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.

Well, that was a surprise! Nearby Hobson’s Choice announced it was closing its doors permanently!

OK, it was never going to be awarded a Michelin Star, but it was on our doorstep and offered a ‘basic’ menu (read ‘cheap’) and the staff there were always super-friendly. Every time I visited, it was always doing a good trade, so initially, I wasn’t sure why they’d suddenly announced this news? It was a real shock to the system as it’s been there pretty much as long as we’ve lived here.

Given that nearby Mazza’s (the Indian Restaurant) closed some years ago and that was followed by its neighbour, Frankie and Benny’s, in October 2022, that only left KFC and the Odeon in the immediate area. Surely, they wouldn’t go the same way? Would they? WOULD THEY?

A few hours later, KFC put out a Press Release in the local paper confirming they had no plans to close! (Although I don’t think a lot of us were convinced!!)

So, what of the Odeon? Surely Kettering’s ONLY cinema wouldn’t suffer the same fate?

Then, a week later, our worst fears were confirmed… (KFC is staying open) BUT the Odeon is closing next January!

Later newspaper reports said that the whole area is to be bulldozed! Surely not another self-storage area or warehousing!!! Local rumours sprang up immediately suggesting that they’d both ‘sold up’ whilst later news hinted at the Landlord buying them out of their leases.

Whatever the reason, all-in-all, it’s a very sad day for us locals! . To think that Kettering once boasted SIX cinemas!

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 Closed for good! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Crikey! A movie from Marvel! It’s been a while!

I’m off to the local Odeon with Jo & Janet to see their latest – Deadpool & Wolverine – the 34th (yes, really, see later) in Marvel’s super-hero movie franchise.

And this isn’t just ANOTHER one from the Marvel Film Factory… this one is supposed to restore Marvel’s reputation as the producer of blockbuster super-hero movies. A little worrying then, that the Telegraph’s chief movie critic, Robbie Collin, recently awarded it just ONE STAR!

But hey! What does he know? . But he may have a point! From this fan’s perspective, the only way is surely UP after the recent crappy output from Marvel including: Thor: Love and Thunder (garbage!), Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (disappointing!), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (ditto) and The Marvels (horrid!). It’s hard to believe, but Marvel has been churning out these movies since 2008, so maybe it’s just film-fatigue!

Phase 1 (2008 to 2012)
1. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
2. Captain Marvel (2019)
3. Iron Man (2008)
4. Iron Man 2 (2010)
5. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
6. Thor (2011)
7. The Avengers/Avengers Assemble* *Slightly different title for the UK only (2012)

Phase 2 (2013 to 2015)
8. Iron Man 3 (2013)
9. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
11. Guardians of the Galaxy (2017)
12. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017)
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
14. Ant-Man (2015)

Phase 3 (2016 to 2019)
15. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
17. Doctor Strange (2016)
18. Black Panther (2017)
19. Thor: Ragnarök (2017)
20. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
21. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
22. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
23. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Phase 4 (2021 to 2022)
24. Black Widow (2021)
25. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
26. Eternals (2021)
27. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
28. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
29. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
30. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Phase 5 (2023-2024)
31. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
32. Guardians of the Galaxy (Volume 3) (2023)
33. The Marvels (2023)

For my sins, I’ve seen them all – with Captain America: The First Avenger being the first, and IMHO the best! . Anyway, back to today and here is the most recent official trailer

I picked up Jo & Janet just after 1pm and we headed for Screen 4…

Synopsis

“Deadpool’s peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority (The TVA) recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse.
He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat”.

OK, we’re going in! See you in 135 minutes!

Any good..?

If you’ve already got a feel for Marvel super-hero movies, this one WILL be a surprise – on so many levels.

Violent! Yes, and some! . Within the first 10-minutes, a blood-bath ensued and it was all pretty graphic. This will put a lot of people off, but stick with it (if you can). Be prepared though for more of the same, in all shapes and sizes, as the story plays out.

Style? It’s not usual for Marvel to give their movies an overall comedic style (and for me, this hasn’t worked too well in the past for them), but surprise, surprise, it worked really well on this occasion. It’s not laugh-out-loud, but it is witty!

Fourth Wall? Another departure from the ‘Marvel norm’ and they carried it off in such a way that it all felt part of the unfolding story.

Dialogue? Very clever. It helps if you know your Marvel film history and the various references (sometimes visually) to the franchise’s backstory. All this gave the script an extra lift with its numerous reference points to what had gone before (the good and the bad). Even as a casual viewer, you’ll find it a giggle, but super-fans (like me) will enjoy these extra layers to the rather simplistic plot.

Worth seeing..?

For me, the self-awareness of the franchise’s highs and lows to-date referenced directly and indirectly throughout plus the occasional ‘breaking the fourth wall’ gave it all an extra something. The story itself isn’t that spectacular compared say to earlier storylines, but it all works. If you’re missing your spandex, be prepared too for the appearance of quite a few other super-heroes from past movies – especially one of the original Avengers… but not in the role you’d expect. How many did you spot?

In so many ways, this was NOT just another Marvel outing. Has it restored Marvel’s reputation? I’m not sure, and certainly not based on the plot alone, but its ‘self-knowing’ style and the chemistry between the two leads brought a certain something to the story that’s been sadly lacking in recent MCU instalments. I think this one will rise above those with ease and with Marvel confirming that they are now going to concentrate on qualITY rather quantITY, things look for a re-pairing in the future – they’d be mad not to!

And there’s more…

Us Marvel fans are used to sticking around for the mid-credit and post-credit scenes to get a glimpse of what’s next for the Marvel ‘juggernaut’. Although there is one, you can afford to miss it, as it doesn’t add much to what’s coming up.

If you’ve grown somewhat weary of recent Marvel movies, this one is a refreshing change. With bags chemistry, wit and (mostly) respectful nods to the past make this an unusual, but ultimately satisfying, instalment to the franchise.

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: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the local Odeon with Janet and Jo (freshly returned from their holiday in the USA) to see the follow-up to the first instalment – Dune. This one is imaginatively titled: Dune – Part Two. Catchy huh!

Having seen Dune back in October 2021, this was an easy decision, having given it a mighty 4½ stars. ‘Official’ Reviews so far have also been very positive indeed, but it is one for strong bladders, coming in at ten minutes longer than 2021’s outing (2 hours 46 minutes). Is it me, or are films getting longer these days?

OK, do the citizens of Kettering know something we don’t? . Here we go…

Synopsis

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Any Good?

If the SciFi genre is your thing, then this is an obvious choice. Just like its predecessor, Dune – Part One, it all felt a bit like the lovechild of Star Wars and Game of Thrones (no bad thing in my book!) and was of a similar scale – big landscapes, big cast, and gazillions of extras support actors. The plot is pretty faithful to Frank Herbert’s book (1965) apart from one (or two) character shifts, but the story moves along at pace so you’ll need to pick your loo-break with precision. The acting was top-notch, and those special effects were some of the best I’ve ever seen.

Then why did it all feel like such hard work?

For the first hour, based on the dialogue, I was still working out where it was all going and kept asking myself ‘how does this scene fit into the overall narrative?’ Obviously, there’s a lot of sand, but that’s outnumbered by SO MUCH TALKING in the first 60 minutes and very little else! Talk, talk and even more talk, and to make it more irritating, it was mostly ‘SciFi babble’. Second only to the sand was the amount of subtitles that were just distracting. In the grand scheme of things, I think I was expecting more of an action movie, but what I got was a lot of dialogue punctuated by explosions. Overall, it all felt a bit pretentious – and for me, about an hour too long!

