Well, more of an afternoon really! Here we are at our new home for enjoying Opera – The Savoy Cinema, Corby.

Beamed live to the cinema, from none other than the famous Royal Opera House, in our book, this is the smart way to enjoy Opera!

Last time we were here was to see La traviata back in January – and it didn’t disappoint. This time, it’s David McVicar’s production of Mozart’s famous ‘Magic Flute‘ (aka Die Zauberflöte). It’s easily our favourite Opera and we always look forward to the latest production.

As an extra bonus, parking was free here on a Sunday, so we were already 20p up on the deal! . And with tickets costing only £33 in total, as I’ve said before, this beats a journey to/from London.

Official Synopsis

Princess Pamina has been captured. Her mother, the Queen of the Night, tasks the young Prince Tamino with her daughter’s rescue. But when Tamino and his friendly sidekick, Papageno, embark on their adventure, they soon learn that when it comes to the quest for love, nothing is as it really seems. Guided by a magic flute, they encounter monsters, villains, and a mysterious brotherhood of men – but help, it turns out, comes when you least expect it

Did you know?

The Magic Flute was Mozart’s last opera before his death at the age of 35. The premiere took place on September 30, 1791, not in a royal theatre, but the popular Vienna Theatre Auf der Wieden. The actor Emanuel Schikaneder wrote the libretto and played the role of Papageno. It was a huge success from the outset – although some of Mozart’s masonic colleagues were offended by the opera’s references to their customs: a closely guarded secret. In fact, in some productions we’ve seen, it has been much more obvious that the story involves the Maisons. In contrast, this one avoided it completely! ‍

Curtain up!

With a relaxed 2pm start, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! After a short on-screen preamble, it was ‘curtain up’, and we were enjoying the performance with an 80% full house at The Savoy. It’s sung in German (thankfully with English subtitles), and we learned that this performance wasn’t actually a live stream but a recording from earlier in the run. I’m not sure why it wasn’t live, but it still looked and sounded good .

It’s a serious story (as most Operas are, but with a bit of light comedy thrown in) and one of the few where a major character doesn’t peg it by the end! . In short, it’s a familiar tale of good vs evil, light vs dark and where true love wins in the end. The tale moves along at some pace, and although it’s not ‘a cast of thousands’, there are some points where there are a lot of people on stage – and that’s where seeing it in the cinema scores over craning your head attempting to see everyone.

It was certainly a memorable performance, where Act 2 contained the earworm! The tune is probably one of the most difficult arias in Opera to sing and is delivered by the ‘Queen of the Night’ character. I reckon it’s worth going, just to hear this single piece. The vocal skills required have to be at their best due to the range required, and also the ability to change speed very quickly. Ultimately, it was an exercise in breath control as much as singing ability. Kathryn Lewek, delivered it with passion! Apparently, she holds the record for performing it the most number of times in the USA. Wow, it certainly showed!

Elsewhere, the Orchestra, conducted by Marie Jacquot, was superb, and she received a rousing cheer at the end. The sets were a bit drab, but that was more than made up for by the acting, singing, music and lighting.

Overall, it felt like a long production, even though it was only two Acts (Act 1 = 65 minutes, Act 2 = 85 minutes) separated by a 20-minute interval. In fact, there were some scenes in Act 2, that neither of us recalls ever seeing before in previous productions – one example being a scene featuring animals of the forest.

In spite of the length (and the ‘new’ bits), it was a great afternoon, and still remains our favourite Opera!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post A Night at the Opera – The Magic Flute appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the cinema – The Savoy in Corby – with Jo & Janet (Ann sat this one out!)

We’re here to see ‘Project Hail Mary‘ – a sci-fi adventure that I actually hadn’t read much about.

Official Synopsis

“Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that’s causing the sun to die out. As details of the mission unravel, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity – but he may not have to do it alone”.

Run time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Cast & Creatives

Full details are here, courtesy of IMDB.com

Official Trailer

Any Good?

Where to start with this one? I’m still not sure whether it’s up there with 2001 – A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and Close Encounters, or it’s just another sci-fi piece of nonsense where all the spaceship’s crew are dead except for one (American*, of course!) and he saves the world! It’s based on the book of the same name by author, Andy Weir (who also penned The Martian, amongst others).

*Yes, I know, Ryan Gosling is CANADIAN!

After a sluggish first 45 minutes, it was all a bit superficial, where it couldn’t seem to make up its mind whether it was a light-hearted riff on a global problem or deliberately wrong-footing the audience as to its intentions. Thankfully, it eventually found its feet, but initially, I wasn’t ‘feeling it’. Having read the official synopsis, that had convinced me that I knew where this was all heading, I settled down to a good old space yarn!

Clearly, I knew nothing!

MILD SPOILER ALERT! DON’T READ ANY FURTHER
IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON SEEING THIS!

Yes, it was all a bit silly and unbelievable, but it definitely grew on me in spite of it starring Ryan Gosling who I last saw in that car crash of a film: ‘Barbie’ (so bad, I didn’t even blog about it!!). This one was a long film and sometimes it felt it, but at the 90-minute point, I was hooked! Ironically, some scenes felt rushed and I guess that’s where the book would be a better medium, whereas the film’s soundtrack was choral-based and suited the story perfectly.

In many ways, it was good to see a sci-fi adventure that didn’t over-rely on lasers/war/fancy spaceships and a planet full of special effects. I think if sci-fi isn’t your thing, this won’t change your mind, but it was certainly quite a few notches up from a lot of recent output from the same genre.

I mentioned earlier that the synopsis didn’t tell the whole story – and I do believe that was a deliberate marketing ploy to mostly wrong-foot the audience as to the ‘thrust’ of the movie. In short, it’s simply a ‘First Contact’ theme with a convincing love story that also includes the strongest of emotions on its journey: loss, betrayal, hoplessness, sacrifice and ultimately, happiness. Well, that’s a reason to see it, surely?

The final scene is super-silly and in my view, diminished the seriousness of the movie’s main theme. They could have easily left that out, and it wouldn’t have matttered – what is it with American films where there HAS to be a happy ending! However, on a more positive note, and in spite of Ryan Gosling’s woeful performance in Barbie, he’s has gone up in my estimations. To pull off this film where the whole story pretty much relies on the main star being in 98% of the scenes, is no mean feat – and he did this with ease and was totally convincing throughout.

All in all, an entertaining piece of cinema that’s either ‘genius’ or ‘nonsense’, depending on your interpretation. Cleverly filmed with CGI thankfully, set to ‘restrained’. Slightly long but well-scripted, with a great choral soundtrack. It looks its best on the big screen, but the 4K DVD, when released, will certainly have its fans.

Worth a punt!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Project Hail Mary (2026) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Yes, it’s that time again, and we’re off to the Ballet – courtesy of a live-stream to The Savoy Cinema in nearby Corby.

Beamed live to the cinema, from none other than the famous Royal Opera House, for those who don’t live close to the Royal Opera House, this is the smart way to enjoy a Ballet!

Last time we were here was to see La traviata back in January – and it didn’t disappoint. This time, it’s Peter Wright‘s production of ‘Giselle’. It’s running from 14 February until 20 March 2026, and tickets for the Opera House range from £35 to an eye-watering £224. Not for us though – less than £35 in total, courtesy of the Savoy!

Official Synopsis

The peasant girl Giselle has fallen in love with Albrecht. When she discovers that he is actually a nobleman promised to another, she kills herself in despair. Her spirit joins the Wilis: the vengeful ghosts of women hell-bent on killing any man who crosses their path in a dance to the death. Wracked with guilt, Albrecht visits Giselle’s grave, where he must face the Wilis – and Giselle’s ghost.

