r-kerr0992

OVERVIEW I loved Skyfall. It was dark, menacing, well written, well acted, and the tone was perfect. The vision and drive behind the villain's plans was established, and in the end justice prevailed, but scars were left. It highlighted all that is great in all of Daniel Craig's Bond movies. Dark, action packed, with slight subtle nods to the original 007 tropes and just solid movies, besides Quantum of Solace. But even with Quantum of Solace, the tone that was set in Casino Royale was still present, as it was in Skyfall.

This is where the problem starts for me. Tone. You can't have good drama without some comedy, but too much makes the concept a parody of itself. To maintain a fresh outlook on the franchise is to have a trait that stands in all of the movies, and that is the dark, stripped down 007 with more emotional resonance. Right off the bat, movie starts with a great tracking shot following Bond moving through the streets of Mexico City during The Day of The Dead, establishing a unique, fresh atmosphere with no score and tension beginning to build. James tracks down his target, a great set piece takes place on foot and via an in-helicopter fist fight, with 007 killing his target and kicking off the movie with the curiosity of the ring the man had containing a strange Octopus symbol. The tone is established, somewhat gritty, action packed sequence that gets the ball rolling.

Except, the very next few scenes after the interesting title sequence, it is very comedic, not the decommission of Bond by Fiennes' M, but his conversations with Moneypenny and Q just seem off. It's strange when the Austin Martin DB5 that was blown up by the men who were responsible for M's death spawns a joke by Q. It deflates the conflict from the previous movie, and the dark undertone set from her departure. There were so many one-liners and cringe worthy dialogue it was unsettling. Then what we have is James Bond trying to uncover the organization of Spectre by attending the funeral of the man he killed in Rome.

This is my first point. I am happy with the Bond storyline in tracking down Spectre and eventually Franz Oberhauser, the Kingpin. However, the entire subplot of the 00 organization integrated with MI5 did not need to be in the movie. It could have completely been skipped. Focus the the entire plot around a rogue Bond and his venture to take down Spectre, it was the only parts in the movie for me that were satisfying, up until a specific point (after the scenes at Spectre's North African base).

PERFORMANCES Everybody put in a solid performance. I think the three that definitely stole the show was Daniel Craig of course as Bond, Lea Seydoux as the 'breaking the mold' Bond girl Madeleine Swann, and of course the great Christoph Waltz, who in my opinion had an extremely under developed character and not a lot of screen time, yet he still put in a solid performance. Everyone else were fine.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS There were several action set pieces, but in my opinion two stick in my head, one flamboyant and one simple setup. The first was the opening sequence. As I described in the beginning, the tracking shot, foot chase through the crowded streets and the helicopter scene were great. Another moment was when Bond and Swann face off against Spectre henchman Mr Hinx (Dave Bautista). Very raw, brutal fight scene, which is done extremely well, besides the silly parting line from Hinx when he is defeated ('Oh s**t').

Other than action scenes one moment in particular I found the most interesting. The scene where James stumbles across a familiar face Mr White from the previous movies, in hiding. It's a great, tense scene establishing (to a certain extent) Spectre's reach throughout the globe. One line in particular that was the best of the film: 'You are a kite, dancing in a hurricane Mr Bond.' Great scene.

FINAL VERDICT I don't mean to be harsh on this movie, I really wanted to like it. But when you have an extremely thin plot with underdeveloped characters, bizarre tonal shifts, cheesy and uninteresting dialogue, extremely long running time and crammed to the brim full of past references like a Simpsons clip episode just isn't interesting. The serious and gritty scenes of the movie were by far the best, and this film just feels like an anniversary of James Bond, instead of having its own identity.

This is what it comes down to. Tone. The Sean Connery Bond movies: slick, classy, one lines, cheeky but entertaining because it knew what it was and it was consistent. Roger Moore which I didn't like but you knew what each film would be: funny, silly, unrealistic, really cheesy dialogue and ridiculous set pieces. Timothy Dalton: action orientated, fast paced, serious. Pierce Brosnan: A combination of both Connery and Dalton, and bringing 007 into the modern era. Now Daniel Craig: strong writing, emotional, focus on Bond's past, gritty, little to no gadgets, and brutal with the feeling that Bond is scarred and suffers from the events that occur.

This movie isn't terrible, but it's just confusing. It tries to combine the tropes of several Bond setups when it should have focused on why people like Daniel Craig Bond movies in the first place, dark and emotional. This movie has some of those elements, but it is over crowded with the references and cannot be saved from the movie's other issues that I stated above. Should have been kept simple and stripped to its core. Bond goes rogue to track down and stop Spectre, fleshed out villain with an understandable motive, interesting side characters, big finish at the compound in North Africa, and that's it. Nothing else, that is the movie I wanted, and all the audience needed.

OVERVIEW This film sort of came out of nowhere for me. I never heard anything in regards to it's release and all of a sudden it comes out of the woodwork. Which is strange after watching a few interviews with Ice Cube addressing that the film took a long time to get into production. When I was younger rap was a contributor to my musical influence, specifically that of the NWA's debut album Straight Outta Compton. Very raw, unrestricted subject matters and lyrics gave it that global appeal, the right to free speech and expressing yourself (no pun intended in relation to one of the songs on the album).

The story follows the story of all members of NWA (MC Ren, DJ Yella). But more specifically Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr Dre. Following each individual story interwoven with each other gave the movie a fresh and interesting perspective, and I'm glad the movie didn't just focus on one person's agenda and opinions of the group through it's rise and fall. This is not a typical BS Hollywood rise to fame film, it really is a gritty, interesting story with a no holds barred approach to the oppression of the black community of Compton. Half of the things mentioned in the film I had no idea about before hand, and it does make for a nice setup to what made Ice Cube and Dr Dre who they are and how big they became.

