Ever since I started this venture, I’ve been making my way slowly through DC’s New 52 novels, which I’ve been enjoying a lot. A part of me feels like maybe I’ll never catch up to the modern-day runs, but I thought with the speed at which I’m reading some of these series, I might get there eventually. So, having finished Volume 2 of Deathstroke a while back, I thought, let’s start Volume 3!

‘Gods Of War’ starts with Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke the Terminator, receiving a mission to kill a wanted man. However, it appears that the kill won’t be easy, and he finds himself up against an army that almost takes him out. He manages to escape, just, and finds a man named I-Ching, who owes him from a job long ago. Deathstroke collapses in front of him, only to wake up and find himself decades younger, and more interestingly, with both eyes working and uninjured. But there’s no rest for the wicked, and despite his confusion, his next target is revealed to be someone called Odysseus, who is supposedly responsible for the army that tried to take Deathstroke down. A character called Red Fury gives him this information along with a truth serum that will reveal what has happened to him. As sceptical as he is, he gives it a try, only to end up in a vision in which he finds out that Odysseus is his father and is using his son, Jericho’s powers to control a whole host of people. Slade doesn’t know if the vision he’s seen is true or not, but he knows he needs to find his son. When he gets told that Jericho has ended up in Gotham City, he heads over there immediately. But we all know you don’t go to Gotham unannounced without a certain Crusader turning up. Can Slade find Jericho before Odysseus does? And is Odysseus who Slade’s visions claim him to be?

I always say that I don’t like the excessively violent characters, and that is generally true, but sometimes Deathstroke is the exception. He is one of my favourite villains, and I just think he’s badass. That being said, there were certainly times in this novel when I was genuinely wondering what the hell was going on. There was very little character development because every 2-3 pages, it felt as if I was being introduced to a new character that I wasn’t even sure was going to make it through the story. The second half of the novel certainly felt more coherent, and I enjoyed Slade’s adventures in Gotham!

The artwork and covers were done by Tony Daniel, who I think has one of the best styles, and I thoroughly enjoyed perusing the larger panels. He has a great ability to draw not only details and faces, but also to create wide landscapes which are dynamic and bold. Overall, not a bad novel, perhaps a little confusing in some places, but glad to return to Deathstroke’s adventures!

Favourite Panel:

This is what Ben Affleck’s Batman could’ve been!

Favourite Character:

There are genuinely quite a few good characters in this novel, but I have to give it to our titular character. Despite being at a disadvantage, he still comes out on top!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★★

• Character Development: ★★½

• Artwork: ★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★

• Re-readability: ★★½

Level: Advanced

A break from the cinema has meant that I’ve missed out on quite a few films that I was intending to watch. But with a long weekend and holidays approaching, I had the chance to sit down and watch a film that I was initially quite intrigued by. Part of that may have had something to do with the fact that I’ve been reminiscing on my time at school!

‘Wuthering Heights’ is a story set in Yorkshire in the 1800’s. The owner of Wuthering Heights, a large estate, Mr Earnshaw, brings home a poor boy whom he states that he has rescued. His daughter, Catherine, is instantly enamoured by this boy and sees him as a new plaything for her, much to the chagrin of her companion, Nelly, who is Mr Earnshaw’s ward. She names him “Heathcliff” after her dead brother. Very weird. The two are then inseparable, and you see their bond develop. Fast forward a few years, and you see them all grown up. Unfortunately, Mr Earnshaw, who has spent most of his days drunk and gambling, has lost a lot of money, and Wuthering Heights is in disrepair. One day, Catherine comes to find out that a wealthy young man, Edgar Linton, and his ward, Isabella, have moved into the Grange, which is the neighbouring property. She jokes that she will charm him, which gets on Heathcliff’s nerves, due to him having developed feelings for her. When Edgar sends a marriage proposal for Catherine, she is torn between her own feelings, but her decision is made for her when Heathcliff mysteriously disappears. After five years away, Heathcliff returns to his old life, only to find that he recognises very little of it. Can he and Catherine mend their friendship? Or will Catherine’s new life prove far better for her?

Playing one of our leads, Catherine was Margot Robbie. I initially felt that she may be a little old for the role, especially given how young her co-star looked, but I think in the film it was okay. I’ve still not concluded how well I think Robbie can act, although her performance in this film was good. As Edgar Linton was Shazad Latif, who did a great job of playing a sort of aloof gentleman. I did find it ironic that they cast Edgar with an actor who was ethnic, as opposed to Heathcliff, who in the book which inspired the film, was described as a ‘dark skinned gypsy’. I’m just saying, guys. Anyways, playing his ward, Isabella, was Alison Oliver. Now, clearly her take on the character was quite different from her book counterpart, but her ability to play this sort of zany and slightly unhinged character was fantastic. Martin Clunes played Mr Earnshaw, and Hong Chau played Nelly Dean. Again, their characters were slightly changed for the film adaptation, but they were good additions. I have to give a shoutout to Owen Cooper, who many of you would know from “Adolescence”. I think Owen is definitely one to watch, as his ability to act is phenomenal. Finally, the standout performance is Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. I was sceptical, but Elordi does a fantastic job of portraying this tortured character, not too dissimilar to his performance as Frankenstein’s Monster. His accent was on point, and he was probably one of the few saving graces of this film!

Okay, what on earth was this fever dream? I had studied the Wuthering Heights novel as a teenager, and I remember really enjoying it. So when they announced they were making this film, it piqued my interest immediately. Then came the casting news, and I’ve already explained that I was slightly annoyed that they had the opportunity to do an accurate casting in terms of ethnicity, and they didn’t. I’m not one to harp on about DEI, but this is one of the few stories that has a lead with an ethnic background. That being said, I appreciate that the actors who were cast did the job they were asked to do. However, the director’s take on this book, I found, was a perverse and frankly disrespectful one, and honestly, it felt like it was just a smutty fan fiction. Several of the characters were changed into depraved versions, and by the end, I was left wondering why even adapt the novel? It was disappointing given that several other aspects of the film were done well!

I have to credit the film in terms of cinematography. Initially, when I saw Thrushcross Grange and the outfits that the Lintons were wearing, I felt that I had entered an Alice in Wonderland world, but I suppose it was to highlight the difference in the way of life that the Lintons were living compared to those at Wuthering Heights. Some of the shots were also visually stunning. The music was a mix of modern and classical, and again, I think the contrast worked well. Overall, this film just shouldn’t have been called Wuthering Heights.

Rating:

• Story: ★★

• Acting: ★★★½

• Cinematography: ★★★★

• Music: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★½

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that watching shows that are over 15 episodes long has become very difficult, which means that I often seek out shows with smaller seasons, and those that are less than 10 episodes are so easy to get through. This show in particular was recommended to me by an A+E consultant, who could not believe that I hadn’t seen it, and called myself a fan of Japanese culture. I took that personally and got to it immediately!

‘Blue Eye Samurai’ Season 1 tells the story of Mizu, a young samurai who is on a mission to find a number of foreigners whom she blames for the death of her mother. What’s worse is that Mizu has blue eyes, similar to the foreigners, making her an outcast in Feudal Japan. She is taken in by a blind blacksmith, whose talent is known far and wide, and his reputation brings in a lot of warriors who are looking to have him make a sword for them. Mizu, from that young age, begins to learn how to wield a sword. Due to her being a woman, she has to be extra careful and take precautions to make sure she’s not discovered. On her journey, she meets a number of characters who become integral to her mission. Firstly is Ringo, a young man who has lost both his hands and has been working in his father’s noodle shop. Ringo sees Mizu as a chance to travel and perhaps learn to be the best at something else, and so begs Mizu to let him be her student. During a mission to find out who has been harbouring one of the foreigners, Abijah Fowler, Mizu comes up against an up-and-coming samurai named Taigen. Taigen has managed to secure a match with Akemi, the daughter of one of the local lords. However, during a duel with Mizu, he loses and thus Akemi’s father arranges an alternative match for her, leading to Taigen trying to get revenge on Mizu. Can Mizu find Abijah Fowler and continue her mission for revenge? Or will she see an alternative life unfold in front of her?

