(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.