PERFORMANCES The cast was solid, top to bottom, Cory Hawkins as Dr Dre, Aldis Hodge and Neil Brown Jr. as MC Ren and DJ Yella, as well as R. Marcos Taylor as the infamous Suge Knight who deserves a mention. However, in my opinion there were three standouts that completely towered above the rest. Paul Giamatti as the once great band manager of NWA Jerry Heller was just amazingly good. The range of playing a shallow business man yet sympathetic towards the racial cause as the framework of the music, taking more of his share of the earnings but being one of the catalysts for the groups success, it really was a great performance. Two scenes in particular was when Heller confronts the police in regards to the police's harassment of the group on the street and the argument with Easy-E when he finds that Heller has not been all of the way honest with him.

Leading me onto the next pick that is Jason Mitchell's portrayal of Easy-E. The mannerisms of his voice, movement and the emotional depth shown from aggressive, to funny, to the emotional conflicts of struggling with a serious health condition was absolutely great. You watch old footage of Easy-E from the early 90s and really understand why he was picked and how much he brought to the character.

Lastly, my personal favourite of the movie, O'Shea Jackson Jr. as his father Ice Cube. I understand that people would think 'well it's his son, how could he not be picked for the part?'. Watching interviews knowing that he was studying and auditioning for the part for over two years before he got it, taking vigorous acting classes and being more than just a familiar look alike really does show. His acting was solid, and that's a very difficult person to try and portray, the stern exterior of Ice Cube, solid vocal performances and giving the character much more depth than you would expect. It really was the highlight performance in my opinion, Jason Mitchell a close second.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS The edgy opening scene of a drug raid as Easy-E scrambles to get away, the confrontations between Dr. Dre and Suge Knight, and the consistent harassment from the police this group of people faced at all times were all great parts of the film. However there is always two scenes that stick in my mind.

Firstly the live performance of 'F*** the Police' in Detroit on their 1989 tour started a riot after the police warned them what might happen if they played it. As the song goes on gun fire is heard, and the concert turns into a riot with the group trying to run away, only to be wrestled to the ground and forced into the back of police vans. All the while fans on top of the over pass are shouting 'F*** the police'. It is a great cinematic moment, which didn't quite play out the way it did in the film, but it's a great scene to watch, and it's symbolic of the whole movie's premise.

The second was the hospital scene of Eazy-E, the whole sequence really, as he is diagnosed with HIV. Going through his internal struggle with the diagnosis and how all members of the group deal with the situation. It really is a heartbreaking part of the movie and they really did a great justice to his death.

FINAL VERDICT All in all 'Straight Outta Compton' is a great biopic that delivers on both the generational premise of the black oppression and the horrific Rodney King beatings where the group emerged to stand up and use there lawful right to question these authority figures in the only way they knew how. It's depiction of the police force is very negative, and it is totally understandable. There were some elements of conflicts between group members that were not in the movie, however to keep the film that faithful to the true life story from all who were a part of it is pretty impressive.

I would totally recommend this film as it's an extremely interesting story that you probably didn't know much about, and to me it's one of the most diverse (opinion- wise) biopics I have seen.

OVERVIEW You would think that the fifth movie of a franchise would not maintain the quality of screen writing, acting and action that made it predecessors so good. Prime example is 'Terminator Genisys'. Admittedly I haven't seen that movie, but apparently to a lot of reviewers the story logic collapses in on itself, the acting is bad and the dialogue even worse. Both franchises take a similar look to their lifespan, you had two solid movies (MI: II more action orientated) and a less than admirable third movie. Then they both try to re-invent themselves , Terminator you could say failed (at least in a non-box office perspective), and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol in my opinion surpassing the previous films. The fourth Mission Impossible was a really tight, well written movie.

Not much changes this time round. You have a new enemy emerging called the Syndicate, which has been troubling Ethan Hunt for over a year with tracking them, being questioned whether they exist or not. All the while, the IMF is being determined in a court of law whether it is fit to still operate with it's un-orthodox way of getting results. Once the IMF is shutdown, Ethan refuses to back down as he, with the help of Benji and a mysterious British Intelligence agent, attempt to foil the unknown plans of the evil organisation. Nice setup, and the movie carries it along nicely.

PERFORMANCES As per expected Tom Cruise puts in a solid performance as Ethan Hunt, however his real ambition for stunt work throughout the movie really is the stand out, which I will mention later. The supporting cast also are very good, however there were three standouts for me. Simon Pegg was great throughout the entire film, he is almost now the comedic yin to Cruise's intense yang. I think the writers for, example, Star Trek and MI recognise his on screen presence and write him a lot more dialogue and get him involved more in the filming process. With Star Trek Into Darkness he had considerably more screen time than the first movie, and the same goes for this movie.

The other two mentions are for the surprising cast choices of Simon McBurney as the head of British Intelligence, Atlee, and Sean Harris as the founder of the evil Syndicate, Solomon Lane. Both actors mostly take up television roles so it's nice to see them get some exposure. Harris did a great job acting alongside Tom Cruise as the antagonist, and McBurney was very good as the somewhat questionable organisation head.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS I think it goes without saying that the set pieces in this movie were by far the standout moments. You have of course the ridiculous opening scene where Tom Cruise runs across the wing of a moving plane, and also hanging on the outside of a plane, most likely hundreds of feet in the air. Crazy stunts. There was also the tension riding café scene with Benji and Isla Faust and the final plan to try and outsmart Solomon Lane. However there were two that stick in my mind.