We have to talk about this cast. Some of the names surprised me when I looked them up, although some voices sounded so distinct. Voicing Ringo was Masi Oka, who a lot of people may know from “Heroes”. He did a great job in terms of making Ringo sound like the friendliest guy ever. Taigen was voiced by Darren Barnet, who was in “Never Have I Ever”, not that I’ve seen it. Haha! But genuinely, there were parts where I thought he sounded like Dave Franco and had this really cocky voice. One actress whom I do know, but did not recognise, was Brenda Song, who voices Akemi. Akemi is such a dynamic character, and I was surprised to hear the range in her performance. Okay, this show also managed to get some legends on board. Voicing Madam Kaji, a cunning woman who owns a brothel, was Ming-Na Wen, whose acting and voice acting exploits include Mulan and also Fennec Shand in “The Mandalorian”. Randall Park voices Heiji Shindo, an accomplice of Abijah Fowler. I recognised his voice immediately! Playing our main antagonist was Kenneth Branagh. I completely forgot that he’s from Northern Ireland, because I was so surprised to hear that accent. There were also a few veterans of the business. George Takei voices Seki, Akemi’s tutor, and the late Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa voices Master Eiji, the legendary blacksmith. The standout performance for me, though, was definitely Mizu, voiced by Maya Erskine. The character has this real gravitas, and Erskine delivered it perfectly!

So initially, I was a little sceptical about this show. As you guys and girls know, I’ve developed an interest in watching anime, and this show was recommended to me as one. By technicality, it isn’t one, and perhaps that’s why I raised eyebrows. That being said, this show is fantastic, and if Japan wants to formally adopt it as an anime, I’d be okay with that. I’d said before that shows which are more than 10 episodes can start to become a little draggy, but at 8 episodes long, I was also aware that perhaps there wouldn’t be enough run time to strengthen the story or the character arcs. I did not have to worry about that at all. The main characters each get their chance to shine, and the way the episodes weave means that, actually, there aren’t really filler episodes; it’s more like tangents to help you understand the characters. The story is compelling, and there is a lot of action, which means that you never get bored. I have only one criticism, and that is, there was far too much nudity, and most of it added nothing to the show. C’mon, guys, we don’t need that stuff to attract viewers!

The show was produced by a French company called Blue Spirit, and I have to hand it to them; the show was animated brilliantly. The mixture of the 2D animation with an almost 3D style created a unique blend, which I’ve not seen done as well as this before. The music was good, and most of all, I loved all the different backgrounds, from Fowler’s Castle to the ocean scenes with Ringo and Master Eiji’s shop. I’ve heard there is a Season 2 coming soon, and I cannot wait to see where Mizu’s adventures take her!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★★

• Voice Acting: ★★★½

• Filmography: ★★★★½

• Integral vs Filler Episodes: ★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★★

DC and Marvel have been getting lots of attention from me recently, and I thought, hang on, there’s another company whose comics I adore. Where the hell have Boom Studios been? It was then clear to me that a return to Angel Grove was needed, and in particular, I needed to go back, way back to a time when there were only 5 rangers!

‘Vol 3’ of Go Go Power Rangers sees The Ranger Slayer, aka Kimberly Hart, from an apocalyptic future come back to the past to stop the Rangers from finding out how to defeat her boss, Lord Drakkon. There’s only one problem. This group of Rangers have no idea who Lord Drakkon is, and they’ve not even met Tommy Oliver yet. Despite the blip in her plan, The Ranger Slayer still aims to destroy the Rangers and their command centre. But she’s stopped in her tracks by her younger self, and once freed from the control that Lord Drakkon had on her, she tries to make amends. Meanwhile, each of the Rangers is finding it increasingly difficult to keep their secret from their families, and even more so from their friend Matt, who is convinced that he is special because the Rangers keep saving him. Naturally, with all this chaos happening, Rita Repulsa, who has been watching from the sidelines, sees the perfect opportunity to strike and sends down a few of her infamous monsters to do what they do best. Can the Power Rangers come together to stop this threat from the future and protect their friends and family? Or will all these villains finally be able to do what they’ve always wanted and destroy the Power Rangers?

I’ve often spoken about my love for Boom Studios and these epic series that they were able to create. ‘Volume 3’ is no different, and in fact, having read the main “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Series” and seeing all the chaos that Lord Drakkon brings, it was nice to just step back to a time where maybe things were slightly simpler. Some of the twists and turns in the novel were amongst the greatest surprises that a comic book has given me. The character development was excellent, and despite being a team book, I never felt like any of the characters had been overlooked!

Long before I had seen his work for DC, Dan Mora’s artwork for the Power Rangers series was truly magnificent. You see those 5 stars? Yeah, there’s only a handful of artists who would get that. Mr Mora is one of those people. The covers were brilliant. Overall, a fantastic novel in a great series. If you aren’t reading this, what are you doing?

Favourite Panel:

This was a blow-my-mind kinda moment!

Favourite Character:

They’re all so good, but Kimberly (the OG one) was badass!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★★★

• Character Development: ★★★½

• Artwork: ★★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★★

• Re-readability: ★★★½

Level: Intermediate

Since we’re on a good run, and I’m really enjoying reading comic books again, I thought, let’s return to what I know best: Gotham. The last few Batman novels I’ve been reading have all been part of the “Death Of The Family” storyline, and I was sort of looking forward to being done with all of that. So it was time to return to Detective Comics!

‘Emperor Penguin’ starts with Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, putting out a hit on Bruce Wayne in an attempt to become the most prominent philanthropist in Gotham City. Great way to do it, eh? However, thanks to several criminals keeping Batman busy, Bruce Wayne arrives late to the fundraiser, where he was supposed to be assassinated, and Cobblepot manages to find a way to gain popularity without inciting murder. There is then a one-shot story with Poison Ivy trying to find a way to destroy many of the Penguin’s “legitimate” businesses, but she enlists the help of Basil Karlo, aka Clayface. But this is Poison Ivy we’re talking about; she’s smart. She feeds Clayface some sort of hallucinogenic plant that makes him think they’re married and in love. Aww. The novel then focuses on The Penguin’s right-hand man, Ignatius Ogilvy. When the Joker comes back to Gotham during the events of “Death Of The Family”, he takes Penguin with him to Arkham to set a trap for Batman. In that time, Ogilvy sees his opportunity and takes over the Penguin’s empire, and all of his legitimate and illegitimate businesses. He comes up with the moniker “Emperor Penguin”, which is both hilarious and the stupidest thing I’ve heard. Can Emperor Penguin take over a crime empire without attracting the attention of the Batman? And can Batman finally find a way to stop Oswald Cobblepot?

‘Death Of The Family’ was a great event, but it focused so much on what Joker was doing that I think it definitely left a bit of a gap in terms of showing us what Gotham was like during that time. In that sense, ‘Emperor Penguin’ was the perfect novel, focusing mainly on the streets and those villains that we didn’t see during that entire debacle. I enjoyed the majority of this novel, and the few issues in between, focusing on Clayface and Poison Ivy, were great. I think Batman has such an iconic gallery of villains that novels that are able to showcase lots of them at the same time are the best. The only qualm I had with this novel was that I don’t particularly think that Emperor Penguin is a great villain, and I hope he’s not here to stay!

Look, the artwork was good, honestly, some of those panels were beautiful, but the real standout? Those covers. Every single cover in this novel was fantastic, but the one I chose above, oof, goes in hard. Overall, you know that Batman never disappoints, so returning to this series was a good move. Let’s go and read some more comics!

Favourite Panel:

I’m glad he understands the irony!

