Reviews

This film opens in Egypt thousands of years ago. Followers of the late Pharaoh Sefirama round up villagers and bury them with the Sefirama. The priestess leading the funeral service warns that if the tomb is disturbed Sefirama and his army will rise from the dead to rule again. Millennia pass. In the present to tomb is discovered by Rick, Tariq, and Karib, a trio of tomb robbers hoping to find gold. Shortly afterwards a photographer and a group of models arrive in the area for a fashion shoot. On hearing of the tomb they decide to shoot there, the thieves act as though they have nothing to hide. Inevitably Sefirama does rise from the dead and people start dying.

This film was never going to win any awards. The story isn't all that bad but the acting is laughable. Nothing much happens in the early part of the film and the characters aren't interesting enough to care about once it does start. On the plus side I liked the somewhat unpleasant look of Sefirama and his undead followers and once they start killing people it is quite gory. The music is a distraction from the film; doesn't add to the tension and is unnecessarily loud. Overall this certainly isn't a must watch and is only likely to appeal to connoisseurs of low budget horror.

This, the first of a two part season finale, sees The Doctor and Ruby going to UNIT HQ. Here they hope to identify the woman The Doctor has seen in different guises everywhere he travelled with Ruby; they also hope to find the identity of Ruby's birth-mother. The Doctor learns that the woman is here too; she is Susan Triad, head of S Triad Technology... she may also be somebody from The Doctor's past.

I thought this was a pretty solid episode despite the fact that it is set mostly in a single room. This means there isn't the usual running around. The story brings back old characters and references a threat not seen since 1975 in a story I admit I can't remember. Tension rises nicely as the episode progresses and there are some nicely scary, but not too scary moments. There are some weaker points; I wasn't keen on the thirteen year old child genius working at UNIT and having identities hidden by anagrams is more than a little cliché. Overall a solid enough episode; hopefully the second part will give us a good conclusion.

Thirteen year old Princess Sara Da Odin and Livia Do Udis, her knight, are on the losing side when the Ofim Empire falls to rebel forces. Using a portal they manage to escape and find themselves in modern day Japan. Sara is found by Sosuke Kaburaya a struggling detective; he takes her in and she ends up helping him with his work. Meanwhile Livia has less luck; separated from Sara she ends up homeless. She gets a few job offers but they tend to be somewhat sleazy then, thanks to her magical abilities finds herself the subject of a cult's attention.

I thought this series was a lot of fun; the characters are likable and fun to watch. Attention is mostly divided between Sara and Livia's activities; personally I found the latter's more amusing although both were entertaining. While it isn't offensive there is some fan service and risqué content; mostly involving Livia. The character designs and animation are good. Overall a really fun little series; well worth watching if you want a laugh.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

This Croatian/Ukrainian series opens in the Croatian city of Osijek where a man discovers the body of a girl on the banks of the River Drava. Police officers Inspektor Vladimir 'Vlado' Kovac and Inspektorica Vesna Horak are put on the case. Also investigating matters is Stribor, a journalist. At first it is considered a suicide but when further bodies are found the possibility that there is a serial killer at work arises. Meanwhile in Kyiv; Olga, the Ukrainian wife of a Croatian politician, is running a charity for girls when her own niece goes missing. As the investigation into the killer progresses it becomes clear that people in power are keen to guide the investigation in a particular way.

I found this to be a gripping series. The story is effective and the characters interesting. Of course one thing the makers couldn't envisage was the fact that Russia would invade Ukraine just before the first season aired. This was incorporated into the story for season two; the contrast between the city of Kyiv in the two seasons is shocking even though we've all seen what happened in the news. The story moves at a good pace and there is plenty of tension and a real sense of danger. The cast does a really fine job making their characters believable. Without going into details all major plot lines are wrapped up at the end of the second season so one doesn't have to worry about whether more will be made. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of subtitled drama.

These comments are based on watching the series in the original languages with English subtitles.