Firstly the behind the set Opera scene at Vienna, where Ethan with the help of Benji is trying to track down an assailant that he believes is in the Opera House, but it forms into something completely different. The slow build of confusion and tension as Ethan tries to piece together the significance of the Chancellor of Vienna being at the Opera House the same time as his target. It really is a great scene from start to finish and shaped my opinion from the get go. The later scene is the motorbike chase. High Octane, fast moving and just a joy to watch.

FINAL VERDICT A shorter review this time but this is a solid installment to the evermore strengthening franchise. There were some cheesy lines here and there, but the performances held the film high, the plot and action set pieces made this an enjoyable movie.The new formula they are using for these films is working, and so long as they stick to it and continue to be creative with the source material, there will no doubt be another two or three solid follow-ups in the wood works, and I wouldn't have a problem seeing them.

OVERVIEW As everybody knows there are not a lot of movies that cope with 'sequel syndrome', shadows of the original and usually an underwhelming experience. You get one of three sequel types; those that come up with a new way to tackle the formula creatively and successfully, those that borderline ridiculousness and disappoint, or those that play it safe and go for more of the same. Ted 2 mostly falls into the third category.

The set up is pretty standard, Ted marries his girlfriend Tami-Lynn, and they have a bit of a rough start to their lives together. To try and give their relationship some meaning they decide they want to have a baby. However, it is revealed that by law Ted is property and does not share the same rights as a human, in regards to parenting a child and being married. Wanting justice, they hire a young intern lawyer to fight in a court of law.

First thoughts throughout the movie was I was generally laughing every third or fourth joke, it kept me entertained and engaged. However, when jokes fell flat, they really fell flat. Not so much some one-liners but even the comedic set pieces. The slip that caused the shelf of sperm samples in the Fertility Clinic to fall on John just felt really bland, not really any substance. However the parting joke of the scene did make me laugh. 'You 're covered in rejected, black guy sperm, just like a Kardashian'. I also got this feeling in the opening credits scene with Ted doing a instrumental dance number that just wasn't funny or interesting and went on for about five to ten minutes. There was also a lot of recycled moments from Family Guy, like the scene in the car where Ted is driving dangerously to 'Mess Around' by Ray Charles was done (which is a reference to the great Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

This leads me onto my next point of pop-culture references. Now I understand that you can make comedy out of modern day observation when done correctly (like older seasons of Family Guy), but there were times where it wasn't really a joke, just a mentioning of something of relevance to today. No context, really. There is one scene where Ted, John, and the attorney Samantha where preparing in a library for the big court case, where they were dancing and goofing around and possibly a reference to a music video, I didn't even know what it was, but it was just so flat. On the other hand there were sequences that did make me laugh and were used appropriately that I'll touch on next.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS There were two moments that I remember distinctly for different reasons. One was a stupid but funny scene where Samantha sings a song around a campfire and all woodland critters come to watch her sing, poking fun at some old and modern Disney movies. The ridiculousness of the animals that come to watch her was quite funny, with the stereotypical rabbit, bear, on the other end a fish jumping out of stream and suffocating to listen, and a random close-up of lobster. It was silly but I have to admit it did make me laugh.

Another scene was the big fight that took place during Comic-Con. All nerds dressed up as different comic book and TV characters in a huge brawl. It was funny seeing old Dinosaurs from the very first Star Trek episode slowly swinging for each other, and a man in a Dragonball Z costume trying to turn Super Saiyan. It was funny, and I enjoyed it.

PERFORMANCES In all honestly the only standout in the whole film was Mark Wahlberg, everybody else was just lackluster. I don't really like Wahlberg that much as a serious actor but he is really good in comedies. One of the funniest moments of the film was when Mark Wahlberg smoked ridiculously strong Marijuana and was scared to walk down the street without holding onto a wall. He handled it really well and it seemed like he was trying.

FINAL VERDICT I have to admit when I left the cinema I felt moderately entertained, nothing really standout or clever throughout the movie but it did make me laugh. However, almost every joke throughout the movie contained a pop culture reference, some that worked and some that didn't. But all the same it is just lazy, there is no denying it. There is no setup or payoff in set pieces, things just happen because they do. I do accept that it is all that Seth MacFarlane writes, and he isn't clever enough to pull off a original concept with tight dialogue and well-constructed comedy like i.e. Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park,. But to award it any more than just an really average movie that I get some easy laughs from would be unjust.

Was I satisfied? For the most part I was entertained. Would I watch it again? Probably not.

SYNOPSIS Retired hit man John Wick forces himself out of retirement to track down and kill gangsters that took away something of unique sentimentality from him.

OVERVIEW I really went into this film with low expectations and thought it would be a schlock inducing mess of mind numbing action and boring dialogue with no emotional draw to the story. It was in a sense, but it was more than that, and feel like at first I was taking it to seriously. Firstly, this movie is a lot of fun. Bar the first ten minutes of the film its a great non-stop action film that delivers on what it can. I thought that concept at first was boring because at least every three months we see some Michael Bay b*******t or just some generic thriller movie we have no interest in seeing. However there was a lot of buzz surrounding this so I thought I gave it a shot.

I think the reason the movie works so well is because the action set pieces are so well done, some of the best I've personally seen in a long time. They're grounded in reality and don't need special effects or loud noises to keep the film flowing, just well executed stunt choreography. II think this is mostly down to the directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski , who've been a stunt coordinators for a majority of their careers (300, V for Vendetta, The Matrix). You take two stunt coordinators who have worked on very stylized movies throughout their time you get that influence rubbing off. That leads me to my next point, even the direction in the slower, dialogue heavy scenes is great. The great lighting down to the strange subtitles gives it a gritty, comic book feel.