In fact, if you’re attempting to introduce a friend to the SciFi genre for the first time, then this was just the sort of film that would send them running for the hills! . Point them in the direction of Star Wars instead! This one felt so different to Part One!

Any good bits? Well, the smoothness of Austin Butler’s skin – especially his forehead – should have been sponsored by Oil of Olay! The final act involving the predictable good vs evil character showdown was superbly choreographed and full of tension. As previously mentioned, the SFX were outstanding and the creativity behind the look and feel certainly made it all feel very real. Any music by Hans Zimmer gets my vote – and this was no exception.

Would I buy this on DVD? Nope! Worst of all, it looks like there is going to be a Dune – Part Three!

Does seeing Part One before seeing this latest instalment help? Maybe! Would reading the book beforehand help make more sense of things? I think yes!

Cast & Creatives

Pretty much all the stars from last time are back (see below), but for added star quality, Elvis has left the building, with Austin Butler joining the cast here as baddy Feyd Rautha Harkonnen (no Brylcreem required!) – I think you’ll hardly recognise him! . He was so absolutely evil that he made Darth Vader more like Dick Dastardly! Other newcomers to this sci-fi saga include: Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken.

• Timothée Chalamet
• Rebecca Ferguson
• Austin Butler
• Oscar Isaac
• Christopher Walken
• Josh Brolin
• Florence Pugh
• Stellan Skarsgård
• Dave Bautista
• Stephen McKinley Henderson
• Zendaya
• Chang Chen
• Sharon Duncan-Brewster
• Charlotte Rampling
• Jason Momoa
• Javier Bardem

• Directed by Denis Villeneuve
• Screenplay by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts
• Based on the book Dune by Frank Herbert
• Produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Patrick McCormick, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve
• Cinematography by Greig Fraser
• Edited by Joe Walker
• Music by Hans Zimmer
• Production company: Legendary Pictures

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: Dune – Part Two (2024) 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.

It’s been a while since I last went to the cinema – and being a Marvel Studio addict, today was the perfect excuse with the release of their latest blockbuster, The Marvels.

Official Trailer

It’s fair to say that Marvel’s output hasn’t been quite so marvellous of late! Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 (May 23) was OK, as was Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (February 23) – but hardly their best. Whilst Thor: Love and Thunder (July 22) was a complete embarrassment and one of the worst films I’d seen in a long while.

Having said that, I don’t think any Studio could maintain the high quality of their earlier outings, given how many films have been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the MCU) to date. Unbelievably, this one is their 33rd in the series, and it’ll be interesting to see if it’s a return to form.

For those who like lists, if you’re wondering if this one is part of Phase 5 or Phase 6 (I was!), it’s the former with Phase 6 coming along NEXT year (details HERE). If you’ve no idea about MCU ‘Phases’ then be sure to click on the box above.

Those who know me, know that I do like a good sci-fi story. Up until recently, the whole Marvel series of movies was something that always I looked forward to – Ann, not so much – but for me, they were always a treat. So, tonight, there were some heightened expectations tonight for this super-fan!

Maybe it wasn’t a good sign in that as Jo, Janet and I arrived at the local Odeon for the 7pm performance – it was almost deserted! Maybe everyone was already seated for Marvel’s latest blockbuster? With our hot drinks in-hand, we headed for Screen 4. Disappointingly, it wasn’t much busier, where by the time the film began, there were only about 30 of us!

Synopsis

Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. However, unintended consequences see her shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with two other superheroes to form the Marvels.
Thanks IMDB.

The Cast

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel
Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau
Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel
Zawe Ashton as Dar-Benn
Park Seo-joon as Prince Yan
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Full cast list here

The Creatives

Directed by Nia DaCosta
Written by Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, Elissa Karasik
Based on Marvel Comics
Produced by Kevin Feige
Cinematography Sean Bobbitt
Edited by Catrin Hedström and Evan Schiff
Music by Laura Karpman
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Marvel-lous?

The first thing to say is that this is ‘only’ 105 minutes long – that’s quite short for Marvel’s output of late!

You know what? I really (really) wanted to love this one, but as things turned out, it wasn’t to be, and I’ve now filed it under the same category as those mentioned earlier in this Post together with some of the recent Disney (who own Marvel Studios) TV series – yes, ‘Secret Invasion (2023)’ I’m looking at you!

Now, after the most recent run of mediocre Marvel movie offerings, I’m more interested in WHY it didn’t tick the boxes for me? OK, as a slightly cynical 67-year-old, I ‘get it’ that I’m not the target demographic!

On a positive note: consistently impressive special effects (some of the best), a stirring and majestic soundtrack, comfy cinema seats, not too busy (and therefore no conversations during the film by our neighbours), plenty of cats on-screen (yes, really) and Samuel L Jackson! What’s not to love?

Well, for me, quite a lot!!

Where to start? I’m told that one of the keys to a successful film is that you have to care about the characters. I didn’t, not a bit, apart from Ms Marvel who was quite likeable as a wide-eyed newcomer to all of this. For the other two leads, step forward a couple of cardboard performances struggling to drive a wafer-thin plot (that’s already been done to death so many times elsewhere – a ‘split in Space-Time’ ). Next, Samuel L Jackson, a regular and pivotal character across much of the MCU output, was woefully under-used, and could have pretty much ‘phoned in’ his performance. For lovers of our furry friends, for many, the most memorable scenes were probably the ones featuring cats – surely a bit of a worry in itself. Elsewhere, the action scenes, although perfectly choreographed, were so frantic, they were difficult to keep up with (and not helped by the sub-plot where the characters involuntarily changed places when they used their superpowers).

So far, so bad! But there’s more! There’s a tendency in many popular TV/Film franchises, once they become popular to include a musical scene or even a whole episode (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer [2001] and more recently Star Trek: Strange New Worlds [2023] are just two examples). It’s a difficult one to pull off – and a bit of a gamble – where seeing your favourite non-singing characters bursting into song, can be a shock to the system. I won’t spoil things here by sharing the details of this latest attempt, but it may be an idea to remove your shoes to give your toes more room to curl!

By now, you’ll have got the impression that this one wasn’t for me, but we did stick around for the now-obligatory mid-credits scene. For those new to Marvel, this is their way of teasing the audience for something yet to come in a future production. Suffice to say, it’s worth waiting for, and for me, was the high spot of the movie and links all the way back to 2008. By the way, there’s an end-credit scene too, sort of, but if you miss it, unlike the film’s mid-credit equivalent, it’s not a deal-breaker.

All-in-all, I really do think Marvel has lost its mojo of late and I hope they turn it around soon. Consequently, I think this one is for completists and collectors (yes, that’s me!). However, unlike me, if this one turns out to be to your liking, then I’d recommend watching the ‘Ms Marvel‘ mini-series on Disney+ to fully appreciate the background to her character.

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 Marvels (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We dithered about this one – do we see it at the cinema? or wait for its home release? I’m not sure why we put it off (too dark? too depressing?) but I had this nagging doubt that, as brilliant as Director Christopher Nolan is, he has occasionally given us movies that because of their over-complex storylines, just left me with an exploding head! . Luckily, what’s inside mine these days is quite small and makes little mess!