Shintaro Tokumitsu is a student who lives alone in a small studio apartment... at least he does until one day he finds a girls sleeping on his balcony. She isn't just any girl though; she is Towa, an angel sent by god to learn about humanity. His life is about to get interesting as he starts attracting more supernatural girls.

I thought this series was rather fun, in a light hearted way... the type of show one enjoys while watching but are unlikely to watch again. The characters are fun and varied and for a harem show there isn't too much fan service. The character designs are suitable varied so one won't confuse who is who even if they look similar to those in most modern series. Overall worth a watch if you are a fan of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

A. J. Raffles is a successful cricketer and popular man about town. What his high society friends don't realise is that he finances his lifestyle by burglary and safecracking. Thanks to cards left at the scenes of his crimes people know him as the Amateur Cracksman. One day Raffles old friend Bunny Manders reintroduces him to his sister Gwen, whom he has been infatuated with since they first met. When Bunny tells him he has large gambling debts Raffles comes up with a plan to steal some jewels; it won't be easy though Inspector MacKenzie has started to suspect Raffles and is determined to catch the man who has been making a fool of the police.

I thought this film was rather fun. It is enjoyably light-hearted and David Niven is in fine form in the title role; a role not that dissimilar to that he played in 'The Pink Panther' many years later. At only seventy two minutes in length there isn't time for any major twists just the question of just how will he get away from those determined to catch him an how will he get his hands on the goods. The rest of the cast is solid too; Olivia de Havilland is a delight as Gwen. There was a decent amount of tension towards the end... would Raffles get away or would the period's sense of morality demand the thief gets caught? Watch to find out. Overall a fun film for fans of older movies.

This Canadian sci-fi series is set in 2052, thirty seven years after the events of the original 'Orphan Black'. It is centred on Lucy, a woman who one day wakes up and is told she has lost her memory after a medical procedure. She later learns that the truth is more shocking; she was created in a revolutionary 3D printing process. Her creator was none other than Kira Manning, the daughter of 'Orphan Black' protagonist Sara. Over the course of the series she will learn why she was created and face danger from those who now control the printing machine.

While this might not be as good as 'Orphan Black', that would be difficult, I still sound it to be enjoyable; certainly better than I feared it might be. I liked that it is thematically linked to the original but eschews the idea of clones for a new type of created person. This means that instead of having one actress play many clones we get three different actresses playing three version of the same person at different ages... conveniently they are given different names so we know who is being talked about. The cast does a solid job; I particularly liked Krysten Ritter as Lucy and Amanda Fix as Jules. The story is intriguing and features some nice twists. There is a good level of tension and some solid action. I'm glad 2052 isn't too futuristic; the future is never as futuristic as we expect it to be. The final episode clearly sets things up for further seasons; I certainly hope we get more. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the original; just don't expect it to be quite as good.

This episode opens at a stately home in 1813. One man approaches another and accuses him of being a cad... he says that sounds more interesting than his own life before taking the appearance of the other, leaving him dead. A ball is underway and The Doctor and Ruby are attending. The Doctor encounters a bounty hunter known as Rogue. Rogue thinks he is a Chuldur, a dangerous shapeshifting alien; he will take some persuading to believe otherwise. Meanwhile Ruby has befriended Emily, a young woman who believes her reputation is ruined after she is caught alone with a man.

While I don't think this was the best episode of the series it did prove to be rather fun. The Regency period is delightfully stylish, at least for the upper echelons of society, so looks great. The Chuldur were suitably menacing, at least while in the form of the people they had taken over... their natural forms were a bit comical. I didn't expect much in the way of tension but the ending proved pretty good; I even thought it was possible a major character might be in real danger. On the down side I wasn't keen on the way The Doctor developed romantic feelings for somebody he just met; it just felt so out of character. Overall though I thought it was enjoyable in a mostly light-hearted way.

Zagen has a reputation for being an evil sorcerer. One day he spends a fortune to buy an elf slave named Nephelia. It is assumed, not least by her, that his plans for her are nefarious... This couldn't be more wrong. He fell in love with her at first sight but is too shy to tell her how he feels. This leads to comedy, romance as well as some action as he must battle various foes.

