTrKEoln5VPJrOKw9zoIn37Sb7PsRZU9CLPz93hfftqWQ9qmIRlQwFkb17uQGn2wqMk0ZkVP7C-4bhc_UeP8YTLpm/s1294/DWSPSONVRUT0103_borntodie_1417-e1706880339834-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1294" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXpfD86R0uKiIKz7soeCy4_ljrkNonyHPIk-CA4uy4PP0jbMkyLDLgD4fCMp1mB8DSlY8Xvr38mDeht6mspOyPaUF0Lre7fuN0ZvLTrKEoln5VPJrOKw9zoIn37Sb7PsRZU9CLPz93hfftqWQ9qmIRlQwFkb17uQGn2wqMk0ZkVP7C-4bhc_UeP8YTLpm/w400-h219/DWSPSONVRUT0103_borntodie_1417-e1706880339834-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The third instalment in Big Finish's quartet of Sontarans vs. Rutans plays, this one finds the TARDIS team of the Doctor and Charley Pollard (Colin Baker and India Fisher) landing on the peaceful rainforest world of Taxadon. However, when they are found over a dying Sontaran, the Doctor has to prove their innocence to the potato head force that have set up on the planet, a mission which is further complicated when more Sontarans start to die. The Doctor can find no airborne or biological pathogen and wonders if there could be something wrong with their breeding tanks. What is the strange enzyme that is being added to the mix? Why has the Commander of the platoon, Skein (Jon Culshaw), started taking a substance out of the native Knoxx, a race known for their chameleonic properties? When newly revived Sontarans start attacking the existing ones, the Doctor, Charley and lowly trooper Skole (Dan Starkey) find themselves in the middle of a war. </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMpnwWtqSWmFEOGxbC1P4dIrngzHIrOB5dLhFoiCvMpzTOOSMb4qs3N-LgTC7dpAobB05sT96CDxB3GVpIzSOjeqkVQNHHhKPk5SPg-u1kPSfj9GO2h6IshMhg44ElumjwjlbFxVgKtNiHmQsGf4vRz-WkH3ktfG8ei1nPjvHBYUSmMABODSkyySqIZtU/s1200/p014b864.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMpnwWtqSWmFEOGxbC1P4dIrngzHIrOB5dLhFoiCvMpzTOOSMb4qs3N-LgTC7dpAobB05sT96CDxB3GVpIzSOjeqkVQNHHhKPk5SPg-u1kPSfj9GO2h6IshMhg44ElumjwjlbFxVgKtNiHmQsGf4vRz-WkH3ktfG8ei1nPjvHBYUSmMABODSkyySqIZtU/w400-h225/p014b864.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This is another enjoyable and brisk adventure in the Sontarans vs. Rutans range. Old Sixie and Charley were a popular pairing which are nice to have back and we get plenty of the Eighth Doctor's former companion having to pretend not to know things about Sontarans and the like. We also get a team-up of not just TV Sontarans Dan Starkey and Christopher Ryan but impressionist and fan Jon Culshaw playing a potato head also. Tiegan Byrne is a relative newcomer to writing for the range and does a solid job, though there is a bit too much running and shouting and exploding. I also found the incidental music from Joe Kraemer too different to the era - and much of the other music used in Big Finish - and jarring rather than enhancing the play. Still, Born to Die is never less than an enjoyable listen and a welcome return for a popular TARDIS team. Once more to go as the baton is handed onto the War Doctor to finish off the quartet. </div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ***</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-16911666750162968122024-03-27T18:06:00.001+00:002024-03-27T18:06:32.629+00:00Road House (2024)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVB3M_rTAnwAsfkCaS1zMr7orI0wqgBJdzy8H7Bi27sGhK1bnhx2ln0GBhfcG9SrJ1vTlqPIBXjZGbEulCy5_8M9_DfwHFh9ldB79FgdpJbZUwiyCrff9g6J0iA_93m95N9kkhqeZVoMQqgjs3WsJUvvUwKyV1_qRPiA8ynY06tZ1DbNmIWLB_XIqAn-c/s1942/MV5BNTFiNTMxNTQtM2EzOS00NWNhLWFmNzctNjU5ODIzNDIzMzYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjkwOTAyMDU@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1465" data-original-width="1942" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVB3M_rTAnwAsfkCaS1zMr7orI0wqgBJdzy8H7Bi27sGhK1bnhx2ln0GBhfcG9SrJ1vTlqPIBXjZGbEulCy5_8M9_DfwHFh9ldB79FgdpJbZUwiyCrff9g6J0iA_93m95N9kkhqeZVoMQqgjs3WsJUvvUwKyV1_qRPiA8ynY06tZ1DbNmIWLB_XIqAn-c/w400-h301/MV5BNTFiNTMxNTQtM2EzOS00NWNhLWFmNzctNjU5ODIzNDIzMzYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjkwOTAyMDU@._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I doubt anyone was calling out for a remake of the old Patrick Swayze actioner from 1985 but we've got one anyway, Jake Gyllenhaal stepping into the shoes of the late bouffanted one. To be fair, Doug Liman's film is actually a lot of fun, starting seriously enough as a modern western before turning into a cheesy 1980s throwback in the style of Sly and Arnie, gleefully jumping the shark with a supporting turn from Conor McGregor that is less acting than a live action Looney Tunes character. Emmet Dalton (Gyllenhaal) is a former MMA fighter who killed his friend in the cage. Eking out an existence in warehouse fights between considering killing himself by parking on train tracks, Dalton accepts an offer from Frankie (Jessica Williams) to be the new bouncer at her bar the Road House in Glass Key, Florida. Businessman Ben Brandt (Billy Magnusson) wants the land to turn into a resort but Frankie is holding out, leading to Ben calling in a group of bikers to cause regular chaos at the bar. Dalton arrives and has soon scared them off, leading to the calling in of Knox (McGregor), a mad as a loon hard man to sort Dalton out. Let battle commence. </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKn7sVLpFp0tp-5Fu4ADXSGjZnC1NG2lS8pR-ut1-uqvDugQ11V_4gAjp7gO2H1HBCz8odFYcJZzoYoZjugtd6Yl5oo6wrlJD776rHTjVnbbm2Nmb7PVPsK7AO9bJgd8RUnuLB7K4PxFZDHLsDO8-MNC5s_XEh1zu6k7S87u80ia7bZ7CiokI7-qGjW7d/s1024/RDHS_2024_UT_221006_RADLAU_10908_R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKn7sVLpFp0tp-5Fu4ADXSGjZnC1NG2lS8pR-ut1-uqvDugQ11V_4gAjp7gO2H1HBCz8odFYcJZzoYoZjugtd6Yl5oo6wrlJD776rHTjVnbbm2Nmb7PVPsK7AO9bJgd8RUnuLB7K4PxFZDHLsDO8-MNC5s_XEh1zu6k7S87u80ia7bZ7CiokI7-qGjW7d/w400-h266/RDHS_2024_UT_221006_RADLAU_10908_R.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Road House starts out like a pilot for a new series, perhaps a soap opera actioner about the various characters in Glass Key, from Rachel, the various barkeeps, the father and daughter who run the book shop and comely Doctor Ellie (Daniela Melchior) who takes a shine to our pugilist. Gyllenhaal has form as a convincing scrapper and has an excellent early dust-up with a group of bikers he then drives to the hospital. Things change when McGregor appears, however, the fighter first shown buck naked strutting away from chaos and the film transitions to a live action cartoon. From bar fights we move onto more outlandish action beats, with moments of shockingly poor CGI, explosions, boat duels and a gloriously OTT scrap between Dalton and Knox for the film's finale. Melchior gets little to do as Ellie though she does have a dad called Big Dick. In the end, this is as daft as the original and feels more like something the Stath should be starring in. However, Gyllenhaal cleverly underplays, adding a counterbalance to the increasing hyperbole surrounding him. It's a fun enough watch. </div><p></p><p>70s Rating: *** </p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-44930497089284993552024-03-26T13:28:00.000+00:002024-03-26T13:28:41.565+00:00Late Night With the Devil (2023)<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3J3rtH94UJWFxTl5IPmtC0Yrf_UN-BP-C8PNMdKHiK6jJSHuyvcwT4QHKhyphenhyphenSbDqYGbygIPIbh2kUpMvU7YcAPaEM1qa7kGq3NZtVMc5rpAbdoVeaEor4_E7pSMEhICYLW6NtMfJDSBSKEeqoWe8Hjfi82u_5FnrxWVzSBzMNJTaJKuqT33HaH3cjoRX2D/s1000/late-night-with-the-devil-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3J3rtH94UJWFxTl5IPmtC0Yrf_UN-BP-C8PNMdKHiK6jJSHuyvcwT4QHKhyphenhyphenSbDqYGbygIPIbh2kUpMvU7YcAPaEM1qa7kGq3NZtVMc5rpAbdoVeaEor4_E7pSMEhICYLW6NtMfJDSBSKEeqoWe8Hjfi82u_5FnrxWVzSBzMNJTaJKuqT33HaH3cjoRX2D/w400-h225/late-night-with-the-devil-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">You'd think that if you've seen one possession movie that you've probably seen them all but Aussie brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes put a fun speed on proceedings, using the conceit of the old found footage formula. Imagine a combination of Network, Johnny Carson, The King of Comedy, Angel Heart, Most Haunted and The Exorcist and you're halfway there. A brilliant David Dastmalchian plays Jack Delroy, the host of 70s late night talk show Night Owls. He's desperate to be number one but Johnny Carson is hard to beat and, after the death of his wife Madeleine owing to cancer, the show's ratings are in decline. With it being Sweeps Week, Jack and his producer go all out for a Halloween special in 1977, with guests including psychic Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), magician turned debunker Carmichael (Ian Bliss) and parapsychologist Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) and her patient Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), a 13 year old girl and only survivor of a devil worshipping death cult. June believes that Lilly is possessed by a demon the girl calls Mr. Wiggles. Jack believes this show will make him the most viewed in America. He's right, but not for the reasons he thinks. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi887kMERYNq4tJ6T1cHdm4uF8Z0Yr3aUbMAMAvEmrkGvhodfaFzae3nVl54n1v0DQREEsal0W6X7G5nZi3JqQdZAS_XJh2AqLkvBqbzL_rCdMgH44HWW_UaSCgd_LRk_MGvpBjLcaBN6KWKXZ9H_L7EqDE6uNwitj4dBex9u-Kkm_VxY55snHkiFniIVjw/s1024/LNWTD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi887kMERYNq4tJ6T1cHdm4uF8Z0Yr3aUbMAMAvEmrkGvhodfaFzae3nVl54n1v0DQREEsal0W6X7G5nZi3JqQdZAS_XJh2AqLkvBqbzL_rCdMgH44HWW_UaSCgd_LRk_MGvpBjLcaBN6KWKXZ9H_L7EqDE6uNwitj4dBex9u-Kkm_VxY55snHkiFniIVjw/w400-h225/LNWTD.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Late Night With the Devil's fusing of possession horror with kitsch 1970s talk show culture is a great idea, especially as the period detail - from costumes, camera movements and editing, music and digital grading - makes much of the film really feel as if it could have been found on an old master tape from over 45 years ago, complete with cheesy banter between Jack and stooge Gus (Rhys Auteri). Dastmalchian is pitch perfect as the mix of charm and smarminess that typified the hosts of that era. There's much comedy to be had along the way too before things get darker and more foreboding. The horror beats are well done and Torelli is genuinely creepy as the possessed teenager both when possessed and not. It's not perfect, however: the conceit that someone backstage would be filming private conversations during the ad breaks a stretch while the lengthy opening voiceover (by Michael Ironside no less) gives away too much allowing the viewer to work out the final twist well in advance. However, this is a clever and enjoyable way to dress an old horror cliche in snazzy period clothing to novel effect. </div><p></p><p>70s Rating: ****</p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-63185361525881627232024-03-25T13:06:00.000+00:002024-03-25T13:06:25.382+00:00Doctor Who - Revolution in Space<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WBcpvS9qPyo5YtIvLv4GCxB44Ya7SC4QuI0nTpMZEhP0gch8DdsiP5bJpROtluseG4XQNWDvsX15EIoCNdEhbN52kigmuw0FHLONY6-JYrLlKfasBoGY6H43X-H-8dxLSaIoSwFUmTMgWRGGvBrxDEp3bgfk93uQWH98CJTEt-7k97ObVJVo5GUTUL_u/s600/large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WBcpvS9qPyo5YtIvLv4GCxB44Ya7SC4QuI0nTpMZEhP0gch8DdsiP5bJpROtluseG4XQNWDvsX15EIoCNdEhbN52kigmuw0FHLONY6-JYrLlKfasBoGY6H43X-H-8dxLSaIoSwFUmTMgWRGGvBrxDEp3bgfk93uQWH98CJTEt-7k97ObVJVo5GUTUL_u/w400-h230/large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">If you want a pitch perfect evocation of the mid-1970s Doctor Who of Letts, Dicks and Pertwee, then writer Jonathan Morris and director Nick Briggs are your guys. I listened to this with a big smile on my face, the production so authentic that I could imagine that when I turned on the TV there'd be a report about strikes and blackouts before