Yikes! That all sounds depressing… and apparently, it’s a bit spooky too! Still, for variety, it’s also a tale of infatuation, betrayal and redemption, so it sounds like a little like Eastenders where a box of tissues will be obligatory! .

We found our ‘posh’ seats and settled in. As the countdown on screen approached zero, the lights went down and up popped the silky smooth Petroc Trewlawny and ever-smiling Dame Darcy Bussell who were hosting the evening for those of us about to watch it at one of the 1000 cinemas streaming the performance.

The Savoy by now was about 95% full, and the views via the live stream showed that it was a full house at the Opera House too! With our hosts helping us to understand ballet as an art form, it was ‘every day, a school day’, as we learned that mime is a very important factor in ballet!

We’ve not seen Giselle before, and apart from the rather depressing storyline, we weren’t familiar with the plot nor the music. We’d pre-booked our usual super-comfy seats (that also recline), and Ann had helpfully brought along drinks and snacks for the interval!

Curtain up! And with the anti-depressant tablets close by, we settled down for this new experience. With Akane Takada playing the part of Giselle and Matthew Ball as a very athletic Albrecht. The music, with the score by Adolphe Adam, turned out to be very agreeable – somewhat Tchaikovsky-like in places, with musicians from the ROH at the top of their game (as usual). The set design by John Macfarlane was deliberately dark and sinister, and complemented the storyline perfectly (lots of dead trees – Monty Don would have had a fit!).

Act 1 (55 minutes ish) was all about the young lovers and the pursuit of young love (Awww!) but by the end, our heroine – Giselle – had died of a broken heart whilst her beau, Albrecht, was now in desperate need of some counselling! Yikes! Where are my pills? After a very short 6-minute local interval, Act 2 (also 55 minutes) began, and we were introduced to ‘the Wilis’ (stop sniggering at the back!), it’s pronounced Vilis anyway!!

Yes, those Wilis were definitely a scary bunch of women, where the final Act was all about Albrecht taking them on, in his search for Giselle who was now in full Marty Hopkirk mode. The choreography was superb and the lead dancers especially, redefined ‘supple’ in every possible way!

Plot aside, even if ballet isn’t your thing, you have to marvel at the physical fitness of the performers. The benefit of seeing it at the cinema is that the camera closeups really capture extra detail that would be simply lost watching it at the Opera House. It amplified the complex choreography and the punishing dance routines that are a ‘normal’ part of ‘ballet thing’. I hadn’t realised that ballet dancers were so muscular! It made me reflect on my recent Pilates classes and how inflexible my body is!

At just before 10pm, it was all over, and we’re both convinced that this is THE way to enjoy Ballet (especially ones that are unfamiliar). And, it was a happy ending too (sort of!)

The background information provided by Petroc and Darcy put it all into context, whilst the camera work brought out the best in the production. Add to that the sound quality and the super-comfy seats made it all an easy and very enjoyable watch. Did I mention that the ticket price was a lot more attractive too!?

The only downer? Attempting to master the car park machine on arrival took the combined talents of two other ‘parkees’ and me to eventually work out how to actually pay for a ticket! Still, not paying (the 20p) for the privilege wasn’t an option!! – I’m not made of money!

Our next cultural event here at the Savoy is The Magic Flute (another LiveStream from the ROH) on the 26th April.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Off tutu the Ballet! – Giselle appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We’re off to the Opera – in Corby. Now there’s a sentence, I didn’t think I’d ever write!

We’re here at the excellent Savoy Cinema in nearby, Corby for the livestream of the RBO‘s latest production of Verdi’s La traviata (translates to “The Fallen Woman”). Don’t worry, it’s not a Health & Safety theme! The last time we were here with our cultural heads on, was with Sue J and friends, to see The Nutcracker last December.

Official Synopsis

At one of her lavish parties, celebrated Parisian courtesan Violetta is introduced to Alfredo Germont. The two fall madly in love, and though hesitant to leave behind her life of luxury and freedom, Violetta follows her heart. But the young couple’s happiness is short-lived, as the harsh realities of life soon come knocking!

A more detailed background to the Opera is HERE, but in short, it follows the operatic tradition of ultimately, the death of one of the leads! I’ve seen quite a few Operas in my time, and the endings can be somewhat depressing – and this one continues that tradition! Don’t see this one if you need cheering up and take some tissues!!

Err, Happy New Year!

Ironically, these days, it’s one of the more popular Operas to go and see and a good one to cut your teeth on if you’re new to the whole Opera scene. In Verdi‘s lifetime, it was his most frequently performed work (even though the premiere on 6th March 1853, was not well-received by the audience). He wrote quite a few masterpieces in his time, and you can see a full list HERE.

OK, seeing it at the cinema is maybe not as good as experiencing it live from its ‘home’ at the Royal Opera House – you just can’t beat the ‘live’ experience, but consider this…

…watching on the big screen at your local cinema! No need to get the train all the way to London/the cinema seats are more comfortable/you experience a much better view of the performance (including close-ups throughout of the cast), and the drinks are much better value. Best of all, the tickets are far cheaper!

What did we think?

A great performance! Very ‘opera-ey’ (in a good way!) The voices of the three leads, ‘Alfredo‘ (Giovanni Sala), ‘Georgio’ (Aleksei Isaev) and of course, ‘Violetta‘ (Ermonela Jaho) were all amazing! If you know the story, you’ll already know that ‘Violetta’ is in pretty much all the scenes, and as a result, it asks a lot from the person playing that role. Maybe the frequent closeups helped, but we were able to appreciate even more, the skills involved in performing in an Opera! Not only the singing, but the acting too! (and I’ve never really thought about the acting side of an Opera before). Good to know that Ermonela Jaho has played this part around 300 times during her career – that’s a good great track record!!

The final Act is as scripted, 100% misery, as Violetta ‘croaks it’ in the end, but not after the most emotional (and longest!) ‘death scene’ I think I ever seen – at around 30 minutes. The acting closeups showed that the performer really looked like she was in pain, but was singing pretty much for the whole time! Impressive stuff, and it helped me appreciate Opera, as an art form, in a slightly different light.

Overall, maybe the super-comfy (fully reclining) seats and the pin-sharp picture helped, but ultimately, it was a great experience. Any disappointments? Maybe the audio could have been piped through more of the (numerous) speakers, but what we heard from the front was crystal clear.

It’s a performance in three Acts and even though the running time was just over 3 hours (two intervals and a brief pause for a scene change) it didn’t feel that long! The scenery, the costumes, the singing, and of course the acting was, all-in-all, a typical RBO production with everyone at the top of their game. In short ‘Wow!’

Cast

10.45pm: Home and a late one for us, these days! I think I’m really getting into this ‘Opera Thing’, but I’m pretty sure that part of it is down to seeing it on the big screen, sitting in comfy seats and NOT having to travel far to enjoy the experience! . Roll on the next one!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post A Night at the Opera appeared first on Steve's Blog.

The ‘Christmas Spirit’ continues (Turkey for lunch too!) as we headed to nearby Corby, and the Savoy Cinema to see the two-act Ballet and festive favourite: The Nutcracker. At this time of year, understandably, it was a popular performance, making it impossible for all five of us (Diane, Val, Sue, Ann and me) to sit in the same row – in spite of us booking ahead . The audience was mostly of a ‘certain age’ so, thankfully, there was no risk of those around us diving into troughs of tortillas and slurping flagons of fizz whilst the Sugar Plum Fairy was doing her thing!

This really is (and was) the Ballet for all non-Ballet lovers! Read on!!

Penned by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, it was all part of the continuing RBO 2025-26 Season that sees the Royal Ballet and Opera reaching out to new audiences via Cinemas, here and around the world.

