TV Reviews: A bit of Fry & Laurie

Release date: January 13th 1989 - April 2nd 1995 (4 series. 26 episodes).

Story: A comedy sketch series starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

My thoughts: This is a funny show. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are on top form and there are a lot of great moments in the show. From Stephen making his cocktails and the "Please Mr Music, will you play?" to the 'People in the street' sketches. If you like comedy sketch shows then I would recommend this. But just to warn you that there is a lot of adult humour in the show so it is only for 15 year olds and up.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: Back to the Future. Part 3

Release date: May 25th 1990.

Story: After the events of the second film, Doc is trapped in 1885 (the wild west era). So Marty travels there in order to rescue him. But things aren't easy when the DeLorean runs out of juice and you are stuck in a time period where gasoline isn't yet available. And also when you run foul with an outlaw.

My thoughts: This is the third and final part of the trilogy. The movie was shot back to back with the previous film and was released six months after the previous film. Again they recycled some jokes from the other movies and there are some parts that I didn't like. But it was nice to see Doc get a love interest and the wild west setting is cool. Would I want to see a possible fourth film? Properly. But only if everybody else wants to.

My score: Three stars.

Film Review: Back to the Future. Part 2

Release date: November 22nd 1989.

Story: After a trip into the future (October 21st, 2015 actually), Marty and Doc discover that their world has changed badly. And after discovering what had caused it, they realised that they must travel back to 1955 in order to changed things back to the way they once were.

My thoughts: This was a good sequel. I will admit that it was funny what they had predicted will be around in 2015 (hover boards, self tying shoes, flying cars, Jaws 19) yet they predict some things as well (unmanned drones, video chat systems, talking hologram billboards, wearable technology, widescreen flat panel televisions, head mounted displays, hands off video games, and tablet computers). One of the downsides of the film in my opinion is that they recycled some of the jokes. Yet it is a good film and I would recommend it.

My score: Three stars.

Film Review: Back to the Future.

Release date: July 3rd 1985.

Story: Seventeen year old Marty McFly is accidently sent back in time to 1955 in a time machine made out of DeLorean. While he is looking around, He accidently prevents his own parents from meeting each other. Realising that he will be erased from reality, he tries to sort things out before it is too late.

My thoughts: This is one of the most recognisable movies ever produced by Steven Spielberg. And it is a great film. From the comedy and the special effects to the characters and the story telling. Michael J. Fox  is great as Marty and Christopher Lloyd does a great performance as Dr Emmett 'Doc' Brown, the creator of the time machine. There are some moments in the film that you may not like but overall it is still a great film.

My score: Three stars.

Film Review: The kingdom of the crystal skull.

Release date: May 18th 2008 (Cannes film festival release). May 22nd 2008 (US release).

Story: Indiana Jones is back as he and a young adult Mutt Williams (played by Shia LaBeouf) travel the world in order to save Mutt's mother and to retrieve a skull made out of crystal.

My thoughts: This is the fourth and last Indiana Jones film. And also the least liked one. This was the one which started all of those "nuking the fridge" memes and I can understand the other reasons that fans did not like about it. But apart from those things, it is an ok film and properly good for a rental.

My score: Three stars. 

Film Review: The Last Crusade

Release date: May 24th 1989.

Story: Indiana returns as he and his father (Sean Connery) go searching for the Holy Grail.

My thoughts: This is the third in the Indiana Jones series. This one is more light hearted than the previous one and it is a great movie. Sean Connery is great as Indiana's father and there is a good presence of us vs them when they try and stop the grail falling into enemy hands.

My score: Three stars.

Film Review: Temple of Doom

Release date: May 23rd 1984.

Story: Indiana Jones returns as he, along with a nightclub singer named Willie Scott and a kid named Short Round, travel in India to take on an evil cult.

My thoughts: This is the second Indiana Jones film and the most darkest one. This was the movie that created the PG-13 certificate in order to avoid the film getting an R rating. Like the previous film (which is set a year after the events of this film) there are a lot of memorable scenes and lines. Like the scene where Indiana retrieves his hat before a huge stone door slides shut (which I have seen parodies of it before watching this film). I would recommend this for any action/adventure fans out there. But just be warned that there are a lot of dark and scary imagery in the movie.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: Raiders of the lost ark.

Release date: June 12th 1981 (US release). July 30th 1981 (UK release).

Story: Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones. A adventurer/archaeologist who travels around the world seeking hidden treasure. Now he is task to seek out the Ark of the Covenant before it falls into enemy hands and is used as a weapon.

My thoughts: This was the first of the Indiana Jones films. Harrison Ford is great in one of the most memorable roles in cinema history. His character and most scenes were parodied a lot and the dialog is really quotable. The action is great from Indiana being chased by the giant bolder to the fight scenes. If you like action/adventure films then I would give it a watch.

Release date: Four stars.

TV Review: Father Ted

Release date: April 21st 1995 - May 1st 1998 (3 series. 25 episodes).