Favourite Character:

It’s a Detective Comics novel, guys, it was always going to be Batman!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★★½

• Character Development: ★★★½

• Artwork: ★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★½

• Re-readability: ★★★½

Level: Intermediate

Sometimes I love stumbling upon a series I’ve not heard of before, and given that I’ve always been a DC fan, there are actually so many Marvel comics that I have yet to discover. I decided to continue my exploration of the All-New Marvel reboot from a few years back. I generally like Team books better, so I thought, why not jump into the “Inhumans” series!

‘Global Outreach’ tells the story of Crystal, Princess of the Inhumans, who is tasked by her sister, Queen Medusa, to find all the new Inhumans being created by the “Terrigen Mists”. She’s given a team and the means to go about her mission. A lot of the team consists of new Inhumans who gained their powers from the mist, and they’ve got a lot to learn about how to control their powers. The team attempts to show the world that they are there to help by aiding countries that now have new Inhuman citizens. Despite an initial trepidation, it appears that Crystal can convince the right people, and they are allowed to proceed with their mission. However, one day, they get told that the Terrigen Mists have gone through Sin-Cong, a country with a ruthless military dictator. Crystal is adamant that, irrespective of politics, they have to help, and initially, Sin-Cong’s leader, The Commissar, is open and welcoming. Naturally, this leads to some suspicion from some of the members of the team, but they have no choice but to accept what they are shown. But when all the members of the team have the same dream one night, whilst they are in Sin-Cong, they realise there may be more at play than they initially discovered. Can Crystal get her team of Inhumans out safely? And just who is pulling the strings in Sin-Cong?

You know, I’ve said it before, so it’s not going to come as a surprise. Marvel novels are always good when I least expect them. I had read the Black Bolt series a few years back, and I honestly didn’t think it was all that, which probably led to the lack of interest I’ve had in the Inhumans before, but this was a good novel. I really liked all the characters, and the character development was very good. I think if I had to pick at it, I’d say that it needed more action, but that’s me being pedantic!

The artwork was okay, with some good double pages. However, I think that the covers were really fantastic, and honestly, I struggled to find my favourite one. Overall, a very surprising read, and perhaps a series I’ll return to sooner than expected!

Favourite Panel:

With everything going on in the world, I just felt this was poignant!

Favourite Character:

This novel had quite a few good characters, but I think the award has to go to Crystal! No idea who she was before this, but I rate her!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★★★

• Character Development: ★★★★

• Artwork: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★★

• Re-readability: ★★★½

Level: Intermediate

Listen, it’s been a while since I was getting through novels this quickly, and I felt like I needed to capitalise on that momentum. So I thought to myself, I should probably return to DC’s Earth-2 series, because this world is kinda depressing these days, might as well see how an alternate world was faring against despots!

‘Battle Cry’ starts with a story introducing us to Captain Al Pratt, a soldier who, in the aftermath of the attack by Apokolips on his world, was imbued with abilities that allowed him to change his size. Given his newfound powers, he is immediately drafted into “The World Army”, the combined forces of all the countries that are still operating on a global basis. In the aftermath of the Apokoliptan attack, the enemy forces, led by Steppenwolf, a ruthless general, created giant fire pits which have remained on vast swathes of the landmass. After a mission to explore one of these fire pits goes awry, it appears that options are limited and the World Army must go after Steppenwolf, who has remained trapped on this Earth, with no way back home. However, it’s not just the World Army who are after Steppenwolf. The “New Wonders” consisting of the Green Lantern, The Flash and the Dr Fate of Earth-2 have come up with a plan to preemptively strike, which coincides with the World Army’s mission. Despite there being two groups of heroes trying to stop this maniac, Steppenwolf has a trick up his sleeve in the form of his three ’Terrors’, who are powerful beings enhanced with the powers of Apokolips. Will these new heroes be able to save the day and stop Steppenwolf? And who’s the new guy in a Bat-costume who is running around behind the scenes?

Look, let me start with the positives. This novel did so much laying down of lore and character development, which really helped to enhance the understanding of readers to the nuances of Earth-2 and how all these different organisations and characters interact. That being said, I felt like this novel was not as exciting as the previous two. Perhaps that’s because, honestly, I’m only interested in the main heroes and not particularly in side quests and all this other drama. Give me hero vs villain action!

The artwork was good, with very expressive faces. The one thing that I think the artist, Nicola Scott, did very well was create these huge expanses and battles. Really well done on those. I think the covers were perhaps where I felt that the novel was let down a little bit. Overall, though, a decent novel, not the best in this series, but I still love Earth-2!

Favourite Panel:

Doesn’t matter which Earth it is. Batman is as Batman does.

Favourite Character:

There were so many to choose from, and although I’m intrigued about this new Batman, I do really like the Flash of this world!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★★½

• Character Development: ★★★

• Artwork: ★★★½

• Enjoyability: ★★★½

• Re-readability: ★★★

Level: Advanced

I was recently saying to my wife that I’ve kind of developed an aversion to reading about characters who are overly violent and sadistic. Then I decided to return to this series. Carnage has always been an extremely chaotic character, and the first novel in the series was a little subpar, so it was time to see what this one was all about!

‘World Tour’ sees Cletus Cassidy, aka Carnage, being saved by a teenage girl who is sailing the world. Carnage, having sustained some serious damage from an attempt by the military to capture or kill him, is clinging on to life, but holds within his possession “The Darkhold”, a mystical book full of spells. He is particularly obsessed with the spell that would allow him to create more symbiotes, all of which would be tied to him directly. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the ability to harness its true power. His mission takes him all over the world, eventually landing him in Indonesia, where apparently there is someone with the information he needs. Meanwhile, Agent Dixon, who was the FBI agent responsible for creating the original team to take down Carnage in the first novel, is relieved of her position, but is then approached by a woman named Victoria Montesi, who tells Dixon that she will fund her operation to take down Carnage. The old team is reassembled, including Eddie Brock, who now houses the Toxin symbiote, as well as John Jameson aka Man-Wolf. Having discovered the Carnage now holds potentially a power that could end the world, the team head over to Jakarta to stop the monster in his tracks. Can Carnage find what he needs to unlock the Darkhold? Or will Dixon and her team of misfits be able to take down Carnage once and for all?

I had quite low expectations of this novel. That’s not me being a pessimist, it’s just that I’ve never really liked Carnage as a character, nor have I found him very interesting. That being said, this novel was not bad. I initially thought having the Darkhold feature was going to lead to some Dr. Strange crossover but actually they kept it fairly simple. There was certainly a lot of tension, and a few omg moments. Although there was little character development, it almost didn’t matter because the pace of the novel was fast and you wanted to get to the action!

Errr, the artwork I’d say was average. There were panels that looked very busy, but I think the artist struggles with faces. The covers are really what shone in this novel. Similar to the first novel in the series, but a lot better, I thought. Overall, this was not a bad novel at all, and I think I would like to return to this series at some point to see what happens next!

Favourite Panel:

I genuinely gasped when I read this - you have to read the novel to get it!

Favourite Character:

I mean they’re all a little shady aren’t they? Except Man-Wolf, who seems like a good guy, even if his father is always trying to take down Spider-Man!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★★

• Character Development: ★★½

• Artwork: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★

• Re-readability: ★★½

Level: Advanced

Having another person to sit and watch movies with often means that you expand beyond the normal horizons, and this morning, my wife decided that she wanted to watch this film with me. I’m never one to turn a film down… unless it’s to do with those stupid “Minions”, so I was game. This was a film that I had heard about, but to be honest, there was only one reason I had any interest in watching it!