PERFORMANCES I feel like their wasn't really stand outs in the movie, everybody did a solid job. If I was to choose Michael Nyqvist as the head antagonist Viggo Tarasov would take the cake, it felt like every scene was in the movie was at its best. Willem Dafoe as hit-man Marcus deserves a mention, specifically the character's final scene with Tarasov. Of course Keanu Reeves did a solid job as the lead, however I do feel you could replace him with any actor and they could have done the job all the same. But it is nice to see Defoe and Reeves re-appearing in a more audience driven blockbuster movie.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS The action scenes were incredibly well done, however I do feel one sequence was done so well its the one that got me completely engaged with the film. The nightclub scene was just great, from every perspective. The direction was top-notch with the four levels of the nightclub all having different lighting tones and the non- stop fight choreography blistering through each set. It was performed ideally from both Alfie Allen and Keanu Reeves, as well as all of the stunt cast. It didn't go over the top, and some signature kill moves were highlighted in John Wick's fight style which gave it a sense of authenticity rather than the protagonist turns up and fights people. He has a style and the most effective ways to kill people ad he repeats them several times, it doesn't try to make every death scene spectacular but it packs more of a punch.

I do feel like you could pick any set piece in the movie and say it was your favourite and I could totally understand why. They all are completely different, from a claustrophobic home invasion to a non-stop action maze in a nightclub, to a loud and brash gun fight outside a church, to a car orientated shootout at fishing docks, to an up close and personal one on one fight. Very dynamic, and every scene is different and entertaining.

FINAL VERDICT This movie is nothing like any Liam Neeson cash grab nonsense thats in the cinema right now. It's a great 100-minute movie that celebrates whats fun about action movies. It's grounded in a non-CGI world filled with somewhat cheesy lines and brilliantly choreographed set pieces. It's self aware, it knows that its not trying to be a well-written Oscar-nominated script, its entertaining with good performances, directed really well, and the stunt choreography is some of the best thats been in a movie for a long time.

If you want to enjoy a movie that you don't need to concentrate when watching but it isn't mind numbingly terrible, this is it.

OVERVIEW The stress on the Underwoods thickens. Frank's cabinet is questioning his ability to run due to his unpopularity through congress and in the view of the public, and they have recommended he does not run for presidency in 2016. He also has the Solicitor General putting pressure on him from the mistakes of the previous president where an American citizen was injured in a zone strike. Claire is also shown in weakness as her questioning for UN Ambassador backfires, what Frank expected. Doug is still being pushed out with no contact from Frank.

What proceeds is the true start of Frank's push to take the bull by the horns and stay i the White House, trying to receive funding from as many entities as possible, and trying to sway members of the doubtful leadership, with little or no return. Claire mirrors his effort as she scrambles to achieve the senator's approval for UN Ambassador position after the media slammed hearing. This is the central premise of the episode, and its interesting to see both characters' grasp of frustration and their extensive means of political persuasion. With a passionate and strange toned sex scene between Frank and Claire it sparks the turning point in their endeavours, both coming to a conclusion for their current problems.

PERFORMANCES Kevin Spacey yet again takes the cake. There are a few scenes yet to mention but he's just great at the part. Again, not much changing in regards to supporting cast, with Robin Wright being solid, and Mahershala Ali (Remy) getting more screen time, but still unable to show his abilities. I always get the impression that it will always boil down to two performances, Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey. With the feeling of a somewhat Shakespearian play, it seems like these two will always be the grand front of the series, and the support cast are just minor story telling tools. A majority of the emotional impact is in the hands of the Underwoods.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS Two scenes in particular really made me engaged. The first was the realisation that Frank comes to in regards to downplaying his run for presidency. He decides to tell the leadership he will not run, but for his own sake to leave a legacy, the America Works program. What follows is a fantastic monologue of Frank fixing his condition to stepping down for 2016, that he wants America Works to be passed within the next 18 months. Its such a great scene filled with passion and frustration that is depicted in both the leadership's thought of his lost cause and Frank's ambition to be a remembered President.

Without knowing the cabinet's stance on the proposal, he delivers what I believe is a fantastically accurate and real perspective on countless government social systems, that 'We are entitled to nothing'. The government should provide the tools to thrive and build our lives and business ambitions, and we can only help ourselves with the support of governance. It's such an engaging speech and I personally feel the most relative I have been to the show in it's never ending catalogue of thought provoking dialogue.

VERDICT This episode establishes the plans for both Clair and Frank, with Claire being re- nominated for UN ambassador by Frank, and himself nominating that the best way forward for his presidential aspirations, America Works success, and making piece with the Justice System over the civilian injury is by adopting an honest policy. Things are looking bright at the moment for the President and the First Lady, however, the skeletons are still in the closet, ready to come out. Lets hope that happens soon.

OVERVIEW It's been a while, and its back. House of Cards in my opinion is one of the most engaging pieces of television I've ever seen. I hold it in such a high regard and was so excited for its return, and it was great.

It was totally different from how I thought it would start. With the dark image of Frank urinating on his father's grave, it really sets the Erie tone. A majority of the episode centres around Doug and his recovery. I really didn't expect him to still be alive, and it was a genuine surprise seeing him. It's unique and interesting as we travel through all of the stages of him recovering his motor skills, and in the process establish where Frank and Claire are in their situations. Those first few scenes gives the episode such a dark undertone as Doug battles to feel relevant in life and in relation to working for the Underwoods. He also has a drive to find Rachel who left him for dead, consulting FBI agent Gavin Orsay. Through Doug's eyes, you see that Frank Underwood is struggling to maintain a grasp of his cabinet, and the public. It's realistic that his public approval rating would be low as he inherited the oval office, and a majority of this episode is establishing Doug's relevance and Frank's irrelevance in the White House. With Frank developing negative press, he is faced with his wife's ambition to become UN ambassador, which he fees with her lack of experience will have nothing but a negative impact. It's basically establishing all characters are on shaky and uncomfortable ground, and trying to find a way to overcome it.

