The door opened quickly and violently, as if someone was breaking in, but Maddie knew otherwise. Brandon stumbled in, hiccupping as he went, closing the door behind him, fiddling with the keys in his hand before sighing angrily and waving at the door, as if the air would lock it for him. Drunkenly, he turned, swaying heavily, his arms swinging around him like vines around a tree. As their eyes met he stopped, in his drunken state assuming she hadn’t seen him. Her glare was fixed and arms folded. She was wearing what she did every night, a long grey nightie, one she had worn since their wedding, ‘easy access’ she had called it. But now her face wasn’t the same as that night, it was stern and furious with flared nostrils and wide eyes.
“Where have you been?” Maddie demanded, quoting almost every wife whose husband had come home inexplicably drunk.
“Out,” Brandon said quickly, trying his best to hide his slurs.
“Where?” she demanded again. He huffed at her.
“Out,” he repeated. This time, she huffed at him, taking a step closer. Now, Brandon could see the fury in her blue eyes and her withdrawn tongue as she held back her shouts.
“You better have a bloody good reason,” she seething, breathing heavily through her teeth. Brendon huffed at her again, pushing aside her anger clearly written across her face.
“Did you miss me?” he teased, still swaying, his arms dangerously close to the framed pictures on the table beside him. Maddie recoiled slightly, her anger slowly fading into sorrow, tears building in her eyes. She bit her lip and sucked in cool air before looking back at him.
“Yes, I did,” she said. Brandon jolted back slightly at the sincere, contained answer, swinging himself steady again. “Because while you were off galivanting around town with your friends, I was here, tucking our daughter into bed. And as I am doing that, my phone rings. I have to stop saying goodnight to her to answer it. It was from my father…” she hesitated, breathing in sharply again but her eyes never left his. “My mother died.” She finished. Even through his drunken vision, Brendon could see Maddie’s eyes well up again, more tears falling down her face. He brought a hand forward to pull her closer but she stepped back, lightly pushing his hand to the side and he let it fall, confusion spreading across his face. She took in another deep breath. “This is how it’s been since the beginning. You go out, get drunk, come home late and I'm already asleep and I find you passed out on the sofa. Thought it was funny and cute to begin with, but then it got boring and annoying. But then, you stopped, cleaned up your act, but, since last week, you’ve been sneaking out to drink, leaving me alone. And not only that, but alone with your infant daughter.” Once she had finished, Brendon had started to cry, the warm tears gently falling down his face, creating a river as they meandered down where the wrinkles of smiles used to form.
“Maddie, I,” he started.
“No,” she interjected, her voice stern again. “I have lost my mother, your daughter has lost her grandmother, a woman she will never remember. I lost someone and the only person I could talk to was our daughter, who was confused about why I was crying in the first place! I don’t want her Christmas ruined with the memory of her grandmother’s death! And you weren’t here for me, or for her. I don’t feel like I can rely on you anymore.” Brendon opened his mouth but she barged past him, heading for the stairs.
“Maddie, please I’m…” he tried, but she didn’t turn. As she reached the stairs she stopped, her back still to him.
“I'm taking Rachel to my brother’s tomorrow,” she said after a moment, her voice warbled with tears, holding back the urge to run to him. “We can talk more after that.” With no further words, and ignoring Brendon’s wails and desperate calls, Maddie walked up the stairs and to their bedroom, where she didn’t sleep.
Day 1
Closed Eyes
Closed Eyes
Deafening
Deafening
Closed Eyes
Day 15
E s t 2 0 2 0
Posted: 24th June 2023
The Flash is yet another multiverse film to be released, but it serves that function well. Ezra Miller does a fantastic job and, in my opinion, deserves recognition for having done so. The story at the heart of the film is one of tragedy and loss, and it carried throughout very well. Although the VFX can pull you out at times, it is never bad enough to take away Miller’s performance or the story. The film’s biggest issue is it’s promotion, which showcases Supergirl and Batman as centre stage, when in reality they don’t contribute too much to the story or film. That being said, with cameos, terrific performances and an interesting villain, The Flash is still a must-see for any DC fan and anyone looking forward to James Gunn’s soon-to-be DCU.