This particular production by Peter Wright was celebrating its 40th Anniversary and contained a lot of tunes that most of us can already hum, even if we don’t know the titles or where we first heard them! . Fruit ‘n’ Nut anyone? .

Looking back in time, I see that the last time we saw this live, was at the Opera House, almost 14 years ago, back in January 2012 .

Official Synopsis:
The magician Herr Drosselmeyer needs to save his nephew. Hans-Peter has been transformed into a Nutcracker. The only way to save him is for the Nutcracker to defeat the Mouse King and find a girl to love and care for him. A flicker of hope comes in the form of the young Clara, whom Drosselmeyer meets at a Christmas party. With some magic, a cosy Christmas gathering turns into a marvellous adventure.

We all arrived in good time, and although by curtain up, it wasn’t a full house – it was close! Tonight’s performance was co-costed by Petroc Trelawny and Darcey Bussell whose role was to interact with the cinema audiences and provide some context to the Nutcracker story and its link with the RBO. If you ever wanted to know more about ballet shoes, this was the place to be! DB did a great job, presenting live around the world, juggling microphone, cue-cards and said shoes whilst sticking to the script. Petroc, meanwhile, was very Petroc – cool, calm and engaging throughout.

7.45pm: Curtain up!

I’d read that the whole performance had been shown on the Savoy website as a whopping 210 minutes – that’s 3½ hours! Yikes! I don’t recall the version we saw back in 2012 being that long, but perhaps they’d factored in the interval and the pre-performance sections too? Anyhow, we’d packed accordingly, with a flask of hot coffee and some nibbles to get us through to the end.

As I mentioned earlier, this really is the Ballet for non-ballet lovers. Forget about the plot, and just sit back and let the whole thing wash over you. The choreography, the costumes, the lighting and special effects, the dazzling colour palette, the large cast (made up of all ages) – and the memorable music – all combined to make this a real feel-good experience.

And if all of that doesn’t grab you, then it’s worth appreciating the sheer physical fitness of the dancers. Yes, the guys might not look like the epitome of rugged maleness in their tight err, tights, blond wigs and eyeliner, but you try doing that with either of your legs and your next stop will be A&E! Impressive stuff, and they didn’t even break a sweat!

At just after 9.45, the performance came to a close – and what a performance! Close on two hours of Christmassy magic (not 210 minutes, as advertised – I suspect a small typo on their website). What made it so special? Maybe the camera techniques helped: panning and zooming to bring the audience closer to the performers (whereas actually sitting in one of the seats at the Royal Opera House can be quite restrictive). Or maybe it’s just the heartwarming story? All-in-all, I’m not sure, but what I do know is, tonight was a magical experience, full of Christmas cheer and performers at the top of their game.

If you don’t come out at the end surrounded by a Christmassy Glow, then you went to the wrong show!

Merry Christmas!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post “Your Crackers, M’Lord!” appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Who needs the TARDIS to travel in time? All I need is an episode of Thunderbirds to instantly transport me back to the 60s!

In fact, it was just after my 9th birthday that I first got acquainted with the Tracy Family and all their high-tech kit (ahh, so that’s where I get my obsession from!).

Fast-forward 60 years (yes, 60!) and this year, in 2025, something very special happened. Well, two special events actually!

Special Event 1 – Thunderbirds in Blu-Ray

First, a new DVD collection to celebrate 60 years. This was made possible through a Kickstarter campaign and the co-operation of ITV Studios

To celebrate the anniversary, all 32 episodes have been digitally restored, and for the first time, available on Blu-Ray DVD. At almost £90, it’s probably going to be on a lot of Christmas Lists!

And it’s all packaged with lots (and lots) of extras to give this iconic series a really premium and exclusive feel.

But wait! a Thunderbirds DVD in Blu-Ray? Blu-Ray? That’s so last century! Everyone knows that if you want the ultimate in picture and sound quality, then UHD/4K is the best there is. And although you can’t BUY these newly restored Thunderbirds episodes in UHD/4K, selected cinemas are showing two episodes in this ultimate format. So, with four times the pixels, that means an even better picture, plus they’ve also dabbled with the audio mix too – apparently, it’s now in 5.1 Surround Sound! Nice!! . Cue ‘Special Event 2’.

Special Event 2 – Thunderbirds in 4K

For fans of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s most ambitious series, today, things get even better for fans! Around the UK in selected cinemas, they’re showing two episodes back-to-back on the big screen – and that’s a first! OK, there have been Thunderbird FILMS in the past – Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) and Thunderbird 6 (1968), but this is the very first time – anywhere in the world – that two selected TV episodes are being shown in cinemas. But the biggest news of all is that they are being shown in UHD/4K! It literally doesn’t get any better than that.

Not EVERY cinema chain was showing this very special presentation – certainly not our nearest and newest Cineworld (which was a bit of a surprise). However, our current fave – The Savoy in nearby(ish) Corby (together with 200 others around the UK) – was! Tickets were duly booked on Thursday, 28 August, before they all sold out.

So, what’s being shown? Well, it HAS to be the very first episode from 1965, doesn’t it? – Trapped in the Sky.

Synopsis – Trapped In the Sky (50mins)
Master criminal, the Hood, plants a bomb on board the new atomic-powered airliner, Fireflash, before it departs on its maiden flight. Unable to land for fear of setting off the bomb, the crew and passengers’ only hope of survival lies with International Rescue.

…and the second? Largely regarded as the most exciting Thunderbirds episode ever made – Terror in New York City.

Synopsis – Terror In New York City (50mins)
After Thunderbird 2 is heavily damaged in a mistaken attack, it leaves the team seemingly without a swift means to transport any rescue gear to New York City to save a news crew trapped underneath the collapsed Empire State Building.

Off we went for the 3pm-only performance. We were fully expecting (hoping?) that some attendees will dress for the occasion. Sadly, our pink Rolls-Royce wasn’t available!

We’re going in! See you on the other side.

Official Trailer

Sadly, no-one dressed up, but it was good to see ‘children’ of all ages there. We took our seats in the luxury recliners and waited for the start. Sadly, it all went wrong from there! Most serious of all, they showed it all in the wrong screen ratio, so the top, bottom, and sides were chopped off. Initially, we thought it was a temporary blip, but the issue continued for the whole two-hour performance

A few of us briefly left our seats and had a chat with the staff, but it turned out that the cinema had been sent the wrong print – and the more we watched and listened, the more shortcomings we noticed. The sound was only coming out of the FRONT speaker (so no ‘5.1 Surround Sound’ then!) and on a closer look at the image, it certainly wasn’t UHD/4K – in fact, it didn’t even look Blu-Ray to me! Later, the Cinema concluded that they must have sent the wrong version. How embarrassing for them!!

So, overall, it was an enjoyable event, but out of all of us (especially given the hype) I was VERY disappointed with the technical shortfalls. That aside, it was worth reminding ourselves that these episodes were from 60 years ago, and although the script creaked a bit in places, it had held up remarkably well! Surely that’s a reminder of how much more sophisticated this series was, compared with most other kids’ programmes of the day.

As we left, still feeling somewhat disappointed (where I was all set to have a moan at ‘management’ ) we witnessed a superb piece of pro-active customer service! . The Duty Manager diverted everyone who’d been there to another part of the cinema and immediately issued full refunds – we didn’t need to ask! We haven’t seen that sort of responsiveness in many years, and it rescued the very negative experience towards something more positive.

OK, I’m still a bit miffed that I didn’t get to see it in all its 4K gloriousness, but that’s now in the past. The cinema did remind us that they hoped to acquire the correct print in time for the second and final showing next Thursday (6pm) but by then, we’ll be in Margate for my Birthday.

