Film Review: No Need To Chart A Course For This One

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Uncharted is a 2022 action-adventure film based on a video game franchise, and I would guess the game is much better than this almost worthless effort from Sony Pictures. As director, Ruben Fleischer is the main culprit assembling this ill-conceived venture. It took three screenwriters in the shape of Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway to present this to the studio. Jon Hanley Rosenberg and Mark D. Walker share the blame with Judkins for the story idea. Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, and Tati Gabrielle comprise most of the lead cast.

The supposed premise is that Nathan Drake, played by Holland, is convinced by a fortune hunter and a former associate of his long-lost brother to join him on a worldwide search for said brother. There’s some explorer’s diary that sends them on a hunt for some ancient cross. There are secret passages and many traps that beleaguer Drake and his shifty allies. Rival mercenaries are on their trail. There are many spectacular stunts and scenery that fail to make up for the lackluster dialogue.

Holland and Wahlberg are charismatic enough to almost make this watchable, but they had little to work with when it comes to the script. Tati Gabrielle is kind of hot as a psychotic henchwoman, so she was somewhat fun to watch, but even that isn’t enough to tip this into something that would dissipate the regret I have for sitting through this.

The cinematography looked great, although there was some heavy CGI use. The fight scenes were just too ludicrous. I know that films based on video games should receive some grace and patience to have any hope of enjoyment, but the producers were just asking for too much.

It is not really the worst movie I have seen, but Uncharted does hover over the abyss of being total cinematic garbage, which is a shame. I can usually enjoy a movie featuring Holland or Wahlberg, but their agents didn’t think this one through. I usually enjoy this genre of film, and I would likely play the original game if I find the time to fire up the Playstation again. What is unlikely is that I will take the time to give this film another chance.

Doctor Who Audio Review: The Brigadier Wants Some Answers

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Children of the Future is another worthy entry into the Big Finish audio range Doctor Who: Sontarans vs. Rutans. Tim Foley provides the script which was directed by Ken Bentley. Tim Treloar has once again performed his version of the Third Doctor, originally portrayed by the late Jon Pertwee. Sadie Miller reprises the role of Sarah Jane Smith, who was originally portrayer by her late mother, Elisabeth Sladen. Jon Culshaw continues his masterful impression of the late Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Jeremy Ang Jones, Nicholas Boulton, and Lucy Goldie make up the guest cast.

The Doctor has become more irascible and secretive lately, and the Brigadier and Sarah Jane Smith become concerned enough to follow him to a secret base of soldiers who claim to be from the future. They claim that they are refugees after the Sontarans invade Earth in the future. There is an audacious plan to breed humans who are uniquely capable of standing up to the invasion that has yet to happen. Sarah detects a few inconsistencies and begins to doubt the Doctor’s allegiance, and then his identity. The Sontarans’ long-standing enemy, the Rutans, are shapeshifters, and this Doctor may not be the genuine article.

All of the original actors who played the main parts are deceased, but the characters live on. Sadie Miller really is getting better at emulating her mother’s vocal talents. Treloar has continued to solidly capture the essence of Pertwee’s performance as well. The story has some interesting red herrings in the plot. The resolution was not as obvious as it could have been, but that’s good. It still ends up being merely solid entertainment, but that’s better than being outright garbage.

Book Review: Heresy And Murder Descend On The Abbey

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Heretic’s Apprentice is the sixteenth novel by Ellis Peters to feature twelfth century monk, Brother Cadfael, and can be a bit of a slow read. Ellis Peters can get a little too verbose in her exposition.

Brother Cadfael is a former soldier who has answered the call of God to join a monastery where he serves the community of Shrewsbury in the 1100’s. Cadfael is an expert herbalist and a keen observer of humanity. He is also one of those servants of the Lord that has a unique insight into the sometimes evil motivations of the human heart. This novel begins with an apprentice bringing home his deceased master who had left on a pilgrimage some years before. William of Lythwood had once been accused of heresy, and it seems the young servant may have some of the same views. When his main accuser is later found murdered, Cadfael is willing to employ his investigative talents and assist his friend, the sheriff of Shrewsbury, in getting to the bottom of the matter.

It’s an interesting plot, but Peters has a style of prose that I found a little hard when it comes to staying focused. Several scenes seem to just go on and on. Of course, this novel was written about thirty-five years ago. I have read other novels in the series, and the struggles remain the same. Peters is a talented and imaginative writer. Cadfael is an intriguing enough protagonist for me to still occasionally try another installment in this series. It’s an engaging plot, but it does require an amount of concentration that is not always to maintain.

The series is successful for a reason, so I would still encourage mystery fans to not pass on this series. It does offer a glimpse into what life in England could have been like if one can sort of ignore the monk who is able to solve crimes. The story itself is pretty interesting, and Cadfael’s steady, reasonable presence may seem a little dull compared to other flashier fictional detectives, however I do enjoy his wisdom and prudence during these somewhat traumatic events occurring around his abbey.

