Posted on 4 Comments

Shame on Vue – the cinema chain’s decision to stop showing south London gang drama ‘Blue Story’ reeks of hypocrisy

The Netflix-distributed film, New Gods: Nezha Reborn ends on a victorious note for protagonist Li Yunxiang as he finally becomes the fire-god, Nezha; embracing both the deity and human side within. Unfortunately, it costs him big as he lost his dad, Old Li, along the way, as well as one of his closest friends, Six. They became collateral damage from the war that the East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang, waged. However, Li Yunxiang is now looking forward to his new role as a protector, and some intriguing post-credits scenes already set up the confirmed, weapon-hunting sequel to his adventure.

One post-credits sequence shows a home in the desert that’s as derelict as can be. As animals scurry around and statues crumble, we see the rings and what appears to be the other relics the Monkey King mentioned. They’re also already activating, which suggests they’re waiting for Nezha to come and find them. But their activation might make them beacons, so other gods may come also after them before he can.

Lastly, the final post-credits scene has Nezha speeding through Donghai, only to come across a dog playing with a man in a suit and hat in an alley. This directly teases the 2022 sequel, New God List: Yang Jian, hinting this is Yang (aka Erlang Shen), one of Nezha’s friends from the lore. Given that he’s got an all-knowing third eye, he could be key to helping Nezha and the Monkey Kings find these relics and discern allies and enemies for the next war of the gods.

Posted on 3 Comments

Film review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Now that I’ve covered the arrival at Shell Cottage and Voldemort taking the Elder Wand in my re-read blogging, it’s time to review Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1!

For all my reviews of the Harry Potter films, I’ve been giving them scores as films in general, as in how they appeal to me as a movie-goer – and as adaptations, which is more about how they appeal to me as a Harry Potter fan. But just what makes a good adaptation? For me, how faithful the film is to the source material is only part of it, though still very important. A written story is likely to have some parts that won’t be as effective in a visual medium, and the adaptation process allows the opportunity to bring new creative choices to the table, creating a unique experience. So for me, a good adaptation provides the same big picture as the source material (though the details can vary if necessary); makes the story run smoothly, consistently and comprehensibly in a more limited time frame; and any changes that are made tend to have a positive or neutral impact, rather than making no sense, or detracting from the original story’s themes.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Black Adam stars Dwayne Johnson, Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Quintessa Swindell, Mo Amer, Marwan Kenzari, Bodhi Sabongui, James Cusati-Moyer, Sarah Shahi and Uli Latukefu. The film arrives in theaters July 29, 2022

Posted on 4 Comments

Mortal Kombat: Why Liu Kang’s DEADLY Past Should Drive a Shaolin Monks Movie

The Mortal Kombat reboot surprised fans with Cole Young being the Chosen One against Shang Tsung’s forces. Many assumed it’d have been Liu Kang, which has been the case in the video games and past movies. However, the movie does create immense potential for him thanks to his deadly past and a shocking revelation that should drive a Shaolin Monks movie.

Seeing as Kung Lao was killed pretty quickly, it’d be great seeing how their sibling-like bond developed. Fans did love how Kung Lao was depicted, not just for his badass attitude and brutal Fatality on Nitara, but also for that extra bit of arrogance not usually found within the Lotus Clan. What’s most appealing about all this is how Kung Lao helped mentor Liu Kang after the latter was taken in off the streets.