FAB? Well, not quite!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Thunderbirds are… 4K! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

I’m back into my ‘Marvel Movie Phase’. Actually, I never went away, but I think Marvel Films itself (who are desperate to rekindle their past box-office successes) have drastically reduced their output of late – so there hasn’t been much to go and see!

Our destination? My second visit to the Savoy Cinema in Corby (one of our nearest picture houses since the local Odeon closed its doors back in January). Tonight, it’s with great mates, Jo & Janet (Ann ‘passed’ on this one, fearing another Marvel commercial disaster- a bit of a trend for Marvel of late!! ).

This one is probably the last from Marvel in its Phase 5 of sci-fi flicks! More specifically, it’s the 35th of their ‘Cinematic Universe’ series with only Thunderbolts* due soon to complete this latest Phase. BTW, the asterisk in that title is deliberate, but no-one seems to know why it’s there! Me included! . Plenty of theories online though! Phase 5? Want a reminder of the timeline of the Phases? No? thought not! But here they are anyway…

The Infinity Saga
Phase One (2008–2012)
Phase Two (2013–2015)
Phase Three (2016–2019)

The Multiverse Saga
Phase Four (2021–2022)
Phase Five (2023–2025)
Phase Six (2025–2027)

Phase 6 begins later this year (July, if things go to plan) and will involve The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and yes, The Avengers (but not John Steed and Mrs Peel! – or even Tony Stark’s Iron Man) – Confused? Truth be told, there has been a bewildering number of film and TV productions since the very first Marvel outing in 2008 – and that was to become an issue… Read on! Back then, it started well, but with so much to keep track of, over almost 20 years, a new phenomenon was born: ‘Superhero Fatigue’. I’m retired, with more time on my hands than many, and even I found it impossible to watch everything! Additionally, it all became a bit ‘samey’ with the addition of impenetrable plot lines.

So, being the helpful guy that I am, below is a list of all the films to date… For the sake of space, it only includes Marvel’s films and none of their TV-related offerings.

The film list is presented in the best order to watch them (with their release date shown after the title).

Still here?

Luckily, brighter souls than me (thanks, Digital Spy) have got their head around ALL of Marvel’s related output and published a COMPLETE watchlist HERE. Films, TV – EVERYTHING! (Easy tiger! The sheer volume is not for the faint-hearted! )

Synopsis

[The new} Captain America finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with US President Thaddeus Ross.
He must soon discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red

Official Trailer

A Return to Form..?

Right off the bat, I’d say that I couldn’t help ‘tripping over’ the swathe of negativity about this one. I’m quite prepared to make up my own mind about it, but the following doesn’t bode well – and if you’re not a fan of the genre, or more specifically, Marvel Films, this isn’t going to do anything to encourage you to go and see it!

Well, based on these comments, I guess the only way was ‘up’! In my humble opinion, it all began to go wrong for Marvel much earlier than tonight! Current wisdom suggests the rot began a few years ago. First, in 2021 with ‘Eternals’ with then 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Adding to the run of disappointments was 2022’s Thor, Love and Thunder (possibly the worst film I’d ever seen! EVER! – and I’m known for watching quite a lot of rubbish in pursuit of my art!)

The Savoy Cinema

It’s Saturday, 1st March, and one of the few days when it’s been a beautiful day weather-wise – it was even slightly warm too! It really felt like winter was over – at last! – and the perfect excuse to take the short drive to The Savoy after a busy day in the garden. We’ve booked the 5.50pm showing, where I expected that we might be one of the last to see this blockbuster as it was released on Valentine’s Day!

We thought we might have the screen to ourselves, but it soon filled to about 50-60% capacity. Here we go…

Back to tonight! Straight into the story with no overly-long credit sequences – that’s a good start! In the first 20 minutes, there was plenty of action too – I’m liking this. Wow! A coherent plot too – what a very pleasant surprise! . That’s better. This felt like a true return to form for Marvel. Great acting, a story that was easy to follow, plus some really good action scenes. A sprightly 82-year-old, Harrison Ford, probably stole the show for me as the US President, but everyone else gave impressive performances too!

Hey, this was more like Marvel’s films used to be before the stories became over-complicated and the visuals were too reliant on CGI.

Even better news in that anyone can watch this one having no previous experience of Marvel’s gargantuan filmic output (with the caveat that watching ‘The Incredible Hulk’ from 2008 will explain the frequent references to [Bruce] Banner aka The Hulk).

Any disappointments? Just one: and it wasn’t Marvel’s fault. The family of five in front of us managed to break all the ‘rules of the cinema’ that included: talking, using their phone and fidgeting throughout! Thanks! . We felt sorry for the couple to our right who probably had it slightly worse than us as they were closer to the noise! We saw them on the way out getting their money back!!

For devotees of Marvel, don’t forget to stick around for the now obligatory end-credit scene. I won’t spoil it here, but there are two pivotal characters in conversation who set the scene nicely for something VERY big in the future!

and finally…

All-in-all then: We’re loving The Savoy Cinema, and it looks like Marvel might be back on track – Oh, and it didn’t rain today! Happy days!!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Captain America – Brave New World (2025) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

This wouldn’t usually be my first choice of film — I’m more into ones in ‘spandex’! However, we had an ulterior motive!

With the local Odeon recently closing its doors for good, we wanted to see what ‘The Savoy’ was like in nearby Corby. Apart from CineWorld at Rushden Lakes, this one is now probably one of our closest picture houses.

Well, it certainly looked more attractive from the outside, and the prices were kinder too! Two tickets for a smidge over £20 was a bargain. It was a lot smaller than many of the cinemas we’ve been frequenting in recent years, but that gave it a more intimate feel and added to the charm.

We headed for Screen 4 (that seated around 80 people) and our seats. And talking of seats – what a choice. They offer three ‘styles’ including recliners and ‘double-seats’ for the romantic sort. We’d booked ours right at the back and they were super-comfy. The picture quality was pin-sharp and the audio 7.1 Dolby Surround was easily as impressive as the far newer and larger CineWorld at Rushden Lakes!

So, as far as the cinema choice was concerned – full marks! We’ll certainly be coming here again, where I’d go as far as to say, it’s a superior replacement to the defunct Odeon and on par with CineWorld for seat comfort and picture/sound quality

What about the Film?

Oh, I nearly forgot…

Synopsis

Bridget Jones finally has some luck in her life; she has a great job as a screenwriter,
her family and a new boyfriend; the fact that he is over twenty years younger than
her, isn’t the only thing that is causing problems.

As I already commented, this wouldn’t normally be my first choice, but with the Daily Telegraph awarding it FIVE stars (it’s very rare for their Robbie Collin and Tim Robey to award top marks for a film), I was simply there out of curiosity! (and they say romance is dead!)

Two hours and 4 minutes later, as rom-coms go, this one turned out to be one of the best (although not quite ‘5-stars’ in my world). It was easily as good as 1999’s Notting Hill and 2003’s Love Actually. ‘Emotional Roller-Coaster’ is a bit of an over-used phrase these days, but this one deserves it! From laugh out loud, laugh quietly and laugh just inwardly moments to some very sad and poignant pieces that will have you reaching for the tissues on more than a few occasions!

For me, the run-time felt a tad long (maybe by 20-30 minutes) but the storyline played out pretty much as you might expect. But then again, maybe not, as a curved-ball thrown in with some velocity, two-thirds of the way in, might just leave you wondering ‘where’s this going then?’

The Players

Renée Zellweger as Bridget
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mr Wallaker
Leo Woodall as Leo Roxster (steady ladies!)
Jim Broadbent as Bridget’s Dad
Isla Fisher as Rebecca
Colin Firth as Mark Darcy
Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver
Mila Jankovic as Mabel
Casper Knopf as Billy Darcy

The stellar cast was superb and all looked like they were enjoying every second of their performance. Renée Zellweger made every convincing Brit and Hugh Grant seems to have re-invented himself in recent years as ‘the loveable rogue’.

