Review: Fast & Furious 8, If it ain't broke, add more cars and explosions regardless

One day, we'll look back and ask why, 'Why is the Fast and Furious franchise as successful as it is?' I'll tell you why. Because it doesn't pretend to be anything else other than a mad adrenaline fuelled thrill ride with more testosterone than even Dwayne Johnson can shake a stick at. That being said, Fast and Furious 8 is just that and I couldn't have been more satisfied. With the tragic loss of Paul Walker, the films have lost a part of the spirit of what it was built on, but that means there is now room for a new direction which is what this film does quite well.

We open on Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) living a happy life in Cuba, but still driving fast cars in the most furious way possible. After a crazy race involving Dom effectively turning his car into bomb and driving it whilst on fire, he is met by a mysterious lady only known by as Cipher (Charlize Theron) and is persuaded to betray his code. This code being protecting family at all cost. This leads to a chase all over the world involving the crew: Tej (Ludacris), Roman (Tyrese Gibbs), Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) with the aid of Mr Nobody's (Kurt Russell) organisation to discover Cipher's true intentions as well as bring Dom back to the family. Moving from massive action set piece to the next, the crew fight to stop Cipher's plans to ignite a nuclear war by driving their cars really fast, blowing up other cars that are driving really fast and have fist fights with the most massive men Eastern Europe has to offer.

It may seem like a basic premise that shouldn't be that exciting but it does have to be seen to be believed. It goes without saying that this is a ridiculous film with the most unrealistic scenes put to screen in this series which outshines previous mad scenes such as the runway the length of Europe in Fast and Furious 6 and dragging a giant safe full of cash with only two cars whilst also destroying downtown Rio in Fast 5. Most notably, witnessing Cipher's hacking ability in the New York act of the film is rather jaw dropping as she turns almost every car into her puppets, recreating the look of the zombie hoards in World War Z but with cars. Oh, and let's not forget how The Rock is one more movie away in this franchise from becoming a terminator. I won't say much, but a live torpedo is manhandled by him, whilst holding onto a moving car and skidding on ice, into an enemy vehicle. With two more films confirmed for the series, I can only imagine for faster and more furious they can get than this...

Keeping this a spoiler free review, I won't say what turns Dom against his family but it is presented very well by being very believable in why a man would seem to turn away from what he held most dear. We get to see a side of Dom rarely displayed in the films as he is a man who shows little signs of emotion but is not mistaken for having no emotions. For Dom this is not about a job, this is about his family, making all of what he does in this film personal.

There isn't much else to say about this film as you go in to see some explosions, fast cars racing one another, adrenaline fuelled fist fights and crazy stunts with our heroes surviving the impossible. Therefore, I can recommend the new entry in the Fast and Furious franchise as it continues to further the successful formula of the series and I will wait with anticipation to see what they bring to the big screen next. Whenever I need to escape from this reality of ours, I know I can find salvation in this film.

7.4/10

Review: Iron Fist Season 1, An average show with a very average hero

Marvel were on a good streak. Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage were all great shows with brilliant stories, equally brilliant characters with the dynamic setting of New York City connecting our heroes within the MCU. Iron Fist was the last standalone show before we receive Defenders, with all our heroes teaming up to fight the mysterious group known as The Hand. I was therefore greatly disappointed to find that this show felt like a rushed mess with underdeveloped characters and a boring story but what hurt the most was that there was no reason to have set this in New York! 

Iron Fist follows Danny Rand (Finn Jones) who, after surviving a plane crash that killed his parents as a child, has returned to New York so he can claim his place as the rightful owner as the chief shareholder in his father's Company, Rand Corp. But in the time between the plane crash and Danny's return to civilisation, he was taken in by the monks of K'un-Lun and became the Iron Fist, the man who will defend K'un-Lun from their sworn enemies, The Hand. In returning to his old home, Danny finds that the company is not what it should be, as Joy and Ward Meachum (Jessica Stoup and Tom Pelphrey) are in charge and try to oust him from the company, doubting who he claims to be. This is where Danny befriends Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) and slowly starts to reintegrate himself back into society before he discovers The Hand's operations in New York and commits himself to driving them out. 

