Film Review | Wonder Woman
★★★½☆
While Wonder Woman is technically the fourth entry in DC’s Extended Universe, in many ways it’s a movie of firsts. The most prominent novelty – the fact that it’s the first female superhero movie to be directed by a woman – has been an oft-noted distinction in the build-up to the film’s release, and the feminist lens is apparent throughout. But what stays with you long after the credits roll is the movie’s heart and hope. That’s a first that DC fans like this writer have been waiting on for four years from the DCEU, and Wonder Woman has it in spades.
Film Review | Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
★★★☆☆
Following on from predecessors Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck, Chris Pine is the latest actor to take on the mantle of the late Tom Clancy’s CIA analyst in Kenneth Branagh’s Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014), a safe series reboot which takes the character unsurprisingly back to his roots.
We are first reintroduced to our eponymous hero as just another helpless college student watching 9/11 before fast-forwarding three years to a marine-clad Ryan serving in Afghanistan. When he is seriously injured on a mission, he has to undergo intense physical therapy to even have a hope of walking again. It’s here he meets Dr. Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley) and shadowy agent Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner). Ten years pass, and Jack is working as an undercover CIA analyst in Wall Street ferreting out possible terrorist threats by analysing data whilst also trying to convince Cathy, now his girlfriend, to marry him.
Film Review | Star Trek into Darkness
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot was a surprise hit back in 2009, satisfying diehard fans as well as being accessible to newcomers. Four years on, the follow-up Star Trek into Darkness is one of the most anticipated films of the year. Thankfully, the sequel takes everything that was great about its predecessor and amplifies it, in doing so producing an entertaining thrill-ride of a movie that is one of 2013’s must-see blockbusters.
Film Feature | Star Trek Into Darkness Press Conference
The UK release of J.J. Abrams eagerly anticipated Star Trek Into Darkness is only seven days away. Ahead of this evening’s London premiere, the cast, director and writers gathered in City Hall for a press conference where there was talk of the challenges of making a bigger and better sequel, Scottish accents, and hairstyles.
To read the rest of this article at Yin & Yang, click here.
Film Trailer | Star Trek Into Darkness
As the annual summer blockbuster season draws ever nearer, more and more previously confidential information on some of this year’s biggest releases are now beginning to be revealed. The latest to get in on the act is J. J. Abrams’ sci-fi sequel Star Trek into Darkness (2013). It seems more than likely that Abrams, who will now also be directing Star Wars: Episode VII, won’t be returning for any future Star Trek sequels, such is the competition between the two rival franchises. However, everything we have seen thus far suggests that he’ll be leaving this current franchise on a high, and a mouth-watering second full-length trailer released online today gives further credence to the early impressions.
Film Trailer | Star Trek into Darkness
As 2012 draws to a close – some might argue a disappointing year for the big budget Hollywood blockbuster – the first pieces of promotional material for the prominent releases of summer 2013 are already being unveiled online this week. The latest is the first mouthwatering teaser trailer for J. J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), a direct sequel to the impressive Star Trek (2009) that successfully revitalised the ailing sci-fi franchise. Images from the set revealed that British actor Benedict Cumberbatch would play the sequel’s central antagonist. What’s more, the full trailer will be released online next week, but today we have our first look courtesy of a short teaser – and it’s certainly a tantalising one.
Watch the trailer for Star Trek into Darkness at CineVue here.
Film Review | Rise of the Guardians
Just in time for the holiday season comes DreamWorks Animation’s second feature of the year,Rise of the Guardians. Based on the series of books by William Joyce, this story of childhood heroes uniting to stop a common threat often feels like the child version of the Avengers, and it will doubtless entertain many a young audience as Christmas approaches. However, although it makes for fun viewing, Guardians is ultimately bettered by many of its contemporaries.
Read the rest of this review at Yin & Yang here.
Film Trailer | Rise of the Guardians
DreamWorks Animation have released a second full trailer for their epic looking animated adventure Rise of the Guardians (2012), a film based on the children’s books by William Joyce (who also co-wrote the script). Directed by Peter Ramsey in his feature debut, it looks to put an interesting spin on childhood figures like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, Jack Frost and the Easter Bunny, whilst telling a timeless good vs. evil story.
Watch the trailer on CineVue here.
Film Review | This Means War
Tom Hardy’s career has sky-rocketed since 2010’s Inception, with great performances in critically acclaimed Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Warrior cementing his place as one of the finest actors in the business. Later on this year, he’ll be reuniting with Christopher Nolan for that ‘small’ film The Dark Knight Rises, but before that he joins Chris Pine (Star Trek) in This Means War, a romantic comedy at its core with a hint of action.
Read the rest of this review here.
AMONymous 