All-in-all then, much against my initial feelings about it, I really enjoyed this one! I did notice that I was one of only two blokes in the audience (just sayin’!)

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Bridget Jones – Mad About The Boy (2025) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

This was a milestone event – our final visit to the local Odeon. The building is due for demolition next week (Tuesday, the 28th), leaving the town with no cinema at all.

Apparently, the town has had a cinema, somewhere in the town, for the past 100 years! And now it doesn’t – and the natives are restless!!

Tonight, it wasn’t particularly the film that mattered, as it was more about a ‘final opportunity’ to see this oft-visited picture palace before it becomes a pile of bricks! From the developer’s perspective, it’s all part of a bigger picture where the land PLUS all the surrounding buildings are being demolished to make way for…

…well, no-one seems to be 100% certain! – the latest rumour being ‘open storage’ (whatever that is!).

With Hobson’s Choice – the Pub/Restaurant opposite – already boarded up and marked for a similar fate plus nearby Frankie and Benny’s on the receiving end of a bulldozer a few days back and finally, Mazza’s (the Indian Restaurant) that’s stood empty for nigh-on 10 years), leaving only the nearby KFC, the only building left standing.

And then, last Tuesday, it was announced that they were on the demolition list too!

The local online petition only attracted around 3000 signatures, so that won’t have made any difference! We arrived at the Cinema and it was near-deserted! Happily, still plenty of staff though! . After a(another) ‘final visit to the in-house Costa, we headed for the Screen.

Things didn’t improve much when we got to our seats – the Screen was completely empty (although the two back rows DID fill up just before ‘curtain up’).

The Film

Oh, the film… we chose to see ‘Flight Risk‘ starring Mark Wahlberg, Michele Docker and Topher Grace (who??)

Synopsis

A U.S. marshal boards a small plane to transfer a government witness to New York. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions start to rise as not everyone on the flight is who they appear to be.

Official Trailer

Any Good?

Actually, it was a really good film. Directed by none other than Mel Gibson, it was a riveting, if not stressful and claustrophobic watch! . Set almost entirely on a small plane, it was very well done – and very convincing, with Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley from Downton Abbey) making a very convincing American!

Well, that’s then of an era! . For me, it’ll be sadly missed and where we now have to work out the best alternative location for our regular ‘movie fix’. . Looks like the nearest cinema will now be CineWorld at Rushden Lakes, the new ‘Luxe’ Odeon in Northampton (ironically on the site of the recently closed CineWorld!) or The Savoy Cinema in Corby.

There’s a really comprehensive article by Kettering local, Tony Smith, in the Northamptonshire Telegraph listing ALL the Cinemas that Kettering has seen through the years! Read it HERE.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Odeon Kettering – The Final Visit appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s not unusual for us to go to the local Odeon, but tonight was for TWO very different reasons.

Reason 1: This is the LAST TIME we’ll ever visit this Odeon. Why? It’s being bulldozed, together with the nearby Pub – Hobson’s Choice, to make way for (ahem!) ‘a new development’. Most of us locals are still reeling from the shock. Both buildings have been here as long as we have (20-plus years), in fact, I read that once it’s demolished it’ll be the first time in 100 years that Kettering hasn’t had a cinema! A sad day when that happens!

Reason 2: We’re NOT here to see a film. Instead, we’re watching a live transmission of the Opera, Marriage of Figaro starring the Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House – and it’s a ‘one night only’ performance!

This is such a smart way to see Opera. No need to go all the way to London and by keeping it local, we get the best seats in the house – plus, it saves a fortune on travel and ticket prices! It’s not our first time seeing Opera on the cheap, as we were here in 2018 watching Carmen! Does it lose any of the atmosphere of actually being there live? Well, possibly, but the fact that the cameras can zoom in and pick up the facial expressions is something that you don’t get to appreciate at the ROH (unless you’re in row A…and rich!) .

In many operas, the heroine meets an untimely demise. Sadly, tonight Ying Fang aka Susanna was hampered by something much smaller than the script – flu! Her understudy did a great job though!

Curtain up was at 6.30 and good job we had reasonably comfy seats, as its runtime was close to four hours! . OK, that included a thirty-minute interval (where Mrs P had prepared some elegant nibbles that befitted the occasion). Screen 6 isn’t the largest screen here, but it was good to see that it was just under half full for this one-off live-streaming event. I learned later that it had been beamed to most of the big cinema chains in the UK, so I wonder how that helped takings?

Before it all began, there was a useful introduction for noobies to the Opera itself by a rather gushing presenter, but in between her smiles the size of Corby (no one should be that happy!) she set the scene perfectly.

All-in-all then, a very worthwhile experience. and a great way to experience this rather elitist art-form without bankrupting yourself in the process – ROH tickets topped out at £245! (we paid £20 each!) and I’m sure we’ll do this all again sometime, but alas, not HERE!

We left the Odeon just after 10.35pm and where, looking at the staff, they all seemed to be pretty chilled, in spite of the imminent demise of Kettering’s ONLY cinema.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Figarodeon appeared first on Steve's Blog.

10.27pm: Evening all! It’s nearly showtime at 11pm and well past my bedtime – but we think it’s worth it, as Jo and I are here at Cineworld, Rushden Lakes about to watch the season series finalé of one of our favourite programmes – Doctor Who.

Yes, THE CINEMA! In a masterclass of marketing, last week’s episode and ‘tomorrow’s’ – ‘Empire of Death’ – are being shown in a special double-bill. The last time they tried something similar, it was for the 50th Anniversary starring Matt Smith and David Tennant in the title role(s?), and I was there for it at the local Odeon on the 23rd of November – where it was packed!

…and eleven years later, it was a also great turnout at Screen 9 – with a ride range of ages from, I’d say, 20s through to 70s!. See! We’re not the only two fans left!!

11.16pm: We’re off!

What’s all the fuss about? Above is the official trailer! See you in around two hours, where, as a bonus for us fans, the finalé is slightly longer than usual – 55 minutes.

1.16am: That’s a first! Rushden Lakes is almost deserted! It’s just after 1.15am and it seems like it’s not worth going to bed… but I did, eventually!. So, before I hit the ‘land of nod’, just a few words to say that this evening/morning was definitely worth it! This quaint ol’ British Sci-fi series transferred perfectly to the big screen and easily held its own amongst other recent blockbusters from the same genre. Do yourself a favour – even if you’re not a fan – and tune into BBC1 at 6.40pm tonight to watch what we just watched! Story-wise, my detailed review will be up tomorrow night in a separate post after the finalé airs – whilst for impatient sorts, the episode drops on iPlayer from 6am.

1.43am: Nighty-night!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Doctor Who Series Finalé 2024 – Advanced Screening appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the local Odeon to see this one. It wouldn’t have been my first choice of cinematic entertainment – not enough spandex or sci-fi for me, but Ann was keen! - But I’m so glad I went!! Read on…

Official Trailer

How long?

A loo-friendly 1 hour 50 minutes!

Synopsis

Directed by James Hawes, it’s the true story of British humanitarian Nicholas Winton, who helped save hundreds of Jewish children from the Nazis on the eve of World War II.

Cast & Creatives

A great collection of talent! Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp and Jonathan Pryce. Full cast list here.

Produced by Joanna Laurie, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Guy Heeley
Cinematography by Zac Nicholson
Edited by Lucia Zucchetti
Music by Volker Bertelmann

Full list of creatives here.

Any good?

In short, one of the most powerful movies I think I’ve ever seen!