‘The Housemaid’ tells the story of Millie Calloway, a young woman who is looking for a fresh start and a job. She attends an interview to be a live-in housemaid for Nina Winchester, a rich woman, who is keen to get some help around the house. Millie also meets Nina’s daughter, Cece, and her husband, Andrew. At first, it seems like the perfect job, and given Millie’s desire to make some money and have some stability, she wants to make a good impression. But soon the cracks begin to appear, and Millie finds that Nina is not who she appeared to be when they first met. Repeated actions by Nina make Millie look back, and then she has to deal with the constant mental breakdowns that Nina experiences. Millie soon finds out from people who know the Winchesters that Nina had gone through some trauma and had done a lot of pretty intense things. Millie’s only defence is Andrew, who tries to do his best to satiate his wife and tries to offset the antagonism that Nina feels for their new housemaid. As the pressure builds, Millie realizes that she has to do something to stop the abuse. Can she figure out who to trust to help her get out of this situation? And who else is hiding a secret of their own?

This was a pretty small cast, which hopefully should make it easier to review. Let’s start with our protagonist, Millie, played by Sydney Sweeney. I’m not oblivious to the memes, and I see why she has gained popularity, but my honest opinion of her before watching this was that I didn’t particularly think she could act. After watching this, I think she can act. I’m not convinced that she can act very well, though. Playing Andrew is Brandon Skelnar. Now, I had never heard of this guy before last year, I think he’s fairly new on the scene. However, everywhere I look, people are fan-casting him as Batman in the DCU. This was the only reason I actually wanted to watch this film. The guy has some decent range, and again, he’s not a bad actor. Perhaps I could see him as Batman, but I’m still holding on to hope that it will be Theo James. Ha! The two minor roles of Cece and Enzo, the Winchesters’ gardener, were played by Indiana Elle and Michele Morrone. Both were good additions to the cast. Let’s talk standout performance. Nina Winchester is played by Amanda Seyfried, whom, up until today, I have just known from the ‘Mamma Mia’ films. She generally gives off a happy-go-lucky vibe, but in this film, I actually saw a performance that I did not know she was capable of. Kudos to her!

I mean, this film was a fairly average watch. There were parts of it that had me hooked, and the tension was high, and then other parts where I was like hmmm, this could have used more. It’s not exactly what you want from a thriller, is it? Now, this very rarely happens, but I saw the twist in the film from the very get-go. It was slightly clear what the film was trying to achieve, and there were certainly some smoke and mirrors, but it wasn’t enough to make it predictable. This all sounds really bad, and I guess I have to balance that out. It wasn’t the worst thing I’d seen, and the really shocking bits did genuinely surprise me. A slightly better script and I think I’d have enjoyed it more!

Apparently, the film had a budget of $35 million, which I think is pretty believable. It then went on to make $360 million. Damn. It did very well then. The director Paul Feig has directed some very enjoyable films, including ‘Bridesmaids’, ‘Spy’, and ‘Last Christmas’. This felt pretty different in genre from those, and I’d say, despite my criticisms, I have to give him credit for trying something different and financially succeeding. The music was pretty apt. Overall, not a terrible watch, but not something I’d be recommending to others!

Rating:

• Story: ★★½

• Acting: ★★★

• Cinematography: ★★½

• Music: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★

Having just gotten over the high of watching ‘Frankenstein’, I thought to myself, hang on, isn’t there a DC character by that name? It had been a very long while since I last read Frankenstein’s adventures with S.H.A.D.E., and I figured it was time to return. I have to say, the first novel was not my favourite by any means, but it was still an okay read!

‘Secrets Of The Dead’ is a huge compilation of stories. It starts with a one-shot story about Frankenstein, nicknamed Frank by most of the characters in the novel, and his once-upon-a-time love, Lady Frankenstein. Great names. The next story introduces us to “The Rot”, one of the three ancient forces - this one representing all the death and decay in the world. Whilst the Rot attempts to kill Frank, it realizes that Frank is both immune to its power and also to death. Armed with that knowledge, Frank goes on with his other missions. One of which involves him breaking into a microscopic base which houses several S.H.A.D.E. agents, since he’s been told by Father Time, the weird commander of this agency, that there may be a mole within the Organization. Frank seems a little tired of it all, but goes along with the plan. The final story sees the Rot take over the entire world, and suddenly Frank’s immunity to it becomes the World’s only solution. The problem is, the man who is now leading the Rot is none other than Frank’s creator, Victor Frankenstein. Can Frank find a way to stop his mad creator and save the world? And will he finally get the peace that he so craves?

I have genuinely no idea what the hell was happening in that novel. I mean, as a comic book character, Frankenstein is pretty interesting, but I often wonder if DC know what to do with him. His portrayal in the ‘Creature Commandos’ DCU show was almost the complete opposite of what he is in the comics, and so I think perhaps sticking to one archetype would be best. There were so many stories in that novel, and perhaps it was because it was the last in this series that the writers thought all loose ends needed to be tied up, but it felt all over the place with no coherent structure. The only saving grace was that the other characters were enjoyable to read, including Nina, Velcoro and Khalis. More of that, please!

The artwork was a mixture of artists, and if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I liked much of it. I get that they were probably trying to give off a horror feel to it, but the inconsistency wasn’t great. The covers were okay. I don’t know, I don’t think this was a great novel, and my feelings about it harkened to the time when I had to read those awful Larfleeze novels!

Favourite Panel:

Oof. Doesn’t matter which version of Frankenstein it is, the guy drops bars!

Favourite Character:

Lots of choice in this novel, with the Creature Commandos featuring. Although it should be Frank, I think Velcoro was extremely entertaining!

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★

• Character Development: ★★½

• Artwork: ★★

• Enjoyability: ★★½

• Re-readability: ★

Level: Impossible

Wow. I have to say, it’s been a while since I’ve written a TV show review, and it’s been even longer since I’ve watched anything from the CW. I remember when I started university, all the shows I was watching at the time were on the CW, and it makes sense because their target audience was literally people in their late teens. On top of that, they were the only channel that was producing DC Comics TV shows at the time. So nostalgia baited, it was time to jump back in!

‘Arrow’ Season 3 begins in the aftermath of the previous season. Oliver loses his company because no one really trusts his judgment in running it, and in steps Ray Palmer, a genius scientist, who not only steals Oliver’s company but also steals his girl. What!?! The Arrow Team also seems to be getting into a new rhythm, and then Sara turns up, and everyone is overjoyed. But when she is mysteriously killed, the team scramble to find her killer. With the villainous Malcolm Merlyn turning up, it seems that a likely suspect has been identified. But all is not as it seems, because as the mystery of Sara’s murder begins to unravel, a new enemy emerges from the shadows. We are talking about the League of Assassins led by the indomitable Ra’s Al Ghul. Similar to several Batman comic book storylines, Ra’s sees something in Oliver, and when the two of them become embroiled in combat, Ra’s feels like he has found his successor. Despite his persistence, Ra’s finds that Oliver is reluctant to take him up on his offer. But he finds a way to persuade him. At the same time, the different members of Team Arrow are going through their own challenges. Laurel is dealing with the loss of her sister, Diggle is dealing with the change in his relationship, and Thea is finding it difficult to deal with her identity. Can Oliver and his team come together to deal with this new threat? Or will dissent separate them forever?

Let’s talk cast. The main cast remains the same. Stephen Amell returns as Oliver Queen/The Arrow. Amell has slowly been crafting his art through the seasons, and although Oliver remains his gruff self for the majority of this season, we see him slightly return to a coldness not seen since the first one. Team Arrow, including David Ramsey and Emily Bett Rickards, return as John Diggle and Felicity Smoak, respectively. In terms of character development for the two of them, there was some, but it felt that they were sidelined to a certain extent. One of the main subplots for the season involved Willa Holland as Thea Queen and John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn. Now I’ve always thought that Holland’s performance has been one of the better ones in the show, and seeing Malcom return was also really good. We have to mention our newcomers this season. Brandon Routh, who famously once played Superman, stars as Ray Palmer, and he brings this sort of naivety and charm to the role that I thought was perfect. Matt Nable is the villainous Ra’s Al Ghul. Errr, I’m not sure what to say about this casting. Ra’s, to my understanding, was Middle Eastern in ethnicity, and Nable is the most Australian-sounding man I’ve ever heard, ahah. For the standout performance this season, I have to give it to Katie Cassidy, who plays Laurel Lance. Laurel’s journey from grieving sister to certified badass by the end of the season was fun to watch!

