FRANCIS DUNNERY - "VAMPIRES" CD REVIEW

I suppose I should say that I’ve long been a fan and admirer of Francis Dunnery. He made some incredible albums with It Bites, and went on to a solo career that has produced some brilliant work. For me, he hasn’t done anything of real interest since ‘The Gully Flats Boys’ over ten years ago, with more recent releases showcasing a man who really doesn’t seem to sure what he wants to do anymore, revisiting his past and wibbling on about astrology and not actually writing any new music. Surely, I hoped, an album named after one of It Bites more aggressive tunes might be different?

Well, the simple answer is ‘no’, as ‘Vampires’ is a double dig pack CD that contains 14 reworkings of It Bites songs. Okay, you may be thinking, maybe this is a chance for Frank to give us interesting new versions of some classics that can sit proudly next to the originals. Again, it’s a big ‘no’ there, as almost all of these add absolutely nothing to the originals. ‘Underneath Your Pillow’ does change the ending so it’s like the old live version but that’s it. There is always the excuse of getting a better production on the songs, but to be honest the originals were pretty damn well produced, and these in general don’t sound as good, although if you were completely new to the songs you would find little to complain about. Indeed, ‘Screaming On The Beaches’ lacks the youthful energy of the original and just sounds hollow, whilst the title track burns up when exposed to the sunlight of the original.

Another bugbear is the price we fans are paying for what is in effect nothing new. $25 for a download? $30 for a CD? Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Dunnery? I understand yours is a cottage industry, but only the most dedicated fans will want to fork out their hard earned for an album they might as well already have. As a ‘Best Of It Bites’ this is a cracker, but as a fan I feel completely ripped off. Ironically, for an album called ‘Vampires’ this is utterly toothless.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

I sat down to watch this earlier today, and two and a half hours later staggered into the light with decidedly mixed feelings. I didn't have the buzz that had been present after seeing 'Deadpool' or 'Guardians Of The Galaxy', and I didn't even feel that I had been entertained like with 'Ant Man'. 'Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice' is a different kettle of worms completely, steering DC's big screen output to an altogether darker place than Marvel are prepared to go. 

The film starts with an outsider's view of the big showdown from the end of 'Man Of Steel', as Supes and General Zod basically kill thousands of people and knock down more buildings than Godzilla having a hissy fit. The outsider in question is Bruce Wayne, desperate to do what he can to save employees in the building that houses Wayne Enterprises Gotham branch. The answer is: not much. After all, he's just a man and a collapsing building is pretty heavy. Naturally, this makes Bruce wonder if we would be better off without this Superman chap, as 20 years as Batman tells him that it'll all go horribly wrong one day.

For his part, Superman is as boring as ever, Henry Cavill doing whatever he can to make you give a toss about an invulnerable alien. There's a daft plot that ties into the main film plot about someone arming terrorists (Supes saves Lois again – yaaaawn), and people are starting to turn against him, exactly as they would in real life, no matter how much good he does. After all, who would trust one with a power of a God and no one to answer to?

Pulling various strings behind them both is Lex Luthor (for the billionth time), played in a quirky, semi-insane fashion by Jesse Eisenberg. I'm not sure if he's supposed to be inherently unlikeable, but I wanted to smash his face in throughout the film. He's genuinely scared of what Superman is capable of, and is determined to get rid of him one way or another.

So stuff happens and the two titans get to have a nice little scrap. Fans of the characters will know there's only going to be one winner, but of course the have to kiss and make up to fight Luthor and his end-of-level-boss monster that has to be pummelled in the last half hour. Gail Gadot's Wonder Woman is shoehorned into this bit, seemingly with way more power than in the comics. Regardless, she has a real presence and lights up the screen, so bring on her interesting looking solo movie. There's also none too subtle hints of future Justice Leaguers Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash, but don't expect too much. 

Even at two and a half hours, it seems that key scenes have been jettisoned, as Luthor somehow knows who Superman is and Superman knows who Batman is, and Luthor's shouty foreshadowing of an alien threat seems based on nothing at all but the need to give fans a hint. The plot is full of holes, and the script should have been tighter, but that's just me. Oh, and if you're looking for levity there's none. This is a serious, bleak, dark film that does not want you to smile ever again. This movie would tell Deadpool to stop being so childish.

