Inside Number 9: A Black Mirror Killer

Inside No.9 is a British black comedy anthology series created by Reese Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Each episode usually stars both men, plus a wide array of British celebrities and has a different premise, some of them are horror themed and some of them more standard drama, it is very much similar to Black Mirror in that regard.

I have recently started watching this show after I watched a Youtube video about it, and I have to say it may be one of the best shows I have watched recently. Each episode usually has a twist that completely changes how you view the it, making it a must re-watch kind of show.  The tone of the show is usually pitch black, occasionally there is some black comedy, but normally it plays it straight.

The writing on the show is very smart and it does things I haven’t seen on screen before, it is certainly not afraid to take risks. The first episode Sardines, shows a family getting together to play the hide and seek esque game sardines, while more and more people join the cupboard where the majority of the family is hiding a dark secret is revealed; this leads directly into the twist and then the end of the episode.

The reason why this is so excellent is because it adds to the already built tension, all the way through the episode we know that there is something not quite right going on, but every time we think we understand what is going on the show takes it in another way and you are left saying wait what.

So far, there has been 5 seasons of the show, with the 5th currently airing in the UK now, and I have to say each season is as strong as the others, there are standout episodes in each; such as the Krampus episode, the demon episode at the end of the first season and so on. As you can see, I really enjoy the horror themed episodes. I think the only reason this show isn’t as big as something like Black Mirror, despite being better than it in a lot of ways, is because it doesn’t have the power of someone like Netflix behind it which stops it from reaching a wider international audience.

Definitely something to check out if you haven’t seen it already!

Pros.

The twists.

The experimentation.

The re-watchability.

The great casts.

It does Black Mirror but better.

Cons.

None really.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Guns Akimbo: A New Kind Of Internet Celebrity

Guns Akimbo is an action comedy film directed by Jason Lei Howden. The plot follows Miles (Daniel Radcliffe), a man who awakes to find pistols bolted to his hands after an online argument split over into the real world, he is then forced to compete in an internet age style, to the death gladiator match with raving badass Nix (Samara Weaving).

I didn’t really have any expectations when I went in to watch this, I knew it was going to be wacky, as the name and premise alone  inform you of that, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with how much I ended up enjoying this film.

The writing was very sharp and tight, it uses every line well, being both informative and funny. Some of the dialogue was clearly trying to lampoon modern internet culture, I believe this was done well and it made me chuckle a few times. Rhys Darby plays a homeless man who helps out Miles in his time of need and I have to say, he might be the scene stealer of the film; Darby is hilarious here.

I like Samara Weaving as an action hero, I think she plays badass very well, for the most part she is your standard quippy anti-hero, but there is an added dimension to her that sets some emotional stakes. I think if Weaving carriers on picking projects like these she could easily become the 2020 version of what Sigourney Weaver was in the 1980’s, a badass female action star.

Daniel Radcliffe is also fantastic here, his career path of picking odd projects to prove himself as an actor as well as to steer away from his Harry Potter image is in full effect here. Radcliffe’s character is relatable as well as a believable action star, I like where the film leaves his character and I hope we get to see a sequel so we can see more of him. I also liked the on-screen chemistry between the two leads, I thought they had great banter together and I would love to see them in more films together in the future.

Overall, a very enjoyable experience from start to finish, smarter than most action films and funnier than most comedies. Samara Weaving and Rhys Darby steal the show, but everything in this film is firing with both barrels. My best film of 2020 so far, A Must See.

Pros.

Weaving the action star.

The writing.

The references to our modern-day culture.

Rhys Darby.

Nice and punchy no time wasted.

Cons.

None

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

David Brent, Life On The Road: The Sadness Behind The Music.

David Brent, Life On The Road is a mockumentary comedy film directed by Ricky Gervais. The plot of the film shows David Brent (Ricky Gervais), after The Office, he is now older and more unhappy. The power dynamic in Brent’s life has changed and he is no longer the boss, rather he is abused victim of the office, as such he seeks out a new direction in life; becoming a successful professional singer.

This is very much a follow up David Brent film, rather than a sequel to The Office, other than Brent none of the characters from the series return. As such this film explores his character in far more detail, we learn the mental health impact The Office had on Brent and see that he has had a breakdown since it. As Gervais has said when talking about this film, Life On The Road ‘this film peels back the layers of Brent’s character’, this is true as we see him in a whole new light.

The sympathy we felt for Brent in The Office is double here, as we see that he is actually a very unstable individual and that he is incredibly lonely and he just wants a friend, some one who likes him for who he is. The final song of the film, when one of Brent’s band members buys him a snow machine, is touching and heart warming as we can feel just how much it means to him.