Oh man, what to say about Season 3. It took me over 6 months to actually find a way to watch this season. I felt that the first two seasons of Arrow were so good, and the storyline was gripping. It felt like this season was a step down. Now, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all terrible. I liked the flashback scenes, since they put Oliver in a new environment, even if that environment wasn’t as exciting as Lian Yu or even the ship. I will say that this season upped the ante on introducing more DC characters, like Wildcat, Katana and of course, Atom. It felt far more like a superhero drama than it had before. But the main storyline was weak. I know that previously it has been said that Green Arrow is a sort of alternative Batman, and the first season of Arrow was definitely pushing that, but having Ra’s as the main bad guy, who’s looking for someone to take over his mantle? Surely they could’ve found more Green Arrow villains rather than pursue one in a different character’s gallery of rogues? Idk, it just felt lacklustre!

Naturally, the CW didn’t have the biggest budget in the world, but I think that the graphics and filmography were considerably improved this season. They obviously had to spend money on some of those scenes with the Atom suit, but even the choreography seemed slightly better this season. The music has always been apt for the kind of show that Arrow is, so there’s not much to say there. Overall, this season was not great, not terrible, but disappointing given how good Season 2 was!

Rating:

• Story: ★★½

• Acting: ★★★

• Filmography: ★★★

• Integral vs Filler Episodes: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★

For the last month, all I’ve been hearing about is this Warner Bros. deal that has been occurring. Netflix looks like it’s still on top, and despite Paramount’s best attempts to get any governing body around the world to side with it, I think Netflix will still win. What this means for Warner Bros. films is still to be seen, but in the meantime, it’s going to be interesting to see the kind of stuff that Netflix is releasing!

‘Frankenstein’ is by no means a new story. But a new retelling is always welcome. We start with a Danish ship that is stuck in the ice somewhere in the North Sea. Whilst the sailors are attempting to hack away at the ice, they stumble upon an injured man, named Victor Frankenstein. The captain takes Frankenstein to his private quarters and asks his tale of him. We see Victor’s childhood, where he is shunned by his father and adored by his mother, and after she passes, giving birth to his younger brother, William, Victor finds himself adrift emotionally. He becomes a surgeon, obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His obscene experiments then catch the attention of Henrich Harlander, a man who states that he will pay for Victor’s work so that he may bring a corpse back to life. At the same time, he meets Elizabeth, Harlander’s niece and his brother William’s fiancée. Victor becomes enamoured with her and is desperate to impress her with his experiment. One night, the conditions are just right for Victor to perform the impossible, and he brings to life his ‘monster’. But things don’t go the way that Victor wants, and he finds that his new creation has ideas of its own. Can Victor prove to the world that he has conquered death? And just what does this Creature want?

I remember hearing a few things about this film during its production, but the cast was not one of those things. But by God, what a cast. Let’s start with the genius scientist himself, Victor Frankenstein was played by Oscar Isaac. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Oscar Isaac. He’s funny, he’s talented, he’s stylish, and very good-looking. Oscar Isaac in Dune is what I want to look like when I’m 40. He absolutely steals every scene he is in. Top quality acting. Let’s talk about Henrich Harlander, played by the indomitable Christoph Waltz. Now Waltz, despite being rated very highly, I still feel is such an underrated actor. In roles where the lines between good and bad are blurred, he plays the role well, and this was definitely one of those performances. Mia Goth plays Elizabeth, and again, a good performance there. I think she suits films in this genre generally, because she’s good at being serious and morose. I’m not sure I could imagine her in a romcom. Okay, let’s talk about the Monster in the room: Jacob Elordi. Now, I’ve not seen ‘Euphoria’, and so I had passed this sort of undeserving judgment on Elordi as one of those actors who are in popular TV shows, who doesn’t know how to act. I take it completely back. Jacob, if you’re reading this, you have garnered my interest, and I think you could be one of the greats. Please just do Heathcliff justice?

Frankenstein is a character that I think has been done so many times, and in so many forms, that I wondered if this film would be able to bring anything new to the experience. Whilst I don’t feel that viewers will take anything new away from the story, seeing alternative takes on characters we’ve seen before is certainly interesting. The film is also split into three parts, and so you see the story from several perspectives, which again I think adds to the enjoyment of watching the film. The themes that are explored are clear; get therapy people, haha. We all, in a way, share Victor’s ambition to do the impossible, and when that mission stems from a place of negative emotion, it doesn’t end well!

So naturally, Netflix has a variety of budgets, and some films get far more than others. It was clear from the get-go that ‘Frankenstein’ was one of those films. From the stellar cast to the cinematography, everything was done to the highest level of quality. It’s not surprising, given that they had the legend, Guillermo Del Toro as director. Del Toro, who is so known for creating the weird and wonderful, I think may have played this one a little tame, but it was still visually beautiful. I’d say the music was probably the only aspect of the film that I thought was average, but with a project like this, it really didn’t matter. Overall, a very good retelling of a classic!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★

• Acting: ★★★★

• Cinematography: ★★★★

• Music: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★½

Oh my Lord. My exams are finally over. This means I’m finally stepping up from role as part-time writer, editor and curator of “The Masked Medic” and becoming a less-than-full-time writer, editor and curator of “The Masked Medic”. Trust me, it’s a big promotion that comes with a 100% increase in my salary from £0 to a whopping £0. With this newfound responsibility, I’m aiming to bring you more reviews than ever. Starting with this one.

‘Midnight In Paris’ is the story of current screenwriter and aspiring author Gil Pender, who finds himself in Paris with his fiancée, Inez, and her parents. Gil loves everything about Paris, and thinks that all the great writers, artists and visionaries of the 20th century were inspired by the French capital. His obsession with 1920s Paris, however, doesn’t go down well with Inez, and she’s very keen to enjoy the holiday before returning to her life in the United States. When they bump into a couple of her friends, Paul and Carol, Inez finally sees a reason to go exploring, much to Gil’s chagrin. One night, whilst drunk, Gil goes walking through the city, getting lost before being picked up by a couple of partygoers in an old car. Despite his initial reluctance, Gil goes with them, being brought to a party like he’s never imagined. Suddenly, he finds himself with new passion and vigour for his writing, and he finds himself inspired by the city he loves so much. Meanwhile, Inez sees this behaviour as annoying, sure that whatever Gil is talking about is largely nonsense. Will Gil’s experiences help him finish the novel he so desperately wants to write? And just who will he meet along this magical journey?

So when I saw Owen Wilson on the poster of this film, I was immediately like, what? I mean, I suppose that’s a little mean, but then again, I’ve never considered Wilson seriously, mostly because he does make good comedy films. Nevertheless, Gil, who is a slightly nonchalant character, is what Wilson does perfectly. Alongside him, playing Inez is Rachel McAdams, whom I genuinely get confused with several other actresses. Luckily, she didn’t have to show off her acting chops very much, but she played a very convincing and annoying fiancée to Wilson’s character. Finally, the last of the main cast is Marion Cotillard as Adriana, the young woman whom Gil continues to run into during these parties he attends. I generally find Cotillard to be intense, but that’s more from her facial expressions rather than the role that she is playing. Adriana is naive and unassuming, and Cotillard plays her well. The supporting cast is unreal, and includes Tom Hiddleston, Corey Stoll, Adrian Brody, Kathy Bates, as well asthe previous French First Lady, Carla Bruni. It’s a stacked cast, but one that melds into creating this rich background to Gil’s story!