The absolute best thing about it is Ben Affleck. This man is Batman more than any other Batman, convincing as both the dark knight and Bruce Wayne. Tormented, driven and hard as nails he IS the Batman you've been looking for. I genuinely like Affleck anyway, and I'm glad someone spotted his bat-potential. I doubt it will come, but a solo film would be a sizzling prospect.

Ultimately, 'Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice' (note who gets top billing) is not a great film, but it IS a good one. It may help that I'm a mature comics fan not a fidgety kid or perfectionist geek, but I am happy to see DC take the darker route. What it needs is to stop focusing on Superman because he's a boring, one note character, and follow Marvel in bringing heroes with personalities to the screen. 

TRAILER:

2000AD Thrillcast - Podcast Review

Greetings, or as 2000AD Thrillcast host Mike Molcher would have it, 'Borag Thungg Earthlets'. For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the self proclaimed Galaxy's Greatest Comic, it's alien  editor, Tharg (The Mighty), has his own lexicon of phrases that only the dedicated can be arsed to learn. It's all part of the fun, though, pointing at a fan base that is quite happy not to take itself too seriously.

The Thrillcast has been going for just over a year now, and has featured interviews with a multitude of creators as well as a question and answer segment with Tharg himself (herself? has this ever been clarified?) and other bits and pieces. The reason I have decided to bring it to your attention is the recent three part interview with co-founder John Wagner. The man is deservedly a legend in comics, surely the British equivalent of Stan Lee, although Wagner is an immeasurably better writer and always has been. Along with Pat Mills he created Judge Dredd, the ultimate British comics icon, when they were asked to stitch together a sci-fi comic almost 40 years ago.

Molcher himself conducts the interview in fine fashion (as he does throughout the 'casts), coming over very much like Richard Bacon. It might just be me, but I like Richard Bacon so it's a good thing. John Wagner is happy to talk about anything at all, and if I'm honest the three hour overall running time could have been doubled and still leave questions unasked, such has been the output of the man. Part 1 is a little dodgy, having been recorded in a busy pub, (a lousy decision in anyone's book), but when they decamp to Wagner's home it's a much easier listen. Molcher is a big fan and it shows in the questions, and you get the impression he's in fanboy heaven, much as I myself would have been. It's informative and entertaining, and the true seal of approval is that I was annoyed when it finished, wishing that there had been time for a few more topics (Wagner's crass use of racial stereotypes, for example). Ah well, at least his Alpacas are included.

These three podcasts are a good place to start if you've not discovered the 2000AD Thrillcast yet, but once you've been Wagnered up I recommend downloading the rest, because if you are a fan of the comics they really are a pleasure to listen to. I myself have a keen interest in comics from the 70s onward, and the interviews with creators who were working at the time often provide priceless insights, and the joy is that 2000AD has had a multitude of talented individuals pass through it's doors, so there's many more to come.

In short, don't be a Grexnix, have a listen to the 2000AD Thrillcast.

Listen/Download HERE

DEADPOOL (15) - Film Review

This could have gone so horribly wrong. A superhero movie that features a lead character that kills people, swears, has sex and talks to the audience? Man, that could've backfired big time, but if you want to make a Deadpool movie that honours the source material that's just what you have to do. So here it is: the first big budget film based on a Marvel property that's definitely not for kids, although kids are gonna love it, trust me.

Wade Wilson is a mercenary, dishonourably discharged from the forces, he now sells his services to people who want him to deal with scumbags. This is made clear: Wade Wilson is NOT a bad person, but he likes doing bad things to bad people – he's good at it. Essentially, Wade falls in love and gets cancer, so much cancer that he's basically fucked eight ways to kingdom come. A shady guy says that his organisation can cure him and also give him powers, so what's to lose, right? Long story (filled with pain) short, Wade gets cured, gets mutilated, gets powers, and becomes Deadpool to get both revenge and his movie star looks back. That's your basic plot, now add swearing, violence, sarcasm and rude jokes. Ta daaa – Deadpool the movie.