The cringe comedy that Brent’s previous outing was known for, is here in force, but there is also a sadness to it, as I suppose like Brent himself, we learn there is more to it then we first realised. The majority of the comedy comes in the form of Brent’s songs; which are surprisingly good. Forgone Conclusion as a band have more than a few hits, “Native American” might be my personal favourite, all of the songs in this film are both catchy and funny.

The ending of this film does provide a nice sort of ending for Brent as a character, it ties him up in a way that feels satisfying and gives a lot of closure to his character. I hope this is the end for him.

Overall, this is much more thoughtful, in depth look at Brent as a character, it has some great songs and some great laughs, if you love The Office you will love this.

Pros.

A nice ending for Brent.

Great songs.

A good amount of heart.

A lot of laughs.

Cons.

It’s not entirely necessary

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Office: Humour In The Day To Day

The Office is a British mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The premise of the show is a film crew recording the day to day activities of an office in Slough, within the office we have larger than life characters such as David Brent (Gervais), as well as a will they won’t they romance centered around Tim (Martin Freeman), and Dawn (Lucy Davis).

For many of you reading this when I say The Office, you would think of the American TV show of the same name, but the Ricky Gervais version of the show was the one that inspired it. Recently I have been re-watching The UK Office, and it got me thinking, there is something special about this show, something that stands the test of time, and I am going to try and find out what it is.

I think the most obvious answer of what makes this show special is it relatability, working in an office is something that is very familiar to a lot of people, but I think it is more than that. The awkward cringe comedy the show is known for is again something a lot of people can relate to, we have all done something cringey in our lives, or we have all seen someone else do something cringey and thought to ourselves ‘please stop’, this again makes this show relatable, as we can see ourselves in the characters.

What’s more, Gervais seems to be very good at hiding emotion and depth behind cringey and unlikable characters. David Brent is not likeable, he wants to be, but he isn’t, that’s the joke. However, despite all the bad things he does across the run of the show you still want him to be happy, in the final episode when he finally seems like he is happy and other laugh at him and try and take it away, you feel for him, you feel connected to him in a way.

The romance of the show works in a similar way, you really root for Tim and Dawn to get together, even when it seems like they won’t. The show teases us the audience with the idea of them getting together many times, but it doesn’t give it to us; this then makes it all the more satisfying when they do.

Overall, I think the reason this is such a special show is because it isn’t outlandish or ridiculous, it is every day and ordinary.

Written by Luke

The Invisible Man: The Dark Universe Reborn.

The Invisible Man is a science fiction horror film directed by Leigh Whannell. The plot follows Cecilia (Elizabeth Moss), a woman who escapes her abusive boyfriend, only for him to then kill himself, or appear to, and then continue stalking her only now he is invisible. Of course, people think that Cecilia is crazy, so she must set out on a mission to prove she is sane, as well as to finish off her abusive ex-boyfriend once and for all.

I thought this was a great film. After the rocky start Universal’s Dark Universe had all hope seemed to be lost, but then this came out. The reason why I think this film is so good and should be the template for future releases of Universal’s classic monster films, is because it is a horror film first. It is not an action film with horror elements, it is not a film hell bent of trying to force in an extended universe, it is simply a good horror film.

To that end, I found the premise to be quite unsettling, being stalked by someone you can’t see, and the film really does explore that in an interesting way. Furthermore, there were moments in the film where I thought for sure they would stuff in a cheap jump scare, but they didn’t and for that I tip my hat to Leigh Whannell. The horror elements in this film are strong, there were multiple times in the film that made me jump, which is something I rarely do these days as I have become use to watching horror films.

Moreover, I think the way the film handles domestic abuse is both in good taste and shocking at the same time, the domestic abuse is the heart of this film, therein lies the horror, The Invisible Man shines a light on this subject and shows how horrific it is, how a person can be isolated and tortured by the person they love the most. What’s more, Elizabeth Moss’s performance highlights the horror of domestic abuse as her character is unable to go outside at the start of the film as she is consumed by fear that her partner will be outside coming for her. For me this may be a career best for Moss.

Overall, this film far exceeded by expectations, as a stand-alone horror film it works very well, as a piece of a larger narrative equally so, other than being a little slow at times, this is a damn near perfect film.

Pros.

The horror.

Not using jump scares.

It actually made me jump.

Elizabeth Moss.

Con.

It is a bit slow at times, it could have done with a tighter edit.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Halloween (2018): Back In The Game

Halloween (2018) is a horror slasher film directed by David Gordon Green. This film acts as a soft reboot of the franchise, ignoring everything after the first John Carpenter Halloween film. The plot once again sees everyone’s favourite maniac breakout of the asylum and return to Haddonfield, to carry on his killing spree that he began 40 years ago. However, a face from his past has been waiting for him, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). Laurie is now battle hardened and suffering from PTSD, her whole life has been dedicated to finishing Michael off when he inevitably returns.