I must emphasis the work "slowly". The first half of the show contains very little martial arts or any demonstration of how the Iron Fist works. It is much more performs much more like a soap opera or drama with Danny trying to discover himself, due to having never sense of selfhood whilst in K'un-Lun. Where the fact he never really recovered, this Iron Fist do not give any episodes demonstrating how Danny's time with these monks was punishing, how the training was vigorous, how he formed a friendship with Davos (Sacha Dwahan) or how he even became the Iron Fist! But, he isn't even really the Iron Fist? (if that makes sense...) Danny barely ever uses his power and when he does it is only ever for the shorter part of any action sequence, and is not even presented to the audience till the very end of the second episode! From this point, the show has sparks that of emphasised on, for example how Danny runs Rand Corp. or his fighting the criminal underworld of New York, but the story jumps from location to location thus not making the city of New York its own character and therefore lacking the spirit that made all the other Marvel shows special. 

The trailers are nearing false advertisement as they're so action packed, giving the intention that there is a focus on the Kung Fu Danny has learned at K'un-Lun and will use his skills as a martial artist to take down his enemies. However, this is not the case in the final product. There are no extended set pieces of action, bar episode 6 which might be the most action packed one but is drowned out by clunky dialogue. 

Another disappointing flaw in this the lack of an apparent villain. Yes, Danny's sworn enemy is The Hand, but there is no individual that Danny goes face to face with. Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) isn't really the head of the snake, and neither is Bakuto (Ramon Rodriguez) as supposed leaders of The Hand. This leaves the Meachums. Joy isn't a villain; Ward is bad person who is constantly having internal conflicts with himself as a person but still lacks a sense of evil in his acts and so we are presented with Harold (David Wenham) as our supposed 'villain'. With implied ties to The Hand and their drug trade, he is ultimately boring and predictable. Each show is only as good as the villain, as was The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk with Nobu and his division of The Hand in Daredevil, Killgrave in Jessica Jones and Cottonmouth/Cornel Stokes in Luke Cage. 

This show just felt rushed. With its release being in the same year as Defenders, I feel that Marvel wanted to tell Danny Rand's story as fast as they could in preparation for what we, as the audience, have been waiting for with real anticipation. It is a shame we have are left with this very mediocre Netflix show, but this will all be a bad memory once New York's heroes band together to save their city. Therefore, I would advise just watch Daredevil season 2 again rather than watching this OK show. 

4.9/10

Review: Logan, Don't f**k with The Wolverine

Logan is a film deserving of praise from not just fans of the X-Men franchise, but all movie lovers. Whilst still being a film centred around super heroes, this is a story grounded in a realistic world with emotional dialogue, fantastic characters and great performances that create a truly exciting film.

To quote the Wolverine himself, "the world is not what is once was." This is the most accurate way to describe the world in Logan as mutants are mostly dead or in hiding. Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is living a quiet life by caring for a mentally deteriorating Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart) along with Caliban (Stephen Merchant). Charles isn't the only one who is finding his powers are failing him, as Logan's healing powers are far slower than they once were as well as having constant coughing fits to show that he really is getting old. But soon enough, things get spun into gory overdrive with the introduction of Laura/X23 (Dafne Keen) and we're taken on a thrilling chase as our heroes go on the run from a mysterious corporation, pushing our more elderly characters to the absolute limit.

From the start, this film would not work without its R rating. Following on from Deadpool's success, we are given a Wolverine who drops as many F-bombs as he can whilst dismembering anyone in his way. Without the violence and the language, this would have been another run of the mill X-Men film everyone has seen before. This new approach does not only give a more realistic and detailed view into the powers of Wolverine, but with each kill and each bullet taken, Logan has the sympathy of the audience like never before.

What's more, this is an emotional film. The performances from all of our heroes not only pull at our heart strings, but make us laugh as there are some laughs to be had in this world, however the film does love to remind us that this is a dystopian world for mutants by showing us the dark side of living in hiding, almost everyone you come into contact with ends up dead. Unfortunately, the villains fall a little short on the threat scale, but they double down on their cruelty with Pierce's (Boyd Holbrook) unrelenting motive to capture Laura, even if it means killing plenty of innocents in the process.

This isn't the best X-Men film, nor is it the best ever superhero film ever made, but it is the most unique. Logan is a film that humanises the mutants and presents them in a light where humans are the threat rather than an evil mutant out to destroy the world. I am happy that Jackman has decided to make this his final X-Men film, as the character has been well and truly exhausted but in a way that won't make fans want him back. I imagine FOX will cast a new younger Wolverine, but for many including myself, Jackman is the only Logan for me. To finish, Logan is a unique superhero film that focuses more on the humanity of the mutants more than their powers, but balances it with brilliant action sequences and a great story.