Examples? For every Batman Trilogy (2005, 2008 & 2012) and Dunkirk (2014) [brilliant and brilliant!], there was the mind-boggling Inception (2010) [no idea what was going on!] and later, the brain-scrambling Tenet (2020) [just pass the paracetamol]. . The full list of CN’s films to-date is HERE.

So, it’s likely that we’re probably one of the LAST to see it amongst our friends (who have nothing but praise for it) and that’s what, in the end, encouraged us to go!

What’s the Story?

J Robert Oppenheimer was an American Theoretical Physicist who led the team that created the atomic bomb. He was the first Director of the Los Alamos Laboratory, where he gathered the best minds in physics to work on the Manhattan Project during World War II. He is often credited as the “father of the atomic bomb” for his role in this project.

How long?

Exactly three hours.

Main Cast & Creatives

Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer
Emily Blunt as Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer
Matt Damon as Gen. Leslie Groves
Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss
Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock
Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence
Casey Affleck as Boris Pash
Rami Malek as David L. Hill
Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr

Full cast here on Wiki.

Based on the 2005 biography American Prometheus written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

Executive Producers: Thomas Hayslip, J. David Wargo and James Woods
Producers: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven and Emma Thomas (aka ‘Mrs Nolan’)
Director: Sam Mendes Christopher Nolan
Written by: Christopher Nolan, Kai Bird and Martin Sherman
Music by: Ludwig Göransson
Editing by: Jennifer Lame
Casting by: John Papsidera

Full list of creatives here on IMDB.

How was it?

Well, for us, that’s now three in a row of really worthwhile cinema outings! (Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible being the previous two). Returning to this one: it’s worth seeing just for Cillian Murphy’s outstanding performance as the titular character. And if Cillian Murphy doesn’t do it for you, then (a barely recognisable) Robert Downey Jr – sans spandex! – also impresses, with a really (really) strong turn (especially in the final act). It’s a big film with big ambitions, supported by an A-list cast.

We saw it on the iMax screen, and it was worth it for the bigger picture (literally) and pin-sharp imagery (but more about the sound quality later!).

What exactly is iMax?

Unlike most modern blockbusters, this one doesn’t pivot around a set of action pieces; instead, it’s best seen as a film about a tortured and conflicted soul, and how Oppenheimer was treated pre and post ‘the big bangs’ – it’s definitely NOT a war film, but it IS a film about war. Yes, there are explosions aplenty, but the strength of the story is in the dialogue (and there’s plenty of it!) and the superb cinematography. As previously mentioned, it’s a long one, but it passed quickly, and the final act picked up the pace, delivering some big surprises.

Stylistically, there are a couple of touches that I didn’t know about beforehand: First, some of it is shot in black & white, and second: CN continues his hate/hate relationship with CGI and Green Screen. It’s said that he didn’t use ANY for this film – and that’s rare these days. There had been a few comments online about ‘muffled dialogue’. I recall that this was also an issue for some people (including me) with Tenet. The reason? CN is reported to favour dialogue ‘on the set’ over the industry norm of using ADR (Additional Dialogue Replacement) in post-production to improve clarity. Sadly, during our visit, many of the scenes that featured dialogue AND the film score were a little tricky to separate, although dialogue-only scenes were fine. I’ve dropped it a star for that!

So, all-in-all, a powerful performance from all concerned and one that demands your complete concentration. In some respects, it’s a ‘hard watch’ and shows the light and dark side of mankind and how a person can go from ‘hero to zero’ when politics are involved. No CN outing would be complete without a degree of storyline complexity – and it’s more of the same with this one, as there are a lot of characters. Those who know more about these things are saying that Oppenheimer is going to go down as a cinematic masterpiece, but of course, that’s pretty subjective. For me, it’s certainly ‘up there’ in my top 10. I’m glad we went, and it’s almost certainly going to be one that I add to my growing 4K DVD library. Having said that, I wouldn’t file it under ‘enjoyable’… more like: ‘impressive’, ‘thought-provoking’, ‘tense’ and ‘controversial’!

Go see! (but go to the loo first and do concentrate throughout!)

Movie Trivia

In India, the film was released with all instances of nudity, sex and… cigarette-smoking scenes censored
In order for the Black & White sections of the movie to be shot in the same quality as the rest of the film, Kodak developed the first ever B&W film stock for IMAX cameras
The score for the film doesn’t feature any drums at all
In the scene of the citizens of Los Almos waving American flags, the flags have 50 stars when there were only 48 states in 1945 (Alaska and Hawaii joined in 1959)
It’s also the first Nolan film since Batman Begins not to have Michael Caine in it
The complete film was shot in just 57 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: Oppenheimer (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

For us, the most anticipated film of the year!

>> Running Time: 154 mins <<

Synopsis

Strangely (and widely reported) there doesn’t appear to be an ‘official’ synopsis for this final outing for ‘Indy’. Not sure why not, so here’s my take on it…

“Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artefact that has the power to change history”.

Well, at least there’s an OFFICIAL Poster!

Cast & Creatives

Director: James Mangold

Writers: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp and James Mangold based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman.

Production Team: George Lucas & Steven Spielberg (Executive Producers) Candice Campos, Anthony Dixon (co-Producers) Simon Emanuel, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall (Producers) Blake Simon and Nathan Woods (Associate Producers)

Music by John Williams.

Cinematography by Phedon Papamichael.

Editing by Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker and Dirk Westervelt.

Casting By Nina Gold.

Production Design by Adam Stockhausen.

Thanks, IMDB. Full list is HERE.

Worth Going?

Mild Spoilers ahead

This one divided the critics! The Daily Telegraph gave it a two-star rating and IndieWire called it: “an empty slog of a movie“. Others, like Deadline, were more positive, commenting: “However much action swirls on the surface of this kind of film, its foundations are built of reassuring nostalgia“.

Ooo err! As we headed to the Odeon, we wondered if we were going to be disappointed?

Well, for us two fans, we think the Telegraph and IndieWire must have been watching a different film! . Dial of Destiny had all the hallmarks of the earlier ‘Indy’ outings, especially the first half-an-hour or so, featuring a digitally de-aged Harrison Ford that could have easily been passed off as ‘lost film footage’ from the 80s! Action scene followed action scene (just how we like it and the hallmarks that most have come to expect from the IJ movies)

Credible acting all the way through, where the distinction between the good and the bad guys was easy to spot, and the plot was predictable (ish). In other words, the perfect tonic for a slightly dull Sunday afternoon. Hat’s (and whips) off to Harrison Ford who betrayed his age in later scenes, living up to the mantle: ‘all action hero’ – just how we remember him!

The soundtrack is very familiar, and I dare you not to hum along to the main theme when our hero is doing what he does best!

Action all the way, with just the right amount of lighter moments made this a joy from beginning to end! . If you’re an Indiana Jones fan, ignore the doom-sayers, this is a worthy end to the franchise and will give you a nice warm and fuzzy feeling feeling to start your week.

If you’re not a fan of eels (with or without mash), then that might be an appropriate time to visit the loo, together with a short claustrophobic scene featuring an assortment of creepy crawlies. Tissues at the ready for the final scene (it seems this dose of sentimentality is now obligatory in most modern blockbusters) but it kind of works in this context, making it a worthy end to the franchise.

Or is it the end?

Go see! We can’t recommend it enough.

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: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

“Flash! Ah-Ahhhh… Saviour of the Universe!” (No, not THAT one)

This one!

