Dune Prophecy Season One Overview: Adapting The Wrong Book

Hollywood really can’t have any franchises without feeling the need to run them into the ground.

So the two recent Dune films were met with both praise and love from audiences, so what did they feel the need to do that’s right give the show a spin-off tv series. Now this could have worked with the right talent, but sadly it adapted one of Brian Herbert’s newest books, and focused on a group in the universe who are only interesting due to the fact that you don’t know much about them, it also lacked any talented creative to shepherd the series.

This feels very much as if the CW was given the Dune license, it doesn’t have the production values of the films by any metrics, and it focuses more on petty soap opera like drama rather than universe wide intrigue and drama. The opening 5 minutes of the first episode are the most entertaining thing about the whole first season, it would have been far more interesting to focus on a different Brian Herbert book and looked at the Butlerian Jihad and humanities war against thinking machines, but they clearly wanted to go with another angle.

The fact that this is a girl boss Dune series is not only why it was made but also why it was made so fast, the wise and perfect and not at all morally corrupt Sister needs to lead the Imperium from the shadows because silly men would lead it to ruin. There is as you can imagine a number of girl boss themes and men taking their tops off so the women can objectify them, remember folks it is okay when one gender does it but not the other that’s the world we live in now.

Overall, it is a girl boss show about a group that is interesting when mysterious, this series removes that mystery and with it any interest in the show.

1/5

Pros.

The opening of the first episode

Cons.

It demystifies the Sisterhood

It is too drama focused and has little action

It feels like a science fiction soap

It is badly paced

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Rick And Morty Season 7 Season Overview

Summary

Rick and Morty matures.

After the end of season 6 I had taken somewhat of a break from the show, and so returning now I didn’t know quite what to expect especially with a new voice actors.

However, I found it to be far more of a meditative and contemplative of a season than I was expecting it to be. What I notice was a more overt shift in Rick’s character, he cares more about his family than ever before, this season really feels very therapeutic for Rick as a character.

I found the wrapping up of the prime Rick storyline to be interesting, I am glad they didn’t drag it out. I thought bringing back evil Morty in more positive role was an interesting choice I am surprised they went there, however, after seeing it I am glad they did.

Another thing I noticed is that this season has a number of one off episodes yet they feel from connected to the other episodes, there is not this question, this battle between continuity random silly fun to wed here in a much more fluid way. I think this is reflective of the writing evolving with the show.

This season certainly brought me back to the fold, however, I would say that it was surprisingly sparse on things for the wider family and side characters to do, it was a very Rick and Morty season. Whilst I like the focus being on these two I do also like to see the family developed and explored so that was missed.

Overall, a solid season with good character work

4/5

Pros.

Rick

Morty

Blending continuity with serialization

The more mature themes

Cons.

A lack of family centered episodes

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Transformers One: A Film No One Wanted

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Transformers prequel no one needed.

Who wanted to see Optimus Prime, Voiced by Chris Hemsworth, and Megatron, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, as slacker bros before becoming enemies? A grand total of no one. The idea of seeing them almost as spoofs of themselves entirely unserious on Cybertron does take away from them as character and seems frankly incredibly out of character.

Moreover, the fact that they can transform makes no sense as the earliest reference point had them scanning earth vehicles in order to assume disguises, yet now they just turn into cars for no reason, they don’t even have a reference point as they haven’t been to Earth yet.

The fact that after this much time they can’t figure out how to make a crowd pleasing Transformers film is frankly baffling. Bring the cartoon, the original, to life have giant robots fighting and maybe a human side kick for good measure if you need to, they shouldn’t be lead, and the baddies should be bad, not this weak stuff.

Overall, a massive misstep.

1/5

Pros.

It has a few endearing moments

Cons.

It is unnecessary

It makes little sense

It ruins the lore of the series

It is dumb

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Star Wars Revenge Of The Sith: Who Really Has The High Ground?

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The era of the Republic comes to an end.

In many ways this is the best of the prequels, though I would still personally put it behind Phantom Menace but that is just me. By best I mean the most meme worthy, a lot of memes came out of this thing. Joking aside I do think that the effects look better here than in the rest of the trilogy and that that helps to add a sense of immersion that is lost when the CGI effects look bad.

I think that the action here is also a lot better, you open straight too it and get the Dooku, Christopher Lee, fight which is well done. I think the best action sequence is possible the beach landing on the Wookie home world in terms of sheer scale though nothing can beat the Anakin, Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan, Ewan McGregor, fight at the end.