Story: The many misadventures of three Roman Catholic priests and their house keeper on the fictional Irish island of Craggy island.

My thoughts: This is a very funny show. The characters are great, the jokes are funny, and the locations are cool. If you are interested in religious comedies then I would give this a watch. But just to warn you that it is for 15 year olds upwards.

My score: Four stars.

Gaming Reviews: Jump Force.

Release date: February 15th 2019.

Type of game: Anime, fighting, RPG, crossover.

Story: When the real world collies with many anime worlds, it is up to the player and a team of anime heros to save their worlds from an unknown enemy and an army of mind controlled people called Venoms (not to be confused with the Marvel villain/anti hero of the same name) before it is to late.

My thoughts: This is an amazing game. There is a huge collection of anime characters to play as and you can create your own playable character to fight alongside them and interacted with them (even though your character is silent except when fighting). You can either create yourself, make up your own character, or re-create a character from an anime. You can also chose which type of fighting style you want your character to have (either from Dragonball Z, Naruto, or One Piece). And you can also join three teams. Team Alpha (led by Goku which fights off the Venoms), Team Beta (led by Luffy which tries to recapture territory from the Venoms), and Team Gamma (led by Naruto which does stealth operations like spying and collecting data). Along with the story mode, you can also do team battles both online and offline. And you can customize your character as well (by buying them outfits and special fighting moves). Also when the characters are getting hit, they begin to show signs of damage (like their clothes getting dirty or torn and themselves getting cuts and bruises). 

Any dislikes?: There are a number of things that I disliked about the game. One of them being the fact that some of the battles can be a bit difficult. Like you can walk through one battle without much difficulty while it takes you several tries to win the other battle. Like the one where Dai from Dragon Quest fought Kakashi Hatake from Naruto. It took me twenty tries before I managed to defeat Kakashi. But what really annoys me is the fact that the enemy will defeat you in a few short hits while they constantly block every attack you throw out at them. This gets annoying really fast.

Also there is a part in the game where it seems that Goku, Naruto, and Luffy have all been killed or kidnapped. And yet turn up later on in the game all ok and saying that they were stuck in-between worlds. I would have prefer it if they have been kidnapped by the villains and that you have to rescue them. Also I would have like it if this game was also a choose your own path type of game. Cause it feels like it in places.

What I would like to see in an update or a DLC: Some more characters from the chosen anime, more customizing items, and perhaps one where you can create more O.Cs but for the online and offline battles.

My score: Five stars.

TV Reviews: Star Trek the next generation.

Release date: September 28th 1987 - May 23rd 1994 (7 seasons. 178 episodes).

Story: Jean-Luc Picard captains the star ship Enterprise as he and his crew continue Star Fleet's mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, and to boldly go where no one has gone before.

My thoughts: This is my favourite series of Star Trek and the only one I have brought on dvd. The characters are great and there is a good blend of action, drama, and comedy in the show. I have brought the complete series of the original show (with Captain Kirk and Mr Spock) and might get around to reviewing it at a later date.

My score: Five stars.

Film Reivew: The Core.

Release date: March 28th 2003.

Story: The Earth's core suddenly stops spinning. Causing huge catastrophises on the surface. Realising that the planet is in great danger, a team of scientists create a train/drill machine to take them to the planet's core in order to jump start it before it's too late.

My thoughts: This is an ok film. There are some things in the film that real scientists could question but the action is good. But what I didn't like about the film is that it never gives us a reason why the core has stopped spinning. In the trailers, they said that a top secret device created by the government that can causes earthquakes to rouge nations was the cause of it. But in the movie, the only time this device was brought up was when they were looking for a second option if they've run out of time. But it is an ok movie and I can recommend it for some people.

My score: Two stars.  

Film Review: The Shining

Release date: May 23rd 1980 (US release). October 2nd 1980 (UK release).

Story: Jack Torrance gets a job as a winter caretaker at a mountain isolated hotel called the Overlook Hotel. Where he and his family would stay during the winter months and take care of the hotel while it is closed. But things are not that easy when Jack is a recovering alcoholic, that his son has psychic powers, and that the hotel may be haunted by evil forces that will take their toll on Jack.

My thoughts: This is one of the most recognisable films based on a Stephen King novel. And it is really good. Stanley Kubrick is an amazing director and it shows as he puts his own blend of filming in this. Even thought Stephen King hated the film, it has become one of the greatest horror movies out there. Jack Nicholson is amazing as Jack Torrance. The way he changes from a short of caring father into a complete psychopathic madman at the end is made great by a slow build up and that the films makes you wonder if the ghost are actually causing Jack to turn insane or the complete isolation of his location and the fact that he is suffering from writers block that is causing it. The other characters are great as well and the locations are amazing. And the climax will leave you on edge.

Just to warn you that this is a horror movie. So it's only for those who are eighteen years and older.

My score: Five stars.