Amazingly, it's not actually a bad plot. It;'s simple enough to follow, and has enough detail to make you actually care. This is helped by uniformly good performances, including the awesomely lovely Morena Baccarin as Wade's girlfriend. The star is, of course, Ryan Reynolds, who you would think was born to play this character. His previous disastrous appearance as Deadpool in Wolverine: Origins is quite rightly mocked a couple of times, as is Wolverine himself. The origin story is told in flashbacks rather than in a linear fashion, and it does a good job of spacing out the incredibly well shot violence as Deadpool tracks down the man who cured/maimed him/made him immortal. This a film that looks GOOD. We even get a couple of X-Men thrown in, with a totally CGI Colossus and dwarf Sinead O'Connor called Negatonic Teenage Warhead. At the X Mansion, Deadpool quips that it's almost as if the producers couldn't afford any other X-Men.

Like many fans (although not of all his comics) I was looking forward to this and also dreading a massive clusterfuck as a frightened studio backpedalled away from everything that makes Deadpool Deadpool. Let me assure you that no such thing has happened, and it really is like watching a live action version of the best of the comics. Deadpool tells the audience that it's a love story, and at heart this is totally true, but love really does hurt (mostly other people). It will make you laugh out loud many times, and I can say with sincerity that people who have never heard of Deadpool can still enjoy it for the sheer amount of silliness packed in. Remember, though, they also have to like violence and profanity so choose your date wisely.

Deadpool has quickly inserted itself at the top of my favourite Marvel movies tree (although it is made by Fox). It's up there with Guardians Of The Galaxy for action packed fun, and a real shot in the arm for the genre after the limp cumrag that was Fantastic Four. It's juvenile for the most part, and over the top throughout, but there's going to be a sizeable audience out there for it, I'm sure. Oh, and don't forget to stay for the post credits scenes, y'hear?

ALBUM REVIEW: MAGNUM - 'Sacred Blood, "Divine" Lies'

Incredibly, this is Magnum’s eighth studio album since reforming in 2001, only two less than their output beforehand. Maybe it’s time to judge Magnum on what they are now, rather than what they were, and stop crossing fingers and waiting for ‘…Storytellers’ part 2. The simple truth is that Magnum remain an astonishingly consistent rock group, and as such this new album will delight existing fans whilst having enough quality to hook a few new ones at the same time.

The title track opens the album, and as expected it’s Tony Clarkin showing his usual disdain for religion. More than that, it’s a huge melodic stomper with a very Magumesque break in the middle. It bodes well for an album described in the press release as being ‘among the group’s most dynamic releases’. The track itself is certainly a highlight of the album for me, along with ‘Quiet Rhapsody’, a quieter song with a solid, catchy guitar refrain and excellent vocal work from the ever reliable Bob Catley. That said, this isn’t an album with any weak tracks at all, full of guitar heavy bruisers that have will have old fans such as myself doing the Bob Catley arm movements as they listen and sing along. There’s no short, sharp fixes, as all the tracks clear the four minute mark, but those hoping for a Clarkin magnum opus will be unsatisfied, as nothing reaches the seven minute mark either.

‘Sacred Blood…’ is, in my eyes (and ears) the finest Magnum album since they returned, purely because of the sheer quality of the whole thing. There’s no temptation to skip a track, and each has it’s own merits whilst resolutely remaining Magum-like in essence. ‘The Gathering’ compilation was a fantastic reminder of what modern Magnum is all about, and took the standout tracks from several albums. ‘Sacred Blood…’ matches those standout tracks, with Clarkin choosing  wisely from the 25 tracks he had written, narrowing it down to a solid ten. Well, I say that, but the digi pack has three extra songs that I didn’t get sent. Boo! What I do have, though, is a Magnum album that I know will remain a favourite.

STAR WARS : THE FORCE AWAKENS (12A)

SPOILER FREE REVIEW (If you’ve seen the trailer, anyway)

It’s been a long wait for a Star Wars film worth the title. Anyone with any honesty within themseloves knows full well the prequel trilogy just wasn’t good enough, being soundly trounced by three films made with toilet rolls, glue and, most importantly, heart. Thank Bod, then, for Disney, who paid a lot of Micky Mouse money to wrest the franchise from George Lucas.

So tension and excitement have built, with the seemingly safe pair of hands that is JJ Abrams at the helm, not only a great director but a massive fan.  We were promised less CGI and more passion, more like the first film, and that, my friends, is exactly what we’ve got.