Posted: 4th July 2023
Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse is an amazing film with an incredible cast, with some new and some returning. The animation is beautiful, the story is heartbreaking and epic, and Oscar Isaac gives one of the best performances of his career. Narratively, this film hits all of the spots, the only drawback being in the form of whether Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara is being truthful. While the villain, The Spot, leaves a little to be desired, the constant onslaught of beautiful imagery, heartstring-pulling dialogue, and cameos to satisfy any fan, makes Across the Spiderverse one of the best films of 2023 and a must-see.
Posted: 11th July 2023
Elemental is, at its core, full of heart and love. While some have been criticising the movie for not being as heartfelt as previous Pixar movies, I personally love it. While the main plot thread, that being the main character Ember’s father’s shop, is a little weak, the story of Ember and Wade’s love and Ember and her relationship with her father is extremely strong and carries the film. The main plot thread is the story of immigration and the cultural differences that immigrants face when moving to a new country. Since I am not an immigrant, I cannot truly understand how this film feels to someone who has experienced that type of life, but I definitely felt the subject’s weight when telling Ember’s story. Overall, the gorgeous animation that Pixar is known for continues to shine and the story, while not anything new, is still captivating and heartwarming. The humour throughout is well placed and the characterisation of each character is very well done, although a little forced at times. While I won't recommend this film to everyone, I do recommend that if you have a few hours to kill and want a classic love story akin to Romeo and Juliet, then Elemental is the movie for you.
Posted: 25th July 2023
The only thing anyone has said about Oppenheimer was that Christopher Nolan directed it. And to that I say: And? Don’t get me wrong, I liked the film. The cinematography was beautiful and the set design was amazing. Cillian Murphey’s portrayal of the famed scientist was incredible. From his dialogue to his gait, everything sold me on the fact that that man was Robert Oppenheimer. The same can be said about the rest of the cast, no matter who they were playing or how much or little screentime they were given, each of them played their roles perfectly and should be proud of their achievement. However, there were a few drawbacks. The dialogue was a little odd at times, feeling too scientific and not allowing the audience to listen and understand what the characters were talking about. Obviously, Nolan couldn’t dumb it own too much or else it wouldn’t be a biopic but a science or history lesson, but in some instances, some explaining or something similar would have been nice. The sound design was also a little off balanced. Sometimes, the music was too loud, drowning out any dialogue, and sometimes the sound was so loud my partner and I were forced to cover our ears. I get the point was to mimic the bomb going off and Oppenheimer’s mind set, but it was a little too much. But, at the end of the day, Oppenheimer was engaging, eye-catching and humorous at times. The performances were incredible and the depiction of the bomb going off was deliciously intense and intriguing. But as I said before, for me, the only selling point people had was that Nolan directed it. And that Barbie came out on the same day. I recommend Oppenheimer for those who enjoy WWII-style movies or biopics of any kind, but the casual movie-goer, I would not.
Posted: 25th July 2023
I didn’t know what to expect with Barbie. Initial reviews had told me it was a heart-breaking/warming tale, but other than that I had no specifics. And when I say nothing can prepare you for this film, I mean nothing. I hesitate to comment on the message of the film, mainly because, as a man, I can't relate to it. I can listen to the words and hear the passion, but I can't relate. So since I cannot truly understand or relate to the film’s message, I won't criticise it. All I can do is support it and not get in the way, something that I think a lot of people need to do. I love Barbie for what it is, a standing point for what women go through and their struggles, so much so that after America Ferrera’s speech an applause erupted around me. The rest of the film is utter insanity of the best kind. Pink is everywhere, the fashion is weird and funky, and the set design is brilliant, reflecting the looks of many of Barbie’s houses. Each actor gives 110%, immersing themselves in the role of Barbie and Ken (and Alan) to a degree that sells the film on its bizarreness and its heart. Barbie is a must-watch film of 2023, purely for the experience and the message it sends. It is something that everyone needs to see, no matter who you are, and I'm glad I did.
