(Movie) Spaced Out....a look at Interstellar

A pair of gents by the name of Connor and Ethan recently recommended this movie to me after we got talking about space and science and all sorts of nerdy things.

So, having come back to reviewing, I figured I would show them not only what I'm capable of, but what I thought of their recommendation. 

Here we go! 

Story: A former pilot leaves a dying planet in hopes of finding the people who were trying to find habitable planets in another part of the universe.

A gross oversimplification to be sure, but that is the summation of the story. Nice and simple, right?

Wrong! 

This is a Christopher Nolan movie. If you've seen Memento, Inception or the Dark Knight trilogy, you know that this movie is not going to be easy to follow.

Let's get the negatives out of the way, first.

1. The story is somewhat weak. I only found out what was truly going on halfway through the film.
2. They spent way too much time focusing on Cooper and Murph's relationship. Not to say that it didn't warrant it, considering how important it is to the movie, but I felt that it could have been handled better.
3. The writers for this film treat the audience like idiots. Andrew Stanton from Pixar will tell you, "Give them 2 + 2. let them figure out the rest." I felt like I was being talked down to and that's the last thing you want from your audience.

With that said, from what I understand, the science is pretty spot on. I also like the poetry that Michael Caine quotes (Fun fact: That poem is the basis for the Rundown/Welcome to the Jungle. Not just a pretty action movie.) The poem, by Dylan Thomas, is a perfect representation of the state of humanity and the hope that it holds on these adventurers.

Also, Matt Damon needs to stop getting lost. First it's behind enemy lines, now it's TWICE in space.

Cinematography: Like all of Nolan's films, Interstellar is visually impressive. From the lighting, to the camera angles (Key one being when it's attached to what appears to be a crashing prototype plane of some sort,) to the framing of the vast uninhabited planets that they visit.

My only gripe for this section is TARS. WHAT THE HECK EVEN IS THAT THING!? It looks clanky, impractical and makes me think of Robin Williams if you took all the humour out and turned him into a discount Rubik's cube.

Everything else, from the corn fields to that weird book room in the heart of the black hole is visually astounding.

Audio: The music for this felt as though it picked a fight with the dialogue so instead of having a decent conversation with the audience, they tried to talk over the top of each other.

Now, I'm not sure if it's just my ears, but sometimes it feels as though the dialogue is a little too soft.

With these things in mind, I enjoyed the score and felt it added to the movie's overall atmosphere. It gives you this sense of adventure and the overall innocence that comes with discovery.

Overall: While I had my grievances, I did enjoy Interstellar. As a lover of space, I felt I grew to know it a little bit better for watching this film.

I'm going to give it 4 stars.


Something I didn't explain before is that Connor and Ethan are missionaries with the intent of travelling to places to spread the word of God. A great cause, to be sure, but one that doesn't come cheap. 

If you'd like to support them, I've left links below so that you can help them out. They're good blokes and I'd like to see them get to where they need to go.

Connor and his wife Alix are headed to Greece and Germany and Ethan is going to Cambodia and Hong Kong.

Please support them if you can.


https://www.youcaring.com/connor-and-alix-bruson-391046
https://secure.ywamnewcastle.com/product/student-paymentdonation/

(Movie) (Spoiler Free) Lost in Space...a look at Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

So you're all aware, the review will be SPOILER FREE! 

If I get enough requests for it, I'll talk spoilers. 

Let's begin.

Story/Dialogue: In short, this story is once again about good vs. evil. The labels for the two factions are the Resistance and the First Order, respectively. In the midst of all this, a deserting stormtrooper ends up finding a scavenger on the planet of Jakku. Together, they try to get a droid with a map to the find a key ally for the Resistance. 

Nice and simple, right? 

Okay, so I'm going to get the negatives out of the way, first. The dialogue in some aspects is atrocious. It feels as though certain characters are saying things for the sake of the audience more than anything else. 

Plus, between Finn and Rey, it felt as though they had stumbled onto the set of Star Wars and cameras happened to be set up to watch them. Please don't misunderstand, I love these new characters. However, I also feel that my suspension of disbelief was ruined because they felt like fans being on set, rather than characters in a movie.

With that said, the story was pretty solid. The characters base wants are simple and easy to identify. Furthermore, the film was a lot lighter than the other films. There were some genuinely funny moments and the characters felt a lot less...I want to say stiff.

I want to say more, however, I do not want to spoil it, so let's move on.

Cinematography: The fantastic part of this film is that not only did we get to see Han, Chewie and Leia, but they also brought back the crew from the originals/prequels.

The framing in this seemed a little chaotic. Though, it also adds a little more to the action, so it's not a bad thing. 

It was fascinating to see how they added CGI to a lot of new aliens. While in a lot of instances the alien work was still done with latex casting and the like, the CGI felt a little out of place. Especially with certain characters that I won't name.

Audio: JOHN FREAKIN' WILLIAMS RETURNS!! The creator of the Star Wars theme added so much extra atmosphere to the movie. Of all the things I love about Star Wars, it's the iconic music. It was nice to see that the theme of the characters of the older films came back into play, but I also feel as though the newer character's themes weren't all that memorable. I wouldn't have minded a subtle weave of electronic music within the orchestral arrangement for the new themes. 

Overall: Some have loved it, some have hated it. Does it feel like an Episode IV reboot? Sure it does!

As a film, the Force Awakens is a force to be reckoned with. Solid storyline, excellent visual effects and music make it fantastic as a standalone film. 

As an instalment to an iconic franchise, though, I am still unsure it holds up. In a lot of ways, it feels like a fan film, where the fans snuck in on set and acted out Star Wars. On top of that, the small details, like blaster fire, made it feel inconsistent with the franchise.

As a fan of the films, I find myself torn.

I'm going to give this film 3.5 stars. 

Author's note: Thank you guys for sticking around. I know I've been away and busy with a couple of personal projects, but news is coming!

In the meantime, it's back to reviews as always. However, I'm only doing one a week. It'll be randomised. You won't know whether or not it's a book or a movie and that's due to access and time spent on reading/watching. I'll cover series if you guys want, but recommendations are always helpful! 

Thanks for reading! I'll catch up with you soon! 

Kind regards,

Ravenreviews

(Comic) Baby Daddy....a look at Daredevil: Guardian Devil

While I knew that Kevin Smith had worked in comics before, I'd only been familiar with his films, so it was interesting to see how he'd interact with this medium.

Guardian Devil follows Matt Murdock as he encounters a woman who gives him a child that is believed to be the Anti-Christ.