This film is a return to form for the franchise, by ignoring all of the terrible sequels, and doing away with the convoluted backstory for Michael Myers, the film returns to its root and is all the scarier for it. The idea that Strode has not been able to move on after what happened to her all those years ago and has now become obsessed, not only makes sense, but is also a really interesting concept.

Despite now being an old man, in the film’s timeline, Michael Myers has some genuinely great scares, he is still the killing machine we all remember him to be. When he drops the handful of teeth over the toilet stall wall, that stayed with me long after I saw it. My one issue with how this film handles Michael Myers is the fake out when it looks like someone else is going to take over the mantle; lucky they get their face stood on by the man himself.

The whole film builds towards the showdown between Myers and Strode and it is safe to say that the final showdown is fantastically well done. It is tense and suspenseful, and you can tell that both parties are giving it their all and that this is the defining moment in their lives. It is nice to see three generations of Strode women fighting back again this man that has been terrorising their family for almost half a century. The final shot of the film seeing Michael Myers trapped in a house that is burning down and it finally looks as though this is the end for him, but of course with this being a slasher film it can’t be, and two more films have been announced.

Overall, after all the harm that had been done to the franchise over the years, it is nice to see a Halloween film that actually cares about the characters that John Carpenter created back in 1978. I loved the Rob Zombie films, but this is definitely a return to form for the series. I can’t wait for Halloween Kills, but at the same time I would like to see the series end.

Pros.

A great return to form.

Michael Myers is still scary.

The PTSD angle is a cool way to take it.

The final showdown is great.

Cons.

It should be the end.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Watchmen: Nothing Ever Ends

Watchmen is a superhero drama series created by Damon Lindelöf, it continues the narrative of Alan Moore’s acclaimed graphic novel, rather than trying to remake it. Watchmen tells the story of Angela Abar (Regina King), a costumed detective of the Tulsa police department, who tries to stop the evil plans of far-right terrorist organisation the Seven Cavalry. Whilst doing this there is a wider mystery at play, that involves some of the original characters from the graphic novel.

First off, I just want to say that yes, this show is political, but unlike a lot of other entertainment shows and films it doesn’t ram it philosophy down your throat, the writing is far too subtle for that.

I think this show was criminally under watched when it was on, as someone who is a huge fan of the graphic novel, I have often wondered what life would be like in a post-squid world and this show scratched that itch for me. It was fun seeing Silk Specter (Jean Smart) and Ozymandias (Jeremy Irons) again, I liked what the show did with there characters and thought that all of the Ozymandias scenes when he was off world were really intriguing.

What the show did with Doctor Manhattan (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) was good, I liked the romance angle between him and Angela, my only issue with his character was that we didn’t really get a good look at his powers, but that is probably because it was confined to a TV show budget. My other little gripe is, because the show brought back all these classic characters the new characters they introduced really needed to standout and in the case of Angela this was a detriment. Though Angela had some interesting scenes a lot of the time I was begging the show to return to Ozymandias or show me more of other characters as I found her to be a bit dull.

However, the best character on the show was one of the new characters, Looking Glass (Tim Blake Nelson). Looking Glass or Wade, is a fascinating character to watch on screen, as he has been emotionally and psychologically scarred by the events of squid night and watching him deal with that over the course of the season and then seeing him learn it was all one big plot is one of the best things I have seen on television recently.

Overall, this is a masterpiece of a show, it successfully follows up the great graphic novel in a way that feels new and fresh, adding something to the world overall. I am glad it is not coming back for season two as it works better as a one of thing. Must See TV!

Pros.

Looking Glass.

How it deals with returning characters.

The world it sets up.

Fascinating character work.

Cons.

Angela isn’t the best lead character and is often out shadowed by others.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Curse Of La Llorona: Behold The Horror!

The Curse Of La Llorona is a supernatural horror film directed by Michael Chaves and is the 6th instalment in the Conjuring universe, though that fact is not marketed, for what reason you decide. The plot revolves around social worker Anna (Linda Cardellini), who after unwittingly letting a supernatural entity kill two kids, now has to face down the same entity, La Llorona (Marisol Ramirez), when her own kids become targets.

I am just going to say this once, the only reason this is a part of the Conjuring universe is because Warner Brothers know that without that title this film would flop, hard. What makes it even worse is the fact that its tie to said universe is so small and flimsy, most people won’t even recognise it. The way this film ties into the shared universe is by having the same actor who played a priest in the first Annabelle film return to his role for a blink and you will miss it cameo.

I understand that the folk tale of La Llorona is something that means a lot to people and that it was THE fear of their childhood, but that just makes this film sadder. Rather than give us a good film that explores La Llorona, the myth, the person, we have this forgettable bland excuse for a film. La Llorona could be swapped for any of the Conjuring universe baddies and the results would be the same. La Llorona in this film could easily be the nun from other entries, as they don’t bother to make her feel unique and different.