This brings me onto the direction. It's absolutely stunning as always. The harsh close ups on Doug's face intensifies the recovery scenes and the subtle hints of Frank and Claire losing interest in Doug with the flowers they sent him for his recovery being dead and frail establishes so much information without saying a word. The writing as always is top notch, purposeful and straight to the point.

PERFORMANCES I think the emmy Kevin Spacey just won for the second season really justifies his performances. He is incredible, and again does not lower the bar even for a second. Robin Wright still puts in a solid performance, however in this particular episode she couldn't flex her range that much. Michael Kelly was great at his portrayal of the physically and psychologically struggling Doug, with his interest in the Underwoods still shining bright but his physical restriction holding him back. The whole supporting cast also put in solid performances, however no other cast member was a standout.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS The recovery scenes with Doug were done so well. You really felt his pain as he struggled to find strength in his arm, trying to speak, lifting himself up to walk. It was very raw and personal. I also enjoyed the meeting between Doug and Frank, where he subtly shuts him out, and Doug knows he is now out of the loop because of his actions. This also leads to Doug dwelling back into his alcoholism, showing his hurt and in hindsight what will I believe lead to his resentment of the Underwoods.

I also did enjoy the scene where Frank struggles to reject Claire's proposal as UN ambassador, as he is almost certain that she will fail and it will hinder his time in office and his presidential campaign. This also leads to Frank being interrupted with a spotting of the terrorist they have bee hunting for the past two years, and makes the decision to call an air strike with risk of civilian casualties. This could well have a knock on affect with his meeting with the Russian President for financial backing of his ' America Works' bill to pass through congress if any innocent muslims die in the cross fire.

VERDICT The stage is set for the series now and there is a lot at play. Claire's ambition and struggle with Frank to become UN Ambassador, Doug slowly building his doubts on returning to the White House, Rachel is still on the loose, and Frank is desperately trying to grab hold of his presidency.

This is gonna be good.

OVERVIEW With the revelation of the Kettleman's and their embezzled millions, Jimmy finds himself coming to an arrangement with them. Now having a catalyst to building McGill's law firm, in a way that I didn't quite expect, as well as trying to get Nacho off his case (pardon the terrible lawyer pun).

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS This episode took a more comedic route, with the real-time opening scene of the Kettleman's trying to justify themselves to Jimmy, comparing their situation of that to human slavery. It's a really funny scene that sets the tone for the next 45 minutes. The opening flash back scene was also a nice touch, with young Jimmy giving his first reveal of the meaning behind Saul Goodman, a nice play on words, 'S'All Good, man'.

There were some scenes that did make me really laugh, in particular the final scene when his brother Chuck wearing his 'radiation protective' jacket when attempting to go outside and retrieve a neighbour's paper, with the intense vision and music surrounding Chuck, targeting all the ways who could be affected by radiation, and in parallel his neighbour watching him run around the street with tin foil wrapped round him. It really was hilarious.

A majority of the episode revolved around Jimmy spending his new found mini-fortune. By building himself and business as an exact replica of his rival Hamlin's, with the original thought of proving a point in using his name, but with a grander publicity stunt in mind. It really does mirror the opening scene (the 'Rolex' scam) emphasizing McGill's talents as a master manipulator and con man.

However, there was a great dramatic scene between Nacho and McGill. After Jimmy is able to free Nacho with the Kettleman's pleading ignorant to the kidnapping, Nacho tries to unnerve Jimmy by telling him he knows that he warned the Kettleman's in the first place. Jimmy finally got some courage and didn't back down to the intimidation. He tells Nacho that it was his own fault for being caught by the neighbour who called the police. It was a great scene that shows McGill had some backbone, and knows that if it wasn't for him, Nacho would be in prison.

PERFORMANCES Again, changing performance wise. Bob Odenkirk and Michael Mando still holding the bar up high. However, Michael McKean as Chuck McGill really did contribute to a majority of the laughs in this episode, and with Jimmy McGill's character becoming more bogged down in the drama of each episode, it feels like he will be a central focus of the comic relief for the series.

FINAL VERDICT This was an entertaining episode, which packed more comedy variety than dark drama. I did enjoy it, but because there wasn't any dramatic or tension building scenes which kept me on edge, it felt quite slow. The balance of drama and comedy was executed a lot more efficiently in the last three episodes, and felt more engaged last episode round. There was some important plot points which is helping move the series along, like the hero publicity stunt by McGill and Nacho's threatening presence. But I find myself looking back thinking there isn't much to sink my teeth into.

With the series reaching a near half way point, I can only assume this is only a platform, but the amount of time left in this first series is wearing thin. Hopefully in the next episode, something big happens, it still feels like it needs a grand old push to get the wheels turning. I thought it was Episode Three (Nacho), but this week kind of deflated the drama slightly. Very enjoyable, but lacked the dark comedy balance and emotional impact.