an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man. Tim Treloar and Sadie Miller are in fine form playing the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith, arriving on a colony in the middle of our solar system's asteroid belt in the 24th Century. There's trouble afoot, a strange ancient alien artefact found in a cavern, dangerous prisoner Zyla Kalstein (Juliet Aubrey) with mind powers and the miners, angry at how Earth has treated them, keen to throw off the shackles of their oppressors and claim independence. Yes, as the title makes clear, there's a revolution in space, and the Doctor and Sarah are caught in the middle. </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qBS5X-yMT_urqEoYD8iCMtlw9fsWQh26_iDKOVDIYHynONdA69slKN2cNh0fr1uxAiN83bwJ-ZxGIntTzHutR-bM0R9Y03SkAOEPGL9SSu-Vuroloy1nyCmUdLVLxRBryq2vPSQ8dlnJYgh7wlaBnsS3-90l6krV2VWeC2lOMvzP_LkiyXQocY2QDBg8/s976/DKvC6TxXcAAasR3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qBS5X-yMT_urqEoYD8iCMtlw9fsWQh26_iDKOVDIYHynONdA69slKN2cNh0fr1uxAiN83bwJ-ZxGIntTzHutR-bM0R9Y03SkAOEPGL9SSu-Vuroloy1nyCmUdLVLxRBryq2vPSQ8dlnJYgh7wlaBnsS3-90l6krV2VWeC2lOMvzP_LkiyXQocY2QDBg8/w400-h225/DKvC6TxXcAAasR3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Morris has that rare gift of writing something authentic to an era of the show without it sounding like a pastiche. Early 70s Who was very much of its time, reflecting the UK political climate and the industrial unrest of the era and the wave of anti-colonial thought too, as reflected by TV story The Mutants. Revolution in Space fits very nicely into this mindscape, with a few barbs thrown at Brexit also. It's also peopled by an interesting bunch of guest characters, from the craven Governor (Richard James) to the militant Rellak (Barry Aird) who seizes control. Then there's the additional element of the alien artefact and its psychic radiation which grants prisoner Kalstein psychic powers. Aubrey is brilliant, a memorable mix of the seductive and the terrifying and easily one of Big Finish's best villains in quite a while. Tom Alexander is great value as the demented Mullins. A great listen. </div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-40791509516044157692024-03-24T08:54:00.000+00:002024-03-24T08:54:32.330+00:00The Gentlemen - Season 1, Episodes 1&2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89i7gU8_m2ffOmMG3DxHJvnhl4XkAaCb8Zd1rEVywmTKMZVn4T1501O8wVVxqpAeawShEzuqd4VAdPn42sbjgEHFbtTe1NB87gDBMmgDwxQeK6BMLisaX1q0kJWGo91dCs5sI_2-8xY3ajyldRqQvrISbrfVzB4RsfuMX0dKSTa9Gps24kJEZa3GmRllM/s999/3UvykSUMc1PWYukeOhjrsgZsD8e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="999" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89i7gU8_m2ffOmMG3DxHJvnhl4XkAaCb8Zd1rEVywmTKMZVn4T1501O8wVVxqpAeawShEzuqd4VAdPn42sbjgEHFbtTe1NB87gDBMmgDwxQeK6BMLisaX1q0kJWGo91dCs5sI_2-8xY3ajyldRqQvrISbrfVzB4RsfuMX0dKSTa9Gps24kJEZa3GmRllM/w400-h313/3UvykSUMc1PWYukeOhjrsgZsD8e.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Though amusing enough, there's something a little too chirpy and glib for me about Guy Ritchie's crime capers. However, this first foray into television, expanding on concepts from the 2019 film of the same name, is some of the director's most enjoyable work in ages. It helps that the usual array of toffs, hardman, gangsters and shysters are given over eight hours to be developed rather than the usual two, this being the closest to rounded characters that Ritchie has ever managed. Theo James headlines as Edward, a soldier called back home to the ancestral pile when his father, the Duke of Hatfield, is dying. Older brother Freddy (Daniel Ings) is expecting to inherit but it's Edward who gets the title and the house in the will. And then the real problems start: Freddy owes £8 million to some Scouse gangsters and there's a secret cannabis production plant under the property, agreed to by the late Duke with Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario), in charge for her father, the formidable, but currently incarcerated Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone). To help with Freddy's debt, Edward reluctantly turns to Susie, setting in motion an alliance of kinds which sets in motion all kinds of complications. As the new Duke starts to get his hands dirty, he needs to decide if he's part of the zoo, or part of the jungle.</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkNkcyT60dhVNdFtboMUUk5mB-QSAz7UVGA_vQz7WHlYpwTrtQ3_Phx_c_Pcz8mUP5Oh_h1eahMVSvDY2ODZYQkXkbYXcbmrm0IkW1ZDXB7JJFUbQVU3VJ-TRRPJNKztzeHgKmfJpUwodwS4h_Rrd4VPLqPNXJ1k6QE3dpGz_ASzM2lSri-tbQgU9oy2C/s1200/AAAAQVNRW-FyUK2ctQUQMH46QUM_AnUegcRGobpIfvaDYM0JENCjIICVTfLwN1JZEIA5JMZD1hEOx-0859z_v65hWszVOlPtcCOZG17as6wYcdSq0_bDiPBPsUl9ihV6oaxy2ysLR_ddoLvb0murKBwd-5XE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1200" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkNkcyT60dhVNdFtboMUUk5mB-QSAz7UVGA_vQz7WHlYpwTrtQ3_Phx_c_Pcz8mUP5Oh_h1eahMVSvDY2ODZYQkXkbYXcbmrm0IkW1ZDXB7JJFUbQVU3VJ-TRRPJNKztzeHgKmfJpUwodwS4h_Rrd4VPLqPNXJ1k6QE3dpGz_ASzM2lSri-tbQgU9oy2C/w400-h211/AAAAQVNRW-FyUK2ctQUQMH46QUM_AnUegcRGobpIfvaDYM0JENCjIICVTfLwN1JZEIA5JMZD1hEOx-0859z_v65hWszVOlPtcCOZG17as6wYcdSq0_bDiPBPsUl9ihV6oaxy2ysLR_ddoLvb0murKBwd-5XE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Ritchie and co-writer Matthew Read fashion an excellent opener which establishes the characters and scenarios well, expertly guiding us through Edward's world and the discoveries he makes. It does a lot of heavy lifting and exposition while still feeling light and breezy. Theo James essays cultured cool, Ings is suitably daffy while Vinnie Jones is as good as I've ever seen him as the estate gamekeeper Geoffrey. Joely Richardson plays the sons' mother while Scodelario is great value as the streetwise businesswoman, chalk to Edward's cheese and with plenty of chemistry between them. The show knows when to throw in a good twist too, Scouse gangster Tommy humiliating Freddy by making him dress and act as a chicken while he videos him only for the toff to fetch his shotgun and shoot Tommy dead. That sets into motion a farce scenario as young Jethro, along to count the money, does a runner and is chased across the estate. Things end seemingly settled though Tommy's brother The Gospel (a terrifying Pearce Quigley) looks like he doesn't entirely trust the story Edward and co tell him about his kin met his end. It's early days, with six still to go, but this looks a very enjoyable watch, with characters with potential and a through line of how dirty Theo's hands will get (by end of episode 2 he's already killed a man). There's also Giancarlo Espositio's anglophile billionaire drug kingpin sniffing around the property too. Looking forward to the rest.</div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-684676314131761622024-03-23T19:46:00.001+00:002024-03-23T19:46:54.420+00:00Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death (1984)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLOJbD1NKyz5rlo4fSSAxordaLrw19qodTsBzX4v6UO9k-88oe5V0oFj6xMmXuljEVVqrmNhyphenhyphenjtF8az8bHIv9z4aQaFSfOmDVic-gAn-ZAfft9_H2Oe6EplP1-XFrAN11Bfz57KOTp-6_NlRiuxpgMPWimtGjPP8O9ZOHUwKa598NYVOMlTPEyb3uskkR/s1337/MV5BMmY2Y2I0Y2EtOGM3NS00ZjJhLTg2OTEtZGVhMDY2NWM2OWExXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTMyMjYwNTA@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1337" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLOJbD1NKyz5rlo4fSSAxordaLrw19qodTsBzX4v6UO9k-88oe5V0oFj6xMmXuljEVVqrmNhyphenhyphenjtF8az8bHIv9z4aQaFSfOmDVic-gAn-ZAfft9_H2Oe6EplP1-XFrAN11Bfz57KOTp-6_NlRiuxpgMPWimtGjPP8O9ZOHUwKa598NYVOMlTPEyb3uskkR/w400-h266/MV5BMmY2Y2I0Y2EtOGM3NS00ZjJhLTg2OTEtZGVhMDY2NWM2OWExXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTMyMjYwNTA@._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Though a TV movie, this Sherlock Holmes drama boasts a fantastic cast worthy of a theatrical feature and a sure hand in seasoned director Roy Ward Baker which makes up for some of the short falls in the script and production budget. Above all, this marks the third and final portrayal of the great detective by Peter Cushing. His favourite role, an elderly Cushing still brings verve and class, matched by a loveable John Mills as Doctor Watson. Long retired, Holmes is in London in 1913 on a visit when asked to help old pal Inspector MacDonald (Gordon Jackson). Three people have died, all with expressions of absolute horror. However, before the great detective can properly investigate, the Home Secretary (Ray Milland), accompanied by German Graf Udo von Felseck (Anton Diffring), tasks Holmes with finding a missing German prince, the stability of Europe at stake. Holmes and Watson go to Felseck's home to investigate only to find one of the guests is none other than Irene Adler (Anne Baxter). Nothing is as it seems. Once again, the game's afoot! </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift1P31-PtYAgUH3IsZT3uSnXT_fq8V4U1F2vkqMbhvD3yktriBBg3fADlBGk3YrgScFELRoHyaHAb9waIIcj7Uq1tjCx76ZDhjyIRmlSydOKJui-ctckpRKvb-SMF48prjcBhuOV0ok5oWFz8XKi9kgT8G_kASOkPbE0XO1gwIy0Rv_9EiQFiE_oR3mr6/s640/MV5BNGM5YjZlYWUtNTgxOC00YzIyLWJkNTgtMzE5YTFiMjU3MGM1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTMyMjYwNTA@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="640" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift1P31-PtYAgUH3IsZT3uSnXT_fq8V4U1F2vkqMbhvD3yktriBBg3fADlBGk3YrgScFELRoHyaHAb9waIIcj7Uq1tjCx76ZDhjyIRmlSydOKJui-ctckpRKvb-SMF48prjcBhuOV0ok5oWFz8XKi9kgT8G_kASOkPbE0XO1gwIy0Rv_9EiQFiE_oR3mr6/w400-h376/MV5BNGM5YjZlYWUtNTgxOC00YzIyLWJkNTgtMzE5YTFiMjU3MGM1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTMyMjYwNTA@._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">As stories go, the original screenplay is not that clever or involved (though to be fair neither were a lot of Conan Doyle's) and the pace is leisurely. There's no real action other than a midway explosion and a scramble in a sewer at the end, and the lighting is rather dark and often looks murky. However, to people of a certain age (of which I am one), there's a simple pleasure in watching these veterans go through their paces. From a generation where acting on TV had much in common with acting on the stage, there's a shared rhythm and cadence in their performances that recalls bank holidays watching old movies on a rainy day, a nostalgia rendered bittersweet by knowing that for many of the cast their careers were winding down. This was Baxter's last role (she died in 1985) but she's spirited as Irene while I would argue that this is Cushing's best performance as Holmes, his growing frailty adding a tender vulnerability, especially in the lovely moment when he tells Watson how much he means to him. Alas, his declining health meant a planned sequel never happened. Worth seeking out (it's on Amazon Prime) if you're a Holmes fan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div>70s Rating: *** <p></p></div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-20732862376264603962024-03-23T09:50:00.001+00:002024-03-23T09:50:36.305+00:00Star Trek - The Animated Series, Part 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx2UQ3lslS_ePWc885nhyphenhyphenwcJ0Toflibk5xphPudKPiZ2OvAEPdr6vbF3M0yHXzok3rd7Keti3_5t6zX6B2zZAuTbRX1SKFF-ZGStpTTTs1KGLjXi0VXyxia8JS7K5vvc30o_WWSEfXYSsM8sJd7fTt71jUclsVPgGmTStstRIKgSWTNTvpOuqQqEidin4/s1609/330aabee2e6057db_stan_sp_hero_landscape.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1609" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx2UQ3lslS_ePWc885nhyphenhyphenwcJ0Toflibk5xphPudKPiZ2OvAEPdr6vbF3M0yHXzok3rd7Keti3_5t6zX6B2zZAuTbRX1SKFF-ZGStpTTTs1KGLjXi0VXyxia8JS7K5vvc30o_WWSEfXYSsM8sJd7fTt71jUclsVPgGmTStstRIKgSWTNTvpOuqQqEidin4/w400-h266/330aabee2e6057db_stan_sp_hero_landscape.