superheroes tagged posts

October 15, 2019, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

In episode 70 of The Electric Shadows Podcast, Robs Daniel and Wallis set their laughing gear to discussing Todd Phillips’ Joker. A controversial film being hailed as a masterpiece, the two Robs are baffled as to why.

They both talk about why the film left them unimpressed and non-plussed, from the slavish homage to Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy to Joaquin Phoenix’s mannered performance.

Rob D recounts the negative reactions his review has met on Facebook and R&R attempt to figure out where the love is coming from.

To help them, friend of the podcast Adrian Zak joins Rob D for a brief chat, describing what he found to like in the movie. Never say we’re not balanced.

We recorded this one outside between screenings at the London Film Festival, hence the background being...

October 7, 2019, Posted in  Reviews Comments: 2 comments

Director: Todd Phillips

Writers: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy

Producers: Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff

Music: Hildur Guðnadóttir

Cinematography: Lawrence Sher

Editor: Jeff Groth

Cert: 15

Running time: 122mins

Year: 2019

What’s the story: Gotham, 1981. As the world goes to ruin, mentally ill clown impersonator Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) begins to lose his sanity.

What’s the verdict: After all the critical adulation, it’s a punchline worthy of the Clown Prince of Crime himself that Joker isn’t very good.

We’re in early 80s Gotham for DC’s latest movie...

July 14, 2019, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Episode 66 of The Electric Shadows Podcast tackles two different films indeed.

First up we have Spider-Man: Far From Home. Can the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe swing as high as Spider-Man: Homecoming or Avengers: Endgame? Or Into the Spider-Verse for that matter? Robs Daniel and Wallis take a look and rank this latest instalment against the webslinger’s previous big screen adventures.

The episode then journeys into the rural horrors of Ari Aster’s Midsommar. The follow-up to Aster’s Hereditary, it’s folklore and cult horror in one. But, does Rob Daniel think it an improvement on Hereditary, that critical darling that left him cold? Rob Wallis was an Hereditary fan, so what does he make of this latest outing?

There is also time for a discussion on what is next ...

June 9, 2019, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

In episode 64 of The Electric Shadows Podcast, Robs Daniel and Wallis show remarkable restraint in largely eschewing X-related puns as they discuss Dark Phoenix.

But, they do talk about the long, windy road of this 19-year-old franchise, why in some ways it is superior to the MCU, where it has stumbled, and what they think of the latest instalment.

Which, of course, is a retelling of a plot events previously visited in X-Men: The Last Stand (aka, the Brett Ratner one, aka the black sheep of the X-franchise, but actually containing good stuff and certainly better than X-Men: Origins – Wolverine).

They also rank the entire series best to worst and make room for favourite moments.

So, pop your headphones on and let us X-cite you. Damn, almost made it to the end!

To check ...

April 28, 2019, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Episode 61 of The Electric Shadows Podcast is an epic discussion of Avengers: Endgame. But, what do the two Robs, our intrepid explorers in pod, make of the final instalment of the Infinity saga?

No spoilers here, and also no spoilers for the film itself until the podcast gets into the spoiler zone. But, there is a massive buffer, so you have more than enough time to turn off your iPhone/Android phone before then. And come back to us when you’ve seen it.

On their travels, the Robs recount the eleven year journey it took to reach this film, and what an achievement it has been...

April 14, 2019, Posted in  Reviews Comments: One comment

Director: Neil Marshall

Writers: Andrew Cosby (script), Mike Mignola (characters)

Cast: David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim

Cert: 15

Running time: 120mins

Year: 2019

What’s the story: In modern-day Britain, Hellboy (Harbour) battles wicked witch Nimue (Jovovich), who has returned to unleash pestilential havoc on the land. Hellboy is joined by his adoptive father and demon hunter Professor Broom (McShane), the magically gifted Alice (Lane) and gruff Special Forces agent Daimio (Dae Kim).

What’s the verdict: Hellboy 2019 arrives with a diabolical number of strikes against it.

Fan backlash that it’s not a Guillermo Del Toro/Ron Perlman reteaming to tie up story threads from 2008’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army...

March 21, 2019, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Episode 58 of The Electric Shadows Podcast sees Robs Daniel & Wallis delivering their verdict on Captain Marvel. Is it indeed Marvel-lous? Or does the cookie cutter filmmaking bite deep? We won’t spoil the surprises, but let’s just say Brie Larson delivers one of the liveliest performances in the MCU.

The Robs also ponder why it has taken so long for Marvel to deliver a female-led superhero movie, what might be next, and go off on one or two tangents about other franchises. Yes, DC is mentioned.

Rob Daniel also reasons why Ant-Man and The Wasp is a more satisfying movie than Avengers: Infinity War, but admits Captain Marvel has got him finally excited for Endgame...

January 18, 2019, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Writer: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark

Cert: 15

Running time: 129mins

Year: 2019

What’s the story: In a mental institution, a doctor tries to convince the seemingly superhuman David Dunn (Willis) and Kevin (McAvoy) and the brittle-boned Elijah Price (Jackson) they are not real-life superheroes and villains.

What’s the verdict: We blame Christopher Nolan. His Dark Knight trilogy received the plaudits for bringing superheroes and villains into a world recognisably our own. And made a few billion bucks into the bargain.

No-one really mentioned M...

July 7, 2018, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Episode 46 of The Electric Shadows Podcast may focus on Incredibles 2, but Robs Daniel & Wallis squeeze in much more movie talk besides.

Other films discussed are Hereditary (one Rob is warmer to it than the other), Sicario 2: Soldado (the other Rob is warmer to it than the other), Oceans 8 (only one Rob has seen it) and Leave No Trace (only the other other Rob has seen it).

There is also time for a quick rundown of Mission: Impossible movies and superhero films when delivering their verdict on Incredibles 2.  And Rob Wallis impresses with his knowledge of Shakespeare. Everything crammed into just over an hour. Who says they can’t be disciplined with run times? They do actually…

To check out Rob Wallis’ movie writings, head over to www.ofallthefilmsites.com

Twitter: rob_a_daniel

iTu...

July 1, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: One comment

Director: Brad Bird

Writer: Brad Bird

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Samuel L. Jackson

Cert: PG

Running time: 118mins

Year: 2018

What’s the story: Helen Parr, aka Elastigirl (Hunter), is recruited by brother and sister tech tycoons (Odenkirk and Keener) to rehabilitate public perception of superheroes. Leaving Bob Parr, aka Mr. Incredible (Nelson), to deal with kids Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack. But, supervillainous trouble looms in the shape of the mysterious Screenslaver.

What’s the verdict: The Incredibles was such a delight that despite climaxing with a cliffhanger (or, more accurately, a threat from below) a follow-up never felt necessary.

Writer/director Brad Bird clearly shared this opinion for years...