I would argue that the dialogue is better than in the last film though it still has moments where in veers into bad territory. I think some of the early scenes with Anakin and Padme, Natalie Portman, are especially bad for this.

Overall, it is a good ending for the trilogy but the script could have done with another draft

3.5/5

Pros.

The fights

The effects

The stakes

The pacing

Cons.

The dialogue

A few needless side plots and characters

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Futurama Season Twelve Overview: Pulling A Lazarus

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Futurama does something I never thought possible, it turns things around massively in the space of just one season.

I will be referring to the season by both its production and broadcast season numbers in this piece so if you are confused why I call it by two separate names that is why, I will try to keep it to a minimum.

As some of you may know I was sorely unimpressed with season 8/11 whereas this new season 9/12 is a massive improvement. This latest season has a lot of what you would call classic Futurama charm, and ditches a lot of last seasons need to be topical and mention everything from cancel culture to bitcoin.

In my mind there are only two bad episodes this season out of a run of ten. These for me were The One Amigo which felt like a poor Bender, voiced by John DiMaggio, introspection episode. As well as Attack of the Clothes for how much it pushes Cara Delevingne in a way that would make The Simpsons blush.

The rest of the run was either watchable or good, Quids Game which you might imagine I’d have an issue with as again it is trying to mimic something new and popular rather than tell a new story is one of my favourite of the season. The reason for that is that though it’s premise is based on parody there is a strong emotional core there that taps into Fry’s, voiced by Billy West, time in the eighties/nineties.

I am still not thrilled with how the season deals with Leela, voiced by Katey Sagal, and Fry as a couple, they aren’t even shown living together as they were last season, but I did like that the end of the season does push their relationship forward somewhat, even if it does later kill them.

Overall, I would say of this season that it feels at times as though it is almost back to form, it is a million miles away from the husk that was the previous season and shows that the series still has good bones underneath a desire to be topical. Hopefully next year’s batch of episodes continues to refine the formula.

4/5

Pros.

Almost back to classic level

Some good new episodes that add to the wider cannon

A character focus and emotional core

It meaningly moves Fry and Leela as a couple forward

Cons.

It pushes Cara too much

It has two naff episodes

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Time Bandits Season One Overview: Scraping The Bottom Of The Nostalgia Well

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Another classic of yesteryear is vandalised.

I am a big fan of Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement however, this was unnecessary and doomed from the start. I am going to say something revolutionary right now so hold onto your hats, not everything needs to be remade and brought back for audiences of today to watch you can just watch older media.

I think part of the doom of this show was that it was not a well-known IP outside of some diehards, and the good will around Waititi after his breakthrough into Hollywood has fully waned. It also is coming out in a time where people need things to hit immediately and can’t give a show a two season run to see if it can find an audience, it either performs well immediately or it dies, that is the way of things now.

Moreover, the addition of modern day elements, race and gender flipping characters, is going to create enemies from the off and again is needless. Why not create new characters within the Time Bandits story and make those roles diverse why does it need to be handled like this?

Finally, and I get no joy from saying this what were they thinking casting Lisa Kudrow? She has not been relevant in about ten years and hasn’t been popular in a mainstream sense in over twenty. I like The Comeback but even I have to say that she was the wrong person for this role.

Overall, a needless remake of a beloved classic. Stop it.

1/5

Pros.

There are a couple (and I mean 1 or 2) good moments

Cons.

It wastes the cast

Kudrow is miscast

It doesn’t have the spirit of the original

It feels soulless

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Afraid: A Screen Writer Terrified Of The AI Future

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

AI is scary.

Yet another hit piece freakout about AI in the form of a film. The idea that an AI could become sentient and then have an army of human proxies to do its bidding in the immediate future is nothing short of drivel. It just reads as yet another old person scared of the future and trying to craft a script around that.

There is nothing scary about this film either, the AI kills a scumbag who deserves it which doesn’t make you go oh no its terrible but instead go eh okay I guess. It feels less like a horror film and more like a science fiction film at times and not a very deep or well crafted, narratively speaking, one at that.

It is a complete and utter waste of time and money.

Overall, this is a cheap lazy science fiction horror that is not even a good way to mindlessly kill a few hours, avoid it.

1/5

Pros.

Riki Lindhome is in it and she’s always good

Cons.

It is bad science fiction

It is bad horror

It is boring

It isn’t scary

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Star Wars Episode 2 Attack Of The Clones: Everybody Hates Sand

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Galaxy stands on the verge of civil war and a senator life hangs in the balance.