Okay, first off, taking a superhero who typically operates in a small scale area and throwing him an apocalyptic curveball is a great move. So you have him trying to juggle this, along with a couple of his exes coming back to town all the while trying to keep his best friend and colleague Foggy Nelson out of prison.

After reading Hush and watching that play out, Guardian Devil lead me down a dark alley and then suitably beat me over the head with a plot twist.

From the get go you're immersed in heavy, introspective dialogue, which I'm told is a Daredevil standard. It feels less like a comic and more like a play on a page. Beautiful, grand and deep. After each issue I feel as though I need to take a minute or so to digest what's happening. Even though I read this in a night, it took the entire night to read and process. 

The art is a rich canvas of bright colours against the harsh yellows, browns and greys of New York City.

I think the only thing that bugged me was the fact that Foggy looked comically out of place. He reminded of one of those old 90's cartoon characters. Like a bumbling security guard or a administrative clerk with a weird voice. Having only witnessed the Netflix series (Which was awesome and I'll probably talk about it at some point soon,) and the 2003 movie (Which I enjoyed when I was younger, but now....I'll have to review that one next week and see how I feel about it.) I can only wonder if Foggy was always drawn that way or not. But it felt out of place and got on my nerves a lot. 

Overall, this was a fantastic read. I loved seeing Matt argue with himself and interact with people and sleuth his way to the truth. Such an excellent read.

4 and a half stars.

(Comic) Fist of Iron, Soul of Platinum...a look at Iron Fist: Rage

While I do have recommendations to get to, (and I will get to them!) the past fortnight has consisted of me devouring Sam Alexander - Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy and X-23. More importantly, after seeing the video by the Comicstorian (You can see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbfyTnfSCwA) I was compelled to read it too. 

Daniel Rand is being interviewed by a journalist named Brenda who wants to know the story of how he got his powers. We see the story through a series of flashbacks, before we learn that ninjas have broken into Danny's penthouse. 

After fighting off the ninjas, Danny and Brenda come across a little girl with a massive backpack. It turns out the ninjas were looking for her. 

This story is intense and you don't always feel as though you know what's going on. Even though you know who the bad guy is, you still feel there's an element of mystery to it. 

The dialogue jumps from prose-y, to humorous to something that reminds me of Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Unsure if it could be classed as racist or not, but then if I have to question it, it's probably the case. 

The art style feels gritty and intense that are reminiscent of the brush strokes in Okami. It feels as though I'm looking at stills of an anime or something, which I find fascinating to look at. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but the dialogue left a lot to be desired. 

I'm going to give it three and a half stars.

(Book) Stop, Hammer Time! A look at Soulless Monk

As you can see, this is the second instalment of the Inquisitor Series. 

When we last left Brother Sebastian, he'd been given a ring that was reserved for Hammers. Hammers are like the Red Berets of the Clergy. They attempt to Purge the toughest things that go bump in the night. 

But it's not all roses. A Bishop has had his name besmirched, so Sebastian has to leave New England under the wing of Clergyman heavy hitter Brother Malachi. 

The story formula changes up with the inclusion of former monk James. Reading the chapters from his perspective was like looking at the other side of the coin. He seemed emotionally distant not just out of necessity, but also because he completely disregarded human life in exchange for power. 

It's almost as if he traded his soul or something! 

I enjoyed reading both Sebastian's and James' paths. Though they end up in very different places from what I expected, it was still emotionally satisfying. 

Thaddeus is a great bad guy, but his henchmen seem a lot like those bumbling gooks from Saturday morning cartoons. Their incompetence is probably the real reason that Thaddeus failed. Not so much a critique as an observation.  

Though, I never expected to get so attached to one of the summoned creatures the magi are capable of summoning. Without saying much, I found him incredibly likeable and was legitimately sad when it died.

The detail throughout the story kept me engaged and the pacing was so quick that I had to take breaks to pace myself. 

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure my favourite character so far is Brother Malachi.

The dangerous thing about sequels is that you need to find a way to ramp up the action and the tension without going too big, too quickly. 

Soulless Monk found a great balance of raising tension without going too big. 

It's a visceral journey that makes Catholicism look cool and goes from 0-60 in a matter of pages.

I can't wait for the third book.

5 Stars

You can find the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Soulless-Monk-Inquisitor-Book-2-ebook/dp/B015JC9LY4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444927824&sr=1-1&keywords=soulless+monk

(Comic) Can't get the Butcher Back....a look at Oink: Heaven's Butcher

This comic was recommended by a guy I met recently when I went to see Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes at the Sydney Opera House. 

I never got his name, but apparently he went by the handle "Crowboy" on Ebay. He was in the row in front of me, so if you happen to know the guy, let him know that this one is for him.

In an Orwellian Dystopian future, humans make slaves of men/pig hybrids and force them to slaughter pigs for food. They are poorly treated and indoctrinated into a belief that they are not worthy of "heaven" because of their forms. A young priest goes to see the Oink, the pigman who butchered heaven for his final confession before he is executed. The pigman tells his story.

As a young slave, Oink sees one of his brethren brutally killed, but as far as his cellmates and the clergy are concerned, that pigman was "saved."

Questions burning in his heart, Oink challenges the system and burns it to the ground. 

Throughout history, pigs have always been a representation for uncleanliness. This comic is no exception, complete with half man, half pig hybrids. As far as most would be concerned, this is the height of abomination and filth. 

I turned the pages with a mix of fascination and horror. These people who stand at what they consider to be heaven mistreating these hybrid folk because they were different. It was unforgiving in its storytelling and was visceral in its visuals.

The art style looked to be digitally coloured and drawn and looked like it was made up of slash markings, which I found beautiful, yet difficult to look at. Like watching someone get tattooed. 

In any case, this brutal and hellish comic is more than worthy of 5 stars.

(Comic) Wrath of Khan....a look at Ms. Marvel

This recommendation comes from my best mate, Sarah. She crochets and she's pretty awesome. You can find her over on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/shinyshinycrochet

Thanks dude! 

Everyone knows of the days when Carol Danvers was Ms. Marvel. With the swimsuit looking "armour" and the thigh high boots. 

Danvers inspired many people as Ms. Marvel, but none so much as Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American living in Jersey City. A massive superhero geek and Spider-Marvel shipper, she writes fanfics in her spare time.

One night, she decides to disobey her parents and sneak out to a party to see what it's like. Once Kamala realises it's not all that it's cracked up to be, she tries to make her way home. On the way, she encounters the Terrigen Mists, that were released by the Inhuman King, Black Bolt. After falling unconscious and having a bizarre hallucinogenic dream about Captain Marvel speaking Urdu (The language of Pakistani,) Kamala steps forth with the ability to shapeshift and elongate her body.