OVERVIEW Instead of attempting to sit through a three-hour coming-of-age borefest I decided to watch this interesting movie written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It's one of those movies that I would typically have no interest in seeing, specifically with the central premise of the flick being jazz. However, I love and appreciate all types of music, and there was some extremely positive reviews surrounding it so I felt like I needed to see what the fuss was about. After sitting through it I can see why it is praised. This movie is completely captivating. It gives you a real sense of the passion invigorating the main character Andrew (Miles Teller) and the boundaries he is willing to push past in his venture for perfection. It plays off as a very dark interpretation of a typical 'master and apprentice' story. With the bold, and sometimes brutal, nature of Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons) polars the suppressed, self-conscious drummer with an ambition.

I think the main drive for the narrative in my opinion is the sympathy you feel towards Andrew. He is a lonely student with no social life and feels under appreciated by his family who don't understand his talent and career path. He is desperate to feel some sort of recognition and when the opportunity is given to him, he doesn't hold back. This ambition in turn has an effect on his ego, and his new found relationship with a love interest. The way the movie was shot really adds to the tension and frustration in scenes. The extreme close ups and fast paced cuts from camera to camera when he's trying to reach Fletcher's standard gives it such an exhilarating feel. You route for Andrew and feel his aggressive and confined love for the art and seeking his teacher's approval.

PERFORMANCES The film practically has two performances to judge on, and both actors completely excel. Miles Teller as the suppressed but talented Andrew gives a fantastic performance. He adds such a sense of realism to the character you completely relate to his social anxiety and frustration in trying to find self worth.

However, JK Simmons stands out by a few steps. The confident and dominant nature of Fletcher really shines through in his scenes, with the funny yet harsh jokes made at student's expense giving your hatred towards him, but the method behind the madness making sense in the end. They both work as a fantastic parallel in scenes.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS I really feel that the most intriguing moments are involving the working relationship between Andrew and Fletcher. The classroom scenes are so tension driven it really adds a sense of anxiety towards the character. The physical and moral dilemmas faced by Andrew when trying to impress Simmons, with Fletcher constantly pushing him harder to bring out the greatness in his playing. It's fantastically done. Each classroom scene builds the tension between the two characters until Andrew comes to a boiling point and lashes out at Fletcher.

This in turn leads me to the ending. After Andrew is kicked out of Shaffer for his outburst the movie takes a very interesting turn. He testifies against Fletcher anonymously and packs up his drums for good. When he stumbles across Fletcher performing in a Jazz club, he sits down with him and they talk. I love this scene, it establishes all of Fletcher's motivations in teaching and why he acted the way he did to his students. He wanted to push people to achieve greatness, and he is at piece with trying to make the next big musician for the dying jazz scene. It summarises the hopes he had for Andrew, and that his unorthodox methods were executed with incentive. The false promise that it gives to Andrew when he is offered a place in his Carnegie Hall performance only to seek revenge by ruining his chances of a career, really adds a sinister and cruel premise to the finale.

The final scene when Andrew walks back out on stage after being humiliated really emphasises the difference in execution to straight forward story telling. Taking Andrew's journey through the movie into consideration; the protagonist enters a world filled with hopes and dreams, it doesn't turn out as planned, after his struggle to achieve his goal he is at his lowest point, only to face the obstacle and overcome it. This is a very simple, generic, but effective premise. But this movie tells it in such an interesting way that it doesn't feel patterned. Any story in the right hands will be done justice. The ending really emphasises Andrew's triumph over Fletcher, proving him right in his original thoughts on him and the musical connection that they slowly begin to share that was lacking throughout the film.

FINAL VERDICT This movie is a unique perspective on simple storytelling, that offers both a strange yet exhilarating premise, driven home by two great performances and well directed scenes to add to the excitement. It's a great movie, it feels like Damien Chazelle cared about his film and the message that he was trying to convey.

In order to achieve greatness, you have to work hard. But you have to be prepared to sacrifice some things you take for granted.

OVERVIEW This episode was ridiculously engaging. It's the first time I have felt full-blown nostalgia in relation to Breaking Bad. With Nacho now calling on Jimmy for his help to find the Kettleman's embezzled millions, McGill's conscience comes into play. He decides to warn the Kettleman's about the threat for their lives over the money, only for them to disappear. Nacho has now been picked up as the prime suspect , and asks for McGill for lawyer consultation.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS This is when I come to my favourite scene in the episode, Nacho threatening Jimmy. This scene is fantastically done, with Michael Mando capturing the angry and fierce emotion Nacho throws on Jimmy, making him know that if he doesn't help and his private business is exposed because of it, he will kill him. Both actors play it so well, the frail characteristics of Jimmy McGill, the calm and collected ferocity of Nacho and with no score in the background it really makes it that more intense. It is the beginning of Jimmy digging himself a very deep whole, which will eventually, I feel, be his downfall.

With reference to this, the first five minutes worked really well. In the flash-forward scene we jump 5 years in the future (I think from Breaking Bad's time (reference to Albuquerque and 'a long drive')), where Chuck is visiting Saul in order to help him in an assault situation. I think this was done intentionally by the writers to establish that Jimmy will fall, and hard.

Other scenes included the manic and paranoid telephone scene as well as the discovery of the Kettleman's by McGill, along with their millions. It also contained the first serious conversation between Mike and Jimmy, re-kindling my love for the two characters from previous.

PERFORMANCES Bob Odenkirk is just getting better as Jimmy McGill, and he is getting a bit more range to play with. However the stand out for me was Michael Mando for the jail scene. He played it so well and you really felt his sincerity for his actions he was wishing on McGill. Jonathan Banks had more lines also and he delivered them in typical sour-faced and angry Mike fashion. Collectively it was well acted by the cast but the first two stood out to me.

VERDICT This is a short review there's not a lot more to say about this episode other than watch it. It's very slow moving, completely enthralling, and the show is getting better and better from every episode. The minor characters are now starting to become fleshed out and they all have a purpose. We had a couple of good hours of TV, we now have the beginning of a great series.