I thought this was a fun series; a good blend of action and humour. Zagen and 'Nephy' are fun protagonists and sometime antagonist Barbatos provides plenty of laughs... usually as the butt of the joke. The animation is good, as are the character designs. Overall I'd say this is worth watching if you enjoy supernatural comedy/romance and a bit of action.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

This Swedish crime drama is centred on Jana Berzelius, a young woman who is just starting out as an assistant public prosecutor in the town of Norrköping. Her first case proves to be rather personal; Hans Juhlén, the head of the immigration board has been murdered shortly after he had approached her for help. Not just that he helped her get adopted by a prominent family when she was found by the harbour as a child. The investigation will open old wounds and expose decades old secrets.

I thought this was a solid enough addition to the Nordic Noir genre. The story is suitably gripping with some decent twists and turns... as well as quite a few genre clichés. The cast does a solid job bringing their characters to life. I know 'noir' means black but things are often a bit too dark as rooms are under-lit. On the plus side there is plenty of tension, especially towards the end. Talking of the ending; many details are wrapped up but a few are left open suggesting we might get more seasons; if we do I'll certainly be watching. Overall I'd say that this isn't a must see but is still an enjoyable watch.

These comments are based on watching the series in Swedish with English subtitles.

As this Australian horror film opens with a woman, who works for a museum, being driven through the desert in Iraq. She asks the driver to stop at some ruins and photographs an ancient statue. She then returns home and unpleasant things start to happen in her apartment that will place her and her friend Jade, a bookseller, in grave danger from supernatural forces. An early event leads to a police officer taking an interest in what is going on; at first he believes Jade has done something very bad but later suspects that she is in danger.

This is clearly a fairly low budget film and the plot is fairly simple; that doesn't mean it isn't worth watching though. The setup is effective and once things start to get unpleasant the tension remains high for most of the time. I thought the acting was pretty solid and while the special effects may have been limited by the budget they were actually pretty good. Keeping most of the action in Jade's flat gave the film a good claustrophobic feel. While there isn't a huge amount of gore there is some injury detail, suitably unpleasant moments including a surprising early death and some nicely disturbing body horror. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of low budget horror.

Detective Sergeant John Rebus isn't above breaking the rules, as we see in the prologue where he almost kills a suspect. A year after those events he is partnered with DC Siobhan Clarke. Together they are tasked with investigating the attempted murder of a known gangster on a busy Edinburgh street. A robbery at a drug dealing flat over the Forth in Fife will only lead to tensions in the area escalating. Rebus will ultimately come to realise that somebody close to him is getting increasingly caught up in events.

In the previous TV versions of Rebus he is depicted as a somewhat world weary Detective Inspector but here he is a young DS, it isn't a prequel though as it is set in the present. The series effectively introduces key characters and sets up a gripping story. It is more violent and sweary than the typical TV cop/detective drama and , despite some shots of the more attractive parts of Edinburgh, is largely set in less salubrious parts giving the series a grittier feel than its predecessor. Having a hard drinking protagonist with a broken marriage may be a bit of a cliché but he does feel believable also we must remember the character was created some time ago. The cast does a fine job; I particularly liked Richard Rankin's performance as Rebus. The first series leaves many unanswered questions so clearly the BBC is hoping this will do well enough to justify further series... I certainly hope we get plenty more.

As this episode opens Lindy Pepper-Bean, an inhabitant of Finetime, wakes up. She immediately activates her dot and bubble... a miniature computer system and VR projector system which lets her chat to friends all day long. It even directs her where to walk as it obscures the view of the outside world. One of her friends asks about a mutual acquaintance who seems to have disappeared but she isn't interested. While at work she is contacted by The Doctor, who she blocks, then Ruby. She is warned that creatures are literally eating the people of Finetime; she takes some persuading but even when she learns the truth she has difficulty coping in the real world. Can The Doctor and Ruby save her and the rest of Finetime?

