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THIS IS ENGLAND ’90 – ‘Winter’
Breaking up is hard to do. Or at least that’s what The Carpenters told us. And if this was the break up of the This Is England franchise (I’m not convinced) then it’s fair to say it was hard for quite a few people. Hard for Shane Meadows to successfully tie and loop his beloved…
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YOU, ME & THE APOCALYPSE – ‘Episode Two’
Things kicked up a gear this week, as the effects of the on-coming apocalypse became clearer and we were introduced two new characters: Paterson Joseph’s preternaturally calm General Arnold Gaines, and his nervy sidekick Scotty (Cousin Francis from Poldark, actor Kyle Soller)—who also happens to be the brother of escaped convict Rhonda (Jenna Fischer). I also…
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AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL – ‘Checking In’
I skipped American Horror Story’s first season at the time because it looked like hot garbage. I wasn’t entirely wrong—I checked it out after friends encouraged me, and it is trash; but it’s trash that’s way more entertainingly bonkers than it has any right to be. I flat-out loved the second season, Asylum; as with the other…
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SICARIO (2015)
Do you like your meticulously-paced and superbly-shot action movies with a side order of bleak nihilism? You’re in luck: Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario may well be the film for you. But while there’s no doubt this thriller is highly accomplished in many ways, you should be warned it’s not for everyone. It’s wilfully vague throughout; shadowy in…
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THE LEFTOVERS, 2.1 – ‘Axis Mundi’
The first season of HBO fantasy drama The Leftovers was a hit with critics, but audiences were less receptive. It’s easy to see why, because this is a show with a tantalising hook (that 2% of the world’s population inexplicably, instantaneously vanished), but isn’t offering answers to that mystery. It just wants to explore the myriad…
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DOCTOR WHO, 9.3 – ‘Under the Lake’
The strongest opening for a series of Doctor Who in a while continues with Toby Whithouse’s “Under the Lake”. Series 9 may not be benefiting from unfortunate scheduling against the Rugby World Cup, or from Strictly Come Dancing’s lead-in, but so far the decision to run with two-part stories is at least paying off in terms…
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THE X-FILES – Examining the ‘Essential Episodes’
With The X-Files returning next year, over a decade since it closed the door on its cabinet of weirdness in 2002, creator Chris Carter revealed there are 10 episodes that X-Files groupies and newbies alike should watch before diving back into the adventures of FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson).…
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OUTLANDER – Season One
Starz Network, wanting in on HBO’s success with Game of Thrones among others, has invested heavily in adapting Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander book cycle. Having previously inspired a graphic novel and a musical album, the books have been brought to the screen by Ronald D. Moore (best known for his producing and writing stints on Star…
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YOU, ME & THE APOCALYPSE – ‘Episode One’
So what kind of a show is this anyway? Good question. Initial reactions to Sky1’s You, Me and the Apocalypse (which we all know should have kept its original, absolutely brilliant title, Apocalypse Slough) was mixed, with some online commentators questioning whether this was even a comedy. For what it’s worth, I really enjoyed the…
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THE MARTIAN (2015)
If you’re going to entrust any director with the task of delivering a gripping film about loneliness in the vast emptiness of space, surely you go with Ridley Scott. His 1979 masterpiece Alien carried the famous tagline “in space no one can hear you scream”; he’s got a knack for creating unusual, distinctive sci-fi worlds;…