Official Trailers

Context

This promises to be a rarity – A DC Superhero movie that’s actually quite good! . We’ll see!

Certainly, potentially, there’s a lot to like about it based on the various threads online and for those of a certain age, it even stars Michael Keaton recreating his role as the Caped Crusader from his first foray into the role in 1989. It seems that every Superhero movie these days wants to base it on the ‘multiverse’ – and this one is no different. Hence, there’s another Batman too – Ben Affleck (who first starred in the poorly received Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016). and maybe others too! Read on!!

But as you saw, this one’s called The Flash. So, why so many Batmans?

Synopsis

Here’s why!

Worlds collide when the Flash uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change the events of the past. However, when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, he becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation. With no other superheroes to turn to, the Flash looks to coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian – albeit not the one he’s looking for.

Holy Duplicates! Looks like there’s another SuperGirl too! (sort of!)

Cast & Creatives

Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash
Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl
Michael Shannon as General Zod
Ron Livingston as Henry Allen
Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen
Kiersey Clemons as Iris West
Antje Traue as Faora-Ul
Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman

Directed by
Andy Muschietti

Screenplay by
Christina Hodson

Story by
John Francis Daley
Jonathan Goldstein
Joby Harold

Cinematography by
Henry Braham

Edited by
Jason Ballantine
Paul Machliss

Music by
Benjamin Wallfisch

Executive Producer
Galen Vaisman

Run Time

A whopping 2 hours 35 minutes!

Worth seeing?

Well, you’ve got to be a fan of this genre, so it’s not for casual viewers. An ‘O’ level in ‘Alternative Realities’ will also help, as this adds more than a layer of complexity to the plot. And if men (and a woman) parading around in latex, rocks your world, then it’s worth a viewing. Err: Yes, No and Yes!

Ezra Miller returns to his role as Barry Allen from Batman v Superman and Justice League, so fans will immediately have some familiarity with the titular character (although it’s not essential to see those previous productions to enjoy this one). There’s a lot going on here to fill the 155 minutes – but does it fill the time wisely?

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!
If you go into this thinking, it’ll be a super-serious movie about a super-serious topic – multiverses/alternate timelines etc, you’ll be disappointed. For the most part, it’s a semi-comedic piece in tone (in a good way) with most of the humour resulting from two characters from different multiverses occupying the same timeline. Yet, somehow, it blends this lighter note with those super-serious themes with ease.

Recent embellishments in the well-worn time travel trope (can you/should you change the past to improve the future?) have introduced the notion that certain points in time are fixed and cannot be altered meaning that even if you travel back in time specifically to make the change – it won’t work! The movie uses this as the thrust for the story, leading to some BIG surprises that you won’t see coming.

Strap yourself in for the opening scene where the pace is relentless and there are some superb special effects on show! It then settles down into a more gentle pace as the story (or should that be storieS unfold?). If you’re not familiar with the history of The Flash and how he came to be, then don’t worry, as in part, this outing acts as a part-origin story. In fact, the back-story is the whole raison d’être and becomes more significant as the final Act approaches.

Fans of Superman, Batman and other DC staples will feel they’re getting value for money with this one. We also have Wonderwoman, Aquaman (sort of), Supergirl – and even faithful butler, Alfred, all playing a part to lesser and greater degrees. At the film’s climax, you might like to test your knowledge of actors who have played Superman & Batman over the years. For me, that was the best part!

In fact, you’ll see one incarnation (originally by Director, Tim Burton) that has NEVER been seen at the cinema before because the film was canned and never released! I think that was around 2013, called ‘Batman Lives‘. Talk about ‘attention to detail’ and pleasing the super-fans!

Talking of multiple super-heroes, there’s a major bombshell in the final scenes that will have you reaching for a strong cup of coffee (see what I did there? No? Go watch this!)

As you might expect, there is plenty of CGI here and although the majority is well presented, there are a few howlers that look like they were developed on an Amstrad PC. Shame!

The worst? The American’s obsession with ‘overly sentimental elements’ continues with a scene towards the end starring our hero and his Mum. It didn’t really advance the storyline, merely amplifying what we already knew. Those of a emotional disposition should take Kleenex, but as a cynical aside, watch out for the lack of continuity with The Flash’s occasional CGI tears!

Worth staying for the now-standard mid and end-credit scenes? Sort of! There’s no MID-credit scene meaning that for the faithful, you WILL have to see that list of five gazillion ‘digital artists’ that made the film possible before the END-credit scene rolls. I may have to rewatch it again on YouTube or read about what the ‘experts’ say, but it played more like a scene that was ultimately considered unnecessary, rather than one that whets your appetite for a future outing.

In summary, there is plenty to like about this movie (apart from the one or two ‘bargain-basement CGI effects). Great attention has been given to not over-complicating the whole multiverse thing making this easily accessible to fans and casual viewers alike.

For super-fans, the resolution to a key part of The Flash’s backstory is a clever piece, tieing together two scenes that are pivotal in the overall narrative. You might ‘believe a man can fly‘ but I never would have believed that ‘where tins of tomatoes are displayed’ can make such a difference to people’s lives (and I’m an ex-retailer!)

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: The Flash (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

A paradise for hyphen-lovers and not to be confused with ‘Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse‘ (that we caught up with last week on DVD)!

It wasn’t really Ann’s thing, so Jo and I headed to the local Odeon for the 7.20pm showing.

Official Trailers

There’s a load, but here are the first two!

What’s the story?

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero.

Cast & Creatives

Directed by:
Joaquim Dos Santos
Kemp Powers
Justin K. Thompson

Written by:
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and David Callaham

Produced by:
Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Christina Steinberg

Executive Producers:
Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Aditya Sood and Brian Michael Bendis

Cast:

Shameik Moore as Miles Morales / Spider-Man

Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy / Spider-Woman

Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson “Jeff” Morales

Luna Lauren Vélez as Rio Morales

Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man

Jason Schwartzman as Dr. Jonathan Ohnn / The Spot

Issa Rae as Jess Drew / Spider-Woman

Karan Soni as Pavitr Prabhakar / Spider-Man India

Daniel Kaluuya as Hobie Brown / Spider-Punk

Oscar Isaac as Miguel O’Hara / Spider-Man 2099

Full cast here (thanks Wiki!)

Worth seeing?

ALERT – MILD SPOILERS AHEAD

These sorts of presentational styles are a bit ‘Marmitey’ so if you liked the original, you’re in for a treat with this one. It’s a lot busier on-screen than the first – perhaps even chaotic – it all works, just, but do try and keep up! . Be warned – loo-breaks of any sort (and however frequent) are not advised because of the sheer pace of this. Look away (or even walk away) for just 30 seconds, and you’ll miss something important/enjoyable/respectful in relation to the whole ‘Spider-man thing’. On that note, if you’re a fan of the original movies, they even managed to blend-in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it-homage-to-the-Tobey-Maguire era amongst the action. Nice touch! There are also a few other unexpected live-action pieces too!

Pretty much, all your favourite characters from the original are here (minus the pig?) but be prepared for some re-appearances from some who you might not have expected!

The animation is simply beautiful – it was like watching a comic book graphic novel unfold before your eyes – various styles too! The film’s colour palette was utilised very well indeed with some segments bright and vibrant whilst others were deliberately subdued. As a result, it complemented the style of each scene perfectly. The animation team deserve a special mention for their dedication to even the minutest of details as well as the overall look and feel of every single scene. For me, even if I wasn’t a ‘Spidey’ fan, it would have been worth going, just for the quality and variety of the animation styles.