Moreover, the characters in this film are as dull and cliché filled as they can possibly be, these are characters that you have seen thousands of times before in this kind of film there is nothing to them and that makes them incredibly hard to care for. There were moments in this film when I was hoping La Llorona would kill one of them just to liven things up, but no. It is all just predictable and safe.

Don’t even get me started on the jump scares in this film, they are the most blatant and obvious ones I have ever seem in a film. Never has it been truer than in the case of this film where the creative team are putting in forced jump scares because there is no actually horror in their horror film. This is so un-scary it doesn’t deserve to be called a horror film, it could be shown in schools and even then, little kids wouldn’t find it scary, just tediously, aggressively, horrifically bad.

Pros.

The new priest guy is kind of cool.

Cons.

Oh, wait no they ruined him.

La Llorona herself is dull and repetitive.

It shows everything wrong with jump scares.

It is not in any way, in any shape or form a horror film.

0.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Sorry To Bother You: What Would You Do To Succeed?

Sorry To Bother You is a dark comedy film directed by Boots Riley. The plot follows Cash (Lakeith Stanfield), a young black telemarketer who adopts a white accent to be successful at his job. Once Cash is a success he must decide where his priorities lie and who his real friends are, as everything is not as it seems, and dangers lurk at every corner.

I love this film satirical take on the world, I think there are parts of it that are genuinely hilarious and parts that make you think, as good satire should. However, I do believe that the absurdity of this film reaches a point where it becomes silly and loses the point. I am of course referring to the horse people that show up in the films final act. I understand that they are acting as a metaphor and are part of the satire, but at that point in the film I had given up trying to understand it as it had ventured into silly territory. I think this film could have been even stronger without the horse people being in it. I do believe the horse people will be polarizing to people watching this, you will either love them and think they’re inspired, or think their inclusion is dumb and confusing.

The main positive of this film is Lakeith Stanfield’s marvellous breakout performance! Stanfield nails the performance on every level, he is warm and likeable, he is funny, and he also evokes real emotion from us the audience during some of the film’s heavier scenes. This was and has proven to be a Star making turn for him and I think it is fully deserved.

However, on the flip side I think all the scenes with Cash’s girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson), drag on and on. I have yet to be impressed by Thompson in a single one of her performances, she is fine but she never blows me away, she was good in Thor Ragnarök, but that was a small part in a larger cast, not one of the main characters as she is in this film. I think many other actresses could have done a better job than Thompson in this role to name but a few off the top of my head, I think both Zazie Beetz and Lupia Nyong’o could have had interesting takes on the character, but ah well.

Overall, this is mostly a great dark comedy, Stanfield is terrific, and this film is worth watching for him alone, however a weak and strange third act and a less than average performance from Tessa Thompson stop this film from being a 5/5.

Pros.

Lakeith Stanfield.

A great dark comedy.

It makes you think and laugh.

Cons.

Tessa Thompson

The horse people.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

My Favourite Films: It Follows

In this new series of pieces, I want to tell you about some of my favourite films and why I love them, hopefully with the aim of convincing you to give them a try if you haven’t already; first up is It Follows

It Follows is a supernatural physiological horror film directed by David Robert Marshall. The plot revolves around a curse that is being passed around through sex. When a person is infected with it an unknown entity will slowly follow them around wherever they go, getting closer and closer, this entity can take the form of anyone, someone you know and trust, or a stranger, but its goal remains the same when it catches up to you it will kill you and then move on to the next person down the line. We see this play out from the point of view of our protagonist Jay (Maika Monroe), who becomes infected with the curse and then has to do battle with the entity.

The reason why this film is so good is the inherent tension in the premise, a pretty much unstoppable creature is coming for you slowly, it never sleeps, never takes a break it is always getting closer and closer, it’s a terrifying idea to ponder. It Follows really dives into this sense of dread as well as we see Jay slowly losing her mind more and more as her battle becomes more and more futile. This film also asks some really riveting moral questions as well, posing is it better to just pass it on to someone else because then at least it will leave you alone until it kills the person you spread it to.

Another feather in It Follows cap is its beautifully done and implemented synth soundtrack, it has just enough 80’s esque charm to feel familiar, whilst also enough haunting emptiness to perfectly underpin the tone of the film as the non-diegetic music works perfectly as a mirror to the on-screen characters emotions.

One of the main reasons I love this film so much is because it relies on creating a tense atmosphere and a looming sense of dread to generate scares, rather than having a jump scares ever few minutes. I personally believe that It Follows approach to horror works better than something that features a lot of jump scares for the simple fact that jump scares are easy to spot and become predictable after a bit, whereas It Follows had me feeling uneasy throughout.

Written by Luke