Score: 9.5/10

OVERVIEW It's starting to flow now. With the majority of the stage setting executed in the first episode, they could really get the ball rolling with this second episode. With Tuco greeting Jimmy down the barrel of gun, and the ginger brother tied up in the garage, it sets up for a great scene in the desert. It's also the start of Jimmy's involvement as a 'criminal lawyer', with the consequences of his actions bringing misery to others.

We're introduced to a new character also. Tuco's associate Nacho (Michael Mando), who seems to take a more careful and smart approach to the drug trade, opposing Tuco's brashness. With the three scam artists tied up in the desert, nacho talks Tuco down from killing the lawyer, as somebody would notice and come looking for him.

PERFORMANCES Characters are starting to get fleshed out more with a little bit more screen time, so I can now make a judgment on a few of them. Raymond Cruz put in a solid performance as the hot and cold lunatic Tuco. The introduction of Michael Mando as Nacho was also a highlight, with him taking a more subtle approach to Tuco's world of 'insanity'. Fans of Michael Mando will get that horrible joke. But in seriousness he was good in the final scene when he was seeking McGill's help in finding 1.5 million dollars from one of McGill's failed clients in the first episode who overheard him mentioning. It seems like he'll play a solid, prominent role in the series but only time will tell.

Again, Bob Odenkirk carrying a majority of scene time and carrying it well throughout. He had a lot more emotional depth to play with and he excelled in both the troubled and frightened scenes as well as his comedic counterpart, and sometimes in the case of the desert scene a mixture of both. Still the highlight in my opinion, however he can't really be opposed down to the level of dialogue he has.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS The scene in the desert is fantastic. It really summarises the vibe of the show, a mixture of serious drama and comedy. The whole scene revolves around Jimmy, now being set free by Tuco and Nacho now trying to somewhat barter for the ginger brother's lives, trying to tell Tuco that being just and fair has more of an impact. The back in forth between the two characters is hilarious, with Tuco taking some points McGill makes literally. One example is when he tries to explain that they don't see what the problem was in the first place, so Tuco goes to take their eyes out. He eventually manages to make an agreement on breaking one leg each on the brothers, to impact their skateboarding. With the almost light-hearted approach to the scene coming to an end, the brutality sets in as McGill watches to the out of camera view of these young men being horribly assaulted, and its all his fault. The whole scene was like a warped version of a case hearing in a courtroom, with the defence trying to come to an agreement with the judge for a more appropriate sentence. It was very well done and it seems like the best is still yet to come.

I also like the back and forth between Jimmy McGill and his brother Chuck when he throws his phone onto the front garden as he is scared of the radiation it omits. All the while, he is wearing a foil suit to combat it. There was also a nice sequence as Jimmy goes through the motions again trying to make an honest living by taking on bottom of the barrel defence cases knowing that he is still in dire straits. It highlights that there is definitely a problem financially and he desperately needs a solution.

FINAL VERDICT The bold, violent start of this episode is really what I wanted to see in this dark comedy. The mood is set and jimmy McGill is starting to question what is right, and what will pay. With Nacho coming into his place of work to inquire about one of the clients he failed to achieve in order to use Jimmy to steal the 1.5 million from them, it really sets the central premise of the series, and the beginning of Saul Goodman. It is now in motion, and as Walter White would say 'We're just getting started, no-one stops this train'.

OVERVIEW It's been a long time since the last time we saw Saul Goodman or anything to do with the Breaking Bad Universe, and it feel so good to relive a slight sensation of nostalgia. I hold the original series in such a high regard and it completely changed my views on how to judge a TV series or movie. You can imagine like everyone else I'm excited.

We start off with Saul with the aftermath of the events in Breaking Bad. A broken down, frightened manager of a Cinnabon in a random city. The first ten minute future scenes really emphasize the shell of a human being he now is, with his charismatic, confident, and funny personality completely taken away from him as he is constantly looking over his shoulder paranoid, and sitting at home watching an old advertisement video of himself. It really sets the dark and sinister tone for Saul dwelling into his past before it all went wrong and the audiences mirrored experience. Very well written.

In the early 2000s, Saul (in other words - Jimmy McGill) is a small fish lawyer trying to make ends meet but very unsuccessfully. The first court scene of McGill really sets a dark comedic tone as he is trying to justify to the jury that his clients are three young and stupid kids - who just so happened to have sex with the head of a woman's corpse. We also run into a familiar face when he tries to leave the car park and Mike, the car park attendant before drug enforcer, won't let him as he doesn't have enough stickers for a full day's stay. On the side of this story, his more successful brother, Chuck, is a partner of a big law firm that he is having some personal issues with. The are attempting to buy Chuck out of the company but he and Jimmy are not going to let that happen. You feel sorry for the characters as they are really struggling to fund their lives, and achieve stability.

With his career not going according to plan he decides to pursue a more forceful method of gaining clients. With the help of two young skateboarders, he tries to set up one of them to be hit by a car, catch it on tape and prosecute the driver for compensation. However, the driver has other plans and quickly drives away, making this a now hit and run. Jimmy and the two skateboarders now tail the driver to a house where they plan to confront her. With the skateboarders getting there first and going inside, McGill comes in behind and knocks on the front door, only to be greeted by a gun point at him from a Breaking Bad face, Tuco. It really sets the excitement for the next episode.