This is the beginning of Kamala taking on the mantle of Ms. Marvel. Soon she is helping people in a trial and error fashion. Making it up as she goes and using video games to cope with combat, Kamala is a young woman the demographic can relate to. 

What's more, it's nice to see Marvel making their roster more diverse and including more than just cis gendered white people. (Funny, coming from a cis gendered white guy, but hey, everyone needs a character to relate to.)

Kamala is incredibly likeable in that she tries her hardest to do the right thing, despite her parent's rules. She also geeks out frequently, which makes her even more likeable. 

The art is unlike anything I've seen before. Everything looks so soft and has a glow about it. Seeing hard lines during the night moments make it visually fascinating to look at. 

Overall, Ms. Marvel is a compelling story that shows a lot of culture while being respectful. The panels are a feast for the eyes in their soft textures during the day and their slightly harder textures during the night. 

I'm going to give this comic 5 stars. 

(Movie) A fine wine....a look at the Intern

I went to see this with the iron matriarch on Monday. We'd seen the trailer and talked about going to see it, so we were pretty excited. (She also got out of letting pay for her ticket! Incorrigible.)

I'd seen some of the reviews for it, too (Jeremy Jahns and Chris Stuckmann are two such guys I subscribe to on YouTube,) and they seemed to enjoy it.

But enough of expectations and reviewers! Was it worth watching?

Let's find out! 

Story/Dialogue: A retired widower Ben Whittaker (Robert DeNiro) has sent in an application video for a seniors intern program at an online fashion company run by Jules Ostin, (Anne Hathaway) a quirky boss who excels at micromanaging.

As Ben deals with being back in the workforce, Jules struggles with the decision to hand over control to a CEO. 

Now, let me be very clear on this point! This is not a romantic comedy. At least, not in the traditional sense. Blake Snyder will tell you that all buddy comedies are romance stories and to a point, he's right.

However, we're dealing with love in a friendship capacity. It explores dynamic of two people with a massive age gap and no romantic interest in each other. Ben, even as an intern, plays a mentor to Jules, who challenges him and keeps him on his toes. 

It's this chemistry that works really well throughout the movie. 

The other thing is that it's incredibly funny. There were a lot of instances throughout the movie that were both tastefully done, yet still hilarious. 

While the dialogue isn't prose from the tongue of the Bard, it's perfectly suited to the film. Not groundbreaking, but not clunky. 

Cinematography: The camera seemed to reflect Jules in that there was no handheld element. Dolly shots made grand sweeps of the streets of Brooklyn and the remodelled warehouse that Jules works in. 

I think the only instance where I was irked by the lighting was when Jules was in bed and even though the lights were off, there was this weird glow as if there was a skylight right on their bed. It was an interesting shot, but it kind of took me out of the story, which bugged me. 

Unlike the camera shots, the framing was often unbalanced. Characters would all stand to one side leaving 2/3's of the screen empty. However, this is not a complaint, merely an observation. It allowed all the focus to be on the characters in the scene, but didn't allow for much visual storytelling. 

Audio: The score contained a lot of flutes, which made the shots of Brooklyn feel whimsical. It also included a lot of upbeat piano and more bar appropriate music in those scenes.  A lot of the other times, it wasn't all that memorable.

The atmos tracks were well layered and added an air of authenticity, while maintaining that same movie quality. It's often difficult to balance that, so it's something that I greatly appreciated.

Overall: Frankly, this movie was everything I hoped for and more. The acting was excellent, the humour was funny and tasteful and you can't help but like each of the characters. It really shows that even though you may be retired, you still have plenty more to teach and to learn. 

Lastly, I also loved how the beginning and the end shots mirrored each other. It was a nice touch.

5 Stars.

Thus ends this review.

(Movie) I need some space....a look at the Martian

When it comes to watching movies, I have two rules.

1: Anything surrounding hype is not to be watched until the hype has died down. (I've still yet to see Frozen)

2: Pick movies based on the story, not on the cast in the movie.

This movie is the first in which I've broken the rules I've set for myself. 

Why?

Let's review! 

Story/ Dialogue: The story follows a crew on a mission to Mars. One of the crew is presumed dead and left behind on the red planet after the crew had to leave abruptly. This crew member, Mark Watney (Matt Damon), must survive a certain amount of solar days until NASA can get him home.

This is a classic tale of man vs. nature. What's interesting however is that it cuts between Earth, the Hermes (the ship that the rest of the crew are on,) and Mars. Everybody has their own way of handling the situation. Teddy Sanders, played by Jeff Daniels, is trying to not cause a panic and doesn't want to tell the crew, because he wants them to focus on the mission.

Meanwhile, Mark needs to find a way to grow food while everyone finds a way to get him back.

Arguably the best thing about this movie is Mark's determination to survive. He tackles the task with humour and a plucky, can-do attitude. It makes you want to root for him and make sure he gets home.

The other thing is the tension. This guy is in space, so making sure he doesn't suffocate is the top priority. Even though the situations are different, the tension only increases. I was literally on the edge of my seat by the climax of this film.

The dialogue is snappy and a lot of it makes you laugh. There's even a few references in there to satisfy your inner geek.

Cinematography: You and I have seen deserts. Sandy with a couple of rocky mountains, right? Well, if you add a filter, you can make it look like Mars. I know this probably sounded sarcastic in your head, but it was actually praise. They resolved the challenge of making a desolate place interesting. With all the sweeping shots, you really get this sense of isolation. The framing is well composed and nothing looks visually boring. 

One of the better parts about the visuals is that you couldn't tell what was green screened and what wasn't. I mean, the space scenes were (or were they? CONSPIRACY!) but the rest of the scenes look liked they'd been shot in the same place Mad Max: Fury Road was shot.

Seriously though, fantastic visuals and framing.

Audio: I love how a lot of the music tied into the story. It added humour and an extra layer of suspense to the overarching story. What's more is that I really enjoyed how balanced the sounds, dialogue and music were well balanced. None of them seemed to overtake the others, which I really liked. 

The score had an tension raising element with some electronica flowing throughout which I really enjoyed.

Overall: The Martian is a movie best seen from the edge of your seat. Not only is there a fantastic cast, there's more funny moments to outweigh the crap (if you've seen the movie, you'll understand the pun,) Mark gets into. 

It's well worth the watch and is one of my picks for best movies of 2015. 

Which is also why it warrants a Ravensmark (Picture pending,) a symbol for movies, comics and books of the highest calibre. 

Thus ends this review. 

(Comic) Let's do the time warp again! A look at Marvel 1602

I read this back in 2008 and while I fell in love with it (I'll explain why in a moment,) I didn't pay attention to the author.