I think this may have been the best episode so far of the latest series. The satire on those addicted to the internet to the neglect of real life might not be subtle but it is effective and provides a tense story. Tension is increased by having things centred on Lindy Pepper-Bean, a character we've not seen before and won't expect to see again; this makes it possible to believe that she might not make it even though we know that The Doctor rarely fails. Callie Cooke did an impressive job as Lindy; she is rarely off screen and really carried the episode. Overall a really good episode that managed to go in unexpected directions without it feeling out of place. I certainly hope for more episodes of this quality.

The world of Finetime seems happy and harmonious. But an awful terror is preying on the citizens. Can the Doctor and Ruby make them see the truth before it's too late?

This ten part Japanese drama is centred on two detectives, nineteen year old Reina and her partner, new recruit Sato. An investigation involving a taxi leads to a bigger case; the disappearance of a young woman. The case will lead them into dangerous situations.

When I came across this series on Crunchyroll I was intrigued as the vast majority of what they show is anime but this is live action. It turned out to be rather fun. I liked how most of the episodes concentrated on the investigation before extended backs of what really happened to the missing girl before returning to the present for the denouement. Weekly twenty two minute long episodes did lead to a slight problem as I occasionally forgot key details between episodes; luckily for new viewers this won't be a problem as they can obviously watch several together. The cast, particularly the leads, do a solid job; giving the series a light but never silly feel. Overall I'd certainly recommend this.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

This French Canadian crime drama is set in Montreal and opens with Anthony Kamal starting his first day forking for a special unit of the local police. Here he meets his new boss, Maryse Ferron; veteran officer Bernard Dupin and sketch artist Eve Garance. Eve has the ability to 'read' people and coax them to reveal details they didn't realise they'd seen to come up with accurate likenesses of suspects and the crime scene. She is also bi-polar and haunted by the disappearance of her baby son many years previously. Other characters have their own problems too. Most cases last two episodes but there are elements that run through the series.

I've watched many series in French but I think this is the first French Canadian show I've watched. On the strength of this I wouldn't mind checking out a few more. The cases are interesting and our protagonists are varied and likeable. It also manages to provide some interesting surprises. Having two episode cases alongside longer running stories is effective; giving satisfaction each time one is solved while keeping one interested in the longer plot arcs. It does inevitably require some suspension of disbelief... I couldn't describe somebody I see every day in the detail witnesses recall following a glimpse some time ago. The cast does a solid job bringing their characters to life. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of subtitled crime dramas.

These comments are based on watching the series in French with English subtitles.

As this episode starts Ruby and The Doctor arrive on a Welsh clifftop. As they walk from the Tardis The Doctor mentions the most dangerous Welshman; Prime Minister Roger ap Gwilliam... then realises he is somebody in the future so quickly changes the subject. The Doctor steps into a fairy circle and vanishes leaving Ruby alone. She spots a strange woman in the distance, who moves way whenever she tries to approach; always remaining seventy three yards away. Anybody the woman talks to runs away and shuns Ruby. Years pass but the woman remains, a constant presence that makes her life difficult. Will she ever see The Doctor again?

I thought this was a solid episode. Having The Doctor absent for most of the story actually improved matters... deep down viewers know he will be back so he and Ruby can have another adventure in the next episode but the longer he is away the more one wonders how it will be resolved. Early scenes are nicely creepy with folkloric elements and a pub that is only a tiny bit more friendly than the one in 'An American Werewolf in London'! No one is likely to be surprised that the dangerous PM turns out to be a warmongering nationalist, I can't see RTD featuring an equally dangerous 'loony lefty' in one of his stories. I quite liked the fact that it isn't disclosed what the old woman says that makes people shun Ruby; if we'd been told I suspect it would have been a bit of a let-down, as it is we can imagine anything. The resolution isn't the strongest but at least it resets things for the next adventure. The acting is solid with Millie Gibson really carrying the episode as Ruby. Overall a pretty good episode, any quibbles are relatively minor.