Together with the first movie, it’s the closest to feeling ‘real’ (in every sense) than most other animated films I’ve seen (with the possible exception of The Adventures of TinTin, 2010 and Hugo, 2011).

As I mentioned earlier, it’s busy! There’s a lot going on (it is the multiverse after all!) and the dialogue is important, especially as the film heads towards the final Act. Unfortunately, at our showing, the sound mix was a bit ‘off’, and the centre channel got a bit lost in places within the overall soundtrack.

Luckily, it’s not essential to see the original before seeing this one, but as always, it helps a little, to position the characters. Interestingly, there’s not the usual distinction between the good guys and bad.

I felt ‘down wiv the yoof’ tonight (if only temporarily) enjoying all the music tracks with the mix of hip-hop working well with the more traditional orchestral ‘big sound’ theme(s). Full list is here err, Bro!

It’s not the ending you’ll expect and it caught both of us out a little – but in a good way! . Also, do stick around beyond the end (most didn’t tonight!) for the very short ‘mid-credit’ insert that shares a lot with previous James Bond movies (yes, really!). I won’t reveal the details here, but there’s a clue in this paragraph!

At 2 hours, 16 minutes, it’s a tad longer than the first outing (1 hour, 56 minutes)., but with so much going, for this pair, it didn’t feel like it!

In summary, we really enjoyed it – definitely one for the kids… and bigger kids too! Read more HERE on the official site, or use the QR Code below.

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: Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the local Odeon with Jo and Janet to see the recently released ‘Fast and Furious 10’ ‘Fast X’.

When it comes to watching movies, I’ve got a very low bar – I’ll pretty much watch anything (even if it’s only ONCE!). With such a diminutive threshold (and as a self-confessed ex-petrolhead) even I’m surprised that the whole F&F franchise has lasted this long. Watching the original back in 2001, I thought maybe a single sequel might follow, but surely that was about it? Surely! Surely?

Well, ten movies in (11, if you count the rather lamentable spinoff ‘Hobbs & Shaw‘) and 13 years later, this franchise shows no signs of pulling over into a lay-by! And with every one of the movies doing well at the Box Office, it just shows you how much I know! . But could they really squeeze another story out of the franchise? It seems they could!!

Official Trailers

On the positive side, F&F has always been the perfect outing for a no-brains-required experience; simply take your seat and let the movie ‘do its thing’. That ‘thing’ has clearly resonated with audiences over the years, raking in around $1.5 billion (yes, billion) in ticket sales! Not bad for a plot that simply revolves around fast cars in increasingly ludicrous set-piece situations, all loosely linked by an anorexic plot.

Continuing the positive theme, it’s only (a bladder-friendly) 141 minutes long – well, my bladder – and was given a budget of $340 million to splash around.

Synopsis

“Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto and his family have outsmarted and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they must confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced. Fuelled by revenge, a terrifying threat emerges from the shadows of the past to shatter Dom’s world and destroy everything – and everyone – he loves”.

Cast

Vin Diesel as Dominic “Dom” Toretto:
Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz
Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce
Ludacris (really?) as Tej Parker
John Cena as Jakob Toretto
Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey
Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto
Sung Kang as Han Lue
Scott Eastwood as Little Nobody
Daniela Melchior as Isabel Neves
Alan Ritchson as Aimes
Helen Mirren (yes, really!) as Magdalene “Queenie” Ellmanson-Shaw
Brie Larson as Tess
Rita Moreno as Abuelita Toretto
Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw
Jason Momoa as Dante Reyes
Charlize Theron as Cipher
Joaquim de Almeida as Hernan Reyes
Luis Da Silva as Diogo

The late Paul Walker‘s appearance (as Brian O’Conner) will please F&F purists where this is achieved through the use of CGI and archive footage. Additionally, Gal Gadot and Dwayne Johnson appear in the final scenes.

Creatives

Directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay written by Dan Mazeau and Justin Lin, who also co-wrote the story with Zach Dean. 

Any Good?

MILD SPOILERS ALERT!
With my glass over half-full, both figuratively and literally, I was really looking forward to this one. I knew it wouldn’t be ‘Shakespeare’ but previous outings to a F&F film have been an exciting piece of escapism where it was possible to leave your brain at the door – and still have a good time.

I’m therefore disappointed to report that for me, this one was all a big let-down, bordering on irritating (and that’s not just because the couple further along the row, talked all the way through it!). Even the stellar cast – and there are plenty of them – couldn’t really salvage this dud! Yes, as a slightly overweight 66-year-old, I realise I’m not the target audience, but surely there should have been some mass appeal?

The plot for the F&F series has always been wafer-thin and recent attempts to repivot the central premise around ‘the importance of family’ rather than cars, cars, fights, cars and more cars (and more fights) gave it a bit of a shot in the arm – if only temporarily. Unfortunately, tonight’s performance was soooo OTT, it entered that risky area of self-parody. If turning things up to 11 is the ultimate expression of maximum, then this one started at 11 and headed for 12, maybe even 15! Previous films in the series stretched realism and credibility to their limits – but they just didn’t bother with this and assumed everything was possible! You’ll believe a car can fly! . Case in point: Driving a car down the side of a Dam and then deliberately crashing into the water, sinking, and then the occupants surfacing without a scratch! Must have been the advanced airbags!

Anyway, the plot of 10X is irrelevant as it’s always just a thinly veiled attempt at providing an excuse for insane car chases, extreme violence and music that only appeals to those under 18. But to me, there seemed to be fewer car scenes in this outing – but at least they were well-choreographed. Overall, it started well, had all the right ingredients – however, a little like a sherry trifle without the sherry (and the trifle) it lacked the essentials and went downhill from there. The actors all delivered their lines with conviction, but the script was very clichéd with lines that sounded like they’d been written using ChatGPT for the first time. It had a credible cast where even Dame Helen Mirren made an appearance with her convincing cock-er-ney accent (but they’re only as good as the lines that they’re fed ehh?),

And talking of Dames. The villains of the piece in the F&F movies have always been easily identifiable – no need for a black hat! In Fast X, in an unlikely and frankly bizarre cross between John Inman and Arnold Schwarzenegger, ‘Mr Bad’ was so ridiculously evil, all that was needed was a curly moustache and he’d be ready for his next role at Milton Keynes later this year for Panto season!

And don’t get me started on the editing! Yes, I know we all have much shorter attention spans these days, but the constant switching from one country to another, just made joining the dots, an exercise in confusion. I’m loathed to watch the film again, but I’m sure there was one scene where during a sweeping overhead wide shot of the River Thames and surrounding buildings that proudly sported a graphics overlay ‘London’ (err, thanks!) – it was immediately followed by two of the cast driving in America!

Taken collectively, the characters were all stereotypes (The tough American; another tough American; a weak American – who, of course, gets tough; the ballsy American wife; the nerdy white Brit; another nerdy white Brit, the streetwise black guy and another streetwise black guy; etc etc). They tried to give some of the characters some scenes of emotional depth (why?) but it was so sugary-sweet, it felt like licking a lolly stick!

Phew! The more astute of you will have spotted that I’m not a fan of this one. Memories can sometimes play tricks, and I plan to pick a previous F&F movie and rewatch it for comparative purposes – just to check if this one was as bad as I think it was. It’s often said that for a film to be successful, you need to care about the characters. I tried, I really did!