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes, Star Trek had a loyal and vocal fanbase in its original 1960s run but it was not a huge success, NBC keen to cancel it after Season 2 and, after relenting, putting the show in a late Friday timeslot where it was guaranteed to fail. However, Star Trek refused to stay dead, syndication meaning the show ended up on channels across America, shown at more friendly times and gathering a huge and growing fanbase. This led to Gene Roddenberry, David Gerrold and Dorothy Fontana, mainstays of the TV show, collaborating once more when the chance of making a Star Trek cartoon came around in 1973, the trio keen to make further adventures that, while child friendly, served as Season 4 as well. For that sense of legitimacy, most of the budget went on paying the original cast (minus poor Mr. Chekov though we do get orange alien navigator Arex with three arms and three legs) to voice their parts at the expense of the animation. Yes, a cartoon Star Trek can animate all manner of things that couldn't be realised on a live TV budget but it can't even give the crew the whites of their eyes while any scene of characters running is done in silhouette. Add to that the ropey new theme tune (Roddenberry and Alexander Courage having fallen out), the shorter episode run time (half a TV episode), less romancing for Captain Kirk and a cast phoning their lines in (metaphorically and often literally) and this pales next to the original run and to the more modern Trek cartoons. However, for devotees of TOS, it has a certain charm.</div><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7i0hS54BiDAnH4_ljxrdjJ-L1OrJCR7dcfb8BLnfOu_BPuLHTnx6OEf98cjuzXRR-UfLuL8npXO6a7uwRTUd66FY_tw46cmABF-GQjYYInwh2OTnNYyyMmVXk8ZQJtRLwpvIgJQXoJ4ZArlhLD6gTpcFwlO08z-L0vOEeRpChlLU5iXYAXFDZ9PXpXPb/s1441/tas1x1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1441" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7i0hS54BiDAnH4_ljxrdjJ-L1OrJCR7dcfb8BLnfOu_BPuLHTnx6OEf98cjuzXRR-UfLuL8npXO6a7uwRTUd66FY_tw46cmABF-GQjYYInwh2OTnNYyyMmVXk8ZQJtRLwpvIgJQXoJ4ZArlhLD6gTpcFwlO08z-L0vOEeRpChlLU5iXYAXFDZ9PXpXPb/w400-h300/tas1x1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The first season at least (Season 1 had 16 episodes, Season 2 only 6) assembled some impressive writing talent, including many who had worked on the original show. We get episodes from Margaret Armen, Samuel Peeples, Dorothy Fontana, Stephen Kandel, director Mark Daniels and even Walter Koenig. Sci-fi titan Larry Niven even offers up one. Of course, this can lead to some feeling like shorter versions of TV episodes, Peeples opener Beyond the Farthest Star something that could have been done in the old show while Daniels' effort One of Our Planets is Missing is also overfamiliar, like a bottle episode from Season 3. The original series could have mounted The Survivor too, with an alien shape changer on board the Enterprise. We even get that old trope of a former girlfriend manipulated by what she thinks is her ex. A few episodes act as follow ups to TV tales too. David Gerrold presents a sequel to his famous TV classic in More Tribbles, More Troubles, even bringing back Cyrano Jones. The animated Enterprise vs. Klingon ship fight isn't any worse than the laborious ones from the late 1960s. Once Upon A Planet acts a sequel to Shore Leave, the Keeper dead and the computer wanting to take over the ship. We even get a return for everyone's favourite sex-trafficker Harry Mudd in Mudd's Passion, a fun runaround as his latest wheeze - love potion crystals - makes Spock fall in love with Nurse Chapel and the whole ship feeling jiggy, Scotty getting frisky with feline crewmember M'Ress. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ica1m4coV4kmjxcyAugsxLaw-6FbIfUyK9NPrJ_E-5kmWzgl8CXl31qkQbyL0CKhpA81E8rP-svEy15SsuznK3RD9_XzrxZ9fPyde_7koyoZiHLW2tps4qPEcXiXjhQ5Q981PWUqFz9TWMyFdsUMP77qARDmkrovZ7348ZEbbE2l93Gi3YEzpDI0Kh78/s578/magicks4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="578" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ica1m4coV4kmjxcyAugsxLaw-6FbIfUyK9NPrJ_E-5kmWzgl8CXl31qkQbyL0CKhpA81E8rP-svEy15SsuznK3RD9_XzrxZ9fPyde_7koyoZiHLW2tps4qPEcXiXjhQ5Q981PWUqFz9TWMyFdsUMP77qARDmkrovZ7348ZEbbE2l93Gi3YEzpDI0Kh78/w400-h286/magicks4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the attempt to make episodes more like the TV version only really highlights the limitations of the format with the cartoon having more success leaning more into the opportunity animation presents to offer the type of stories it would have been hard to manage in live action. The more bonkers The Animated Series is, the better it is. Take the quite marvellous<span style="text-align: justify;"> The Lorelei Signal by Margart Armen which has all the blokes transfixed and then drained of their vitality by the planet of the sexy space blondes, Uhura and Chapel having to lead a party of female security guards to rescue the besotted blokes. However, this pales next to the gloriously mental The Magicks of Megas-tu in which the Enterprise crew finds a magic planet in the middle of the galaxy and team up with none other than Lucifer himself (complete with horns and goat legs) and end up in 17th Century Salem in the stocks before Kirk has a magical battle. This is more like it!</span> Then there's the frankly trippy The Infinite Vulcan from Koenig in which, on the planet of the sentient plants (strong Vervoid vibes), a giant scientist clones a giant Spock (as you do). Just imagine this one back in 1969. You know you'd have loved it. The Terratin Incident is also pleasingly nuts as a ray causes the crew to steadily shrink, Land of the Giants style. Kirk saving Nurse Chapel when she falls in the fish tank is a particular highlight. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaxCtLsBw_vU2yvSm_YjlQSkutasMlH1zjZ7ujDixA5CVwy6t5uLu4D69qOyATeeMGvMBz81RoqnFFYl2o_Iz01unbE0tdWuR80_Uo9GD9TTBfeb-X4DEsi8PvZcHn-4F-8i7G7-gCBstk1Z4fmZSLRbe8J3JT9NF8tq6TSGu3UJBR67gtM6rbt_F5kmE/s640/theloreleisignal7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="640" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaxCtLsBw_vU2yvSm_YjlQSkutasMlH1zjZ7ujDixA5CVwy6t5uLu4D69qOyATeeMGvMBz81RoqnFFYl2o_Iz01unbE0tdWuR80_Uo9GD9TTBfeb-X4DEsi8PvZcHn-4F-8i7G7-gCBstk1Z4fmZSLRbe8J3JT9NF8tq6TSGu3UJBR67gtM6rbt_F5kmE/w400-h301/theloreleisignal7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Though unclear whether the animated show counts as part of official continuity (whatever that means in a fictional universe anyway), a few of the stories add some interesting additions to the overall mythos and expand the backstories of these beloved characters. <span style="text-align: justify;">The money for the animation was paltry but it doesn't take much to draw up a few new backgrounds. DC Fontana understood the opportunities this presented and wrote Yesteryear, possibly the most fondly remembered episode of the Animated Series. After a trip through the Guardian of Forever (you would have thought they'd have learned their lesson), Spock comes back and finds no one knows him. In this new reality, Spock died as a lad. He has to use the Guardian to go to Vulcan and save his seven year old self from death. Fontana understood Spock better than most, showing how the young Vulcan struggled being half human, bullied at school and desperate to impress his father (Mark Lenard returns to voice Sarek). Though basic, the animation depicts a Vulcan it would have been difficult to film on a TV budget. See you back for the second half!</span></div><div><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: justify;">70s Rating: ***</span></div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-17920672998579543082024-03-22T07:34:00.000+00:002024-03-22T07:34:44.125+00:00The Apprentice 2024 - Week Eight<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9y5BoVySEknvJbvrOTu8rCTtKhTbayRCclUKSv3LEm1QELoEtjSvFg43_KC0LN0xvEBG_x8Awk-gv72OaBdQwEK_5s-t5BoeSsCrdWi-vG3X8KTupwld0E4KYOhqPEiUCpe4DNTzFBrj-P5AAFO2EfJn22wImA_Pd2GDekZI50odIaIPFe6wOp6X8LMV2/s1200/p0hl3bty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9y5BoVySEknvJbvrOTu8rCTtKhTbayRCclUKSv3LEm1QELoEtjSvFg43_KC0LN0xvEBG_x8Awk-gv72OaBdQwEK_5s-t5BoeSsCrdWi-vG3X8KTupwld0E4KYOhqPEiUCpe4DNTzFBrj-P5AAFO2EfJn22wImA_Pd2GDekZI50odIaIPFe6wOp6X8LMV2/w400-h225/p0hl3bty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Noor's self-sabotage was a thing of open-mouthed wonder this week. Finally given the chance to show what she could do, the youngest candidate in the process failed epically and was rightly booted out. The task itself was to take electric vehicles, brand them and come up with an advertising campaign. Supream, led by Noor, were given a box van to market to business clients; Nexus, led by Dr. Paul, were given a camper van to market to the leisure sector. This being an advertising task, of course the logos and adverts were awful. For Supream, Phil and Faluso came up with Voltz with a jolly font. One bloke commented that it looked like 'an electric company designed by kids'. Over on Nexus, Flo and Raj had brain freeze before settling on eBnB, which didn't have much to do with a mobile home, and a scribble logo which Lord Sugar opined looked 'like a bleedin' tapeworm'. However, Dr. Paul did have the semblance of an idea for his camper van, though he was typically blown around like a plastic bag in a gale by the force of nature that is Mad Maura, who turned his dull idea into a painfully unfunny Carry On pastiche, though the experts appreciated the effort. The possibility of being stuck in a lift with Maura frankly fills me with terror. She's like a female Mr. Poppy from Nativity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Mg_uxlCFeiUmOqTfndK70TLBN8uuZ729czMLax31frdACvHNMldlvpy8RS5HoZ0UAuuR9aPx8KmIm1hRwAzcfGg8wy_JVg4DZZnqyUI2H4TUYSa8qtXNDsk0P6bcXtZfUTM1wZJ5kXCiiVGrCWqYVt8HaO4pCaS-pjsCUFLNym59eeFJQyjq7juOZt0T/s1200/image-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Mg_uxlCFeiUmOqTfndK70TLBN8uuZ729czMLax31frdACvHNMldlvpy8RS5HoZ0UAuuR9aPx8KmIm1hRwAzcfGg8wy_JVg4DZZnqyUI2H4TUYSa8qtXNDsk0P6bcXtZfUTM1wZJ5kXCiiVGrCWqYVt8HaO4pCaS-pjsCUFLNym59eeFJQyjq7juOZt0T/w400-h209/image-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />That Noor couldn't see that her 'clear vision' was dogsh*t was the tragedy of the young woman. It was clear already that Noor was a bit thick but she also showed herself to be bad at business this week. Maybe it was the arrogance of youth but I feel it was more to do with the fact that Noor was just out of her depth, lucky to have been on the winning team often and to have avoided the boardroom. They say write about what you know, but her concept of basing an ad for the vehicle on her online shop led to an ad that focused on two girls on phones before hurriedly having a stationary van in the background. Poor Tre and Rachel went above and beyond to try to rein her in and to produce a decent ad but were thwarted by her single-mindedness over and over. Tre especially showed amazing patience, proving you could polish a turd by giving a halfway decent pitch of Noor's non vision. Noor showed she couldn't read a room either, continuing to defend her advert even after Lord Sugar had declared it awful. Karren (that's Baroness Brady to you) even waded in, defending Tre's contribution. It wasn't hard for the old scrotum to point the finger and put Noor out of our misery. Good week for Tre, who looks a credible finalist, bad week for Flo who fluffed a second pitch. Next week, the dreaded shopping channel task. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div>70s Rating: ***</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-35690966662951139752024-03-21T16:00:00.000+00:002024-03-21T16:00:33.652+00:00Midnight Special (2016)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4nO2uVlFqaKOtkrQGu_zAud08iAd9DQa2REutpfp-Lsd9tyPOZZafaWEXbBD1lCeL_A6bnQirwk1wnrg27DPYRYo7PEMJTn3YrTlmOnZL9r6B11ARkLNL6b-GqW-MdBhVA9uujMsZgVs5y0tKklyzZwdxt5EkFwegls6s8gYjOtruP1u-g3xKBnRqvuB/s992/ht_midnight_special_film_still_mm_160401_16x9_992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="992" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4nO2uVlFqaKOtkrQGu_zAud08iAd9DQa2REutpfp-Lsd9tyPOZZafaWEXbBD1lCeL_A6bnQirwk1wnrg27DPYRYo7PEMJTn3YrTlmOnZL9r6B11ARkLNL6b-GqW-MdBhVA9uujMsZgVs5y0tKklyzZwdxt5EkFwegls6s8gYjOtruP1u-g3xKBnRqvuB/w400-h225/ht_midnight_special_film_still_mm_160401_16x9_992.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jeff Nichols's film gave me strong late 70s Spielberg, Carpenter and King vibes and makes for an enjoyable watch. Roy Tomlin (Michael Shannon) and friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton) are on the run, having kidnapped eight year old Alton (Jaeden Martell) from his home at the Ranch, a religious cult led by Pastor Meyer (Sam Shepard). Things aren't what they seem, however, Roy being Alton's father and the lad possessing astounding abilities, able to read radio waves from satellites which the Ranch belief are messages from God and has also brought the boy to the attention of the government and NSA agent Paul Sevier (Adam Driver). Hunted both by the authorities and two men sent by the Ranch, Roy uses a network of friends, including Alton's mother Sarah (Kirsten Dunst) to get their son to a specific location, one that will help the youngster get 'home'.</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1rN4gRyX-7e2blZBqeya_JT8jyU1UWqP5XdwS0iHm_RhKMZO3C_RDpiYWCfPY9j5JJEuydDvlmWWRAG7ZKcQHpojQImeujt-wS2xHsS124ReWwszwZy2OE0hH3uX2pSGSHbYdxQi73rkpQFfIixgK_qpHIMyBLoBchqF682v7NlyEZ546BpTIPf8BIa-/s1921/18MIDNIGHT1-superJumbo-v4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1921" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1rN4gRyX-7e2blZBqeya_JT8jyU1UWqP5XdwS0iHm_RhKMZO3C_RDpiYWCfPY9j5JJEuydDvlmWWRAG7ZKcQHpojQImeujt-wS2xHsS124ReWwszwZy2OE0hH3uX2pSGSHbYdxQi73rkpQFfIixgK_qpHIMyBLoBchqF682v7NlyEZ546BpTIPf8BIa-/w400-h235/18MIDNIGHT1-superJumbo-v4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">From the premise above any fan of 70s and 80s classics will recognise elements of ET, Firestarter, Starman and a whole host of other works that have led to modern day homages such as Stranger Things. However, Nichol is not merely tipping a wink at some of the influential films of his youth, Midnight Special a well-made and measured take on the genre. Though having some action - bits of a satellite raining down on a gas station is a highlight - and moments of wonder - Alton develops increasingly amazing powers as the film progresses - this is a film that eschews sentimentality and hyperbole, using the phenomenal to focus on the everyday. At it's heart, the film is about what a father is prepared to sacrifice for his son. The film has a clever visual motif, Alton being initially photosensitive, the film taking place at night until the lad starts to develop, the excellent cinematography from Adam Stone mirroring this, one scene of Alton's first sunrise a visual delight. It's not perfect: Edgerton is superfluous and the film feels distant when it should engage the emotions more; however, this is a finely crafted number.</div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-77736335873574572372024-03-20T18:29:00.001+00:002024-03-20T18:29:13.678+00:00Damsel (2024)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUix_m1WwImBFF9NfFFnUkV98Wq3IfGoydn__R2rXn29XAYcG-UVcHX2Ute6jVkysCtOIJE0kY67UziqlqGBD3KDpnjjjSVI-fai4zPomQ5VZZuOvit-JnzUdmkEUEZXzzt-TMsxOFpCUZagx59_XGFsHR1WW7sQXRXpiH-ZJYYzcPF1EKqJ4iZKicd22_/s1200/AAAAQdjEs0DMuXn4G4kwlPOXj_lGRkw62DOP-KnDztUGgVZVmGJNFBnfIPJ9_nWoMvB8cjJq_np7rtgs5lq1ih1LIXULunCnr8pniKoIP3PQnqgf2BVLlePGfafZOY9yHz7Er6svGPwtzQeM3Y_nOJ6UkdHz.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUix_m1WwImBFF9NfFFnUkV98Wq3IfGoydn__R2rXn29XAYcG-UVcHX2Ute6jVkysCtOIJE0kY67UziqlqGBD3KDpnjjjSVI-fai4zPomQ5VZZuOvit-JnzUdmkEUEZXzzt-TMsxOFpCUZagx59_XGFsHR1WW7sQXRXpiH-ZJYYzcPF1EKqJ4iZKicd22_/w400-h225/AAAAQdjEs0DMuXn4G4kwlPOXj_lGRkw62DOP-KnDztUGgVZVmGJNFBnfIPJ9_nWoMvB8cjJq_np7rtgs5lq1ih1LIXULunCnr8pniKoIP3PQnqgf2BVLlePGfafZOY9yHz7Er6svGPwtzQeM3Y_nOJ6UkdHz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It's Millie Bobby Brown versus a dragon in this enjoyable dark fairytale. Elodie (Brown) is the daughter of Lord Bayford (a confused looking Ray Winstone) who is betrothed to the filthy rich Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), son of the formidable Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright) of Aurea. It's a match that will provide much needed finances for Bayford's impoverished people and Elodie agrees for their sake. However, Henry seems pleasant enough and Elodie's younger sister Floria is enraptured by the splendor of their new in-laws. Alas, all is not what it seems. After the wedding, Elodie is taken to a cave as part of a ceremony and then thrown off a bridge into the depths below. To ward off a vengeful dragon, an ancestor king made a deal to offer up three daughters and the royals of Aurea have been cheating ever since, faking marriages and chucking the poor brides down the cave. All seems lost, the dragon hunting Elodie through the cave system; however, Elodie is no damsel in distress: the dragon and the royals may have bitten off more than they can chew this time. </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmkwykRpY4XqtN1cGZa26aV4vo8TevwnguzBdFaMAqV8KVdvkkvaYdT43Gh7JwZQfzREnNqGcr58fT48Ob0rw4eIqIpKvA-AhcmkGOx3CsJEoM-Zg_sFY8PDuD58XRb1aCDuOQKRtnLA3lbJqnkdNstoidm_XOgNKXlt3ijVzBS0kb-KRIdbtoMmirQ-5/s1200/millie-bobby-brown-damsel-1674048806.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1200" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmkwykRpY4XqtN1cGZa26aV4vo8TevwnguzBdFaMAqV8KVdvkkvaYdT43Gh7JwZQfzREnNqGcr58fT48Ob0rw4eIqIpKvA-AhcmkGOx3CsJEoM-Zg_sFY8PDuD58XRb1aCDuOQKRtnLA3lbJqnkdNstoidm_XOgNKXlt3ijVzBS0kb-KRIdbtoMmirQ-5/w400-h201/millie-bobby-brown-damsel-1674048806.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For a Netflix production, Damsel looks a lot better than usual, apart from the odd, jarring piece of ropey CGI. The locations in Portugal look gorgeous and the sets - both castle and cave - are convincing and very well lit. Angela Bassett plays Elodie's stepmother and Shohreh Aghdashloo does fantastic voice work as the dragon (the best since John Hurt's in Merlin, I'd say). Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo keeps the pace going and manages to make a film which is mostly Brown scurrying around some cave sets involving. As Elodie, much of the film rests of the young actor's shoulders and Brown mostly acquits herself well. True, there's still the whiff of the child actor in her spoken scenes but she scores highly in the more physical moments and makes for a convincing warrior for the film's final third, as badass as the Khalessi herself as the royals of Aurea get their just desserts. As a revisionist fairy tale, Damsel taps into the current vogue of the more recent Disney output and makes for an enjoyable watch. </div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-67324418575240769742024-03-20T11:20:00.004+00:002024-03-20T11:20:56.307+00:00X-Men '97 - Season 1, Episodes 1&2<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvpcQo8IjNrLkHZ11djUSKUpjBSEP98tka9cFaaAil5JmWhm1t18DQ06ffitFyZQToaSgrJHyzIznRGnztUSCCwCJ3t9jmobdVZ1hJprOY51I_1sgke4I_pUAbN0tfjsrI84avvc0iFdlDtCv2KlqLvoqluugd-LOL_Ap4W3o5xSj3tbGJdPbtVHYMmgA/s757/scale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="757" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvpcQo8IjNrLkHZ11djUSKUpjBSEP98tka9cFaaAil5JmWhm1t18DQ06ffitFyZQToaSgrJHyzIznRGnztUSCCwCJ3t9jmobdVZ1hJprOY51I_1sgke4I_pUAbN0tfjsrI84avvc0iFdlDtCv2KlqLvoqluugd-LOL_Ap4W3o5xSj3tbGJdPbtVHYMmgA/w400-h313/scale.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />It's become fashionable to bash Marvel so let's credit them when they get something right: Marvel Animation's continuation of the classic 1990s X-Men cartoon is absolutely wonderful. Over five years between 1992 to 1997, the original was a delight, capitalising on the huge success of the comic book (Chris Claremont and Jim Lee's X-Men #1 in 1991 being the highest selling comic ever up to that point) and having 30 years of narrative to plunder. Like any revival, many fans of the old show were worried that a new version would update too much, taking away what made the first so winning. Well, old fans can relax. Yes, there are changes: the animation has been improved and Rogue now looks like a person and not a porn star, but that's a good thing. If you watch the original, the animation has seriously dated. However, new animators Studio MIR are respectful to the aesthetic, the characters still very much looking the same. Many of the voice cast have returned too, some to essay their original roles and some in new roles. However, where a character has a new voice artist, you'd be hard pressed to notice, the impersonations authentic. It's like it's 1997 for real, Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue and Jubilee, with old pals Bishop and Morph, having never left.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_hkiN8kH5RJjrnOO15NuyBWvvguOlwo3MygBmdn03Hx-TXtYZMfOZodBkxlkQoPlzQQRAXjpSPZG6vw0p0U2Hqu4zctws6cfoP2GXoRr98kK-9m-RENdqH4G6RM1KdmCPmyUT_iWPbzUQAp-i04T0Fxx7wGZNTo5aDRM0uFLhwUULXV7EVjZtXg9A_2u/s1180/1180w_600h_021524_X-Men-1997_00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1180" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_hkiN8kH5RJjrnOO15NuyBWvvguOlwo3MygBmdn03Hx-TXtYZMfOZodBkxlkQoPlzQQRAXjpSPZG6vw0p0U2Hqu4zctws6cfoP2GXoRr98kK-9m-RENdqH4G6RM1KdmCPmyUT_iWPbzUQAp-i04T0Fxx7wGZNTo5aDRM0uFLhwUULXV7EVjZtXg9A_2u/w400-h204/1180w_600h_021524_X-Men-1997_00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Crucially, showrunner Beau DeMayo gets the tone just right too. It would have easy to update the storytelling which was very much the voice of the 1980s and Chris Claremont, the architect of the X-Men's success and who, ironically, had been let go just before the cartoon aired owing to tension with super-artist Jim Lee. Claremont could be humorous but his tales were always earnest, stressing the civil rights parable of the premise. Claremont also remade the comic book into a soap opera. Both of these crucial elements are present and correct with Jean pregnant and then giving birth to Nathan (yes, Cable) and Magneto inheriting the school after Professor X was killed at the end of the fifth season. Looking at this season's plots, we not only get The Trial of Magneto (the classic Uncanny X-Men #200) but iconic storyline Lifeblood to come. DeMayo (who has been moved on like Claremont was) adds a few more current elements, the Friends of Humanity and the X-Cutioner's storming of the trial very much a riff on Trump's insurrection. The style stays true to some of the quirks of the old version though, Storm still having the habit of giving a speech before unleashing her powers and Gambit's off duty fashion sense still hilarious. It's a revival that will delight newbies as well as give old campaigners like me a warm, nostalgic flow. And yes, I can't stop humming the theme tune - and I don't want to.