The plot, the cinematography, and acting were all superb, where Anthony Hopkins’s portrayal, so natural and so convincing that I defy anyone to watch this and not wish they’d brought more tissues. I’m still really struggling to find the words to describe our experience, hence this review is a tad shorter than usual. Yes, it’ll probably remind you in some ways of 1993’s Schindler’s List starring Liam Neeson, but for me, this sadly familiar historical record of the Nazi’s persecution of the Jews was delivered without a planet-load of special effects, big ‘set pieces’ or death-defying stunts – just ‘good old fashioned’ story-telling at its best.

OK, maybe I’m just turning into a sentimental old sod, but this was gob-smackingly good! Maybe it’s time for me to redefine ‘super-hero’???

Go see!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: One Life (2024) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to see the 7th instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise.

As an extra treat, Jo, Janet and Ann and I drove over to Rushden Lakes to enjoy the superior sound and picture quality.

Official Poster

Mission Creep?

The runtime for this one is a mighty 2 hours 43 minutes.

Mission Brief

The IMF team embark on a dangerous mission to track down a terrifying weapon that threatens humanity, before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and with dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.

Mission Crew

CAST
Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt
Hayley Atwell as Grace
Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell
Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn
Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust
Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis
Esai Morales as Gabriel
Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge
Pom Klementieff as Paris
Cary Elwes as Director of National Intelligence Denlinger
Shea Whigham as Jasper Briggs

CREATIVES
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Writers: Bruce Geller, Erik Jendresen and Christopher McQuarrie
Music by Lorne Balfe
Cinematography by Fraser Taggart
Director of photography
Editing by Eddie Hamilton
Casting by Mindy Marin
Production Design by Gary Freeman

Full List HERE, courtesy of IMDB.

Mission Budget

It’s only money…
M:I 1 (1996) $80m
M:I 2 (2000) $125m
M:I 3 (2006) $150m
M:I 4 aka ‘Ghost Protocol’ (2011) $145m
M:I 5 aka ‘Rogue Nation’ (2015) $150m
M:I 6 aka ‘Fallout’ (2018) $178m
M:I 7 aka ‘Dead Reckoning Pt1’ (2023) $290m

Mission Over?

Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning (Part Two) is scheduled to be released on June 28, 2024.

Hit or Miss(ion)?

MILD SPOILERS
AHEAD

It’s been described as ‘the Summer Blockbuster of 2023‘ by many! However, with the American film writers’ strike already happening and many actors also coming out in sympathy, I’d make the most of this one. The rollout for movies towards the end of the year and into 2024, will be severely restricted. At this rate, I might have to go and see ‘Barbie’*

*Only joking, I’m not that desperate!

Phew! I’m exhausted – what a ride! Yes, all the familiar ingredients of M:I past outings were present – gadgets, OTT stunts, end-of-the-world type threats, masks, car insurance claim forms and sprinting along the rooves of tall buildings. And whilst we’re talking ‘sprinting’, what about TC’s unique posture when running!!! (yes, I am jealous; how can anyone run that quickly, and so VERTICALLY, and not break a sweat!?!?).

All the familiar faces are back including one that hasn’t been seen since the 1996’s ‘M:I-1’ that kicked off the franchise.

Probably the only thing that looked like it was missing was the familiar theme tune. Hang on in there though; just when you think it’s not going to happen, those familiar eight (?) notes kick in.

The CARnage is considerable, but at least it’s not just the big and posh ‘wheels’ getting the limelight. If you’re a fan of the iconic Fiat 500, then prepare to be impressed!

It was pretty much scene-after-scene of non-stop, nail-biting action, punctuated by the occasional humorous quip. And all complemented by the threat of AI!

Not bad for a Sunday!

Everyone acted as though their lives depended on it, and being M:I, it usually did! If there’s an acting award, I’m conflicted between the Fiat 500 and Hayley Atwell. She – the latter – given it’s her first time on the franchise, is required to act her socks off throughout as the IMF’s latest recruit. From totally confident trickster to reluctant role-player, she is totally convincing throughout, and when she acts ‘terrified’, she really looks it!

Overall, Part 1 had a bit of an ‘007’ feel about it – in a good way – and then some! And then some more!!! There’s been a lot of talk about ‘that’ motorcycle stunt (see below), but for me, this wasn’t the action piece that wowed me the most. Yes, the bike stunt was daring, clever, dangerous and much more – and Tom Cruise didn’t use a stunt-double. But, I think the movie is worth seeing just for the terrific train stunt towards the end. Probably the most nail-biting, nerve-shredding and realistic action scene, I think I’ve ever seen in any movie, EVER!

If you like your cinema trips ‘edge of the seat’ stuff, then this one is a must – marginally more so, I’d say, than the latest Indiana Jones outing. But, based on all the media hype recently, if you’ve got any concerns about the growth of AI, then best pop on your tin-foil helmet and NOT grab a ticket, as it’ll confirm your worst nightmares!!

The more observant of you will have noticed the title – there’s obviously a sequel coming – but you’ll have to wait until June (28th?) 2024 for ‘Part 2’!

Mission Trivia

Nerdy types (like me) will know the significance of the name: Jim Phelps – and its connection with M:I canon. Did you know there’s a Jim Phelps in THIS one? (sort of!) Yes, really!! Read here, if you can’t wait!

Off for a lie down now! How can watching a film be so exhausting????

PS: That Motorbike Stunt!

Apparently, the most dangerous stunt in cinema history!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part 1 (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

What a great start to the Bank Holiday!! So good, we’ve already seen this one twice! Surely, this is the best movie in a long, long time!

So, this was our THIRD viewing of Top Gun: Maverick having it seen it for the first time last June and then as a TV dinner back in February. On this occasion, the surroundings were a bit posher – we were outdoors at Boughton House – with great mates, Jo, Janet and Carol.

We’ve been to these outdoor cinema events many times before, but this year, a different company was arranging things. Instead of LunaFlix, we now had Adventure Cinema hosting the evening.

The first change was that we couldn’t get in until 8.15 (much later than previous visits) and there would now be stalls selling food and drink. Clearly, unlike the previous administration, they were playing down the idea of taking a picnic (even though we could) and hoping that the stalls would provide the nourishment! But we didn’t need any of those! Instead, it was all down to J&J’s for an indoor picnic beforehand. Janet had prepared one of her yummy Chillis whilst Ann took care of Desserts (in the shape of an Apricot Flan) and the Cheeseboard -both for later.

Well, with the food all prepared (and the chilli consumed), all we needed to do now was get to the venue. Within half an hour, we were parked and making our way to the location armed with chairs, tables, warm coats, gloves, scarves and hats (Summer’s coming!) — and the rest of our Supper!

Glasses were banned, so Janet got around that by taking a BOX of wine (Jam Shed too!) — our favourite!!!

On arrival, it was clear to see that others shared our taste in movies! Initially, it was very quiet, but it soon filled up, making it one of the most popular outdoor-cinema events we’d been to! We even ran into Rosi and David who’d recently returned from their holiday.

The film began at 9.45pm, just as it was getting dark – so that was perfect! A great evening followed!

Adventure Cinema did a great job! Great picture quality, plenty of volume! (maybe a bit too much) and, in spite of the crowds, bags of room for our ‘spot’. There was a countdown clock onscreen to encourage us to hurry back from the loo and even Pearl & Dean Advertising (I haven’t seen that in a while!)! Add to that: plenty of staff on hand, a floodlit walkway to the car-park and when we left, car-park marshals to assist with the mass exodus!

We’ll certainly be doing this again!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Top Gun – Maverick (outdoors!) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We went to see Coldplay in Concert from Buenos Aires – and it only took us 20 minutes to get there!

How so? Well, on the 29th, their performance was being beamed to a range of UK cinemas!