OK, time for my three tests of a good film:-
– Would I go and see it again? No!
– Will I stream it?/Buy it on DVD? No!
– Would I recommend it to friends? No!

On the plus side
– There’s a mid-credits scene which suggests that the rumour about Fast X being the very last in the franchise might NOT be true (Ed: Is that a PLUS?)
– Fans of the late Paul Walker will be pleased to see him in a short scene
– Rome looked nice
– Odeon make a good coffee
– The seats were super-comfy

Please make it stop now! Even I’m really surprised how much I DISLIKED this one, but there is only so much carnage, unnecessary violence and destruction before it all gets a bit tiresome and repetitive. That time, for me, is now! One for F&F diehards and completists only, but I’m sure it’ll cover its costs… and some… just like it always has!

Enjoy, or try to!

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: Fast and Furious 10 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Yes, it’s that time again! Off to the local Odeon to see Marvel’s latest Blockbuster: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy – Volume 3’ – their 32nd in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)!

32nd?

There’s a general feel that Marvel is going through a bit of a ‘fallow’ period at the moment, but in its defence, I don’t think ANY film studio could maintain the quality across that number of blockbusters. Certainly, the current crop of Marvel big-screen outings in recent times (Thor, Love and Thunder and Ant-Man and the Wasp – Quantumania didn’t always wow the critics and the general public alike!

The GotG series hasn’t been my favourite in this gargantuan output of films, but I’m hoping this one will be a return to Marvel’s form of old, such as Captain America series. Do I care that the Telegraph gave this one just TWO stars? Possibly!

We chose the 1pm performance and with it showing on two screens pretty much every half hour, we didn’t expect it to be that busy. We were wrong! Whether it was because the weather was disappointing or it was a Bank Holiday – or maybe the tickets being half-price today attracted the masses to the cinema, I don’t know. I shouldn’t be so cynical! Maybe it was because this was the last in the series of the GotG outings?

Synopsis

Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own.
If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

Any good?

First of all, it’s worth mentioning that this, so typical of Marvel, is a LONG one. At 2 hours 29 minutes, your bladder will thank you for ‘paying a visit’ before you settle down! Plotwise, there’s quite a bit to follow and there are a number of characters, both old and new, to fit in and ‘tell their story’. Yes, Sylvester Stallone IS in it! GotG stories in the past have been quite a light affair compared to other movies from the MCU – but this one is a lot darker. If you’re a bit sensitive about animal experimentation, be prepared for some scenes that might make you feel a tad uneasy. On the positive side, I think they’ll be a newfound love for raccoons after this one! . The characters in these three movies are some of the most loved of the MCU and it’s probably best to take a tissue (or three) as we head towards the final Act.

It works well as a family film as today would testify at Kettering Odeon. In fact, the number of children outnumbered the number of adults chomping through their nachos (and that’s rare… Ketteringites do love their noisy foods!!!)

Marvel films are known for their excess of CGI and this one is no different – but it worked! More especially on the animal side of things (that have a much more significant role in this one!) Again, scenes of a rabbit, raccoons, and a walrus were so realistic – especially the skin and the lip-syncing, it’s getting so difficult to tell where reality ends and technology takes over (well, apart from animals don’t speak do they? Do they?)

I really felt that the two-and-half hours would drag. Thankfully, it didn’t, and overall, this one exceeded my expectations. OK, maybe the final act was a bit long, but there was much to pull together – and being American, sugary-sweet endings are obligatory aren’t they! It’s not necessary to have seen the two previous in the series, but like most MCU output, it helps fill in the ‘who’, the ‘why’ and the ‘when’.

And one for the audiophiles amongst you: the film was shown with Dolby Surround Sound 7.1 (though, presumably, that’s dependent on the cinema) – and that made it even more enjoyable! Plenty of sound from the side and the rear too, adding to overall soundscape whilst bringing an extra ‘something’ to the 80s/90s/00s soundtrack. (list is HERE).

Don’t forget to stay for the MID-credit scene, which set things up for a new strand of movies about the MCU (possibly?). And, for the die-hards, stay right until the end… past the ten gazillion Digital Artists for a very short END-credit scene, where its positioning, both literally and metaphorically, has become ‘the usual’ for Marvel. Listen well, as it’s only a short one, and by the time I’ve finished writing this, it will have been no doubt, dissected online by those much cleverer than me, as to what it all means! (Actually, I DIDN’T get the significance of it, but I blame the jet-lag!)

I won’t spoil it here, but it’s worth staying put even after the end-credit scene for a simple freeze-frame that will make Star Lord fans happy!

Marvel fan? Go see! Everyone else? 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: Guardians of the Galaxy – Volume 3 (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the local Odeon this afternoon with Jo and Janet to see the fourth (and final?) Chapter of the John Wick movie franchise.

Imaginatively titled ‘John Wick Chapter 4‘, it stars ‘man of few words’ Keanu Reeves who we’d last seen in Matrix Resurrections back in January, 2022.

(and what a pile of pretentious nonsense that was! )

Anyway, back to KR’s latest – John Wick Chapter 4. What can we expect? Well, if you’re looking for a multi-layered plot, with award-winning dialogue then you’re in the wrong place! Just go for the expertly choreographed fight scenes in a simple good vs evil storyline. Rumour has it, KR spoke fewer than 400 words across the whole movie, but the other rumour (that the whole thing was sponsored by Elastoplast) are untrue!

And, as the actress said the Bishop… “It’s the longest I’ve ever seen!” . At a whopping 169 minutes, it is indeed the most bladder-testing in the John Wick franchise. How the heck they can make this fight-a-thon last that long? Well, they did! — and it seems all those that have officially reviewed the film have had nothing but praise for this latest fisticuff frenzy! Even the Daily Telegraph! So, that either means it’s another Matrix Resurrections… (King’s New Clothes and all that!) or we three are all in for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon!

Wick-ipedia

But first, some Wick-History! In 2014, cinema-goers were enthralled (based on the box office takings) by the first of the John Wick ‘Chapters’. Ultra violent and with a storyline as thin as Mrs Thinny from Thinnbury Drive, Thinsville, it did surprisingly well. The technical phrase, I guess, would have been ‘high octane cinema’, but to the rest of us, it was simply an orgy of well-choreographed uber-violence, punchtuated by the occasional dialogue – sometimes even stretching to THREE syllable words. Plus a loveable dog!

Many think it helped Keanu Reeves resurrect his career (his dog wasn’t so lucky!)

Chapter 4 eventually hit cinemas worldwide almost a week ago – on Friday, 24 March. I say eventually, because this fourth adventure was initially set for a May 2021 release, but COVID and the main star’s commitments with another project — The Matrix Resurrections — delayed things. With a budget of $100m, there’s little doubt it’ll cover its costs (and some) by the time this latest outing has done the rounds.

Does it matter if you haven’t seen any of the previous three movies? Well, it helps a little with continuity – especially during the first 30 minutes-or-so whilst characters are re-established, and the scene is set. It certainly explains why there’s so much shooting/stabbing/maiming/gouging/burning/slicing/exploding/gonad chewing* going on! But in the grand scheme of things, it all sits well as a standalone.

*Delete as applicable…. actually don’t bother, it’s got them all!

Takings to date for the franchise indicate that Chapter 4 will eclipse all those that went before (remember, Chapter 4 has only been out for just a week!)