8/10

Review: The Lego Batman Movie, The rise and fall of Lego's Dark Knight

'Less is more.' These are words that I would certainly never use to describe Batman but after watching his own movie in the Lego universe, I am forced to say that the executives at Warner Bros. are one step away from killing Batman, again. The likes of which have not been attempted since the abomination of a film that was Batman and Robin. The lego Batman Movie is a confusing mix of past pop culture nostalgia and child like humour which, when combined, make a film that doesn't fix on its plot point, Batman/Bruce Wayne's fears of starting a family outside of his vigilante life.

The story of The Lego Batman Movie wants to be your basic Batman vs Joker, with the Lego movie twist. Batman thwarts Joker's plans and in doing so states he has no 'main villain'. Much to the Joker's dismay, he wants the Batman to recognise him for who he is, his "greatest enemy." Amongst all this, Barbara Gordon has been promoted to Commissioner of the police and wants to work with Batman, even though that is against his entire philosophy. Whilst adopting a young Dick Grayson in the process (don't ask why it just happens) Batman slowly realises that he in dire need of love and so a family is formed between Bruce, Alfred, Dick and Barbara. Then a massive fight breaks out between Joker's army compiling of the most dastardly villains Lego have the rights to and Batman's family, as well as the villains of Gotham? So, no, not your basic Batman vs Joker, with the Lego movie twist feeling ultimately forced. With far too many supporting characters, the story forgets itself and rather than showing us a Batman we well and truly deserve, we're left with a poor excuse for a caped crusader.

So are there any positives to the film? Yes! The visuals are brilliant. The opening sequence shows how far the Warner Animation Group has come since The Lego Movie in 2014. The environments are prettier, the set pieces are grander and the character expressions are far more detailed than before. Another positive is the comedy. Where the film parodies its own production company, it is genuinely funny! Having jokes about how terrible Suicide Squad was, how misleading Batman v Superman was, how past films have humiliated the Dark Knight (as previously mentioned above) and how it pays homage to the old tropes of Batman we know and love to laugh at. This is a double edged sword however as these references are either painfully dragged out, repeated or unfunny as well as having committed the cardinal sin of being included in all of the trailers. It is in these themes where the film has an identity crisis. Does it want to be a children's film about how Batman can made funny, because he was in The Lego movie admit it, but also appealing to parents who will understand the jokes from the 1960s Batman TV show. There are so many references to the comics, films and TV shows that the jokes should be funny, but instead fall flat of any laughs. Trying to copy or replicate the jokes of The Lego Movie do not work, and the original songs written for this movie have nothing on 'Everything is Awesome'.

That being said, performances from Will Arnett, reprising his role of Batman works well as he still brings a shade of comedy to the hero. Zach Galifianakis' Joker was good in the way that he highlights how his relationship with the Batman works. The idea that one cannot exist without the other is made kid friendly and outlines the paradox in Batman's personality. Although, any Joker performance that followed Jared Leto's version of the Clown Prince of Crime would be considered outstanding. Ralph Fiennes' Alfred, Micheal Cera's Dick Grayson/Robin and Rosario Dawson's Barbara Gordon/Batgirl have little impact, and are only really there to push a lacklustre story.

The Lego Batman Movie is not a great Batman film nor is it a overly fun one. However, its job of paying plenty of detailed fan service pays off very well, even if younger audiences do not understand it. Along with other jokes that don't always stick the landing, I would recommend just watching The Lego Movie for a funnier portrayal of the Batman in Lego universe.

4.5/10

Review: La La Land, One for the dreamers...

Few films give me the sensation of enjoying them so much the first time around that I instantly want, or in this case need, to re-watch it the very next day. La La Land is one of these films. Combining the show stopping performances from Emma Stone (Mia) and Ryan Gosling (Sebastian), Damien Chazelle’s visionary directing and an unforgettable soundtrack results in creating a film that has had me singing about its praises, literally.

