It’s not often Matt and I both feel compelled to review the exact same film for the site. In fact, it’s only happened once before, with 2012’s Skyfall prompting two different Bond takes. It takes something truly special for us to feel compelled to both write about it.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Shinichiro Ueda’s Special Actors.
Continue reading “VIFF Review: ‘Special Actors’ will leave you with a feeling of pure, unpretentious, happiness.”
Sony finally gave us the info for their upcoming next-gen console, and there was more than enough there to make many people salivate.
Continue reading “Sony’s PS5 releases on November 12 and looks incredible”
That horrible feeling that sometimes follows a decent mid-afternoon nap – who am I, where am I, where is everyone – is the starting point for Carrion. Except here you need to add what am I, as your first action is to slop across the floor in a clot of slopping tendrils, with a tiny razor-lined mouth in a perpetual silent scream. And that feeling never fades, instead driving you forward with a singular motivation: get out.
Continue reading “Game Review: Carrion is a slippery, skittering delight”
As 2019 gradually fades into obscurity, it’s time for my yearly tradition of somehow ranking subjective experiences. This year is easier for me, though, as my free time has virtually disappeared (as you can probably tell from my complete lack of writing). As a result, I’m no longer diving deep into complicated experiences until they yield their goods. My metric is simple – is this fun? Does it inspire me? Does it make me feel? And if the answer is no – from a really early point – then it gets pushed aside.
Movies are easier to get through thanks to a much shorter time commitment than a game, so instead, they just get thrown in the outbox. My list of games, though, is more an example of the need for good design throughout – and how a jump in style can put me off forever. So let’s take a look!
Continue reading “Simon’s Favourite Films & Games of 2019”
Sitting comfortably alongside VIFF for a number of years, Feminist Live Reads reaches through the fourth wall to give an even more intimate experience to the moviegoer set. And their love letter tonight to ‘Some Like It Hot’ was part live theatre, part jazz performance, all brought together by some of the most versatile women you’ll ever hear tearing through Billy Wilder’s electric script.
Continue reading “VIFF Review: Feminist Live Reads ‘Some Like It Hot’ has women playing men playing women (and totally rocks it)”
Sweet, and served cold.
There’s a section in the second act of *A Quiet Place* where everyone I could see in the cinema had their hands clamped over their mouth. It’s a strange thing to be in a room full of people sat in total silence, straining to watch a movie that is desperate in its own absolute quiet. This is *A Quiet Place*, John Krasinski’s directorial debut, at its very best – tension gnawing through the screen, audience in the palm of its hand, waiting for the inevitable snap.
And snap it does.
Oscar winner.
It’s been a hell of a year, to put it mildly. Thankfully, we’ve had a great twelve months of games and movies to take our minds off the world slowing falling into a Trump-shaped festering sinkhole.
I really miss the sci-fi movies of my childhood. Big, colourful, often funny, always exhilarating; so much fuel for imaginary spaceship battles around my bedroom. I’m sure much of this comes from older eyes and wearier brains, but I find sci-fi these days to be too bland, too unwilling to risk shapes and ideas. The resurgence of *Star Wars* has taken big steps back to the fantasy side of sci-fi, and *Guardians Of The Galaxy* got close with its amazing ship design and snappy script, but I often felt myself seeking more of the *fun*.
Well, not any more. We’ve known for a while that *Thor Ragnarok* would be colourful and funny – director Taika Waititi’s *What We Do In The Shadows* is one of my all-time favourite comedies – but what I was not prepared for was *Ragnarok* having *so* much more. Far from being all-out comedy, it’s a meaty, gorgeous slice of sci-fi bliss.
Because it’s gorgeous.
I have to say, the continued red theme is *really* doing it for me. December 15th.
Like, now. Whatever it is, it can wait.
I was quite excited. Then very excited. And now I’m standing and clapping. STAR WARS.
Bold, clever and heartfelt, *The Orville* is a gorgeous piece of sci-fi – and I’m as surprised as anyone.
A spark that’ll light the fire.
Continue reading “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi Trailer Is Finally Here”
Truck? *What* truck?
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