Years and a growing admiration for Mr. Gaiman later I come across this story again.

As I swipe right to turn the pages on my tablet I fell in love with this story once more.

The story follows Nicholas Fury and Stephen Strange, the head of intelligence and court magician respectively to Queen Elizabeth the 1st.

Now, while both of these characters might not surprise you, there are other characters that feature in this story. Matt Murdoch, better known as the Daredevil, Peter Parquagh and Carlos Javier and his band of Witchbreed.

The story focuses on a treasure being brought back from the Crusades in Jerusalem and people are trying to find it. There's also a sense that the timeline is out of whack and they need to find the cause.

Now, I'm not usually one for what if stories as that's my entire process as a writer. It literally starts with, "What if?" So when I usually see things like this, I question the point of their general existence.

However, (and I'm not saying this because I love Gaiman's work,) I found it incredibly immersive story wise, the characters are likeable (Try and not like Matt Murdoch, I dare you,) and seeing the true nature of characters is fascinating to look at.

One of the reveals in this left me going, "huh, well that's a thing," in a scenario that people would normally try to play up. But no, it's done with respect and tact and they move on from that.

I feel as though in some instances I remove myself from the story as it gets to be too dialogue heavy and I want to focus on the artwork.

The artwork drags your eyeballs further into the world as the pieces add another dimension to the old school atmosphere of the comic.  

Overall, this piece by Gaiman and his crew is excellent, but at times I wished it weren't so dialogue heavy. I found this incredibly disconnecting.

So I'm going to give this four and a half stars.

(Comic) Be vewy, vewy qwiet......a look at Batman: Hush

Many thanks to Josh and John over at Gotham Knights Fan Films for this recommendation! Give their facebook page a like. https://www.facebook.com/GothamKnightsFanFilms

As a kid, I grew up watching the Tim Burton Batman films. The music in those films was awesome and I was always running around like I was in the Batmobile.

Funny story, when I was 5, I tried to leave the house dressed as Batman to fight crime. At like, midnight. 

I was the night....until my mum tried to catch me leaving the house. 

In any case, let's talk about Batman: Hush.

This story follows Batman and his quest to find the person messing with him and his city. It features a large cast of heroes and villains that are intricately interwoven throughout the plot. In the story we see Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, Clayface, the Joker, amongst. This also includes Oracle, Nightwing, Catwoman and Red Robin.

As we follow Batman, we learn more about his childhood friend and how a man wrapped in bandages is using him like a puppet on a string. We see the bandaged man, who knows so much about Batman that we wonder who he truly is.

What's brilliant about this comic's writing is that you never truly know who Hush is until the very end. You're lead on a merry journey that immerses you in all the Batman lore or at least a lot of it. 

What's more is that I like the dynamic between Batman and Catwoman. While yes it's a heteronormative relationship, Catwoman is her own woman. Yes she takes orders from Batman in some instances, but she's still her own woman and it's great to see her exercise her own power. The fact she keeps Bruce on his toes is super important and I respect the writer a lot for that.

I loved this comic and would love to check out more. 

So I'm going to give it 5 stars.

(Movie) Why so complicated? A look at Fallen Angels

This film was recommended by Paz (pazvsstuff.blogspot.co.uk) Thanks Paz! 

After last week's review of Chungking Express, I made a friend in Paz and she looked over the review. Naturally, her response was that we can't be friends, but she was obviously kidding, otherwise I wouldn't be doing the review she recommended. 

The question is, did this movie redeem Wong Kar-Wai in my eyes?

Let's review!

Story/Dialogue: Like its predecessor, Fallen Angels is set into two parts. The first story follows a hitman who gets his jobs from a woman who cleans his house. She has a crush on him but he can't reciprocate, as he ends up with a blonde. This leads us into the second story, where she finds out about 'Blondie' and we're introduced to a mute escaped convict who is hiding out with his father. For work, he breaks into other people's businesses and treats it as his own, often physically forcing people to buy his wares. 

The story in this sequel (In a lot of ways, that's what Fallen Angels is,) is a lot more cohesive and it tends to jump back and forth between the characters, which is something I really appreciated. When I get involved with a film, I like knowing who my characters are in the beginning and why I should care about them. Though the ex-con was introduced later, he was introduced in a subtle fashion and woven into the narrative a lot better than the characters in the previous movie. 

I found the characters likeable, if somewhat ridiculous (Perhaps that's why I liked them,) and found the story a lot more engaging than Chungking. Though it has a few references to the first movie, it could be classed as a stand alone if you've never seen Chungking Express. 

Cinematography: Wong Kar-Wai's handheld style feels a lot better in this story, giving us a fly on the wall perspective and letting us look at people from angles that we'd never consider. This gives the shot an out of place look, which shows our character's discomfort in some instances, or makes them feel small in others.

There was a scene filmed an ice cream truck which I found funny as there were people packed in like sardines and you could practically feel the discomfort of the tight space.

I also really enjoyed the film's shots on the roads. Sometimes it'd up or lower the frame rate, depending on the atmosphere and it worked really well in terms of story.

Audio: The tracks of this film really set the atmosphere. From jaunty, jazzy beats to distant sounds of nightclubs, you always got the feel of Hong Kong nightlife. Even its pockets of people listening to individual tracks that didn't feel as though fit in actually worked out well to represent how a person feels in the midst of their experiences. 

The subs were well written, and easily understood.

Overall: Yet again I was pleasantly surprised this week. Fallen Angels ended up being a lot better than I expected. There was a lot more structure to the story and it was a lot easier to follow. While in some cases the acting was a bit ridiculous and the narration kind of bugged me, (Though it was necessary for the mute,) overall, this movie was a delight to watch. 

5 Stars.

(Movie) Assassin's Creed...a look at In Bruges

This movie was recommended by Terri Jacobs. Thanks Terri!

In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes. When it first came out, I remember seeing Mr. Farrell on Letterman promoting it and talking about how much he enjoyed the experience.

The question is however, is the movie any good?

Let's review!

Story/Dialogue: The story follows Ray and his mentor Ken as they hide out in Bruges for two weeks after an assassination. While Ken embraces the almost fairytale-esque atmosphere, Ray regards the place with utter distaste. Throughout their visit, Ray falls for Chloe, a young drug dealer who doubles as a production assistant, fights her ex boyfriend Eirik and makes friends with a drug abusing racist little person named Jimmy. He throws himself into all of this as a way to cope with the fact that he accidentally shot a little boy during the assassination.