PERFORMANCES At this early stage its hard to give a justification to any of the actors for performances. But from what I seen they all carry the story along very well. With Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill you have a lot more to go on as he had the most dialogue as the lead man, and he did a great job. The great comedic side of Saul from Breaking Bad has definitely come over to this series, and with one moment highlighting him having to change his professional name to courtesy to the law firm, were going to see more of McGill developing into Saul Goodman.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS I fell the beginning really set the tone for the series, where Saul silently reminisces on where it all went wrong. The confrontation between McGill in Mike in the car park was a nice funny scene, and when McGill bashfully walks into the law firm's board room to confront them about the under valued compensation owed to his brother in such a cringe worthy way, really made me laugh.

FINAL VERDICT This was a very slow building and character establishing episode. Because this series is a sister to Breaking Bad, it didn't need to have as much of an impact in its first episode. Fo Breaking Bad trying to find a network, the first episode had to come out all guns blazing in order to grab the audiences' attention, and it did. They then worried about character development afterwards throughout the first series. Since the creator Vince Gilligan and the writing staff are now established in AMC and have a strong core fan base, they can do they later first. They have devoted the first episode to completely establishing Jimmy McGill's motivations and struggles, and building up to the finale of this episode in the start of his venture as a criminal lawyer.

It left me very interested and wanting more, and they have succeeded in getting the audiences attention in a more subtle and slowed down fashion. Can't wait for the next one.

Firstly, this movie is a complete rip-off of so many films, three specifically. The story about a slave turned gladiator was taken from the film, em... Gladiator. The fact that Milo (slave played by Kit Harrington) is seeking revenge on the Senator Corvus who murdered his family during the celtic horseman uprising, who so happens to be hosting the Gladiator event held in Pompeii where the slaves/gladiators are competing. Fine, I can let that slide. But it had too many focus points, the revenge, the love story, the friendship with a fellow combatant, and the destruction of Pompeii. It's too much, and because the love story is the main focus, and a connection with the audience is not established for the two lovers, nobody cares, so it feels like there is not stake in the story. Sure, it established that Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland) is a bad guy, and that Milo's revenge sub-plot seems a bit more investing, but I think the writers felt it couldn't be the prime focus - because that would essentially be Gladiator with a volcano.

PERFORMANCES Everyone else except from the people I am going to mention just blended into the background as well, no presence.

This was the main surprise for me, Kiefer Sutherland. I personally really like him, I think he's always good in whatever he is in. But, this was just so strange. I understand the dialogue he had to work with was abysmal, but some of the line deliveries in this film are some of the strangest I've ever heard in my life. They're extremely camp and out of place. The way he pouts his lips gave it some sort of f****d up lisp and he constantly delivered the normal, inside voice, lines like that. I think he did the shouting lines brilliantly, as it felt like his mouth was more natural sitting and made sense, however when he did them he did break character a few times, so maybe that lip bulls**t was to help him keep an English accent?

Kit Harrington did okay as the revenge seeking gladiator lover Milo. I honestly think the standout by a mile was Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Atticus, 'brother' of Milo and freedom seeking gladiator. It really seemed like he was reaching into this bullshit to find the silver lining that is the corn in his lines, and I felt when he was on the screen I was engaged.

NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS First, the good. The action was actually top notch. You felt the ferocity from the characters when they were hitting each other and the choreography seemed to make direct sense. It wasn't 'Phantom Menace' b******s it seemed well constructed and thought out. Having said that, the directing in some instances did my head in. the sequences were riddled in slow motion. To make it more 'epic' I presume, but it didn't.

The CGI; it was either ridiculously fake looking or very well done, but just far too much. For the first point, that chase sequence mentioned in the last paragraph with Milo and Corvus holding Cassia princess big tits or whatever was hilarious. When the chase comes to a stop, the carriage Cassia was just lying in, not seat belt or rope around, goes over small ledge and flips countless times in the air before slamming into a building at high speed. Milo goes over to see if she's okay, and she's fine with not a single scratch on her.

The last point is the ending. Basically what happens is that everyone dies. Milo and Cassia are the last standing and are unable to outrun the destruction. So they both lock lips and die together, which follows the most stupid moment in cinema I've seen for a long time. It shows the pair as solid rock, still locked in their kiss and embrace dead. What? If gallons of ridiculously hot magma swept over you, you'd be turned to f*****g dust. Also, because there has been no established connection between the two characters, myself as an audience member didn't care. The same goes for the general deaths of cast and extras. There's no stake, it just happens. There's no emotional connection so it's just there, happening on the screen.

The only time I was sympathetic to a death was when Atticus died. This comes back to the same thing, all he wanted was freedom, he shows to be a true good guy to Milo when he saves his life, twice, and he saves a child from being swept away by Tsunami 2.0, also a stupid scene. But the point is it established an attachment to a character, who died to help Milo succeed, in which case he didn't, but his death was noble and unwanted.

FINAL VERDICT The main point is that the main missing factual of the movie was emotional investment. I couldn't feel sympathetic to the two main characters bullshit love story, I couldn't be angry at the evil Corvus because Kiefer's performance was comical for the most part, and I couldn't be emotionally invested in the Mount Vesuvius volcano eruption because it was emotionless, it was a natural disaster that just happened. There was no cause, and that hindered the film. Take these examples of film - Titanic; Captain and crew's ignorance = cause for sympathy, Troy; Greek forces quest for conquering and power = cause for anger and sympathy, Gladiator; a man seeking redemption for his family's death at the hands of a tyrant = cause for hope and sympathy for character. There needs to be a reason to become emotionally involved. It's also apparent in the script, because it's mainly deprived of a recycled love story, Gladiator, and a titanic-type ending.

It's recycled nonsense with some good fight scenes and two, at least, passable performances. But it doesn't make up for it. See it if you want to laugh at how bad it is, otherwise, it's a waste of time.