Posted: 25th July 2023
This film is absolutely incredible. The action is intense and spectacular, the cinematography is beautiful, and the story is heart-breaking and intriguing. The Mission: Impossible franchise may be over 2 decades old, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it, with new characters giving it a breath of fresh air while making sure the OG characters aren’t ignored or sidelined. The villain, Gabriel, is exquisitely dark and intimidating, with the addition of The Entity, which is a whole new level of creepy and terrifying, adding a new sense of peril to the espionage-feel of the world. However, because Dead Reckoning Part One was filmed during the pandemic, some scenes are a little hard to follow. Eyelines don’t match up and some scenes feel like multiple characters aren’t in the same room. In addition, the movie relies on audiences knowing characters and events from previous instalments, and even someone like me who loves this franchise (and hopes to one day contribute to it), it was a little unknown if a character was new or if they had been previously established. But, none of that detracts from the spectacle that is this movie. With spectacular visual effects, Tom Cruise’s stunts, and plenty of tense, brilliantly choreographed action, Dead Reckoning stands proudly amongst the rest of the M:I series, and only makes me more excited to see what’s next.
Posted: 28th July 2023
The MCU has been on the rocks lately, ask any fan, but Secret Invasion feels like a return to a semi-normal form. The series is full of intense action, dark and twisted dialogue, and a villain who manages to hold the screen brilliantly. Across the 6 episodes, several new characters are introduced and most of them are well crafted, with Sonya Falsworth being a personal favourite of mine. Each of these characters are given plenty of time to be developed and worked on, although a little more attention to G’iah would have been a good idea since she feels a little underdeveloped towards the end of the series. There aren’t many flaws with this entry into the MCU, apart from the iffy CGI during the final confrontation and the hectic, rapid editing of the fight scenes that plague every action sequence. The only big issue I have with Secret Invasion is the handling of (SPOILERS) Skrull-Rhodey. During the falling action of the last episode, we learn that Rhodey has potentially been a Skrull since 2016. I have a feeling that that is going to annoy a lot of fans since that means the Rhodey who cried and held Happy Hogan during Tony Stark’s funeral wasn’t the real Rhodey. But despite all that, Secret Invasion is a solid, shocking, well-earned edition to the MCU. And ignoring the flaws, you can see the great things it brought, like Sonya Falsworth, an incredible villain in the form of Gravik played by Kingsley Ben-Adir and a refreshing return of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. For those who think that the MCU has dropped off, try to watch this show with an open mind, push past the mistakes or poor CG and see it for what it is, a gritty, well-crafted story that gives me hope for the MCU going forward.
Posted: 31st July 2023
When a fifth Indiana Jones film was announced, many people, including myself, were sceptical. After the *ahem* experience that was Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, many Indiana Jones fans weren’t too excited and were a little worried. But I can confidently say that those fears are no longer. Harrison Ford still nails it as the titular character, and his supporting cast all give brilliant performances. Additionally, the CGI for Ford’s de-aged scenes holds up surprisingly well for the entirety of his time onscreen, as well as the physical likeness. If I can praise anything about this movie, it is the opening scene on the train. It perfectly encompasses Indy in his prime and introduces the character to those who may not know him. The film also carried a lot of heart, with the audience getting to see Indy mourn people he’s lost in his life. Its adds a whole new dimension to the character we’ve never seen before. However, everything has it’s flaws. To begin with, Pheobe Waller-Bridge’s character Heleana can be a little too argumentative at times but the biggest noticeable issue is that Harrison Ford is not a young man. It can be a little strange to see the spindly actor running alongside younger actors and can also make some of the physical acts he performs look a little odd. However, like most of these issues, they aren’t movie-breaking. As I said, Dial of Destiny is up there with the original films. It is full of heart, has a gripping villain, played brilliantly by Mads Mikkelsen, and has such an interesting story. I didn’t expect to love this film as much as I do, but I wholeheartedly say that this film is a worthy member of the Indiana Jones franchise, and is a must-watch for any Harrison Ford or Indiana Jones fan.