The story here alone was enough to draw me in, but the way it progresses and shows why Ray's so angry throughout the film shifts the tone rather drastically, especially during the funnier scenes. I found Ray to be another likeable asshole in film (I think I might have to do a list for my YouTube channel). Getting in and out of trouble while talking about what other people would perceive as utter nonsense leaves you laughing and not being sure why. But those more dramatic scenes contrast so heavily that in a lot of ways, they feel out of place. As they add more to the story, though, it adds context and have reason for being.

The dialogue was fantastic, with the banter between Ray and the people he interacts with making you laugh. Furthermore, there are instances where you find yourself laughing and going, "Is this how real assassins behave?!" There's one scene where two assassins are in a standoff with a pregnant hotel owner in between them. They sit and talk while the owner is sitting there, "If you're not going to shoot someone, F&*K OFF!" It was brilliant. Broke the tension appropriately.

Cinematography: In Bruges captures a lot of the city's beauty, with sweeping establishing shots and tight framing. Using a movie set to make use of night shots was a really great idea. The parts where they're on something doesn't really look as though they're on anything, but the banter makes up for that. It was interesting seeing how things were framed. There were moments where Ray and Ken are framed right in the middle and it doesn't feel boring to look at, which I found fascinating, but never worked out why.

Audio: The music varied from classical to almost having a real gypsy vibe going on. While it fit the movie well, it wasn't overly memorable and I couldn't find myself buying the Original Soundtrack.


Overall: In Bruges was an unexpected surprise. I found it compelling with likeable characters and a tragic backstory. In a lot of ways, it was like a fairytale, but the ending left you feeling as though you were waking up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would happily watch it again.

5 Stars.

(Comic) O' Captain, my Captain....a look at Captain Marvel Vol. 1

Can I just say first that going through the comics on Googleplay (I download my comics, for ease of access,) that the comments frustrated me.

"Captain Marvel will always be a man to me."

"Hated this. Captain Marvel shouldn't be a woman."

We had this with Thor as well.

So when reading, always remember to retain an open mind.

This incarnation of Captain Marvel is the 7th in a line of Captain Marvels and I'll say this too: Carol Danvers isn't the first female Captain Marvel.

All I'm asking is that you open your minds a little more.

Now that I've had my two cents, let's have a look at the comic.



The story is set with Carol Danvers on earth, living in the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Feeling that she's gotten herself into a rut, she misses the adventure and excitement of the unknown.

So, she tells her significant other, James 'Rhodey' Rhodes that she's going to space.

He supports her decision and tells her that he'll be here when she returns.

Carol's mission in space is to return a young Nowlian named Tic to her new home on Torfa. She does this with the help of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

When they arrive, they receive news that the refugees are getting sick and dying. The King of Spartax and Star Lord's father, J'son, is trying to move the healthy off world and leaving the rest to die.

But there's more to this than meets the eye and Carol, Avenger of Earth and Galactic representative, will do all she can to save the refugees and find out if something is causing the sickness.

DeConnick's writing is sharp and sassy, with a lot of moments where you find yourself laughing out loud. It also shows Carol Danvers as a well rounded woman who, while she was not the ideal pick for the task Tic had posed, proves that she can get the job done, regardless.

Danvers is likeable and I really like the relationships she develops as the story progresses.

DeConnick shows that including all genders, binary and non is an easy task and shows it tastefully.

The art in this comic shows the characters with sharp edges, as though they were drawn with a razor blade, while the backgrounds contrast with rounded edges and a sort of, hazy look, as though you were looking at them in the middle of a desert on a hot day.

It's a nice contrast and I really enjoy the style.

Overall, I don't understand what everyone's beef was with this comic.

If you're going to judge a piece of art, you judge it based on the quality of story and art, not hating on it because it doesn't fill those needs of nostalgia.

Please, I implore you, give this a read with an open mind. It's well worth it.

5 stars.

(Comic) Something's fishy....a look at Aquaman: Sub Diego vol. 1

The story opens on a panda underwater. I have to admit that it's the first time I've been surprised by an opening.

Turns out part of San Diego has been submerged in water and the people there have developed gills in a case of rapid evolution. Aquaman's job is to save lives and find out the source of people developing gills.

He makes a friend in a young woman named Lorena, who I really enjoyed as a character. She's strong willed, but has a lot to learn about leading people.

But more importantly, it showed that Arthur was born to lead.

(Prepare for paragraphs on the justification of Aquaman's general awesomeness.)

Now you might be wondering, in comparison to Superman, what's a king to a god? In regards to Wonder Woman, what's a King to a goddess? In regards to Batman, what's a god to a man?

I hear a lot of talk about how lame Aquaman is and a lot of people don't recognise how important it is to be king. Superman and Wonder Woman have to look out for the good of the people, yet you'll find that even though they're good folk in their own right, there's a severe disconnection that comes with power. Unless they were to lose their powers, they don't really connect with humans that well.

By the same token, Batman is the most relatable in a lot of ways (we won't discuss how the power of money makes him nigh invulnerable,) being a man and plunging his hands into the filth of Gotham city to try and make it a better place.

Aquaman is one of those go between characters. It even shows in his biology. He interacts with people on both land and sea and between god and man. He is a leader and arguably a better diplomat than most.

Now that I think about it, maybe that's the real reason that people don't like Aquaman, because people don't like politicians.

But I digress.

Seeing Aquaman fight for people who are now under his care shows his true potential as a diplomat, crime fighter and king.

Furthermore, it's exciting to see the big bad as a background character. You don't really know who they are, but it's really cool to see them pulling the strings.

The art in Sub Diego is beautiful and captures the vastness of the ocean perfectly.

For example, THE BUBBLES! Seriously, if you don't read this for the story, look at it for the art.

Look, the fact of the matter is, this comic is worth reading.

The characters are likeable, the art is awesome and the story is a start to a great arc.

I'm going to give this 4 and a half stars.

Many thanks to Josh Crump over at Gotham Knights Fan Films for this recommendation! Go give their page a like!

https://www.facebook.com/GothamKnightsFanFilms

(Movie) Concrete Jungle...a look at Chungking Express

Thanks to Maia (uzuyucky.tumblr.com) for the recommendation

I think in terms of the movies that I've seen, this is the first one that I really struggled with watching. Understand that it has nothing to do with the fact that it's foreign, but the fact that it's an unconventional story.

As a writer who loves character driven story, it was really difficult for me to get a proper grasp of the story. Thank goodness for Wikipedia, am I right?

In any case, let's review!

Story/Dialogue: This film contains two stories. The first is about a cop by the name of He Qiwu, who had his ex break up with him on April Fool's day chasing a woman for a platonic relationship. They meet and spend time with each other before he takes her to a hotel so she can sleep. The woman in question happens to be a smuggler and shoots the drug baron who screwed her over the next day. She then wishes him a happy birthday via message from the hotel that they stayed at, which leads into the second story.