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this film. My wife chose it, but she chose it specifically because she thought I would really enjoy it. And she was right. ‘Midnight in Paris’ has a simple story, but one that surprisingly immerses its viewers by the end. Nostalgia in itself is a powerful force, and the film capitalises on it perfectly. I was just thinking last night, how often I find myself thinking about “the good old days”, and I suppose that most adults must feel the same. Gil’s desire to live this fantastical life in Paris makes sense, therefore, and the annoyance that Inez feels is the same annoyance we feel towards her. I have to say, I’ve been to Paris a number of times, and personally, I don’t get the allure, but the film does showcase what an iconic city it is, and how influential it’s been on modern art and literature!

As I said, the film was a simple plot, and the low budget made sense. Some of the cinematography was decent, especially the parties that Gil attends. I’ve not seen any other Woody Allen films, and I know that there were some serious allegations made about him. I’ve always said that I would try to separate the art from the artist if possible. The film does have a distinct style, and the music is certainly one of those aspects that I feel was done quite well. Overall, this was just one of those feel-good films that you put on casually and enjoy!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★

• Acting: ★★★

• Cinematography: ★★★½

• Music: ★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★

I know that ever since I expanded my reviews to anime, my attention has been largely held by the new category. I recently thought about whether I was starting to lose interest in comic books, and felt a little sad. But then I realized that I didn’t start this blog for any other reason than to be a stress reliever, and it was okay to flit from interest to interest. I think that process calmed me down enough to open up a comic book! Ha!

‘Back In The Hood’ is the story of Ben Reilly, a clone of Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. Ben goes by the moniker “The Scarlet Spider”. The novel starts with Ben contacting an old colleague of his, whom he worked with, in what sounds like a conman job to help bring people’s relatives back to life. Following that ploy, he went undercover and only recently resurfaced. He asks his colleague for money and heads over to Vegas, wanting a new and perhaps profitable start. However, his luck wanes when he ends up in a casino that is owned by Cassandra Mercury, a rich and vengeful businesswoman. Cassandra’s daughter is one of the victims of Ben’s con and has been in a coma. As fates align, Cassandra and Ben come face to face, and she remembers that he was the one who promised to bring her daughter back. Ben, seeing himself in trouble, promises her that with her financial backing, he can come up with a plan to cure her daughter. If that wasn’t trouble enough, Kaine Parker, another Peter Parker clone, begins to look for Ben, with the intention of killing him. Can Kaine find where Ben has been hiding? And can Ben figure out how to undo the mistakes of his past?

Listen, straight off the bat, what the absolute hell was going on in this novel? I started this series in an attempt to read something new, and this was the first novel in this series, but I was so, so confused as to what had happened before. I’ve said this before, but Marvel’s continuity is genuinely all over the place. Also, why are there so many Peter Parker clones? Where did they come from? It feels like I’m going to have to do a lot of background reading to find out all the answers I need. If you can ignore all of that confusion, the novel isn’t bad. I did feel like both Ben and Kaine were overly violent and lacked the moral streak that Spider-Man has, but I suppose that’s why they’re flawed clones? I don’t know.

The artwork was not bad, I think the style was crisp, and the colours were bright. The covers were certainly a highlight, and I struggled to choose one to put at the beginning of this review. Overall, an extremely confusing novel, which I’ll probably return to one day, just for clarity’s sake!

Favourite Panel:

Given that they’re both Peter Parker clones, this cracked me up!

Favourite Character:

Errr… they’re all Peter Parker? But I suppose if I had to pick someone, it would be Ben Reilly. Don’t have much choice.

Rating:

• Story Arc: ★★½

• Character Development: ★★★

• Artwork: ★★★½

• Enjoyability: ★★½

• Re-readability: ★½

Level: Impossible

I feel that ever since I opened myself up to starting a new category of review, it’s basically all I want to do now. I took a little break to watch the first season of Kaiju No. 8, but naturally, with a third season round the corner, it was time to return to Gege Akutami’s world!

‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Season 2 starts with a flashback arc. We get to see everyone’s favourite teacher, Satoru Gojo, as a student himself, with his fellow second years, Sugeru Geto and Shoko Ieiri. Gojo and Geto are given a mission to protect a young girl who is due to be absorbed into Tengen, a mystical, immortal jujutsu sorcerer who is responsible for maintaining the protective barrier over the Jujutsu High Schools. However, two separate groups are trying to stop this absorption process and target the girl, as well as Gojo and Geto. The second arc brings us back to the present day, with the group of curses, consisting of Hanami, Jogo, Mahito, and the now villain Geto, having finally come up with a plan to stop Gojo. All of this takes place in Shibuya in Tokyo, and starts with the villains setting up a number of veils to trap innocent people in and to keep the jujitsu sorcerers out - all except Gojo. As Gojo descends down into the underground, he is met by several challenges and challengers - all designed for him alone. Meanwhile, the remaining sorcerers are split into teams and begin to attempt to break the veils and make their way down to help Gojo. Can the villains pull off their plan before backup arrives? And what will come of the city of Tokyo once this is all over?

I have to say, I think having two arcs in one season was a pretty good idea. The first arc, although considerably shorter, almost acts as a palate cleanser as we get to meet some of the characters we know in slightly different circumstances, but also we’re introduced to some new and iconic characters *cough* Toji *cough*. Personally, the highlight of that arc was the friendship between Gojo and Geto, something that we haven’t really seen prior to this. I think the evolution of who they end up becoming is clear, but it’s nice to see a time when they were best friends. The reason I think that first arc is needed is that the Shibuya Arc is like going from 0-100 in a second. You know how the first season is like, ooh, there are these schools that train jujutsu sorcerers, and the two branches have a little rivalry, so cute? Well, the second season is like imagine what it would be like if the world had no hope and entire cities were under supernatural attacks. There were a lot of moments where I needed to pause just to understand what was going on, and I’m grateful to my anime expert sister who broke down some of the concepts for me. That being said, there were some truly spectacular moments, where my jaw was on the floor. There were more twists and turns than I could imagine, and by the end of the season, I needed a quiet moment to just sit and reflect on what I had watched. Thus, the delay in getting this review to you!

Similar to the first season, this second season clocks in at 23 episodes, but unlike that first season, it definitely felt like every episode was building on the story. There was perhaps one filler episode, but it was quite funny, so I didn’t mind. The one criticism I have is that the ending of this season, like its predecessor, left me slightly confused. I love the animation style of this show, and there were so many amazing fight scenes that took my breath away. One stood above the rest, but I’ll let you guys find it. The music this season was a step up. The opening of the ‘Shibuya Arc’ was done by a group called Gnu. It’s so catchy, I’ve made it my ringtone. Do you understand how good something needs to sound for me to revert to a teenager who is looking to download a new ringtone? Unreal. Overall, this season takes the stakes sky high, and I’m so, so excited for season 3!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★★

• Character Development: ★★★★½

• Animation and Visual Style: ★★★★

• World Building: ★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★★½

Since you’ve probably forgotten about the second writer on this blog, I think it’s about time I ended my very long hiatus and churned out some content, before my lovely editor fires me.

Granted, there has been a lot I’ve been watching and reading so I had to consider, what was worthy of a comeback, and then it hit me, I should probably let you know my thoughts on one of the worst movies I’ve ever watched, so instead of convincing you to watch something, I’ll just save you wasting three hours of your life! What movie, you ask?

Zodiac!!!

Unlike the movie, which was obnoxiously long, I’ll keep this review short and sweet.

Now I love true crime, but one case that I never really invested my time into was that of the Zodiac killer, hence the reason it took me so long to watch the movie. I had assumed that this would be a masterpiece, as so many had claimed that this was some of David Fincher’s best work, and seeing as his filmography includes Seven, Fight Club, and Gone Girl, sue me if I had high expectations.

The movie follows the story of an obsessed cartoonist who tries to reveal the identity of the killer tormenting the San Francisco Bay Area. Ultimately, as the real case was unsolved at the point of the movie’s release, the movie also ends with the killer remaining unnamed.

There were some pretty big hitters with Jake Gylenhal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. I think that everyone played their parts as well as the script could’ve allowed them to. But with a plot so bland and dry, there’s only so much actors can do, I guess.