Watching ‘The Force Awakens’, it’s easy to see that Abrams and his cohorts realized that what they wanted was to make a similar impact on new viewers as the original did on us old farts in 1977. He’s cast relative unknowns in all the leads (aside from returning characters) and stripped the story back so we come full circle, with a young nobody, Rey (Daisey Ridley), getting mixed up in intergalactic war. The war this time is between the New Order and the Resistance, basically the Empire and the Rebels thirty years on. She is teamed up with a deserter Stormtrooper, Finn (John Boyega), which is a nice touch, and a robot called BB-8 which is basically a smaller, cuter, more mobile version of R2-D2. Rey and Finn get caught between the New Order’s new weapon (more a Death Planet than Death Star) and the Resistance, both of whom want information from the BB—8 droid. It’s a rather similar plot to ‘A New Hope’ in outline, and all it needs is a plucky Corellian smuggler to join in. Oh, wait...

When it gets things right, which is most of the time, the film delivers in spades. Tie fighters, star destroyers, X-wings, Lightsabres, Chewbacca actually using his Bowcaster, Han Solo being, well, Han Solo – it all works so well, bolstered immensely by the likable Daisy Ridly and, to a lesser extent, John Boyega. There’s an effective new bad guy, too, in wannabe dark side master Kylo Ren, and you can expect to see his nifty lightsabre in shops all over the place. I loved the fact that old characters returned, but are not allowed to overshadow the new ones, with Harrison Ford being given the meatiest part of any. 

So I suppose this is Star Wars for a new generation, whilst keeping the old generation happy as well. It looks fantastic (even the 3D version is great), with plenty of aliens wandering around and even a cantina-type scene complete with band. There’s no mention of midiclorians, and Jar Jar Binks is consigned to the dustbin where he belongs.  There’s several superb action set pieces, and the fighting is much more graphic and realistic than before, warranting a deserved 12A certificate.  My only niggle is the fact that the New Order’s big boss is never explored in any way, but I would hope this will come in a sequel. So is The Force strong in this one? Fuck, yeah!

Trailer

'PIXELS' - Hey! It's Not A bad Film!

Wow... this film has attracted some particularly venomous internet comments, even for an Adam Sandler vehicle. Myself, I used to quite like Sandler when he made funny films, but nowadays he's rather hit and miss. I quite like the gentler stuff like 'Blended', but throw in 'Jack & Jill' or the abysmal 'Grown Ups 2' and you have more misses than hits. 'Pixels' is his last proper film before he leaves Sony (he's also doing 'Hotel Transylvania 2), and boy do people hate it.

So whilst I sat prepared for the worst, I was hoping to enjoy this one, as I'm a fan of old arcade games myself (old enough to remember them as new arcade games). In case you didn't know, 'Pixels' concerns an alien invasion which takes the form of 80s video game challenges, with earth having three lives to lose the planet for good. President Cooper (Kevin James, just get over it) calls in his old buddies from childhood to help out, as the invaders are using the same pattern template that they used to be so good at defeating in the arcade. That's the meat and two veg of it, with Sandler playing Brenner, a nerd who never really did anything with his life and all the usual zero to hero guff. Predictable? Well, yeah.

Whilst it's never going to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of 'Ghostbusters', 'Pixels' does it's job very well. The characters are pretty basic, although kudos to Peter Dinklage for making his video game bad boy/twat Eddie more than two dimensional (with a GREAT mullet). There's even the standard love interest, although Michelle Monaghan at least gets to give her some balls. So why isn't it shite?

Well, in simple terms it's just an enjoyable film. No one dies (not even Sean Bean!), there's no foul language and all the violence is literally video game violence. There's plenty of characters for fans to spot (The dog from 'Duck Shoot' anyone?), and the effects really are spot on when it comes to realizing these classic games in real life and dimensions. This was never going to be deep or meaningful, and it doesn't even try. It's a sit down, watch, have fun, leave movie, nothing more. I may watch it again in a few years when it's on TV, but I'm not likely to go around shouting it's virtues from the hilltops.

The honest truth is I enjoyed 'Pixels'. It's fun and user friendly. Maybe it's better for me because of the nostalgia factor, or maybe I just don't feel the need to hate on Sandler like so many others, merely to take each film as it comes. All I'm saying, is give 'Pixels' a chance.

Trailer #2