Faye Wong works at the takeout shop that He Qiwu and another cop, designation 663 frequent on their beat.
663 is dealing with a breakup of his own with a flight attendant and the more time he spends at the takeout spot, Faye ends up liking him. Later on the stewardess comes by to give the cop his spare keys to his apartment. Faye uses the key to break into his room and try and improve 663's life. Eventually he figures out she's breaking into his apartment and asks her on a date. She doesn't show and 663 finds out that she's gone to California as a final move before settling down.
She returns to find the takeaway shop is now owned by 663, who is renovating the takeaway shop into a restaurant. They exchange words and there's mention of a boarding pass she drew him a year ago. She writes him a new one and asks him where he wants to go. He replies that he'll go wherever she suggests. The movie finishes there.

Part of the reason I wrote out the over arcing story is that there's no resolution, no real mystery. We, the audience are taking a peek into the window of these people's little worlds. When I say story in regards to Chungking express, I use the term loosely.

The dialogue is heavy with prose, with personifications of towels and apartments. Characters speak their minds, yet the plot doesn't move further when they say things.


Cinematography: The better part of this film is looking at crazy camera angles and wondering at their significance. Or whether there's any point to the closeups that Wong Kar Wai uses. With his use of stop motion and crazy jump cuts, he recreated the crazy Hong Kong atmosphere and made it visually overwhelming to watch.

There were nice beats where we focused on something for a few moments to allow our eyes to rest, but visually this film is one that you'd have to watch again and again to take it all in.

Audio: One song that features in this film frequently is California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas, but interestingly, I was captivated by the Cantonese cover of Dreams by the Cranberries. This aside the film mainly consisted of smooth jazz, the kind you'd expect out of a Dick Tracy comic.


Overall: This movie has received fantastic reviews for those that it's touched upon. I liken it to Sarsaparilla. One of those things where you either like it or you don't.

What annoys me is that while I sort of see what Wong Kar Wai was going for, I found the movie dull. Perhaps I didn't get it, but I wasn't all that drawn in to the visual aspects because I couldn't keep track of the story.

While I respect the work put into it, I wasn't a fan.

3 stars.

(Movie) Comedy for Cynics....a look at the Royal Tenenbaums

This recommendation comes from Jessica (meetmeinmontavk.tumblr.com)

I remember seeing the beginning of this movie when I was younger. It was late at night and I could recall that everyone in the movie was sad and eccentric.

At the time, I went to bed.

Now, many years later, I've watched it again. I'm older, somewhat wiser and have a stronger grasp on the quality of film.

So even though I was reviewing it, did I once again want to enter the embrace of my mattress instead of watching this film?

Let's review!!!

Story/Dialogue: The Tenenbaums are a family of eccentric geniuses with an estranged father and a mother immersed in her work. Each of the kids Chas, Margot and Richie are experiencing post success funks. Carrying their personal hurts and quirks, they move back into their childhood home to reassess their lives. On top of this, their dad comes back into their lives with the intent of being a part of it and trying to be a real father.

What's interesting about this story is how the family is well rounded and dysfunctional they are as characters. A Bob's Burgers before there was a Bob's Burgers, if you will. Each of them has a different relationship with their father and seeing it develop over the movie is fascinating to watch.

The dialogue is poignant, yet humorous, which is often how I'd imagine most people would feel if they have Christmas with their families.

There are a lot of moments where you find yourself laughing in the same way you'd laugh at a good memory you have of a friend you're no longer friends with.

In terms of story, it's well written and I enjoy the characters in all their crazy eccentric glory. Even the Narrator, whom I'd normally dislike just because narration in a visual movie would frustrate me, actually enhanced the quality of the film, which was a nice change.

Cinematography: One of the things that most surprised me most (and as this is the second Wes Anderson film I've watched,) is the fascination with symmetry that Mr. Anderson (HAH!) has. Everything is in the centre of each third and a lot of shots include characters stood in the three separate parts of the frame.
Each image is ordered and has this odd filter that feels like you're watching a Beatles documentary from the 60's.
There are some fantastic shots, especially the tracking shots of Richie's bird, Mordecai, that appeal to me.


Audio: A lot of the tracks that feature in this film are acoustic, including a variation of the Beatles', "Hey Jude." Music in Wes Anderson films tend to be acoustic and, for want of a better phrase, "fluffy." It actually both contrasts and enhances the film as a whole, which I found surprising.
The sound department is to be commended, as its work in the audio layering is well done and feels natural. Each of the characters say their lines clearly and concisely, even when they're being quiet.

Audibly, the film was pleasant to listen to.

Overall: The film hits this spot in your chest that makes you want to cry to the point where you're not sure whether or not you find something funny or sad.

The story is cohesive and set in chapters, so it's easy to follow. Each of the characters are quirky, yet likeable and more importantly, redeemable.

Cinematically, we see the sets in bright or pastel colours that contrast with the dark woods and the frames being incredibly orderly to the point where the cameraman might have OCD (Or CDO, if you need all the letters in the right order.)

Audibly, we have tracks from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, amongst various other acoustic soundbites.

Overall, the movie is pleasant and you leave the film feeling satisfied, not as though you have closure, but as best as you probably could get.

I'm going to give this film 5 stars.

Thus ends this review!

(Comic) Unlikely friends...a look at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Avengers Vol. 1

The Guardians of the Galaxy and Iron Man team up?

Oh hell yes. 

As a part of the new Marvel Now relaunch, all of the series have new stories so that the current audience don't have to read through a library's worth of comics to know the lore. 

In this first volume, Peter Quill, better known as Star Lord, has been ordered by his father, the King of Spartax to stay away from Earth with the threat of arrest. 

Quill, whose backstory we see at the beginning, ignores his father's orders after the Badoon attack Earth.

What's strange about this story is that it abruptly switches to moments in which Quill is trying to get the band back together. Frankly, this is kind of jarring for someone who is only establishing themselves in comics.

The dialogue is funny with each of the characters bringing their own kind of humour to the table. Introducing Iron Man into GotG, he learns the Groot can only speak three words and trying to interact with Drax is....tricky, to say the least. 

The art style, though it changes depending on what part of the backstory occurs, is beautifully detailed and if it were animated, the angles in the panels look dynamic and create an action packed scene that blend well with the humour. 

I liked seeing Stark interact with the GotG and he seems to fit in quite well, though I often wonder how he charges his suit in space.

In the end, while the story was interesting, the fact it was as jumbled as it was left me feeling confused. I had no knowledge of the lore prior to reading (except for the movie,) so it was a bit tricky to make heads and tails of it. The art style changing kind of threw me off as well. 