In terms of the movie’s score, it had no lasting effect on me, maybe because my ears are pretty much numb to everything apart from Hans Zimmer and Joe Hisaishi. Regardless, at no point did the music draw my attention, nor do I think it enhanced the scenes. The cinematography was dark and eerie, the standard approach to a thriller. There were hues of green and yellows which made me feel a bit nauseous personally, I preferred Denis Villeneuve’s blue/gray tones used in Prisoners (I’m biased). I literally have nothing else to say. The sound and cinematography did not elevate the project in the slightest.

This might be the harshest review on this website to date, but simply it was a subpar movie. I had to watch the film over 4 different sittings to finish it because I was too bored to sit through the entire runtime. At the end of the day, if the Zodiac Killer hasn’t been legitimately identified now, why would you try to make a movie about identifying him 18 years ago???? I understand wanting to make something to try to encapsulate the feelings of the countless lives affected by the killer; however, this movie provides no closure, so what was the point? It’s just rehashing trauma in a pretty mediocre way. Also, did it ever have to be THREE HOURS LONG?

Overall bad movie, don’t watch it.

Rating:

• Story: ★

• Acting: ★★½

• Cinematography: ★★½

• Music: ★★

• Enjoyability: ★

I have to say, since starting Jujutsu Kaisen, my interest and willpower to explore more anime has only skyrocketed. I feel as though the child in me, who used to love watching Japanese cartoons, has finally found a way to thrive again. That being said, I have wanted to start something new, and it took me a while to find that something!

Season 1 of ‘Kaiju No. 8’ introduces us to a world where Kaiju (giant monsters) regularly attack. In Japan, there is a specialised military, the Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defence Force (JAKDF) - quite a mouthful, I know, so for the purposes of this review, we’ll just call them the Defence Force. We meet Kafka Hibino, a 34-year-old man who works for the disposal team that removes remains of the Kaiju that have been destroyed. However, he has dreams that one day he’ll be a member of the Defence Force and stand side-by-side with his childhood friend Mina Ashiro, who is now captain of the Third Division of the Defence Force. Big dreams which have come crashing down several times, since he keeps failing the exam. Then one day, a new kid, Reno Ichikawa, joins the disposal team, explaining that he too wants to join the Defence Force. During a Kaiju attack before their exam, Kafka is attacked by a small parasitic kaiju, which turns him into a human/kaiju hybrid. Kafka soon learns that he has an intense amount of power and is colloquially nicknamed Kaiju No. 8. However, with an entire nation that both fears and hates the ever-powerful Kaijus, he must keep his newfound abilities a secret or risk elimination. Can Kafka survive the tests and make it into the defence force? And just what is causing the increase in intensity and quantity of Kaiju attacks in Japan?

Initially, I was worried that I would struggle to find animes that I enjoyed as much as ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ and would be left just wondering if I had already seen the best thing I was going to watch. If you’re now looking for me to tell you if ‘Kaiju No 8’ is better or worse, then you’re not going to get an answer. It’s a completely different cup of tea, but one that highlights a number of common themes to me. Growing up watching Western cartoons and shows, it was always the case that I loved the mysterious characters and very rarely liked the talkative heroes because I saw them as secondary. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve started to want to watch things where I can relate to the characters more in terms of personality. From that perspective, ‘Kaiju No 8’ was a perfect watch. Kafka is funny, outgoing, selfless and sometimes completely deluded, but he’s a fun character to watch. Most of all, he seems deserving of the power that he is granted, because he only wants it to save the lives of others. But it’s not just him, the characters around him, including Reno Ichikawa and the confident Kikoru Shinomiya, are all likeable in their own ways, so you get a feeling that you’d like to be a part of this defence force. I think if I had to give some criticism, it’s that the show does well to introduce characters, but doesn’t necessarily give them enough backstory moments. I’d also say that the scope of the work that the Defence Force does is rarely touched on. Are they just based in one place? How many divisions are there? Lots of questions to be answered!

This first season of ‘Kaiju No. 8’ is only 12 episodes long, and although it takes maybe 3-4 episodes to get dug in, it flies by once you’re in the midst of it all. It certainly ramps up nicely, and you can get invested quite quickly. Given that the plot isn’t very complex, I think that 12 episodes is an apt number, because we really don’t have any filler episodes. It’s all story. The animation style was decent, not my personal favourite, but I was a fan of the way the characters are drawn, especially Kaiju No. 8. The music is certainly a high point, with lots of American artists jumping on the bandwagon to create both the opening and ending theme. Overall, I really enjoyed this first season, and I hope that the next season begins to tie up some of the loose ends from this season!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★

• Character Development: ★★★★

• Animation and Visual Style: ★★★½

• World Building: ★★★½

• Enjoyability: ★★★½

One of the great things about being married is that you get to watch a lot of your favourites again, but get to do it with someone who is experiencing these masterpieces for the first time. That’s exactly what happened this week, when, for movie night, my wife and I sat down to watch a sci-fi classic!

‘The Matrix’ tells the story of Thomas Anderson, aka Neo, a young man who has an intense feeling that he is living in a dream. One day, he is contacted by a mysterious woman named Trinity, who tells him that she can introduce him to a man who has the answers that Neo seeks. This man, Morpheus, explains to Neo that not everything is as it seems in the world, and Neo must trust what Morpheus has to say; otherwise, he may be in great danger. Despite the warning, Neo runs into the extremely unsettling Agent Smith, who tells him that this new life he seeks will have consequences. As Neo begins to follow the trail that is laid out for him, he meets more and more people who have interacted with Morpheus and accepted his message. His understanding of the world that he lives in coalesces, and he realizes why he has been recruited especially. Can he live up to the expectations of the people around him? Or will the system cull this renegade before he becomes unstoppable?

Let’s get into the cast because it really is a good one. Playing Morpheus is Laurence Fishburne. I’ve seen him in several roles following this, but his gravitas and tone of voice are unmatched. He makes an excellent but also believable leader of this group of rebels. Carrie-Anne Moss plays Trinity, one of Morpheus’s crew, and I think she does an excellent job. I read some of the other names who were considered, but genuinely, I’m not sure they could’ve pulled it off. What makes it even more impressive is that this was her first proper foray into film. Naturally, we have to acknowledge our lead protagonist. Keanu Reeves plays Neo, and he expresses just the right amount of naivety to be the perfect Neo, in my opinion. I think prior to this film, he was under a certain amount of typecasting as a sort of dorky hipster, but this really cemented his status as an action star. Right. Standout role. I really like the heroes in this film, I think they are likable and you want to root for them, but let’s not get it twisted. The one performance that makes the film is Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith. Everyone about his acting, from the way he walks, to the way he pronounces ‘Mister Anderson’, is captivating, and it’s no surprise that he constantly makes it into the top all-time villains list!

Now imagine that I first watched this film when I was 13 during my religious studies lessons at school. Granted, I didn’t get to watch it all, but a lot of the pertinent parts stuck in my brain. It’s with that insight that I say, for anyone who has faith or the belief in a greater power, the Matrix is one of the most intricately clever films I’ve seen. There are multiple parables to the idea of our existence in this world, which is superficially layered with a sort of punk rock sci-fi design. Those of you who are perceptive enough to have picked up on some pretty cool allusions to mythology and theology would have noted that the man trying to cut people from this dream world is named after the Greek God of Dreams. The third member of the protagonist trio is named Trinity. And if you rearrange the letters of Neo’s name, you get the One, which he is suspected to be. Add to that mix the Oracle who drops some serious bars of thought-provoking wisdom, with some awesome fight scenes, and you have all the ingredients for a great piece of cinema!