<p></p><p>70s Rating: ****</p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-8868605636237491122024-03-19T15:12:00.000+00:002024-03-19T15:12:37.899+00:00Fall of the House of X #3<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHIav7NSkaqQKcVOf-rGPIY4SORf1AsTPjNsfDP3qizaUZYiW4gxnXBs7nffgxAAqrmzia4dDcaAVhddCB5Zv0oRuODvGwV9AXlBpypQIb6N_wYT4s107SCfmpHyoiq4s1L9u9dWlb327VhphSCVznyBWWH5lUKtTWHSOJIF0O209oK27PAeDn3r6I6Kp/s1280/maxresdefault%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHIav7NSkaqQKcVOf-rGPIY4SORf1AsTPjNsfDP3qizaUZYiW4gxnXBs7nffgxAAqrmzia4dDcaAVhddCB5Zv0oRuODvGwV9AXlBpypQIb6N_wYT4s107SCfmpHyoiq4s1L9u9dWlb327VhphSCVznyBWWH5lUKtTWHSOJIF0O209oK27PAeDn3r6I6Kp/w400-h225/maxresdefault%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The epic that looks set to end the Krakoan era of the X-Men is simmering nicely at the halfway stage, Gerry Duggan moving the numerous pieces of his half and giving the reader some great moments as he advances the overall plot. After being almost annihilated, the mutants are fighting back on many fronts. On Earth, the team led by Emma Frost finally catch up with Dr. Stasis, one of the clones of Mr. Sinister. He thought he had an ace in the hole with Firestar his hostage but Synch soon put paid to that, allowing Emma to take revenge on behalf of all mutantkind. Off the leash, Emma is one of the most fearsome mutants of them all, exacting a terrible price from the geneticist. "I will reach into your disgusting mind and pull forth your nightmares. Your worst, most unhinged fears about mutants, born of your voluminous, bigoted mind. And I promise you it will feel very real." The resulting nightmare scape gives him a fatal heart attack and Firestar turns up in time to roast the corpse into ashes. That's one Sinister that won't be coming back. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg492DOcNXaNGF1kqol7d4HjWQXOBacuItS6X44WRoCA3joKj9dwNGki9AgMIZke3hYyuUvhgpurEKr4bPx-hdxtr_oJ9O1Au5LpXvO-Pv-XBiBdMA0Tgqv8em2yKea6vSM3tC9ujv9y_kE_IuuERurZsWx2nmYO4_gj5Yui7km2lhviLFwlb_sYF-QlveI/s1800/Fall-of-the-House-of-X-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg492DOcNXaNGF1kqol7d4HjWQXOBacuItS6X44WRoCA3joKj9dwNGki9AgMIZke3hYyuUvhgpurEKr4bPx-hdxtr_oJ9O1Au5LpXvO-Pv-XBiBdMA0Tgqv8em2yKea6vSM3tC9ujv9y_kE_IuuERurZsWx2nmYO4_gj5Yui7km2lhviLFwlb_sYF-QlveI/w400-h225/Fall-of-the-House-of-X-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The cavalry is coming from beyond the Earth too, with the Big A himself, Apocalypse, back on Mars/Arakko and rallying the mutants banished from Earth. But how to get back to Earth when Orchis disabled all the Krakoan gates? Cue Rogue and her beau the Ragin' Cajun Gambit, being given the location of porting mutant Manifold to bring the forces back to Earth on a Sword spaceship that appears next to the existing one, striking a defiant X in the heavens, just in time to save Juggernaut who had been bravely trying to stop Orchis destroying Krakoa (the island actually a mutant as well, remember). Rogue had been given Manifold's location from her foster mother Destiny and, this being Destiny, we got the usual Mystic Meg meets Ted Rogers on 3-2-1 prediction. "I see kings clashing in white, black after the death of the Red Queen." Alrighty then. Add a 'Jovian bolt from the heavens', 'a false captain' and a 'fool who speaks the truth [who] will pay the price' and it's all as clear as mud but wonderfully ominous. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_QcLVuh3OO81lNw1CX3cD_ZjWV9Xzf0rQXLL_JMSSK4P3oDPJspawUTLIQATggOGkb5apnJqpn5DnrM2zY31QaWTHaYCF2vll0Llp9ggRkPnuWbAO-qg2QZgvMTcb0mEG29StQgVhyphenhyphenBz4brEJoRrsCC1rJF4i351HdplIkLHGP8SEVHry-QhxW-5eIMv/s3056/23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_QcLVuh3OO81lNw1CX3cD_ZjWV9Xzf0rQXLL_JMSSK4P3oDPJspawUTLIQATggOGkb5apnJqpn5DnrM2zY31QaWTHaYCF2vll0Llp9ggRkPnuWbAO-qg2QZgvMTcb0mEG29StQgVhyphenhyphenBz4brEJoRrsCC1rJF4i351HdplIkLHGP8SEVHry-QhxW-5eIMv/w260-h400/23.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Orchis was an unholy coalition of bigoted anti-mutant humans and AI, led by Nimrod and the Omega Sentinel. As the human members celebrated mutantkind's emasculation, the AIs plotted behind the scenes. Orchis was 'a shiny bauble,' Nimrod opined, "flashed in front of fleshy eyes," designed to pit man and mutant against each other while AI watched and waited. Orchis scientist Dr. Gregor had worked out something was wrong and freed Cyclops from his captivity in France. She was especially concerned about what was happening in Sentinel City, a mining facility on Venus. Why had none of the ore made it back to Earth? Gregor and Scott found Nimrod working out of Scott's old home on the Moon. Before the android escaped, he had time for one last gloat. "Sentinel City is not any outpost or mine. It's a tool to sterilise this hellish planet once and for all." Apparently, next issue, the Earth shall burn. Another excellent instalment, this chapter of the mutant saga going out in style. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">70s Rating: ****</p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-52827444983461613272024-03-18T16:05:00.000+00:002024-03-18T16:05:29.168+00:00Doctor Who: The War Doctor Begins - Enemy Mine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZYmVxTjfiJp7accOjXFUSocx47hkcXGnAzT52eVL6hCc_gzMxgi-MSmC4WwUr8buXkdwQSQCpu5GQd4OA_TvCzAkMe2APZdCHKEt6iwAR9bULdEjxFfjU_dKFw-NJESpw38JhWcpZHbyfTxmkaaC7RqKbkRIFTnlVhiIG72PL2I2koJSvoE_LqkTcIkI/s599/ccc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="599" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZYmVxTjfiJp7accOjXFUSocx47hkcXGnAzT52eVL6hCc_gzMxgi-MSmC4WwUr8buXkdwQSQCpu5GQd4OA_TvCzAkMe2APZdCHKEt6iwAR9bULdEjxFfjU_dKFw-NJESpw38JhWcpZHbyfTxmkaaC7RqKbkRIFTnlVhiIG72PL2I2koJSvoE_LqkTcIkI/w400-h248/ccc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Apparently the last (for now) for Jonathon Carley's War Doctor Begins series, Enemy Mine resolves the saga of the Doctor and his former companion Case (Ajjad Awad), a cyborg created by the Daleks as a deadly weapon who has gone over to the pepperpots after thinking the Doctor abandoned her. The Doctor meanwhile believed Case to have died and has been grieving until Veklin (Beth Chambers) urges him into the fight once more, which brings the Doctor and Case back together again. Awad herself writes opener The Hybrid's Choice and it's an engaging piece, the Daleks giving Case a kind of therapist to apparently help her balance her past, showing her glimpses of her childhood before she was converted. Of course, it's all lies but the Doctor is unable to convince his friend to come with him. Case seems fully allied to the Dalek cause in the second, Fear Nothing by Mark Wright. Commodore Tamasan (Adele Anderson) wants the Doctor to pilot the first Dreadnaught TARDIS, a battle TARDIS that eclipses all others. However, Case has been sent to destroy it. Awkward...</div><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUA8PGtQXk4TzysX2a6CIJEEbjS65ibUPOTjGpkvVX98S58_Le1_VGNxPbALjmF53uiEqVWpGuPCrwApPSd5lYUOnU7fADIm1YRI22oEFwbsrNzrVnulpzQ6JWazwy147wvzOLD_V5vhxT1BlMs9YegF_8uS9FpZ8Skje4IuKFn6KU6AYlENNvqnQYJMu/s570/hurt-mcgann-war-white.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="570" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUA8PGtQXk4TzysX2a6CIJEEbjS65ibUPOTjGpkvVX98S58_Le1_VGNxPbALjmF53uiEqVWpGuPCrwApPSd5lYUOnU7fADIm1YRI22oEFwbsrNzrVnulpzQ6JWazwy147wvzOLD_V5vhxT1BlMs9YegF_8uS9FpZ8Skje4IuKFn6KU6AYlENNvqnQYJMu/w400-h255/hurt-mcgann-war-white.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The script aims to offer us Die Hard on a spaceship but most of it is our characters trying to avoid each other. However, Anderson's Tamasan is always good value, a fun foil for the crusty War Doctor. We also get an interesting character in Runa (Tiegan Byrne) an engineer who shares a psychic link with the Dreadnaught TARDIS. The set, and this chapter of the War Doctor's life, ends with Matt Fitton's Exit Strategy. Case has been targeted for assassination and the War Doctor accepts the job. However, Case finds a different Doctor coming to her aid as the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) arrives on the Dalek Strategist's secret base. All is not as it seems though. This is a good play, Fitton contrasting the Eighth with the War Doctor and also bringing in the hopeful Time Lord the Nurse (David Montieth). The saga of Case is brought to an elegant conclusion and displays that, though different, there's still a good dose of the Doctor in the Warrior. If this is the end of the regular adventures of the War Doctor, this is a solid point to stop. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-25348218536961086012024-03-17T08:51:00.000+00:002024-03-17T08:51:08.300+00:00The Beekeeper (2024)<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvviVpuZBzJ-SfNrJsJbkj3gFYyvh56HyILrfjclRG8gh1lkWZSsxq5qnhiFHuKfU-iBLe0caybdGSQqwiRON7iSdOB-tNAb1TammUm4r5riAzBEjLQ0III2szgtH7scIje0qWHVyO92qhb2ni0Wd1RJ7XxecNF0-7SZ4A8kmEOW-WkSTFwXrbCv6ar_ac/s1280/1_ocYtMd-OnB9EdYtlpucXEQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvviVpuZBzJ-SfNrJsJbkj3gFYyvh56HyILrfjclRG8gh1lkWZSsxq5qnhiFHuKfU-iBLe0caybdGSQqwiRON7iSdOB-tNAb1TammUm4r5riAzBEjLQ0III2szgtH7scIje0qWHVyO92qhb2ni0Wd1RJ7XxecNF0-7SZ4A8kmEOW-WkSTFwXrbCv6ar_ac/w400-h225/1_ocYtMd-OnB9EdYtlpucXEQ.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Jason Statham's latest can't decide whether it wants to be The Equalizer or Commando and ends up taking itself too seriously and ending up ridiculous. If being married to Bill Cosby wasn't bad enough, Phylicia Rashad's retired teacher Mrs. Parker is targeted by an online phishing scam that clears out her bank accounts, the old dear subsequently killing herself. A shame she didn't check with her daughter Verona WHO IS IN THE ACTUAL FBI before hitting send then. It's a bigger shame for the scammers though, as nice old Mrs. Parker was renting a barn to Adam Clay (the Stat with a bizarre transatlantic accent), who was storing the honey from his bees. Turns out as well as being a beekeeper, Clay is also A BEEKEEPER, a kind of Manchester City of the intelligence world, like John Wick, Rambo and James Bond all rolled into one. Though retired, Clay still believes it is his job to protect the hive from attack and follows the scammers up the chain, leading to a company led by Wallace, the former director of the CIA (Jeremy Irons), that's being used by Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson, the son of the President of the United States (UNIT's Jemma Redgrave). Yes, it is that bonkers. You can throw as many FBI agents, Secret Service personal and mercenaries with dubious accents as you like. The Beekeeper is coming.