Also, what's with the page breaks saying, "please turn to next page?" what's with this hand holding garbage?!

With this in mind, I've decided to give this comic 4 stars. 

(Movie) You're waiting for a train....a look at Snowpiercer

This review was requested by Sara Cooper. Thanks Sara! 

This was one of the first movies I watched before I started getting involved with Film School.

Released in America a year after its initial release due to the company owning the license requesting editing to the film with the director denying that, Snowpiercer is one of those films that captures your attention. What is not commonly known is that is an adaptation from a French graphic novel titled, "Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette."

Without further ado, let's review.

This review shall contain no spoilers.

Story/Dialogue: Set in a distant future where the world has suffered nuclear winter, the remnant's of the world's population lives on a train known as the Snowpiercer. It's a capitalist society, where the further down the train cars you go, the more terrible things get.

Enter Curtis, a slave who seeks to revolt by reaching the front of the train with his ragtag group of followers.

As the movie progresses, you see how different the rest of the train cars are.

What's more, there's a lot of secrets hidden on this train. Ones you never expect to witness.

The dialogue isn't over the top, but some scenes felt a little forced. I can't say which ones as it contains spoilers, however.

The film has a way of making you invested in these characters and rooting for them, which is something that most films struggle with these days. (Ala Age of Ultron.)

Not knowing it was an adaptation prior to this review, I would have said it's one of the better original stories I'd witnessed.

Cinematography: Oh man, the set pieces on this film are insane! They make it look as though they're shooting in tight quarters and it feels as though the stakes are high, especially in moments like the New Year scene.

One of the best things about the editing in this is that there is actually a reason for all the choppy cuts during action scenes. It's chaos with loads of people fighting in tight quarters.


Audio: Oddly, this audio makes me think a lot of Bioshock. With that said, it wasn't overly memorable. The dubbing, especially for the Korean, was fantastic.


Overall: Snowpiercer is one of those diamonds in the rough. The cast give a great performance, though the ending left me with loads of questions. The setting integrated beauty and a visceral disgusting element that struck me as horrifying and fascinating.

I give this movie 5 stars.

(Movie) Tapped out...a look at Half Nelson

This movie was recommended by Jessica (meetmeinmontavk.tumblr.com)

I was discussing Blue Valentine with Jessica last week and she suggested that I take a look at this film, as it was the movie that showed Ryan Gosling's true acting potential. 

I'm inclined to agree. 

But, how does it rate?

Let's review! 

Story/Dialogue: Half Nelson follows Dan Dunne, a history teacher using an unusual method of teaching called didactics. Teaching a class of African American kids, he's well liked amongst the students and teachers, but the Principal is not a fan as they are of different teaching styles. 

He's also a cocaine addict. 

When Drey, one of his students finds him in the bathroom stoned, she helps him and they establish an unlikely friendship. 

Drey is a teenage girl with a single mum who works and a brother in prison for dealing drugs. His former employer, Frank (Portrayed by Anthony Mackie) tries to recruit her into the business, while Dan tries to mentor her and be her friend as well as her teacher.

The main theme of Half Nelson is change and the collision of opposites. Throughout the film, we see this theme reinforced. What's more, the film's rewatchability shows that this film can be analysed over and over so you can see the many examples of the theme being portrayed. (I'll cover those in the next section.)

The dialogue is easy to understand, though not everything is straight forward in the speech. Like, you're not going to have someone who asks for help straight up, they need to beat around the bush. To admit your deepest fear is the turning point.

While I don't want to give away spoilers, I also would like to point out that his addiction is never resolved. However, I don't think this would be the same movie if it had been resolved. This is about current conflict in the self and the world around the characters, not the resolution of said conflict.

Cinematography: Most of the scenes are shot handheld, which gives us an intimate atmosphere to what we witness. We're less of an audience and more of a bystander that is mostly ignored.

There are instances of dolly use, such as when Dan is going for a morning run, but it's not used often.

As you watch, you'll notice that the theme of change and conflict of opposing forces is shown visually throughout the film. This includes:

- Skin colour

- Age
- Class
- Profession

- Mentors

- Relationships

This occurs both internally and externally and it's all shown on screen.

Audio: Though not overly memorable, the music is the kind of tracks you would hear on the street. It feels natural. It's not as though you'd hear Hans Zimmer or John Williams at a restaurant or on a street corner, but this score and library audio combination feels right at home on the streets of NY.

The sound department did a fantastic job in making sure that the atmos tracks were well layered and didn't conflict with any of the dialogue.

Overall: While I'm not a big fan of the white saviour trope in films (See Elysium and such movies like that,) I did enjoy how immersive this film was. I felt that rather than simply watching it, I was a part of it. 

Ryan Gosling really stood out in this role and felt real somehow. In the other movies I've seen, he's often been disconnected from the film or has been Ryan Gosling pretending to be someone else. In this film, he was Dan Dunne. 

I loved Drey as a character. She's smart, sassy, but she's also prone to making mistakes, which only made me like her more. She's organic and her development as a character is really interesting to watch.

Overall, I give this movie 5 stars. 

(Book) Viking Shenanigans...a look at Sons of Odin Book 2: A Flame Put Out.

The Vikings are at it again!

Erin S. Riley's look at a young woman in a world of harsh, yet beautiful people from a harsh, yet beautiful land continues.

Selia is adjusting to life as the wife of a Hersir. She finds comfort in her routine, but when her husband Alrik leaves to go a-viking, everything goes downhill from there.

One of the things I loved about this book is how it never lets up. You have babies being born, people dying, dangerous characters being introduced, babies born out of wedlock, the true purpose for a-viking amongst many other things.

Ms. Riley does not hold back with her descriptions of births or deaths and it's something that's I've always appreciated. No matter how gruesome or uncomfortable a scene may be, it's always detailed and spelled out in a way that it can't be misinterpreted. 

Selia has been filled out more as a character, which is not always something that people can do well when it comes to sequels. At the end of the day, the question is whether or not the love of your husband or your children takes priority. 

I like how Alrik's daughter, Ingrid has taken a more prominent role and has developed as more than just a starry eyed brat. 

It's hard to like a lot of the male characters, but while I'm on this topic, I like the subtle indication of a homosexual viking. It's not something that authors often consider actively and nor is it done tactfully. In this case, however, Ms. Riley does just that.

Erin S. Riley has taken her writing skills and put them to the grindstone, showing a brutal edge of love's rounded corners. This is a book everyone should read if you want a fantastic, rollicking read full of romance and violence.

I'm going to give this review 5 stars. 