Naturally, we have to talk about the cinematography. The Wachowskis (formerly brothers, now sisters) fashion an intricate world for their film. Both the alternate reality and true vision of the world have such different looks, but both feel equally authentic. Although it takes some getting used to, the slight green haze used in some of the scenes helps viewers distinguish which world they are in. The stunt choreography is excellent and is coupled with a pretty badass soundtrack. If you’ve not seen this film yet, then take the red pill, go down the rabbit hole, and see what I think is one of the greatest films of our time!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★★

• Acting: ★★★½

• Cinematography: ★★★★½

• Music: ★★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★★½

The exam is over, the streets beckon, and The Masked Medic is ready to serve just— a few reviews here and there. In my attempt to get back into films, I thought it was best to start safe. And there’s nothing safer than nostalgia, so join me as we dive into the big blue ocean!

‘Finding Nemo’ starts with a clownfish couple named Marlin and Coral who have recently moved into a new anemone off the Great Barrier Reef. The two are excitedly waiting for the birth of their many children when tragedy strikes, and both Coral and all but one of the eggs are attacked by a barracuda. We cut forward a few years, and Marlin has raised that one sole child, who is named Nemo. Nemo is excited to start school, and despite Marlin’s reluctance, he drops Nemo off at school. However, when the school trip to the edge of the reef, aka ‘The Drop-off’, goes wrong, Nemo is captured by divers, and Marlin sets off to find him. On the way, he meets a forgetful blue tang named Dory. She means well, but her memory issues very quickly get in the way of Marlin’s mission. As the pair traverse across waters that present challenge after challenge, they learn a lot about each other whilst trying to complete their mission. Meanwhile, Nemo finds himself in a new environment, with a group of fish that have learnt to survive their own little ecosystem. They are adamant that they will get him out before he meets a certain doom at the hands of a maniacal child. Can the ‘Tank Gang’ follow through on their promise? And will Marlin’s willpower be enough to reunite him with his only child?

Okay, voice acting is a tough gig, but if you do it right, it can be iconic. Let’s start with overprotective Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks. I’ve not seen or heard Brooks in anything else, but his exasperation really comes through. Technically our titular character, Nemo, is voiced by Alexander Gould, who at the time was 9 years old. Not sure how his career panned out after that, but it must have been pretty awesome to be cast in a Pixar film. The film is filled with some very interesting casting. If we look at the ‘Tank Gang’, some familiar names pop up. The leader of the gang, the mysterious Gill, is voiced by none other than Willem Dafoe, and the gravitas of his voice shines in the role. Brad Garrett and Alison Janney play Bloat and Peach, respectively. Both actors that I’ve seen before, but I haven’t put two and two together. The most surprising casting was Geoffrey Rush as Nigel the Pelican. Rush played Captain Barbossa in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films, and I’ve never ever realised that he was Australian or that his voice wasn’t all deep and villainous, aha. A quick shoutout to director Andrew Stanton, who voices Crush, who, for many, many years, was my favourite ‘Finding Nemo’ character. Finally, let’s talk about the standout role. Ellen DeGeneres plays Dory, and she is fantastic in the role. I know that there was that whole thing about the workplace she maintained for her show, but I think sometimes it’s okay to appreciate the things that people do well, and she absolutely killed it as Dory!

I realise that the majority of old nostalgic films that I’ve been watching have been Pixar films. You guys have got reviews from me on ‘A Bug’s Life’ and ‘Cars’, and I think on the whole there’s a reason these films make people feel good. ‘Finding Nemo’ is no exception to this, and I think it really does lend itself to all age groups. You have kids watching this who want to rebel and may see their parents as holding them back. There will be parents watching this who know the feeling of letting kids go, and not knowing what the world has in store for them. But on the whole, it’s the story of what it means to be family and that no matter where life takes you, you’ll always have someone looking to protect you. The older I get, the more I appreciate the jokes and the message that this film renders. If I had to criticise, all I can say is that the ending feels slightly off. I don’t know how to explain it, but I think there are a few unnecessary scenes, but a great film all round!

Pixar, we can all agree, is one of the best in the business when it comes to animation. Certain scenes in this film really stood out to me, including the whole Shark meeting scene and even the beginning, with Marlin dropping Nemo off at school. I also liked the dichotomy of the tank scenes with Marlin’s journey. The script is extremely funny in parts, and I still find myself doing impressions from this film. The soundtrack was good, and it provides a good background ambience. Overall, a good film which leaves you feeling happy!

Rating:

• Story: ★★★★

• Voice Acting: ★★★½

• Cinematography: ★★★½

• Music: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★★

Now here I was thinking I’d figured these anime shows out. They have seasons, with episode arcs, much like a TV show, right? Wrong! They also sometimes have films which come out in between seasons which introduce us to more characters, and other stories. In this case, we’re returning to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen!

‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0’ is a prequel film, which introduces us to Yuta Okkotsu, a young man who has been followed by a cursed spirit, Rika, since he was a young child. Rika was Yuta’s childhood friend, who died in a freak accident, but became this cursed spirit and has protected Yuta since then. Naturally, the people of influence in the jujutsu world see Yuta as a massive threat, and arrange for him to be executed. Enter, everyone’s favourite teacher, Satoru Gojo, who takes Yuta under his wing, telling him that he will join Jujutsu High School and learn to break the curse that has haunted him all these years. Yuta then meets his fellow first years, Maki Zen’in, Toge Inumaki and Panda. These three are initially skeptical of Yuta, given the presence of Rika in his life, however, slowly begin to train with him. Gojo sends Maki and Yuta on their first mission together, and despite his initial fear, Yuta is able to make a deal with Rika to destroy the curse that has been haunting a local school. Gojo is impressed, and tells Yuta that he may be able to harness some of Rika’s power and infuse it into a weapon so that he, himself, can fight curses as well. Just as we see the camaraderie between the first years begin to build, a new threat identifies itself. Suguru Geto is a formidable jujutsu sorcerer who has the ability to absorb curses and use them against his enemies and he has Yuta in his sights. Can he convince Yuta to join his cause? And just what is he planning?

The perks of having seen the first season already was that in my mind, the tapestry of this world had already been created. I was looking forward to that tapestry expanding, and the film really does that. We are introduced to Yuta Okkotsu, a character that is mentioned by name only in the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen and he’s such a different protagonist to Yuji Itadori. In the beginning he’s this shy and scared kid, but his resilience and desire to grow makes him a very likeable character. By the time I’d finished watching, I’d mentally changed my Top 10 characters because Yuta needed to be in that list. But luckily it’s not all new faces. Satoru Gojo is there, with his usual tricks, but we get to see more nuances in his character. Since this is a prequel, we know Yuta’s classmates well, since they are second years in the first season of the show. I have to say, I like Maki and Panda, but Inumaki is such an OP but sweet character, and I liked how the film gave him some good screen time too. We can’t speak about the film without addressing our villain. Suguru Geto is a mysterious jujutsu sorcerer who is way more talkative that I expected. Although his squad are relatively forgettable, he oozes this charisma that almost makes you want to like him. What I wanted to know was what his connection to Gojo is, because the two of them seem to know each other pretty well. I’ve been told I need to watch the second season in order to find out. In a way, ‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0’ is far more palatable than the first season as the groundwork has already been laid out. Gone are the questions about curses and techniques and why Panda is able to do what he does. In a way, I think that really solidified the enjoyment I got from watching this film!

The perks of having a film is that the story isn’t as long or complicated, and ‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0’ has excellent pacing so you’re never really bored. One could argue that the downside to that is that it’s only the length of about 4 or 5 episodes. The animation style was subtly different and I honestly thought it was a bit of an upgrade. Although I didn’t pay much attention to it, the music in some of the scenes was also pretty good. I realize that I’m saying a lot of what Jujutsu Kaisen fans have been expressing for a long time, but this story really is very good, and our introduction to Yuta now has me very excited for when I see him next. Perhaps I need to speed through the second season?

Rating:

• Story: ★★★½

• Character Development: ★★★★½

• Animation and Visual Style: ★★★★

• World Building: ★★★

• Enjoyability: ★★★½