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAo5lOHZG3VhtJXZHqhiCOPDYGfsQAEZ6ZG-gceiHALMls_J9praCJhCgKHNYhyUwIVeNPF24X_3RrxpgYjipku_lQd6eD65nmdwZ0JA6_fEkT2VO7-vpZD-qvfHzz3a-TPH3D-acmpGbk-UsX_v1cuOrylbWMHjI_22GSELrABqTL0kAIbXWB2i-cqTpK/s1080/MV5BNmNlNTM3ODktOTUxYy00NjViLTlkZWEtMmZlNmVmMGVlYjc4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU0NjA4Njk3._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAo5lOHZG3VhtJXZHqhiCOPDYGfsQAEZ6ZG-gceiHALMls_J9praCJhCgKHNYhyUwIVeNPF24X_3RrxpgYjipku_lQd6eD65nmdwZ0JA6_fEkT2VO7-vpZD-qvfHzz3a-TPH3D-acmpGbk-UsX_v1cuOrylbWMHjI_22GSELrABqTL0kAIbXWB2i-cqTpK/w400-h266/MV5BNmNlNTM3ODktOTUxYy00NjViLTlkZWEtMmZlNmVmMGVlYjc4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTU0NjA4Njk3._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">David Ayer made much of the fact that his Suicide Squad was butchered by Warner Brothers but the awkward tonal inconsistencies that blighted that movie are present here too. The Beekeeper should be a glorious 80s throwback as our relentless man-muscle fights his way through an increasingly colourful array of opponents. The Stat is great at this sort of thing too, able to go through the choreography with a genuine sense of crunch and grit. However, what should be a guilty pleasure is initially treated dead straight by all involved which would be fine if the plot didn't so much jump the shark as take the shark skydiving, especially Kurt Wimmer's script which comes across as if AI did it. If played with a wink to the audience, Clay's successor being a mad woman in a pink leather coat would be fine. Played seriously, it's just jarring and makes a nonsense of the concept. The supporting cast struggle to find the right tone too. The Umbrella Academy's Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona plays it seriously while Irons and Hutcherson lay on the ham thick. Minnie Driver turns up for about five minutes. Clay is as indestructible as John Wick until Ayer decides he isn't in a fight with a South African in awful clothes (Taylor James) that must be a homage to Commando's Bennett. Get a more consistent action director and some good one liners for Statham (Steven E DeSouza is only 76 - ring him up!) and we might have a more enjoyable sequel on our hands. </div><p></p><p>70s Rating: ***</p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-54389186887266614282024-03-16T11:19:00.002+00:002024-03-16T11:19:54.626+00:00The Invincible Iron-Man #15 / X-Men #32<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6yEK0ei6cUz5bruaNNCMbGxWDRSg4E7QTjUMAbxxBXEgt-FaSZmgQPft4Z7qLh6W4-ZsrhpMG0MqElcS55KLnOfm5wahP0fM7jDk5Roqx1Hfo1tiF9390do7D6qU_D3gIZbhkjdWJZmMVnCo6Dr1IBwCn5mE_6-1687UqVuNEiXOyiXdO8o6lJkzcgES/s1280/maxresdefault%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6yEK0ei6cUz5bruaNNCMbGxWDRSg4E7QTjUMAbxxBXEgt-FaSZmgQPft4Z7qLh6W4-ZsrhpMG0MqElcS55KLnOfm5wahP0fM7jDk5Roqx1Hfo1tiF9390do7D6qU_D3gIZbhkjdWJZmMVnCo6Dr1IBwCn5mE_6-1687UqVuNEiXOyiXdO8o6lJkzcgES/w400-h225/maxresdefault%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">With Gerry Duggan writing X-Men as well as Iron Man, Tony Stark's world has collided with mutantkind, his tech being purloined by the nefarious Feilong of anti-mutant group Orchis to make a battalion of Stark Sentinels with his tech to attack the X-Men with. Tony has thrown his lot in with the mutant resistance, including marrying Emma Frost and tasking Ironheart and Forge with making an armada in space from mutant metal mysterium. Tony fears this battle may kill him and almost falls foul of a robot assassin with adamantium claws sent to the Hellfire Club leading to a smackdown in which he's aided by Emma in her diamond form. Cue Tony's latest armour, a frankly lovely looking piece of work, the Mark 74 coated in mysterium. Just time for Tony to give Emma a pair of energy blasting knuckle dusters ('HELL' on one, 'FIRE' on the other) and a kiss and then off to the Australian Outback. All this is diverting enough but Iron Man is not the title it once was at the height of the MCU Iron Man films' popularity (ah, those Matt Fraction days). Still, we're promised a Power Rangers style scrap between Stark and Feilong in giant robot suits in issue #16. I'm in.</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88bLpl36ztcjoglZxH9-z-i1wLi7kkJU_GLpqHJm9z9c28K7GEVZ6x-SLF6JMLX9lUNDEg31hVPA-PjXIoLzXgbXQW6uiCAxqOOrY5VXlwyQ4RpPE_CpXu8BLq-SzWlpgqDIZJrZhrP8BkSucx_Hrqt37qI1FMmkxKTSFztlHEKP4k_cs70DiD2mfVsA8/s600/large-5781890-600x350.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88bLpl36ztcjoglZxH9-z-i1wLi7kkJU_GLpqHJm9z9c28K7GEVZ6x-SLF6JMLX9lUNDEg31hVPA-PjXIoLzXgbXQW6uiCAxqOOrY5VXlwyQ4RpPE_CpXu8BLq-SzWlpgqDIZJrZhrP8BkSucx_Hrqt37qI1FMmkxKTSFztlHEKP4k_cs70DiD2mfVsA8/w400-h234/large-5781890-600x350.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In X-Men #32 the fightback also continues, Duggan writing both leading to some nice tie-ins, especially Emma saving captured mutants with her knuckle dusters. However, it's besties Shadowkat and Magik that take centre stage, Magik having been affected by nanobots that have robbed her of her powers and are slowly killing her. However, one thing the franchise has championed since the Claremont days has been the power of the mutant sisterhood, Magik not alone as first best pal Kitty, aka Shadowkat, and Polaris arrive to help her (not forgetting dragon pal Lockheed), Polaris using her magnetism to (painfully) purge her system of the robotic menace. And just in time too as some Stark Sentinels turn up to crash the reunion. In other news, Scott 'Cyclops' Summers finds himself freed from incarceration by a most unlikely new ally, Dr. Gregor, one of the principal scientific architects of Orchis. However, while the human side of the anti-mutant organisation has been congratulating itself, Gregor has noticed that their AI 'allies' seem to be planning something on the sly. Just what is Nimrod up to? Tune into Fall of the House of X #3 for the answers, true believers!</div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ***</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-19098868470630022772024-03-15T19:52:00.000+00:002024-03-15T19:52:10.502+00:00The Apprentice 2024 - Week Seven<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7H-zUXTLDc-XRUPJ1Ktf6-7QaI46Do_2Xjeuc8kDWAMXlRRrxsEng3poLbrdCCg3Ckjpz43wCc4UeJFPWphKgCqsR8fdRUJgtU8PELWccIDcPrmubNCz396SOmsd1YFORGI-B3cFOHUcK-xMbpluKHhL4vdeobgWypbxEM4RyQ3Eixqsmk-c_n8JAs6c/s640/p0hjnskl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7H-zUXTLDc-XRUPJ1Ktf6-7QaI46Do_2Xjeuc8kDWAMXlRRrxsEng3poLbrdCCg3Ckjpz43wCc4UeJFPWphKgCqsR8fdRUJgtU8PELWccIDcPrmubNCz396SOmsd1YFORGI-B3cFOHUcK-xMbpluKHhL4vdeobgWypbxEM4RyQ3Eixqsmk-c_n8JAs6c/w400-h225/p0hjnskl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">With the herd whittled down after six weeks (with DJ Virdi still inexplicably remaining), the wannabe business partners of Lord Sugar were tasked this week with selling tours in Budapest (remember that, Noor? BUDAPEST). With the teams reshuffled (DJs reunited), Maura took charge of Nexus with the team deciding on a wine tour. Rachel project managed Supream with a boat tour down the Danube. Owing to Noor's religion, she was allowed to switch to Supream, though whether this was to their betterment was dubious. Things followed the usual pattern, with half the teams flogging tickets while the rest sorted out the tours. Rachel made a great deal on bargaining a boat hire at a third of the initial asking price while Flo made copious notes on the various aspects of wine making. Being abroad seemed to regress the males of the groups, Pie man Phil and Virdi giddy flogging tickets while Dr. Paul and Steve couldn't stop giggling at Flo saying the word 'suck'. Of course, the teams gradually lowered their ticket prices and offered the Earth, DJ Virdi giving tickets away for peanuts. </div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53JzOrYH8-UXAOn9w5qJ2TkMIuM4toGSBQfWIyeTulm7qLERq2oSj_PZU7oJUM6UGlK5tsLVvSa2UD2TzXKcRSgLPZtMIhxmiEKytVS70bU29EzZMH0ox7qfBpCtkqYyM6UJqIEy2mhnLVKGUoJdV2VHkvhj6lVMrQOxM5k6_VgYVCESKF84WvHtIxvlN/s1080/65af7e1223000020008074e0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53JzOrYH8-UXAOn9w5qJ2TkMIuM4toGSBQfWIyeTulm7qLERq2oSj_PZU7oJUM6UGlK5tsLVvSa2UD2TzXKcRSgLPZtMIhxmiEKytVS70bU29EzZMH0ox7qfBpCtkqYyM6UJqIEy2mhnLVKGUoJdV2VHkvhj6lVMrQOxM5k6_VgYVCESKF84WvHtIxvlN/w266-h400/65af7e1223000020008074e0.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />Do some of these candidates go on the show just to make a show of themselves? After the amazing Flo gathered loads of facts about the plonk, Maura swapped her out to lead the tour, knowing next to nothing about the booze and trying to sneak in some yoga exercises instead in the dullest tour ever. Luckily, Flo still had a role to play, in a wine tasdting follow up. "I've just got to put it in my mouth but not swallow," commented Raj, Steve luckily out of earshot as she and Flo got a bit squiffy and then started talking over each other. Phil meanwhile made some strudel and looked the part of a chef for once. Despite Maura being a doofus, they made more profit and the punters loved Flo and Raj. Lucky, lucky Maura. The punters loved Supream's tour too but they sold tickets for far less. That put the selling team in the firing line, Foluso and seven times losing DJ Virdi brought back in by Rachel. The international DJ's luck had finally run out. Good week for Flo and, even though she lost, Rachel but this was another underwhelming instalment of an underwhelming series. Where have all the interesting candidates gone?</div><div><br /></div><div>70s Rating: **</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-15267735660547148872024-03-15T11:21:00.002+00:002024-03-15T11:21:45.517+00:00Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1974)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-crVWPB-PxBC5KwHLKjIn9_lJDCZy2Vabp1NikboDZOQoOLFRkJK9fuCnBdkebnekrAA50PoKdQLL43UQtCoewXiXj71_WR4LBwN9FNp0qL6vtFjBAfRFPF-09Y_-d1WGcjviAyfo20lsh4GPHZKkVoI0K1mR14PhamF4tYB-5HpGtCOcVHl08mQ-E0H/s750/cronos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="750" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-crVWPB-PxBC5KwHLKjIn9_lJDCZy2Vabp1NikboDZOQoOLFRkJK9fuCnBdkebnekrAA50PoKdQLL43UQtCoewXiXj71_WR4LBwN9FNp0qL6vtFjBAfRFPF-09Y_-d1WGcjviAyfo20lsh4GPHZKkVoI0K1mR14PhamF4tYB-5HpGtCOcVHl08mQ-E0H/w400-h224/cronos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">At the tail end of horror studio Hammer's reign, Avengers legend Brian Clemens only directorial outing could be easily dismissed. However, Captain Kronos is a fun watch, a vampire flick with a dash more swash than usual with some good location work and some familiar British character actors sprinkled throughout. A vampire is on the loose in a sleepy village in Medieval Europe, not killing his nubile female victims but draining them of their youth instead, the victims turned into withered old women. Lucky then, that vampire hunter Captain Kronos (Horst Janson) and his assistants, the hunchbacked Professor Grost (John Cater) and local girl Carla (Caroline Munro) are about, assisted by the Captain's old army pal Dr. Marcus (John Carson). Could there be a link to the wealthy Durward family? Can the trusty Kronos and his crew work out a way to stop this monster's blood-sucking ways before more women are attacked?</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k-xSaTxOHwefm5pSUsf5tNdEGU7pYwCNlu3wwsPGyZeZLd5X4dot6Y7kSth97kp0HZ1PAX7JTGwnGOr-O_6GKyS_4GOzqViln_k8XsRCr6tKD7kgqV0tyhesq2pp16nNakF2eQ8ap4rKxvxCG9mdwUNs4HyR8j6AS0vxMGkBl2McW8olfWy2rc0ticM8/s872/caroline-puzzled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="872" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k-xSaTxOHwefm5pSUsf5tNdEGU7pYwCNlu3wwsPGyZeZLd5X4dot6Y7kSth97kp0HZ1PAX7JTGwnGOr-O_6GKyS_4GOzqViln_k8XsRCr6tKD7kgqV0tyhesq2pp16nNakF2eQ8ap4rKxvxCG9mdwUNs4HyR8j6AS0vxMGkBl2McW8olfWy2rc0ticM8/w400-h235/caroline-puzzled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Captain Kronos was hoped to be the first of several films for the swashbuckling vampire hunter. Alas, poor box office and Hammer's travails meant this was one and done. This is a bit of a shame as Clemens writes an enjoyable screenplay and is no slouch as a director, making the effort to set up some interesting shots, especially when the monster is stalking its victims. There's also some fun cameos for well known faces, Ian Hendry turning up as bully boy villager Kerro, Shane Briant as Paul Durward, Wanda Ventham as his withered matriarch and John Hollis as the barman. There are a few darkly comic touches and a rather splendid old school sword fight at the end. Monro is gorgeous and Janson looks the part, even if his thick German accent is dubbed. A premise ripe for a reboot, methinks. </div><p></p><p>70s Rating: ***</p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-61581762128347865332024-03-14T19:56:00.000+00:002024-03-14T19:56:18.860+00:00Dead X-Men #2 & #3<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KOLBnTohgkX-FFeBoGXGEIg-QH05a0RCma2PM5mswQDEwI40-9setpgM7h-eTeE301Va_YK6RP-PUQVcMqR4XtlyzHyGQw_Q4gzengvyUMfPrFobWdsN28Nsiqu2EBskPiSDzDyzFaUJfX906cri4qSuWkeFGr7QNUswcecUInL_he0f0TB8wP4Cb-Q8/s633/background.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="633" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KOLBnTohgkX-FFeBoGXGEIg-QH05a0RCma2PM5mswQDEwI40-9setpgM7h-eTeE301Va_YK6RP-PUQVcMqR4XtlyzHyGQw_Q4gzengvyUMfPrFobWdsN28Nsiqu2EBskPiSDzDyzFaUJfX906cri4qSuWkeFGr7QNUswcecUInL_he0f0TB8wP4Cb-Q8/w400-h234/background.