So, together with Jo and Janet we headed for the local Odeon for the 7pm performance. It wasn’t quite live – they replayed the 7pm concert from the previous night – which was a mild disappointment, but whatever! The performance came from the gigantic River Plate Stadium in Argentina – and it was absolutely packed! We reckon pretty much ALL of the 67,432 seats were taken.

And that was in complete contrast to here in Screen 3 where there were just 37 of us!!

A little bit of background first! Coldplay have championed sustainability for quite a while now, and where this, their 2022 Global ‘tour’ Music of the Spheres reflected that. Rather than embark on an actual tour, this performance was being beamed around the world over two days – The list of countries is HERE – and it’s impressive. Continuing the sustaiability theme, there were fans on special bicycles at the venue helping to top-up the rechargeable batteries being used to power the concert. Most of the audience were wearing special wristbands that were biodegradable and DHL, who managed the logistics, wherever possible used electric vehicles to transport everything.

I wouldn’t say I’m a proper Coldplay fan, but tonight might just have changed all that! Masterminded by creative director Phil Harvey, the Band: vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion performed their socks off at this truly global event.

Chris Martin as Coldplay’s frontman came across as a thoroughly decent bloke and IMO, redefined showman. He engaged with the massive audience from the word go, regularly conversing in both Spanish and English and created mass sing-alongs at every opportunity. If someone had told me beforehand, I’d be watching him duetting with a Muppet, I might have found a reason not to go, but do you know what? It worked really well!

Chris was an energetic soul and bounced (and ran) around the stage, never missing a beat for the whole of his performance. His voice too, held for the whole of the show – not easy with some of Coldplay’s top notes! Brilliant! It was just great to see a Band performing for the love of the music and the love of their fans – rather than attempting to satisfy some over-inflated egos!

Powering through pretty much EVERY hit from Coldplay’s back catalogue, they were supported by an incredible light show (mainly from the aforementioned wristbands that pulsated and changed colour throughout) together with some amazing – if sometimes dizzying – camerawork. Their whole performance lasted just under two-hours where, towards the end, they introduced their special guests: H.E.R., BTS’ Jin (his final performance before taking up his conscription in the South Korean Army!).

Finally, following a politically-charged statement about the unrest in Iran, they performed with actress Golshifteh Farahani, and sang Baraye, a Farsi song by Iranian pop singer Shervin Hajipour. Finally, they emotionally (re)performed one of their first hits: Don’t Panic from back in 2000.

With global energy in a mess, is this the future of ‘big’ concerts? Quite possibly! It certainly ticked our boxes – at least, we only had a ten-minute journey home! OK, it wasn’t quite as good as actually being there, but it was pretty close. Just one minor criticism! Given that the Screen we were in had a serious amount of loudspeakers, it was a shame that the sound only came from the front. Having said that, we had a great time! A highly polished performance with the Band enjoying every second and the audience too!

Catch it online!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Coldplay in Concert from Buenos Aires (2022) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Nope! Definitely not used to this! Pretty much OUT all day – although it was for all the right reasons! . A longer walk, a new lunch venue and a movie! Yes, I know: ‘tough life!”

The Kettering Walk

First off, we met Jo & Janet outside Kettering Library for the ‘Kettering Walk’ – a 90-minute affair that in addition to exercising our legs, taught us more about the history of the town.

We learned a lot about the buildings and the history that was on our doorstep. Kettering’s first Bank, the original Cinema, the Church, and the Manor House (in urgent need of funds to prevent it collapsing).

We finished where we had begun – the local Library. We learned that this had been opened by none other than Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie himself back in 1904 (one of only two where he actually got involved in the unveiling). Apparently, bus loads of people were brought to the town for the ceremony. Who knew!?!? We certainly didn’t!

It had been a really enjoyable tour of our town- but there was more! Whilst the official tour had finished, we were all invited to stay on for some extra information…

Sandwiched between the Library and the Gardens was the Memorial to the World Wars and next to that, a smaller plaque in memory of one of the Cockleshell Heroes: William Henry Mills. We were given a comprehensive and balanced understanding of the role he played together with the team on this ill-fated mission from WWII.

To kill some time before our lunch, we dropped into nearby Kino Lounge in the town. It was great, just sitting outside, soaking up the Sun – whilst doing our bit, supporting the local economy!

Lunch

Lunch involved a new location for us – nearby Glebe Farm Tea Rooms.

Full Roasts all round, featuring pretty much one of every vegetable known to man (well, not quite, but it was close!)

…followed by some very tempting Desserts!

In fact, the Roasts had been so enormous, even I contemplated NOT having a Dessert (for about five seconds!). Janet opted for the Apple & Rhubarb Pie whilst I took on the Black Forest Shortbread Stack. Ann and Jo observed the gluttony from a safe distance!!!

Film – Elvis

After all of today’s activity so far, it would be tempting to fall asleep in the darkness of the local Odeon! But we didn’t plan to, as we took our seats to see the BioPic: “Elvis”.

Synopsis

No real surprises here. The movie charted the life of this iconic megastar. Comparisons with other recent Biopics – Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman were inevitable, and we certainly felt this one was different. The storyfocussed more about Elvis’ relationship with his Agent, Tom Parker.

My Verdict!

Actually, I didn’t enjoy as much as I thought I would! And that surprised me! Austin Butler, for me, certainly made for a convincing Elvis, but overall, the movie was all a bit bleak! Maybe it’s because I’m not a great Elvis fan (I don’t dislike his music, it’s just not in my top five musical-genres!). The first half, I found difficult to follow, where the occasional onscreen graphics got in the way, whilst the jerky editing style made it feel disjointed. The story was very intense and for the necessary emotional relief, it lacked any ‘lighter moments’ or any humour! I’ve also got used to Tom Hanks playing nice, loveable characters – and in this, not knowing his character’s relationship with Elvis beforehand – in this, he was just a horrible man! .

On the plus-side, I learned a lot about EP’s musical roots and influences! Having now seen this latest pop biopic, the lasting impact will be one of sadness – I think I would have preferred to hear (even) more of his music. Definitely NOT one for finishing the weekend on a cheery note!!

Cast and Creatives

Producers: Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss
Screenplay: Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, Jeremy Doner

Main Cast
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley
Tom Hanks as Col. Tom Parker
David Wenham as Hank Snow
Natasha Bassett as Dixie Locke
Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as B.B. King
Alton Mason as Little Richard

Full cast list HERE

Runtime: 2 hours 39 minutes

We finally got home around 8pm! It had been a packed programme today that tested our stamina! (lightweights!). Just a bit disappointed that the Film didn’t ‘do it’ for me.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post A Packed Sunday! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the flicks this evening to catch the final in the Jurassic Park movie franchise – Jurassic World: Dominion.

Released on the 10th of June here in the UK and with a runtime of 2 hours and 25 minutes, it wasn’t just the dinos with monster proportions!

Background

Touted as the final instalment of this mega-movie franchise it brings together most of the original cast and those from the more recent movies – Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard from the newer productions are joined by Oscar-winner Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill from the originals.

Synopsis

Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs and other previously extinct creatures now exist alongside us all over the world. This fragile balance will determine, once and for all, whether human-beings are to share this planet with history’s most fearsome creatures.

Main Cast

Laura Dern plays Dr. Ellie Sattler
Jeff Goldblum plays Dr. Ian Malcolm
Sam Neill plays Dr. Alan Grant
DeWanda Wise plays Kayla Watts
Mamoudou Athie plays Ramsay Cole
BD Wong plays Dr. Henry Wu
Omar Sy plays Barry Sembène

Full cast list HERE

Any good?