John Wick ($43m)
John Wick – Chapter 2 ($92m)
John Wick – Chapter 3 Parabellum (£171m)
John Wick – Chapter 4 ($94.7m so far!)

Credit: BoxOfficeMojo

Synopsis

“With the price on his head ever increasing, legendary hit man John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin“.

It’s always been about the body count across these four movies rather than the ‘big message’ – and yes, someone HAS counted them! (not me!). Thanks ScreenRant and GeekTyrant. Here we go then…
John Wick = 77
John Wick – Chapter 2 = 128
John Wick – Chapter 3 = 94
John Wick – Chapter 4 = 140

Cast & Creatives

Directed by: Chad Stahelski

Written by: Shay Hatten Michael Finch

Based on characters by: Derek Kolsta

Produced by: Basil Iwanyk Erica Lee Chad Stahelski

Music by: Tyler Bates Joel J. Richard

Edited by: Nathan Orloff

Cinematography by: Dan Laustsen

Main Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins and Ian McShane.

Any Good?

Here we are in the back row at the movies for the 1pm performance. And with just two minutes to go before ‘the off’, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Kettering-ites don’t appreciate John Wick!

After the obligatory advert break, it was curtain up! As previously suggested, there are no prizes for the plot line nor the metaphysical narrative, but you’ve got to hand it to the stunt co-ordinators for a job REALLY well done. It made the James Bond movies and even the Bourne franchise look somewhat pedestrian by comparison. It was worth going just to appreciate the scene based around the Arc de Triomphe and you’ve got to feel sorry for the stuntman who fell down over 100 concrete steps (being filmed ALL the way!) . Dog lovers will feel vindicated too! Give your brain the afternoon off and go see this!

The Future of Wick’s World

Many thought that the Wick’s saga would end after ‘Chapter 3’ and then along came this latest release! In fact, word is, that the whole John Wick ‘thing’ is taking a leaf from Marvel Studios and looking ahead, creating a sort of ‘John Wick Cinematic Universe’ based around the major characters.

One example, already on the cards, is the movie: Ballerina, which began filming in Prague in November 2022, and stars Blonde’s Ana de Armas as a ballet dancer seeking retribution following her family’s murder. Anjelica Huston who played the head of the Ruska Roma crime family in John Wick 3 – Parabellum, will reprise her role alongside many other familiar faces from previous JW Chapters. Additionally, I just heard the pivotal Hotel ‘The Continental’ that featured in all the JW Chapters is getting its own series, set in the 70s – a sort of prequel to all things, John Wick.

Plenty to look forward to then, but I guess fans of Shakespeare need not be concerned!.

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: John Wick, Chapter 4 (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s been a while in the making, but the sequel to the original Black Panther movie is now out!

Released on November 11th, 2022, this was Marvel Film’s latest offering (the 30th of their continuing superhero series of movies). I was really looking forward to this one as I thoroughly enjoyed the first Black Panther film back in June 2018 on DVD. Since then, of course, the actor who played the main character Chadwick Boseman has died, after a short illness in 2020. As a result, initially anyway, there was some doubt about whether there would EVER be a sequel. Thankfully, the creatives at Marvel did what they do best and completely rewrote the storyline. Four years later, here we are, with what is promised to be a worthy sequel to the original. We’ll see!

I’m only slightly doubtful because my most recent experience of Marvel’s super-hero output: – Thor: Love & Thunder was such a disappointment pile of crap, I couldn’t decide whether it was the worst film I’d ever seen or whether that accolade should go to Matrix Revelations or even The Batman, both of which, I had the misfortune of paying good money to see earlier this year!

Their 30th??

30 movies? Surely not! Yes, hard to believe, I know! Click below for a list of what came before (deep breath!)

We arrived in good time, but as we queued for refreshments, we noticed how quiet the cinema was. OK, it was a Wednesday, early evening, but even so. And, when we actually got inside Screen 1 with just ten minutes to go before curtain up, it was absolutely deserted! On a positive note, maybe everyone who wanted to see it had done so in its first few days of release? Alternatively, perhaps word had got around that it was a dud? Unusually, I deliberately hadn’t read any reviews on this one – ‘open mind’ and all that!

Then, just when we thought we might have the pick of ALL the seats, a massive rush (of about eight people came in, then four more, then another four!). Heck! There were now 16 of us spread across around 100 seats, and that’s almost how it stayed as the film began, as a couple sneaked in after 10 minutes. Not exactly a stampede, ehh?!?!

Here we go!

Official Synopsis

Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett J Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

Any good?

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!

With a budget of $250 million, thankfully, for me, a return to form for Marvel. Maybe not quite as good as the first, but the multi layered plot, fantastic acting (especially Angela Bassett), very believable characters and great SFX made it one of those cinema outings where it didn’t matter (much) if you hadn’t seen the original Black Panther movie. Having said that, there are a lot of Wakandan characters to relate to, and a quick watch of the original might help.

At a mighty 2 hours 41 minutes, stock up on your popcorn and make sure you get a comfy seat!

7.22pm: Curtain up!

They handled lead actor, Chadwick Boseman‘s passing after the first movie with respect and dignity by making it the opening scene and the thrust of the overall story. Marvel also reworked their familiar animated ‘intro logo’ by replacing the multitude of MCU characters with just CB in character. There were even a few short scenes towards the end featuring the original Black Panther as a final tribute – nice touch!

Like a lot of Marvel output these days there’s a bit of flab, especially around the middle (reminds me of my physique!). Consequently, I felt they could have trimmed around 30 minutes off the total run-time.

The secondary plotline involving characters, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis Dreyfus) and Everett J Ross (Martin Freeman) didn’t add much to the narrative and was a bit pointless – even if both are key characters in the wider MCU. There’s plenty going on throughout to keep audiences engaged (apart from the middle) with the lines blurred somewhat between the good and bad guys’ motivations that gave it a more realistic feel. Do take a few tissues for the obligatory loss of a major loved character by Act III (and the return of someone who you might not have expected to see again!).

With no sign of the Marvel movie juggernaut ceasing to turn out even more of the same, there’s obvious scope for a third in the series.

Oh, and don’t forget to stay for the now-mandatory mid-credit scene. It appears to set the Black Panther franchise up for about the next 30 years!

10.03pm: Overall then, a worthy sequel, especially given the sad death of the original’s lead character. Just the right amount of action with a great cast playing their parts with conviction in a multi-faceted story. You won’t need to be a Marvel fan to enjoy this one, but do go to the loo before it begins (and if you can’t, save it for the second act, where things drag a little).

Go see!

Cast & Creatives

Behind the camera
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Screenplay by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
Story by Ryan Coogler Based on Marvel Comics
Produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore

Main Cast
Alex Livinalli as Attuma
Anderson Cooper as himself
Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda
Danai Gurira as Okoye
Danny Sapani as Border Tribe Elder
Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams/Ironheart
Dorothy Steel as Merchant Tribe Elder
Florence Kasumba as Ayo
Isaach de Bankolé as River Tribe Elder
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Lake Bell as Doctor Graham
Letitia Wright As Princess Shuri/Black Panther
Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia
Mabel Cadena as Namora
María Mercedes Coroy as Namor’s mother
Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross
Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger
Michaela Coel as Aneka
Tenoch Huerta As Namor
Winston Duke as M’Baku

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: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 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.