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">With mutantkind fighting for survival in the Fall and Powers books, a few play around in the sides of the sandbox. Steve Foxe's Dead X-Men had a solid debut issue with five recently resurrected mutants - Prodigy, Frenzy, Cannonball, Jubilee and Dazzler - being sent into the past timelines of Moira X, co-founder of Krakoa and now their bitterest enemy. Sent into one of Moira's previous lives to discover intel - Prodigy having mindreading powers - the quintet inadvertently showed an older cyborg Moira that travelling to alternate Moira timelines was possible. She's now hopping about realities too, potentially causing catastrophic damage, especially if Cyber-Moira somehow makes it to the reality where Professor X is trying to negotiate with a young Moira. Dead X-Men #2 has the group arrive in a Moira's seventh life, in which she killed the Trasks who made the Sentinels. However, Cyber-Moira has now arrived and killed Henry Gyrich too, leading to a Hank Pym made bunch of Ultron Sentinels instead. The team realise they have no choice: "We have to find Moira and put her down. By any means necessary."</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfMqaR5KrQEWXfqBhaz5-aA1IOW6efHLtRpKyYHYVL24MbgDGFHgRN6aSiNYFC-aqvIKnxm2pfdaCumt5TDU6QV2x8dglUXQuHTnl5LW6OkjWqHU7D76zikR9r8KnQ-PlKW8opU10YAnviiklVJ3unKeFurwSmSVwRYsLfMKUEC204kmd7bpKETQaZQol/s420/9282327-wwww.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfMqaR5KrQEWXfqBhaz5-aA1IOW6efHLtRpKyYHYVL24MbgDGFHgRN6aSiNYFC-aqvIKnxm2pfdaCumt5TDU6QV2x8dglUXQuHTnl5LW6OkjWqHU7D76zikR9r8KnQ-PlKW8opU10YAnviiklVJ3unKeFurwSmSVwRYsLfMKUEC204kmd7bpKETQaZQol/w400-h320/9282327-wwww.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Issue #3 has the team trying to find Moira's first life but ending up in her fifth instead, coming up against a collection of X-Men both similar and different to the ones they know. During the obligatory scrap, Cyber-Moira turns up. Awks. With different artists on scribbling duties each issue and with a lot of issue 3 largely the team stood by a waterfall soul-searching the best way forward, Dead X-Men feels a little bit of a rush job, a tie-in that's only been partially thought through. There's some fun to be had with Cyber-Moira or the team jumping into a series of What If? scenarios, from a quick visit to Apocalypse's pyramid to the remnants of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Moments, but none of this really adds up to a fast-paced story and Foxe doesn't seem too interested in any meaningful character work for a quintet in real need of some care and attention in the X-Men universe. Let's hope it builds to a finale that makes reading it worth it.</div><p></p><p>70s Rating: ** </p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-88136234674725650662024-03-14T08:40:00.000+00:002024-03-14T08:40:19.949+00:00Doctor Who - Buried Threats<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-oUJhj9ufjh50PvqxH16fepgi7f-jm3WrAzO9VMgjI0YdaB_Pfpts8aV_XXNBI2eVxqvocLmVYMXC-UeR1_3L14E0aD577OpdgIwmzzYigEQ3kOeEjIoDCvEQZI75e-K_1CrIEf6B51nsaEoQbLim_GqKlktkUsi3kvCoUiGUGGpUNTxDvsvIoKD9d45/s599/large%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="599" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-oUJhj9ufjh50PvqxH16fepgi7f-jm3WrAzO9VMgjI0YdaB_Pfpts8aV_XXNBI2eVxqvocLmVYMXC-UeR1_3L14E0aD577OpdgIwmzzYigEQ3kOeEjIoDCvEQZI75e-K_1CrIEf6B51nsaEoQbLim_GqKlktkUsi3kvCoUiGUGGpUNTxDvsvIoKD9d45/w400-h231/large%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the most reluctant of Doctors, the Ecc has now clocked up a formidable amount of audio hours for Big Finish and here he is for another three adventures, all linked together by the loosest of themes. Much like his television series, Ecclestone's Ninth Doctor on audio is a live wire, bounding from historical locales to the present day and then alien planets. In the first, A Theatre of Cruelty by Lisa McMullin, the Doctor teams up with nineteenth century theatre pioneer Antonin Artaud (Alexander Vlahos). He's just starting out with his immersive theatre, using the story of Beatrice, a sixteenth century Roman hanged for killing her abusive father, having had dreams about her. However, when aspects of those dreams manifest, the Doctor realises there is more at play than Artaud's frenzied imagination. Ecclestone and Vlahos makes a winning combination and McMullin has obviously done her research; however, the rushed ending solved by positive vibes and the sonic screwdriver is a bit crap. It's 21st Century Halifax that the Doctor finds trouble in Mark Wright's The Running Men. A much needed development run by businesswoman Avenley (Pooky Quesnel) hides a macabre secret. What exactly is the power of the blade of the Gibbet, the execution device used centuries before? </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLEMPaZHA50huLqjwwMcOa-YjUZjJ0yyKWnrcAdlZhyphenhyphenLbbLCX6CIsRhpsd5EcoGpzkVJokOl3XaiPYbmgllYgJb9mcCcsRsGlKtuYyB_sK9QJWhWxeU2XrpPgn7kiSn4GkRmAfOX_-2LwFcv32tE-t7NhtYb4QDQn9Xo83K4C_yPuUwgiCAmPfsOkCF0n/s1417/A-Theatre-of-Cruelty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLEMPaZHA50huLqjwwMcOa-YjUZjJ0yyKWnrcAdlZhyphenhyphenLbbLCX6CIsRhpsd5EcoGpzkVJokOl3XaiPYbmgllYgJb9mcCcsRsGlKtuYyB_sK9QJWhWxeU2XrpPgn7kiSn4GkRmAfOX_-2LwFcv32tE-t7NhtYb4QDQn9Xo83K4C_yPuUwgiCAmPfsOkCF0n/w400-h400/A-Theatre-of-Cruelty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This is another enjoyable romp in the Davies style with the Doctor teaming up with local historian Frank and Sergeant Ambika Desai (Simon Rouse and Fiona Wade). Having been to Halifax, I liked all the various references and the cast are all on fine form. However, the plot is bobbins, even for Doctor Who, and it would have been nice if we could have had a few quieter moments. With the death of David Warner, both acting foil and real life partner to Lisa Bowerman, I wondered if the actress might retire as Benny Summerfield. Luckily, she's still on board, with a new set of adventures due and a guest spot in Ancient History by Matt Fitton. It's also a nice way to show how this Doctor is different to the others, the Ninth trying to hide who he is from his former companion at an archeological dig he is desperate to stop unearthing a secret. Fitton writes this Doctor well, still jocular but with a tad more steel as well, more in keeping with the one I remember from 2005. The plot is a good one too, with a Time Lord sentient weapon from the Time War having brought a warlike race long extinct back into the present. As for Bowerman, she's on fine form, Benny being Big Finish's original star and going strong 25 years later, older, a little wiser but still wielding that trowel and dishing out the sarcastic comebacks. Overall, a highly enjoyable trio of tales.</div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-63114168254577756462024-03-13T11:17:00.000+00:002024-03-13T11:17:42.455+00:00Bosch: Legacy - Season 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpSm6QZp_HamM_ASF2ZO0wXyC-E0J_Dx5E_pz_kTIwTDFig7IQHEe5D24jaAOp0PtsYMksdnVmVrR5S145AsvpIP0kH0Y13XDDPNFVaNr4Df1fjpcagJLZKDwAKo_vKG0V1wFoaqbKaHW_Q5kgQnSixT02064DOGRZZQeocPDT9PeAjtqIt9b1aZZwVIQ/s1024/Untitled-39-1024x576.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpSm6QZp_HamM_ASF2ZO0wXyC-E0J_Dx5E_pz_kTIwTDFig7IQHEe5D24jaAOp0PtsYMksdnVmVrR5S145AsvpIP0kH0Y13XDDPNFVaNr4Df1fjpcagJLZKDwAKo_vKG0V1wFoaqbKaHW_Q5kgQnSixT02064DOGRZZQeocPDT9PeAjtqIt9b1aZZwVIQ/w400-h225/Untitled-39-1024x576.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This ninth series for Harry Bosch ringed the changes, eschewing the usual slow burn nature of the show's plots to open with a bang, with Bosch's daughter and rookie police officer Maddie (Madison Lintz) kidnapped from her house by the masked rapist she'd been pursuing at the end of the previous season. This gave lead Titus Welliver that rare chance to show Harry's vulnerability, the ex-cop now PI full of rage and grief. This made for a harrowing two episodes as the rapist turned himself in having buried Maddie alive somewhere, demanding immunity for her location. The ticking clock nature meant there was real impetus to a series that can often open a little slow and, for long term viewers, it was a hard watch seeing Maddie suffer so much and almost die. Of course, Harry found her but this was as exciting a start as the Bosch series has ever had. From episode 3 things segued more into what we expect, events opening four months later with a number of plots bubbling along, helped by having only eight episodes to fill instead of ten, Michael Connelly's novel The Crossing acting as inspiration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLixN9HWqmHODwZp455l-Lca-MjltahfHV_KIjQ6PuAKLHnU01nIRa94SdnV9Ar6RiwhFA_S_zuYA0cvWRVQSzjnJmadFUX2y3XpqJghBxvaslc7dYfimWNITT_cOEmqZ4s00h_ReP2QPP5IZNJKJBNGZsACrVaZu1kH-z5h1OJKU5Dhl-SheWlwI0O6Yl/s1200/bosch-legacy-season-2-64ea6ea31b123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1200" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLixN9HWqmHODwZp455l-Lca-MjltahfHV_KIjQ6PuAKLHnU01nIRa94SdnV9Ar6RiwhFA_S_zuYA0cvWRVQSzjnJmadFUX2y3XpqJghBxvaslc7dYfimWNITT_cOEmqZ4s00h_ReP2QPP5IZNJKJBNGZsACrVaZu1kH-z5h1OJKU5Dhl-SheWlwI0O6Yl/w400-h264/bosch-legacy-season-2-64ea6ea31b123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Bosch found himself working for Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers) and crossing over from prosecuting criminals to defending them, a former con accused of murdering councilor Lexi Parks. His alibi was that he was with a male sex worker and dealer but said escort had been recently strangled. A danger of that lifestyle or were the two connected? Connelly's plot tied into an expensive watch, one bought by Parks' husband which turned out to be stolen. Two corrupt cops, Ellis an utter psychopath, willing to do anything to keep this a secret and who proved to be Harry's most deadly adversary yet, tailing Bosch and Chandler and snooping on their evidence. This had soon progressed to Harry and Mo being driven off the road and a shootout in the house of a doctor being blackmailed by the bent cops. He may not be a cop anymore but you don't cross Harry Bosch, badge or no: not because he's Harry but because he's now got Maddie with a gun too, the younger Bosch saving her father from certain death when Ellis had the bead on him at the harbour. Is there a better father child duo on the telly right now? When she mouthed 'I got you,' to her dad across the dock, my heart melted, as it does with these two every season. I love them.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaTBjfMkvhtAlYQFfP9U_V5mek_B6HEOCpc_iETWJGTdalgNMbU8hcd1F2kASSAzbHBAxWe2-ScoPLcBRH2pWaWoTMwCKxdOvosj7AaHtVGlv6EOdswQavXE3OXJ8v6YjP7dO3glZ0ffumAxWw5AnODsMs0B3d-IsS8xeJHT9wu0VNwvFfo6zckxFYC2r/s1600/K2mdvKySdc8sTZAAYngHda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaTBjfMkvhtAlYQFfP9U_V5mek_B6HEOCpc_iETWJGTdalgNMbU8hcd1F2kASSAzbHBAxWe2-ScoPLcBRH2pWaWoTMwCKxdOvosj7AaHtVGlv6EOdswQavXE3OXJ8v6YjP7dO3glZ0ffumAxWw5AnODsMs0B3d-IsS8xeJHT9wu0VNwvFfo6zckxFYC2r/w400-h225/K2mdvKySdc8sTZAAYngHda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It wasn't just corrupt cops who posed a threat to Bosch and Chandler this season, however, with the FBI having discovered the pair were close by when financier Carl Rogers was shot in the previous season. We knew it was the Russians who ended Rogers but the Feds thought the pair knew more than they were telling (which they did) and found enough evidence to arrest Honey. Never count Money Chandler out, however, the wily old fox having made a trap that the FBI promptly walked into, setting her on course for a tilt at the District Attorney job (with a quick but pleasing cameo for the late, great Lance Reddick playing Irv Irving one last time). This was Legacy's best season so far and could be one of the entire Harryverse's best, all the main cast being well served, including hacker helper Mo (Stephen Chang), a great supporting character, who found himself the victim of a FBI honey trap. However, this run belonged to Maddie. Yes, she wasn't integral to all the plots but her arc this year was the strongest, the actor jumping at the challenge of giving the rookie some rough edges as she dealt with the rage of her harrowing experience, the younger Bosch challenged like never before. With a last minute reveal that looks set to cause major repercussions for father and daughter, bring on Season 3.