Posted: 22nd August 2023
DC has been in some dire straits for a while now. From Black Adam and The Flash performing poorly, to James Gunn’s revamp of the universe causing a lot of fans to lose interest in a lot of projects, it seems that recent DC films are set up for failure. And within all this, comes Blue Beetle. I must say, I LOVE this movie. There is so much love and heart poured into each scene and piece of dialogue. The comedic timing of the characters and scenes is amazingly executed and doesn’t take anything away from the moments on screen, unlike some scenes in other films. The CG, for the most part, is brilliantly well done and looks spectacular, as are the action sequences which are shot and choreographed really well. The villain Carapax looks incredible, cartoony enough to know you’re watching a comic book movie but realistic enough for it to not look ridiculous. But, that isn’t to say its perfect. The other main antagonist, Victoria Kord, is just a run-of-the-mill CEO billionaire villain who wants a world-conquering weapon. Susan Saradon does do a fantastic job, but it wasn’t anything new or different and felt very cliché at times. In addition the relationship between Carapax and Kord was also a little odd and unknown, even after the exposition dump we get during the climax. But, this is still an amazing film that genuinely brought tears to my eyes in some scenes. Xolo Maridueña does such a fantastic job as Jamie Reyes and makes the character his own. This movie is heartfelt, cinematically beautiful, action-packed, and deserving of all the praise it receives. Sadly, it seems that no one is talking about it enough. There is a lot more to mention about this movie, like certain scenes and characters that are so well written, but you'll have to see it for yourselves in order to capture the full image of this movie.
Posted: 22nd August 2023
It’s been a few weeks since The Flash’s release (and early pull from cinemas), so I thought I would do a rethink of the film. And as you can see, my opinion has dropped. While I do like the film for its comedy, some of its characters, and interesting story and villain, the overall execution is poor. From Clooney’s random appearance as Bruce Wayne at the end to the sudden and brief cameo of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, there are several moments that don’t make sense or needed to be elaborated. Included in this category is Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, who definitely needed to have been developed a lot more, Michael Keaton’s Batman, who felt more like a glorified cameo than an actual character, and Michael Shannon’s General Zod, who was just regulated to being a basic, take-over-the-world villain. But on the other hand, Erza Miller’s performance is still amazing, and I do honestly still love the film’s iteration of Dark Flash. I felt that the development to that point was well done, although it definitely could have been worked on a little more. In addition, the (very) brief scenes with Ben Affleck’s Batman were very well done, and Miller’s interactions with Maribel Verdú (Nora Allen) were incredible. It’s just a shame that this film was nowhere close to being as good as it could have been. I do have a lot more to say about this film, but for now, The Flash has dropped down for me. I still love parts of it, but its shortcomings are sadly too great to ignore.
Posted: 2nd September 2023
The reason I am writing a review about this show was because I grew up without it and wanted to watch it, but couldn’t. So when I remembered that it was on Disney+, I jumped at the opportunity to live a childhood dream. But, was it worth it? Firstly, I know this is a kids show, so I can't be too harsh. It isn’t for early-twenty-something adults who have too much time on their hands. But that doesn’t mean I won't criticise it. One of the first things I notice about the show is how few female characters there are. Apart from frequent members of the cast, who all seem to vanish after season 2, there are no other female characters, bar a few guest appearances. Additionally, there were quite a few repeated plot points, whether that’s Spider-Man always seeing good in everyone despite everyone going against him or villains always escaping. As I said, I know it’s for kids, but there was still way too much repetition. But, there is plenty to praise. Each character was very well written, allowing the viewer to immediately know and understand a character’s motivation or story. This was also aided by the stylised 4th-wall breaks that Spidey does. It allows for some funny comedic timing and characterises Spider-Man in a way we haven’t seen before. Furthermore, the variation of stories is impressive. Somehow, the writers managed to include the Spider-Verse, the cult of Carnage, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Hydra, all without breaking the rules of their world. All in all, Ultimate Spider-Man is a good show with good-quality animation, good moral themes, and fun characters. While there are flaws, none of them detract from what this show is, a good, fun time for kids to enjoy watching their favourite wall-crawling menace battle ridiculous enemies. And even though it is for children, I enjoyed it too.