Author's note: The reason this review is so short is so that you don't receive any spoilers. Spoilers suck. 

Thus ends this review!

Update: You can buy the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Flame-Put-Sons-Odin-Book-ebook/dp/B0143JNIKW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1445467086&sr=8-2&keywords=Odin%27s+shadow

(Comic) Devil's Advocate....a look at Marvel's Civil War

This review was recommended by James Bridges. 

With all the hype that the Civil War movie is gaining, it made a lot of  sense to have a look at the original source material from which the movie is derived. 

After a massive screw up involving teenage superheroes and an explosion that killed a lot of people, the U.S Government has put forward a bill so that superheroes would be registered, trained and paid. Kind of like a super powered police force. 

This bill, which is then passed, divides the superhero community. 

On the one hand, you have Tony Stark, the Iron Man, suggesting that people register because it's not only good business, it's also very practical. Superheroes would have accountability and be trained to use their powers in a manner that would minimise collateral damage. 

Captain America, on the other hand, believes that by registering, they give up their greatest weapon. Their anonymity. Not only this, but then they'd have a boss in the U.S government and Cap is all too familiar with how they use superheroes. As he says, "If we register, they'll start telling us who the villains are."

These two sides argue, prepare traps and prison and fight it out with people trading sides in between.

Not only does this comic feature heavy hitters like Cap, Iron Man, Yellow Jacket and Doctor Strange, but as it encompasses the entire superhero community, you've also got the X-Men to consider. Every one has a say in the matter.

The story is cohesive and self contained. You know enough about the characters that even if you haven't read comics before, you could still follow the storyline. It's a simple plot, with massive and complex consequences. With that said, I would recommend reading some comics to get backgrounds on some of the lesser known superheroes.

Having only just started reading comics myself, I wasn't overly invested in the characters they killed off, because I hadn't heard of them.

So before you read this storyline, I'd advise reading other comics in the same universe, so you can get a feel for the characters. 

I think the only thing that really bugged me is the fact that one of the key characters they killed off was a person of colour. What's more, I didn't know all that much about him, which is why I advised reading comics prior to this storyline.

The art style is colourful, yet gritty. Heroes in upbeat brightly coloured costumes are contrasted by dark and grungy scenery. Men are drawn with strong square jaws and large shoulders and women are drawn slender, yet well muscled. While unrealistic for two of the many genders, this is comic history and we look back on what was in order to build from that. 

All in all, it was a fascinating read and often makes me wonder what I would do in those situations. Would I take a side? Or would I be like the X-Men and Doctor Strange and sit it out all together?

What would you do?

This comic warrants 4 and a half stars.

Thus ends this review.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments. 

I'll see you all next week, when I tackle the Guardians of the Galaxy! 

Please leave me some comic recommendations if you have any and I'll see you all soon!  

(Movie) Death Race...a look at The Last Cab to Darwin

This review was requested by Daniel Rath of Headland Creative Media (http://bit.ly/1KpUelk)

When I asked Daniel if he had any recommendations (I have been taking requests for comics, books and movies, in case you hadn't noticed. :P) he suggested this movie without a second thought.

Still in theatres in Australia, I went and saw it this Sunday just gone with the Iron Matriarch, (I wrote a post about her on my tumblr, which you can see if you get the chance.)

I'll be the first to say that I'm not a big fan of Aussie films. I'm told on a regular basis that all we have to offer is cop dramas and Aussie comedy that most of the world just doesn't get. You only need to look at the American version of Kath and Kim for that one.

This aside, I was skeptical as I entered the theatre. 

So, did it fall short? Or did it exceed expectations?

Let's review!

Story/Dialogue: Michael Caton plays Rex McCrea, a taxi driver from Broken Hill, NSW who is dying of cancer. He hears on the radio about a Doctor in the Northern Territory (Over 3000kms or 1864 miles) who has recently had a bill passed to make euthanasia possible for those patients who are in need to die with dignity.

There are other aspects to this plot, such as characters he meets and befriends and the places he goes. For spoiler's sake, I'll avoid talking about it.

The characters in this film are incredibly likeable. Rex is a loner with a razor wit and the companions he meets along the way are delightful. Their arcs are equally as important as Rex's as they reflect the other aspects of experiencing life.

One of the things I loved was how they portrayed the Koori bloke in this film. His character arc was emotionally satisfying and you found yourself grinning along with him.

Loveable rogue types, dude. Problematic favourites. 

My favourite character though is simply delightful and you can't help but fall in love with her. She's got a lot of guts and heart and it adds an element of dialogue to an unspoken storyline. She calls it like it is and I love her character so much for that.

The dialogue of this film is witty and carries an air of unapologetic blokiness about it. It fits the typical 'Laid back Aussie vibe' that most foreigners seem to think we have, yet has these undertones of intelligence that shows the characters are saying more than they're letting on.

Cinematography: This movie absolutely shone in the cinematic department. You had landmarks in the film that were iconic. This includes Alice Springs, Darwin, Broken Hill and the Devil's Marbles. I loved the time lapse shots showing night falling and the transition of the day. 

The visual symbolism was beautiful and should be kept and eye out for. See if you can figure out the significance of the tree of dead feral cats. Landmark? Or Symbol? 

Framing was creative, yet not all that innovative. Nothing really had me asking, "How did they get that shot?" But it was incredibly pleasant to watch in terms of soft pushes and slow camera movements. 

Visually, it was a feast for the eyes and it was a great way to show Australia's best sides. We are more than just the Gold Coast, Bondi and various deserts. 

Audio: While the tracks were pleasant to listen to, with lots of guitar work that didn't make it sound like the Tamworth Country Music Festival, it wasn't overly memorable. It reminds you of a bloke who lives out at Broken Hill. Hard working and in this case, taken for granted and under-appreciated.

Overall: The Last Cab to Darwin should be considered an iconic movie and as far as I'm concerned, sets the bar for Australian film in 2015. 

Forget your Australias, forget that atrocious looking Blinky Bill reboot (I'd be happy to review it, if only so I can smite the bugger,) this film is honest, deep and intense. I found myself holding my breath in certain instances and was invested from the moment Rex started dancing in his house at the beginning of the film.

The Last Cab to Darwin warrants a Ravensmark (picture pending,) reserved only for media of the highest caliber. I haven't seen a drama like it and I think it'll be a long time before I see a drama like it again. 

Thus ends this review.

I hope you enjoyed this review as much as I enjoyed watching it. Please, if you can, share this on facebook and retweet it on twitter. Support this amazing film.

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Story Blog: paperbackraven.blogspot.com.au

Thanks again, guys! I'll see you again on friday for Civil War! :D