Mia, a barista working on the Warner Bros. film lot desires to fulfil her childhood dreams of becoming a Hollywood actress, whilst Sebastian dreams of opening his own Jazz club so that he can save the genre from death. After a few chance meetings, and witnessing the jaw dropping piano skills of Sebastian, the two fall in love and make it each other’s job to make sure they go about following their dreams. The love the two share are embodied in the passion they have for their dreams, as this is the key theme throughout the film. Its key theme is that if you are passionate about your dream, willing to take a leap of faith to display your passion and finally present your dream to the world, the world will reward you.

At the films heart is the music. Justin Hurwitz’s original soundtrack made me want to get up and dance as soon as the opening number began. His music shifts from the most rapid tempo into the slowest possible tempo to capture the feeling of the moment. The entire cast could be prancing and swaying to their hearts content and then at a moment’s notice, it cuts to a piano or trumpet solo that reaffirms your attention, keeping your attention on what is happening at all times. Not only does the music put a smile on my face, but the setting of LA enhances this further as we are introduced to the city as the locals would have us see it because La La Land, as a title, has a double meaning behind it. To be in La La Land is to be in a state of euphoria or a dreamlike state. The locals of Los Angeles have come to name their city ‘La La Land’ and this is where Hurwitz’s composition has struck gold as each song, combined with Stone’s and Gosling’s musical performances, creates a sense of euphoria not only for the characters, but the audience as well.

Although, it would not be a film about securing dreams in Los Angeles without a couple of dreamers. Gosling and Stone’s performances are both Oscar worthy. Their acting experience is brought together with the musical traits of singing, dancing and not forgetting Ryan Gosling learned to play the piano exclusively for this film. This generates a cinema experience of all rounded talent that shows with work and practise, anyone should be able to make it in the industry of entertainment. Where La La Land receives some criticism in the ways in which the characters are far too basic to make it in music and show business, Mia states within the film that “people want to see what other people are passionate about” and that is why she and Sebastian thrive in LA as there is passion thrust into every single audition, musical performance and dramatic encounter. Chazelle’s writing and direction of the film places Mia and Sebastian in the most scenic locations Los Angeles has to offer, most notably the Griffith Observatory. He uses nothing but the soundtrack during the set piece, ever so simply entitled ‘Planetarium’, beautiful special effects to show our character’s dancing among the stars, signifying how strong the love they share is.

Do not expect a traditional romantic ending however, as where this film’s premise is based on taking risks to live out your dreams, this film loves to remind you that life isn’t a fairy tale. Reality is still very much in play and where the whole plot of La La Land may seem far-fetched, all that has transpired for Mia and Sebastian has been in the bounds of life as we know it. Where it feels painful watching the ending, it still retains a form of beauty around it as both characters become conscious of how each other have accomplished their dream thus concluding their stories in a perfect way.

La La Land is a near prefect film that ticks all the boxes of a traditional musical as well as adding a few boxes for future musicals to tick. With a fantastic script, an unforgettable soundtrack, a beautiful setting and brilliant performances, La La Land is the new gold standard for films and deserves to win every single award it is nominated for.

9.5/10

An introduction...

"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try." These immortal words from Yoda in 'The Empire Strikes Back' are applicable to everything we do in life. Trying leads only to the point where we choose to commit to something. Doing is taking that commitment and completing that action. This is me, as I write this, trying to start a blog or is it me just writing a blog, thus doing rather than trying? I'll be honest, I never really wrapped my head around it all. Nevertheless, it's a quote that echoes throughout our lives and is arguably a constant reminder to us all that Star Wars is the franchise that keeps on giving! This is why I have decided to begin writing about all things entertainment, be it films or television shows. Whether these platforms of entertainment present their audiences with compelling stories, phenomenal acting, jaw dropping action set pieces, tear jerking moments of emotion, scenes of pure comedy or a lack of anything listed (Suicide Squad for example), the world of entertainment allows us to aspire to be more than our reality ever can.

I will aim to use this page as a force for good, consisting of reviews, reactions and references to pop culture spanning the ages. I look forward to furthering this page with many different bits and pieces as 2017 looks to be a very fun year for film just as long as DC have created a decent Wonder Woman movie, or else Justice League will be bound to flop, The Last Jedi isn't a clone copy of Episode V and  concerning The Emoji Movie trailer that is bound to be released sometime soon, you can expect a very angry reaction from me.

My first piece will be a review of La La Land I hope to have up in the coming days. Hint, it deserves the best picture award at the Academy Awards this year.