Another busy Sunday (in a good way) as we headed straight from Rosi and David’s ‘Ruby Do’ to the local Odeon (meeting up with Janet & Jo) to see the latest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) franchise – Thor: Love and Thunder.

This is a direct sequel to Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and the 29th movie in the MCU series of movies.

29th?????

Luckily, you don’t need to have seen all of these for it to make sense, but a rewatch of Thor: Ragnarok helps a little!

Synopsis

Thor calls on the help from Valkyrie, Jane Foster and Korg when Gorr, the God Butcher attempts to fulfil his job title!

Any good?

Dear me, what a mess! A wafer-thin plot combined with a bucket full of other narrative nonsense that competed (unsuccessfully) with much more serious topics, made this easily the worst movie to-date in the MCU franchise. Whoever signed this one off should be taken out the back and… well, you get the idea!

Ironically, it had a great cast who acted their socks off (with Russell Crowe as Zeus, easily stealing the show for me), Looking deeper, the film was all over the place in tone… one minute comedic, the next, deadly serious. I’m pretty sure that comedy and Thor just don’t mix – and being one of the shorter Marvel films didn’t help with the pacing!

The result? It’s probably done the franchise no favours at all with this latest outing. It didn’t move the whole MCU vision any further forward and risked turning the character Thor into more of a buffoon than a super-hero. Anyone seeing this as their FIRST Marvel movie (if they stay that long) hoping to find out what all the fuss is about with the Marvel Film franchise will rightly conclude they needn’t bother! Luckily, the previous 28 ARE worth a watch! (Well, most of them anyway!)

One possible high point? Don’t forget to stay for the obligatory-now-standard mid-credits and post-credits scene (‘nuf said!). They set the scene for future movies (maybe!) and answer the question as to whether a human can enter Valhalla.

I think this movie is one for MCU completists only – don’t waste your hard-earned cash, even if you do fancy Chris Hemsworth (some of our party does!)! Another one of those movies where all the best bits are in the trailer!!! . I wonder if Marvel is losing its mojo on the big-screen? Hope not!

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: Thor: Love and Thunder 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.

Beginning on Thursday. 2nd June and ending on Sunday, 5th June, this was a celebration of HM Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne.

Thursday, the 2nd

Spent the morning catching up with ‘bits and bobs’ as we only got back from our Scottish holiday yesterday afternoon.

Top Trooping

First of the formal stuff – Trooping of the Colour on TV.

…then the flypast featuring 70 flying machines…

Top Gunning

We then caught up with Jo and Janet in the afternoon and went to Odeon, Kettering to see Top Gun – Maverick.

Wow! What a film!!! Easily the best we’ve seen all year!!! A fast-paced action yarn that redefines ‘action movies’! If we could have given it SIX stars, we would!

Top TV

Cheesey-Beans-on-Crumpets for tea and we’re all set to watch EastEnders starring Prince Charles and Camilla!

Top Tree

…followed by the Lighting of the Beacons around the UK and the Commonwealth – 3000 of them! This included the ‘Tree of Trees’ near Buckingham Palace. A very comprehensive guide to the whole Beacon thing is here.

A great day, where even the weather behaved itself!

Friday, the 3rd

The highlight of the day was the Street Party in (lower) Berwick Way – but before all that… food preparation! We were both up early and by 9.30, my Raspberry Cheesecake was chilling in the fridge. Ann followed that with a ginormous Victoria Sponge.

The rest of the morning was pretty ordinary – I caught up with a few TV programmes that I’d recorded whilst we were away last week and we dipped in and out of the Royal Thanksgiving Service from Westminster Abbey. I then mowed the lawn and finally, prepared the ‘countdown’ social media posts for The Rowell Fair – yes, all very ordinary!

Jo dropped in to leave her car on our drive, whilst she and the Lower Berwick Way crowd began preparing the street. I expect to be helping out later.

4pm! With Desserts prepared, we walked down to J and J’s for the Lower Berwick Way Street Party!

By 8.30, the temperature dropped quite significantly, and that was the cue to begin the great clear-up. It had all been great fun – we even sang the National Anthem and Sweet Caroline!

Saturday, the 4th

Plenty of jobs to do around the house before the main event tonight – The Platinum Party at the Palace live, outside Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty had already announced that she wouldn’t be attending (which disappointed some although at 96 years old, it wasn’t a total surprise to anyone).

At 6 o’clock, we took a walk to the other end of Berwick Way, they were doing their own Street Party – and Ann and I were invited by Debbie/Roger and Stella and we were chuffed to be have been asked I think we caught the tail end of it, but it was still a great atmosphere and the cluster of neighbours had done a fine job in decorating the local space. Paul and Karen were delayed because of the imminent arrival of another grandchild!

Platinum Party at the Palace

At 8 o’clock, it was the televised Platinum Party.

But before all that – a big surprise (including HM’s children who were equally surprised as apparently HM had kept it a secret from them too!!) as the Queen appeared with Paddington Bear. A production masterpiece and it probably even upstaged her appearance at the Olympics 2012 Opening Ceremony when she parachuted out of a helicopter!

The Mall was certainly packed, and again, the weather played ball!

Let the party begin! Lee Mack introduced the evening and got the audience onside immediately with a gag about ‘Party’ and ‘Gate’! . Musically speaking, Queen with Alan Lambert opened the set with their anthem: “We Will Rock You” (fantastic!) and as the two-and-a-half hour event unfolded where a wide range of musical talent followed, spanning the generations. I’d heard of most of them (but not all of them!) and it was all very, very entertaining. Duran Duran, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Craig David, Alicia Keys, Ashley Banjo & Diversity, Elton John, Andrew Lloyd Webber, George Ezra, Elbow, Sam Rider, Nile Rodgers, Andrea Bocelli, Hans Zimmer, Celeste and Mica Paris plus for the yoof: Jax Jones, Mabel, Stefflon Don, Mimi Webb, Sigala & Ella Eyre. We also had some excerpts from the West End Musicals: Phantom of the Opera, Joseph, Lion King, Six and Hamilton. Rod Stewart was another superstar that struggled to hit the notes, with his rendition of Sweet Caroline, but nobody minded.

As darkness fell, the performers were about to be outdone by the fantastic lighting show, that beamed on the front of Buckingham Palace!

Not only lights but video and slide montages too! Absolutely fantastic and as a one-time organiser of conferences, I can easily imagine the amount of preparation that went into getting it all together.

And if that wasn’t enough, then it was the (700!) drone show above the Palace – and just added to the overall impact of the evening.

The evening concluded with presentations by the Duke of Cambridge and a very heartfelt speech by Prince Charles flanked by Camilla. The whole evening was topped-off with Diana Ross topping the bill with a few of her greatest hits. Some rumour of her miming it all, but it was still good stuff!

That was some concert! Pop, Pomp and Pageantry – we Brits certainly know who to put on a good great show!

Sunday, the 5th

The official day for Street Parties, although the weather (judging by the amount of rain overnight) returned to form – that’s also not a good sign for the massive Street Pageant up the Mall scheduled for the afternoon.

Jo and Janet dropped in for a cuppa – and a slice of the leftover cake from the Street Party!

The Pageant

The Finalé

The finale began with Ed Sheeran – doing what he does best! A man, a guitar and a great song!

And then, pretty much what everyone had been hoping for – The Queen made an appearance on the balcony!

That sure was some celebration! An event that’s unlikely ever to be repeated – glad I was around for it! .

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 The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration appeared first on Steve's Blog.