When I first watched this as a kid many years ago, I thought it was boring and long and I didn’t really like it. However, as I have rewatched it over the years I find myself growing to like it and find a renewed appreciation for this part of the saga.

There still are pacing issues, and the film does too much but aside from that it is a pretty enjoyable ride. Christopher Lee is great as Count Dooku in the small amounts we see him, and Ewan McGregor really comes into his own in the role of Obi-Wan here, sadly the acting is only really let down by Hayden Christensen and his emo Anakin. Though it is debatable how much is actually Christensen’s fault.

The writing of Anakin’s fall into being an emo teen is quite poorly done and makes you feel at times quite jarred as it seems to come out of nowhere and be quite over the top.

All that said the Jedi fighting in the gladiator ring at the end against the droids/creatures, was a cool visual and will certainly bring joy to most Star Wars fans.

Overall, not as good as The Phantom Menace or Revenge Of The Sith, review coming soon, but still has some charm.

3.5/5

Pros.

The ending

Natalie Portman

Dooku

Some funny and enjoyable moments

Cons.

The writing especially around Anakin isn’t great

The pacing

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Cinema Issues: The Postmortem Of Doctor Who

Written by Luke Barnes

In this cinema issues article we are dissecting the first season of New, New Who and doing a post mortem to see what went so badly wrong with it.

So lets get something out of the way right quick, the series is in a bad way, I don’t care if you think it was some of the most stunning and brave Who ever, the ratings are a slow death. The Legend Of Ruby Tuesday and another episode this season both posted record low viewership numbers for the show, some of the lowest in the shows history. Look it up. Things are bad, and there is even talk that the filmed season batch of episodes may not get released as the BBC debates what to do with them, likely they will get released and the show will just be put on ice come this time next year.

Anyway, as the BBC starts to question everything and panic about its in development Who spin-offs, we will look at what went wrong with these episodes.

I think the main issue a lot of people had with these season was that fundamentally it wasn’t Who, never before have I seen the Doctor have so many dance numbers and act more like a local tiktoker trying to make it big than an alien. In addition the fact that the Doctor called everyone ‘babes’ constantly didn’t make it feel like Who it made it feel as though the Doctor had suddenly become another person.

Moreover, the series was heavily political with a number of controversial hot button issues forced in, just for the show to keep a desperate hold of its increasingly radically progressive audience. Some of it didn’t even make sense like when those people who not be saved by the Doctor because he was black and would rather die, what horribly on the nose message was that supposed to be pushing as it felt like a straw man argument. These ideas where repeated over the course of the season, the issue with clearly taking a side politically is that it then alienates your audience and makes you start to loose chunks of people. It is always better to present two sides and let the audience make up their own mind.

Furthermore, who at Disney or the BBC thought it was a good idea to allow cast and creators to attack the fans, whoever it was I would say is the most responsible for the bad feeling and reception to this season. This is mainly due to the fact of actors telling fans to screw off and then being shocked when their show has bad viewership, you do not treat your fans like that you just don’t. Yet these people look down on their fans and think they don’t need them, how wrong they are.

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The Beast: Love Is An Often Remembered Thing

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A love story is tested against the ages.

This film is not going to be what people expect, in one sense it is a science fiction dystopian film and in another it is a romantic tragedy. The idea of the romance that is central to this film is one that is both engaging, but also deeply unsettling, one could view this film as a horror quite easily.

Lea Seydoux gives a terrific performance as a woman who wants love but can’t remember what it is and is haunted by that fact, she obsesses over prophecy when it is her own memory she’s trying to regain. George Mackay gives an often disturbing performance whilst maintaining a great deal of screen chemistry with Seydoux. If I had to single one out for praise it would be Seydoux she is the anchor of the film.

It is worth saying that this film is not for everyone it is long, bilingual, and it deals with a lot of heavy and complex themes and subject matters. At close to 2 1/2 hours the film can at times suffer from significant pacing issues, however in my opinion these issues are made-up for by the engaging plot which is easily one of the most intellectually stimulating of recent memory.

The ending of the film perfectly subverts expectations, with the audience being totally in the dark as to where the film will leave off. I found the ending both tragically comedic and also strangely affecting.

Overall, a film that will not be to everyone’s taste but one that is well worth the watch if you are a fan of thinking science fiction. This is not for the faint of heart.

Pros.

The themes and ideas explored

The performances

The ending

The dark comedy of it all

Cons.

Pacing issues

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