As this film opens five twentysomething friends; two girls, three boys; meet up outside and abandoned dance club; dubbed the 'Death Club' due to a number of fatal incidence that are reported to have occurred there. Initially the group wait for a sixth friend but when he doesn't show they break into the club without him. Once in they explore a bit then sit down for a drink and to partake in illegal substances. Soon things start to get strange; they start seeing things and each in turn is confronted by their various character flaws... is the club haunted or was there something in the drugs they took?

I thought this was a somewhat mixed film. On the plus side the abandoned club had a great atmosphere and things got nicely creepy at times. The mythology concerning the club was quickly established and helped in adding to the feel of the place. The idea of people being forced to confront past misdeeds isn't the most original, 'Flatliners' did it decades ago, but it is still effective. On the downside the characters were fairly unlikable from the start so it is hard to really worry about them when things get scary. At first I wasn't too impressed by the acting but to be fair they were playing obnoxious characters and certainly succeeded in coming across as obnoxious so it is hard to say they failed. Overall this isn't a must see but it does have a good atmosphere and as it is under eighty minutes in length it hardly outstays its welcome.

This episode sees The Doctor and Ruby arrive on a planet where soldiers have been fighting an unseen foe. Moments after they arrive The Doctor steps on a landmine; it doesn't detonate immediately as it needs to scan him, for reasons that become apparent later but he knows that if he steps off it will go off. While The Doctor remains on the mine he and Ruby are joined by one of the soldiers and the daughter of one of the war's casualties... gradually The Doctor figures out the true nature of the war being fought.

Even though everybody watching will know that The Doctor and Ruby will ultimately survive this still manages to be a really tense episode and just because our protagonists are safe it doesn't mean that other characters are. The setting felt like a throwback to the classic Doctor Who I watched as a child... it could so easily have been filmed in a disused gravel pit! Unlike the previous two episodes there was little in the way of 'humour' and it was all the better for that. Overall I'd say this was a pretty solid episode; I hope it is a sign of things to come.

As this film opens four friends go camping in the woods and are picked off, one by one, by a machete wielding maniac. Sometime later another group of friends, three boys and three girls, head into the same woods. They set up camp and one of them tells of an urban legend about 'Ranger Sparrow' who killed his wife and her lover in those very woods and is, if the story is to be believed, still out there killing those who venture into the woods. Of course none of them take it seriously until strange things start happening... will any of them make it out alive?

Few people will find this anything but utterly predictable; the only questions are 'in what order will they die?' and 'will any survive?'. Given that the characters are somewhat irritating one isn't likely to care all that much. They are meant to be friends but don't behave like it; they constantly argue and seem to dislike each other. 'Ranger Sparrow' just appears out of nowhere and kills those who are separated from the group; usually stabbing them with his machete... machetes don't work that way they are hacking or slashing weapons! There was no real sense of location; it was filmed in Poland, the group drove a car with New York plates and the cast were English but at no point talked about where they were meant to be; the fact that I spent much of the film pondering this showed how little the main plot gripped me. Overall I'd not call this a must see, not by any stretch of the imagination; it is just about okay if you like the genre and aren't too fussy.

This Korean psychological horror is set in a large remote house where biology professor Kang Yu-jin lives with his wife Seon-hee and their young daughter. When he returns from his latest butterfly collecting expedition he shows slides of various species he saw to colleagues, amongst them is picture of a strange wooden doll, he has no explanation as to how it got there. Following his next outing he returns with nineteen year old Mi-ok, a girl who was orphaned after her mother, a shaman, died in a fire. He suggests the family take her on as a maid. She has just one possession from her past... the strange wooden doll from the picture. At first she fits in okay but soon Seon-hee becomes convinced something is going on between Mi-ok and Yu-jin and has nightmares involving the doll. Is she imagining things or is something sinister going on? Either way her sanity will be tested.