I don’t think any film, sequel or otherwise, will replace the sound of my jaw-dropping when I first saw those CGI dinosaurs back in 1993 in the original Jurassic Park outing. Since then, CGI has moved up a few notches and this time around, they looked even more realistic. It wasn’t a film that relied on a complex plot to hold this audience’s attention, so like me, best to just go for the SFX! Having said that, I didn’t think it dominated the story, where the screenplay all felt well-balanced with great cinematography, superb action scenes and with the tension turned up to 11!!! Credible acting all around with the cast ticking all the boxes for equality and diversity too! And, like most American movies these days, a sugary-sweet happy ending with no sign of a possible follow-up movie!

Scariest moment? For us, not the big beasts – it was the locusts! . Give this one a miss then, if you’re somewhat squeamish about these smaller critters. Horrible sights and horrible sounds!!

All-in-all, definitely worth a watch on the big screen before it’s out for streaming or on DVD later this year.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Jurassic World Dominion (2022) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the local Odeon today, courtesy of a certain Meerkat, to see Downton Abbey – A New Era.

As Downton fans will already know, this is the follow-up to the first big-screen Downton outing in 2019 where the Crawley family and Downton staff received a royal visit from the King and Queen. Back then, I gave the original movie a (pretty-much unheard of) FIVE star review, so it’ll be interesting to see if this one lives up to its predecessor!

All the regulars are back including:-

• Michelle Dockery
• Elizabeth McGovern
• Jim Carter
• Brendan Coyle
• Kevin Doyle
• Joanne Froggatt
• Robert James-Collier
• Phyllis Logan
• Sophie McShera
• Tuppence Middleton
• Lesley Nicol
• Imelda Staunton
• Penelope Wilton

…with a few new faces:-

• Dominic West
• Hugh Dancy
• Laura Haddock
• Nathalie Baye

The Plot

Details are thin on the ground, but from what I’ve read, it’s pretty much a direct follow-on timescale-wise, where the nation’s favourite acid-tongued and ‘Queen of sarcasm’, Lady Violet Crawley inherits a villa in the south of France. Cue, the mass exodus of many of the ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ staff for the next hovercraft to Calais, and then onwards to Nice! Meanwhile, back at the Abbey, the remaining staff have to cope with a film crew who have taken over the place filming a silent movie, threatened with the coming of the Talkies’. We also see a popular character from the Crawley family getting married whilst others get what they deserve – and one doesn’t!

Creatives

Director: Simon Curtis
Writer: Julian Fellowes
Directors: Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge
Music: John Lunn
Cinematography: Andrew Dunn
Editing: Adam Recht
Costume Design: Anna Robbins and Maja Meschede

Full list HERE

Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Downton Abbey – A New Era appeared first on Steve's Blog.

A little bit outside our usual routine today as we headed for Cineworld at Rushden Lakes. Crikey! Rushden Lakes on a Saturday! Are we mad? Easter Saturday too! Madder than mad!!! But you probably knew that already!

Why Cineworld? Mobile phone operator THREE gave away two Adult tickets for just £3 each to its customers via its ‘3+’ app – no limitations, apart from ‘use them by the 28th’.

The film Operation Mincemeat is an adaptation of Ben Macintyre’s 2010 historic book of the same name. A Wartime plan that was so ridiculous it shouldn’t have worked! However, Ann was only there because of Colin Firth!

Historical Context

Operation Mincemeat was a successful British deception operation of the Second World War to disguise the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.

More background information HERE, courtesy of Wikipedia.

Worth seeing?

We pretty much had Screen 14 to ourselves – just three other Firth fans joined us!

This was a beaut! I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Great acting all round, good soundtrack and superb cinematography created a very convincing London and the retelling of events leading up to the events of 16th July, 1943. There was just the right amount of intrigue, even if you know the story well. It was even humorous in places. If I had just a tiny criticism, it felt a tad too long (by about 15 minutes) – but that’s me being picky! Be prepared for a plot twist towards the end (that even an old cynic like me, didn’t see coming) that added to the tension – that was already on ‘9’ – as we headed for the final curtain. The best £6 we’ve spent all year! If you like your ‘war films’ authentic or are just a fan of Mr Firth, go see!

Oh, and if you like James Bond this will raise a smile! (yes, really!)

Runtime: 128 minutes

Directed by John Madden

Writers Michelle Ashford (screenplay) Ben Macintyre (book)

Main cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Mark Gatiss, Jason Isaacs

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: Operation Mincemeat (2022) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

I’m back at the local Odeon with Jo and Janet to see ‘The Matrix: Resurrections‘.

I loved the two original Matrix movies (even if I didn’t fully understand what was always going on – I sensed where it was all going!), and this promises more of the same – but whether it was any good had divided the critics!

It’s hard to believe that it was back in 1999 that The Matrix was first released, showcasing a new sort of SFX called Bullet Time – subsequently raising the bar in terms of movie effects. It also put New South Wales on the map as a viable shooting location.

The Matrix Reloaded followed in May 2003 closely followed by The Matrix Revolutions in November of the same year.

So, here we are in January, 2022 with the follow-up. Directed by Lana Wachowski with Keanu Reeves bringing his character, Neo/Thomas Anderson, back to the screen after nearly 20 years. Laurence Fishburne‘s character, Morpheus is also present (although in an alternative form). whilst fans of the original character Trinity won’t be disappointed either, as she has a major role here too.

The previous two films were complex in nature, introducing audiences to an alternate reality, where nothing was what it seemed. Green vertical text running down computer screens became a ‘thing’!

I’m going in…

…or coming out… or travelling through… or back from… the Matrix (or something!) .It was another bladder-challenging exercise (whatever happened to 90-minute movies?) clocking-in at the now standard two hours plus for a blockbuster – 2 hours 28 minutes to be precise!

I wonder if this latest offering will be as mentally challenging as the first two??? I do hope so!! I love a good sci-fi mystery!

Yeesh! Be careful what you wish for! Complex or what!!!! Almost to the point where it became just annoying! I’m not the sharpest knife in the box, but I was reaching for the pain-killers and plasters inside the first 60 minutes due to too much head-scratching. Good grief, it made Chris Nolan‘s epic Tenet from 2020 (that everyone acknowledged was a real mystery) feel quite ordinary.

I genuinely think you could have jumbled up all the scenes in Resurrections and it wouldn’t have made any difference to anyone’s understanding. I guess it might have made more sense if I’d re-watched the previous two outings before taking my seat today..

…or maybe it wouldn’t!

Look, I love a good sci-fi yarn as much as the next nerd, but this was all just complete nonsense!!! It demanded 150% concentration, 100% of the time (and I did try!) – and it still made no sense whatsoever! Maybe Matrix diehards will disagree, and all their questions were answered – my question is: “why did they bother making this?”.

Too harsh? It would be good to hear from a diehard for a second opinion.

Anything noteworthy? All credit to the actors who were able to deliver this pretentious trash with such conviction. And talking of conviction, there ought to be a law for ‘crimes against the cinema’. The black cat was most credible (puss had no dialogue!) and the CGI worlds were very convincing! Oh, and the Costa coffee was very good! I’ve never looked forward to the credits so much!

Worst part of all, it’s all been set up so that there’s probably a sequel coming… or worse, even a multi-film franchise!!!

I’m only hoping I’m trapped in an alternative reality where at the cinema, structure and credible dialogue don’t matter, and where mass mindless violence is used as a filler between scenes.

Oh s***! Apparently, I’m not, I’m really in Kettering Odeon!! This travesty of a production has set the sci-fi genre back 50 years!

Easily the worst film of the year so far… and I have a sneaking suspicion, it’ll remain that way for the rest of 2022.

Unless you’ve got nothing better to do with 148 minutes of your life, avoid this at all costs! One for the diehards and/or completists only

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Film: The Matrix: Resurrections (2021) appeared first on Steve's Blog.