</div></div><div> </div><div>70s Rating: ****</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-54119029843857278732024-03-12T19:04:00.000+00:002024-03-12T19:04:46.250+00:00Murder by Numbers (2002)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAS2hQLvuLhPQzq7eH1U0RCXpo7CKNxb1mVEKojr8YmxNokGGDoTDa4ifrUzHKrE5NjqLxE7HAQtfY3eZQOUuq1A8Xz891DihRgBLHOF5XbBjFeZ4xXoEqaZTjs1ccwkE4E2Uf4di39u9vysC1W2r5cHqxeO7iR5dTyTmoDqu8qR5kz4ajof076FYqQi2o/s1997/MV5BMjI3MDQ4MDUzMF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDI1NDQyNw@@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="1997" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAS2hQLvuLhPQzq7eH1U0RCXpo7CKNxb1mVEKojr8YmxNokGGDoTDa4ifrUzHKrE5NjqLxE7HAQtfY3eZQOUuq1A8Xz891DihRgBLHOF5XbBjFeZ4xXoEqaZTjs1ccwkE4E2Uf4di39u9vysC1W2r5cHqxeO7iR5dTyTmoDqu8qR5kz4ajof076FYqQi2o/w400-h265/MV5BMjI3MDQ4MDUzMF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDI1NDQyNw@@._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Using the same famous case of Leopold and Loeb that inspired an early Hitchcock classic, Murder by Numbers is no Rope, I'm afraid. A star vehicle for the then up and coming Sandra Bullock, the film is now of more interest for a very young Ryan Gosling playing a thoroughly nasty little psychopath. The future Ken is Richard, a filthy rich college student who is secretly best pals with poor genius loner Justin (Michael Pitt), the pair hanging out together and obsessed with literally getting away with murder, coming up with a plan they believe will implicate Justin's dealer (Chris Penn). With a poor random woman kidnapped, strangled and dumped, the pair think they've planned the perfect crime. However, the teenagers didn't account for dogged detective Cassie Mayweather, a hard ass with a tragic past and issues with male colleagues (including her new partner played by Ben Chaplin) who refuses to swallow the con the two have come up with. However, can she actually prove it? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc1N_xJGI8mhdhiWDjyqGviqO1TzY6GnJ4YqoIKqaQJrf2JY5Pwz5v2mkdrBa9obC2dRKutjwNwCDCLLndOAVLFZPusrKXm61WvtoSb7dZgoIubCD-2oYweXF78EF-RlFNbETpovzXtuPEONtdibWxWFWTJcNwy8OaWzSg6LmO2AP4aU952bNT7jUbfas/s600/murder-by-numbers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc1N_xJGI8mhdhiWDjyqGviqO1TzY6GnJ4YqoIKqaQJrf2JY5Pwz5v2mkdrBa9obC2dRKutjwNwCDCLLndOAVLFZPusrKXm61WvtoSb7dZgoIubCD-2oYweXF78EF-RlFNbETpovzXtuPEONtdibWxWFWTJcNwy8OaWzSg6LmO2AP4aU952bNT7jUbfas/w400-h225/murder-by-numbers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Murder by Numbers is an odd film, one of that trend of psychological thrillers that were popular in the 1990s and 2000s. However, director Barbet Schroeder (remember Single White Female?) working from Tony Gayton's script doesn't seem that interested in the usual aspects of the police procedural. This has its pluses and minuses. On the one hand, we get a better than usual (for this sort of thing) exploration of the characters pathology, time spent showing the teens discussing their crime, while Cassie is a more complex lead too, her backstory as a wife stabbed 17 times by her abusive ex-husband leading to her being hard, manipulative and often self-destructive. However, these times of overwrought thrillers demand a certain amount of thrills and jeopardy and Murder by Numbers is rather dull apart from a couple of ridiculous moments, one being Bullock fending off a baboon (yes, you read that correctly). Bullock and Pitt are very good though and Gosling really throws himself into being charismatic and evil as all heck. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>70s Rating: ***</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-19335349043933226742024-03-11T13:15:00.000+00:002024-03-11T13:15:06.725+00:00Weapon X-Men #1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqQcfk4JCJ_MYm_7s_g4H_t-ilS6GtnxkO-0cNAoF8m9X0bBKLDUNzbgfvxqjJ3Mo3vCfdUOqb0VsIt6ASy6EWjZE3p0bHenlxGq16zG09ob_L9SXVZgjg1kZoxxPIfCm3ey_tAFAHKET4icL8WEzSMG52ACyGj4CILPGReV_-dfE5xHsa_obOtEWeG1g/s777/it-h9zbVq-1709053738.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="777" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqQcfk4JCJ_MYm_7s_g4H_t-ilS6GtnxkO-0cNAoF8m9X0bBKLDUNzbgfvxqjJ3Mo3vCfdUOqb0VsIt6ASy6EWjZE3p0bHenlxGq16zG09ob_L9SXVZgjg1kZoxxPIfCm3ey_tAFAHKET4icL8WEzSMG52ACyGj4CILPGReV_-dfE5xHsa_obOtEWeG1g/w400-h278/it-h9zbVq-1709053738.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Christos Gage continues his trawl through X-Men continuity, throwing versions of Wolverine from across the multiverse together. Previously, Gage had had the original X-Men recruited by a Jean Grey from another Earth to try to stop a threat to the planet. She's back to recruit a new bunch, a quintet of Wolverines, to stop the deadly Onslaught (this one a version where Jean Grey and Magneto's darker impulses manifested) from destroying another Earth. On this world there was a war between the population and the alien Badoon, human and mutant working together and now living together in peace, the superhero community run by their Jean Grey and Magneto. It seems like a utopia to the various various of Logan - including the Age of Apocalypse one; a zombie version; a balding, fat one; Old Man Logan and Jane Howlett, a female nineteenth century iteration - especially when the visiting Jean Grey can find no trace of Onslaught there after all. False alarm, right? Of course not. Jane feels there's something amiss and wanders off to a mutant bar. There she makes a shocking discovery - Onslaught has hidden a part of itself inside every mutant. The fight is on! </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudwMQUBjqdqmb7yYRaEMga3jeu182HI_NDc1n-f-XVDJgxricJMNkroGouB1d4CzfCX3iVZr0W1apNuUVQVV45FKKkCKO2ZFLJ7iGF2SJ1xxj2A7ul6Xjg30sUuVDQkyzVrbLA0ZQLV0txsWmf76P48HAS2RBhPu7RkHdEzRtgkFcdjqsDoWXMvYQIiag/s799/detail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="547" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudwMQUBjqdqmb7yYRaEMga3jeu182HI_NDc1n-f-XVDJgxricJMNkroGouB1d4CzfCX3iVZr0W1apNuUVQVV45FKKkCKO2ZFLJ7iGF2SJ1xxj2A7ul6Xjg30sUuVDQkyzVrbLA0ZQLV0txsWmf76P48HAS2RBhPu7RkHdEzRtgkFcdjqsDoWXMvYQIiag/w274-h400/detail.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Gage is no great writing auteur of the X-Men world but at his best he can cook up fast moving and entertaining comic strips and Weapon X-Men looks set to be one. It's got a solid hook of a premise and doesn't waste much time getting stuck into the action, Gage's knowledge of stories past meaning he packs in plenty of references. The mix of Logans is fun also, especially the zombie Wolverine, his appetite partly satiated by some Phoenix magic but still regarding his comrades as much lunch as fellow fighters (in one panel, Old Man Logan cuts him a slice off of his leg to keep him going). Being undead also renders this Logan a mite dumber than usual which makes for some good comic relief. It's also fun to see such iconic versions as the AoA Weapon X and Old Man Logan hang out. Artist Yildiray Cinar has a good storytelling eye and things move to both a satisfying conclusion as well as setting up the next round, Onslaught escaping this reality to hop over to another Earth on the multiverse, this time the Earth of the team's Jean Grey. Good, uncomplicated fun. </div><p></p><p>70s Rating: ***</p>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230106142094882317.post-41504169553946755462024-03-10T11:46:00.000+00:002024-03-10T11:46:20.751+00:00The Persian Version (2023)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jItc9xXeNSsaIqOcPdm6JrUO2FWQ4MCzTAGCooTb2MTbev7qtzqbjj100E_yZogb3OZ-52dE3CUcyBIZRXnGOUnEYA75rnFMrTwyF3EhEQXJuMMlLQZlsAkrViaTHs80LAkMaqnkQ4YJAiGIPqWIbV-KXWql_lTubjw-FRk2-wknlBl_aUemB1BgcvbX/s1280/The_Persian_Version-online1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jItc9xXeNSsaIqOcPdm6JrUO2FWQ4MCzTAGCooTb2MTbev7qtzqbjj100E_yZogb3OZ-52dE3CUcyBIZRXnGOUnEYA75rnFMrTwyF3EhEQXJuMMlLQZlsAkrViaTHs80LAkMaqnkQ4YJAiGIPqWIbV-KXWql_lTubjw-FRk2-wknlBl_aUemB1BgcvbX/w400-h240/The_Persian_Version-online1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">From the rhyming title to the voiceover and straight to camera comments, I feared The Persian Version was going to drown me in smugness; however, as the film progresses, a darker, more dramatic thread emerges that puts the rather self-satisfied comedy into perspective. Layla Mohammadi plays Iranian American writer Leila, the only girl among nine siblings living in New Jersey in the early 2000s. A lesbian at odds with her formidable mother Shireen (Niousha Noor), Leila gets pregnant after a one night stand with drag artist actor Maximillian (Tom Byrne). With her father Ali Reza in hospital after a heart transplant, Leila spends time with her grandmother Mamanjoon (Bella Warda) who lets slip that her mother and father left Iran owing to a scandal. In flashback, we see the life the of the 13 Shireen, a young bride moving to a remote and impoverished village, married to a doctor ten years her senior. That things don't go smoothly would be an understatement, which helps Leila view her mother in a new way. Can mother and daughter be reconciled as the birth approaches?</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1Pt2p8EHpwhHwF8JrqwU_ky17dBujYMPtntgIU5jwu2PCmZ4ekjODn8IKnI0yC-5wPsH8lRx9keLK17EcCSzRzdr7ye3nPtTwCv9U1ayDCsnTN4EoITFqqZFA_MaOVT5Mtg7wDT2z9od3P4XHfY1R1-zPG9O_nxr4wWKsbinjMaHSY21E1f-cpCOzLWd/s2999/33EK4558.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2001" data-original-width="2999" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1Pt2p8EHpwhHwF8JrqwU_ky17dBujYMPtntgIU5jwu2PCmZ4ekjODn8IKnI0yC-5wPsH8lRx9keLK17EcCSzRzdr7ye3nPtTwCv9U1ayDCsnTN4EoITFqqZFA_MaOVT5Mtg7wDT2z9od3P4XHfY1R1-zPG9O_nxr4wWKsbinjMaHSY21E1f-cpCOzLWd/w400-h268/33EK4558.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Largely autobiographical, Maryam Keshavarz's film is lively and well-written, Leila taking centre stage early on, wandering around New York in outfits that fuse her two cultures and finding ways to irritate her mother. Leila comes across a bit like a Iranian Carrie Bradshaw and, like in Sex and the City, I found Leila's pithy observations annoyingly obvious rather than insightful. However, when the film focused more on Shireen, especially the younger version (played by Kamand Shafieisabet) who goes from top of class to teen bride and who experiences the most awful betrayal and then tragedy. Though the mal characters are portrayed with an amount of sympathy, this is a film very much about the power of women in a patriarchal system (in Iran and the US), the older Shireen keeping the family afloat by becoming a phenomenal realtor, while Mamanjoon brings wisdom and some raucous humour. If you strip back the background noise, The Persian Version is a tribute to the enduring power of women and the relationships - tricky but precious - between mothers and daughters. </div><p></p><div>70s Rating: ***</div>Child of the 70shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com0