When I started watching this I had no real idea what to expect; I've seen a few Korean horror films but none that were this old. It turned out to be quite different from the ones I had seen. For the most part it eschews gore in favour of creating an atmosphere where the viewer is unsure if what they are seeing is real or something Seon-hee may be imagining. This proves to be enjoyably disturbing. The special effects may be pretty basic but they are effective at adding to the film's atmosphere. The cast does a solid job, especially Kim Young-ae who is convincingly terrified as Seon-hee. It was somewhat, if accidentally, amusing that during the mildly erotic scenes the music used had been lifted from 'Flash Gordon'! Overall a solid film that I'd certainly recommend to fans of K-horror who would like to see something older than most that are available.

These comments are based on watching the film in Korean with English subtitles.

In the prologue to this story a music teacher in 1925 plays a 'forbidden note', the devil's note and as a result a strange woman, identifying herself as Maestro emerges from his piano. Back in the present The Doctor asks Ruby if there is anywhere (anywhen) she would like to go; she tells him she'd love to watch The Beatles recording their first album. They manage to blag their way into the studio but the first song is not what they expected; the words are trite and the music bland. The world no longer has proper music and if The Doctor and Ruby don't bring it back by defeating Maestro humanity will be doomed.

After the admittedly low bar set by 'Space Babies' this is a real step up. The story was imaginative and more importantly it was fun. Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson continue to impress as The Doctor and Ruby and Jinkx Monsoon was suitably over the top as Maestro. The effects were good. The only part of the story I wasn't keen on was the 'twist at the end'... I really could have done without that but that is just a matter of personal taste; others may love it. Overall an improvement on the series opener; hopefully things will continue to improve.

As this, the fourth instalment in the series, gets underway a group of ne'er-do-wells is attacking a base in Libya and stealing nuclear triggers. The Expendables are sent in to stop them but the mission does not go to plan; not only do the villains get away with the triggers but one of our protagonists is killed. The team are tasked with going after the attackers to prevent a nuclear conflict and identify 'Ocelot' the man behind the attack. They will be one man short though; Lee Christmas has been removed for disobeying orders on the previous mission... that won't stop him though. They will be reunited on a freighter heading into Russian waters with a nuclear bomb primed to detonate.

If you want plenty of violent action and aren't too demanding this is okay... of course that means it will be somewhat disappointing to fans of previous instalments, in particular the first two. There may be lots of action but the CGI isn't that great. Action fans know what they are seeing isn't real but it should at least look real. The story is okay; it serves to justify the action and has a couple of twists. The cast can clearly do the action and Jason Statham steps up to take the lead in impressively. There are some fine additions to the cast, most notably Iko Uwais, best known to Western views from 'The Raid', as Suarto Rahma and Tony Jaa, of 'Ong Bak' fame as Decha Unai, a former Expendable. The action is fairly mixed, as stated before the CGI is disappointing but the close-quarter fighting and much of the stunt work is still pretty good. Overall not a great film but it passes the time well enough if you just want some meat-headed action.

After being introduced to the new Doctor and his new companion, Ruby Sunday, it is time for their first proper adventure together. After some exposition where the Doctor tells Ruby, and new viewers, about himself and the Tardis they set off into the far future and find themselves aboard a space station. They encounter a monster before fleeing to a higher level where they find babies growing in glass jars... not only that there are babies that appear to be running the station after the adults abandoned the facility. Will they be able to discover the nature of the creature and get the babies to safety? What do you think?

I started watching the original Doctor Who series in the seventies; enjoyed the reboot series, even most of the episodes other fans disliked, and after the introduction of the new Doctor and Companion had high hopes for this. First the positives; I thought Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson are great as The Doctor and Ruby and the special effects show that more money is available now Disney are on board. The exposition, necessary to introduce the characters to new viewers was swiftly and effectively dealt with. Unfortunately this wasn't enough to save the episode as the Space Babies, which could have been either cute or creepy, managed to be cringe inducing instead. The nature of the monster is a bit silly but should appeal to younger viewers, who were always a key demographic for Doctor Who. I did enjoy nods to sci-fi classics Alien and 2001 - A Space Odyssey, done in ways that won't affect enjoyment for people who haven't seen those films. Overall a disappointing start to the new series but with enough good points to keep me watching later episodes.