I will likely return to Shrewsbury and visit Brother Cadfael again before too long, but my next literary journey will have author Shari Lapena introduce me to The Unwanted Guest.

Doctor Who Audio Review: Vicki Takes Another Spin In The TARDIS

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Fugitive of the Daleks is a Doctor Who audio drama from Big Finish Productions that sees Stephen Noonan doing another pretty good impression of William Hartnell’s version of the Doctor. Jonathan Morris returns as scriptwriter with Nicholas Briggs pulling double duty as director and the voice of the Daleks. Maureen O’Brien reprises the role of Vicki, who has lived as Lady Cressida in Earth’s distant past. Lauren Cornelius is also back as Dodo, who was originally portrayed by the late Jackie Lane. Ashley Cousins, Mark Elstob, Genevieve Gaunt, and Gary Turner make up the guest cast.

Vicki has lived a long, prosperous life after being left behind by the Doctor and Steven in the doomed city of Troy. She has raised a family and told tales of her previous travels in the TARDIS. She is informed that a strange blue box has appeared, and she recognizes the description. She is reunited with the Doctor who seems to be mysteriously injured and suffering from some sort of amnesia. He is restored to health on a space station with three survivors of a mysterious plague. They soon realize that the Daleks are on their trail. Vicki starts to notice some peculiar inconsistencies in the Doctor’s behavior. A mysterious presence is on board the TARDIS. Another chase has ensued, but Vicki is not sure that she can trust the Doctor as she did in times past.

Noonan’s performance echoing the vocal mannerisms of the late William Hartnell continue to improve. O’Brien is now about 80 years old and still sounds fantastic. There is a moment in the cast interviews where Nicholas Briggs assured O’Brien that she did not need to sound like an old lady even though she was playing a Vicki close to her own age. It was the right call because Briggs was right when he pointed out that many older people retained a youthful voice, and there was no need for O’Brien to sound more like an old crone. O’Brien still manages to easily slip into her “Vicki voice” and is fantastic in this release. Dodo doesn’t appear until pretty late into the story, but Cornelius doesn’t disappoint either when she finally makes her appearance.

There are some pretty good twists that offer some interesting callbacks to some of the television episodes. I am not sure that liked the final twist all that much, but I am not going to spoil that one.

My first instinct is that Morris is just echoing a little too much the television serial known as The Chase. I am a little annoyed that there is some repetition here, but there is just enough unpredictability to help me forgive it. Morris has been one of Big Finish’s most consistent and competent writers. Although I do not rate this one as a top tier contribution, it’s still pretty good.

Even if I have to work at it a bit to enjoy the First Doctor, I still appreciate Big Finish’s efforts to bring new stories to represent the era.

Film Review: A Stuntman With A Story

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Fall Guy is another pointless re-imagining of an old television series that is made watchable by competent casting. It’s not the greatest of cinematic endeavors, but it manages to avoid dumpster fire status.

The director is David Leitch with the script provided by Drew Pearce. It’s loosely based on the 1980’s television series created by Glen A. Larson, and by “loosely” that means it’s a virtually unrecognizable to the program that starred Lee Majors. Ryan Gosling is in the lead role of Colt Seavers. Emily Blunt is the love interest here, which is an understandable casting choice. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddington, and Winston Duke are also included in the cast.

The story begins with Colt Seavers getting severely injured in a movie mishap and deciding to put pause in his stunt career. He also withdrew from his girlfriend, played by Blunt. He gets a phone call that gets him back onto the set where he has to revive the old skills after a year and a half away. When the narcissistic star of the film disappears, Colt is asked to scrounge him up and get him back to work. Instead, Colt finds a dead body and a squad of mercenaries on his heels. He wants to rekindle an old romance, but he has to resolve a little life and death situation that has fallen into his lap.

Leitch pulls out all the stops when it comes to the stunts and special effects. It’s ludicrously over the top, but Gosling and Blunt are just compelling enough to keep me interested. The complicated love story between the two lead characters is actually pretty well realized. The moment where Colt reveals why he withdrew from his girlfriend after his accident is actually kind of moving and well written. I didn’t get choked up or anything, but I was impressed with the script in that moment, and Gosling gives a pretty convincing performance.

The film is a little uneven when it comes to the overall experience. There are some genuinely funny moments, but story drags a bit at times. The plot isn’t that bad, but the craziness of the stunts and visual effects could be a little distracting. It’s another film where I enjoyed it a little more than I expected, but there was still little need for another reboot.

Book Review: The First Strike

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Cuckoo’s Calling is a promising start in a detective series written by J.K. Rowling. Although, Rowling is writing under the pen name of Robert Galbraith, which is a pretty good pseudonym.

A supermodel’s plunge from her apartment balcony has been ruled a suicide, but her brother is not convinced. He turns private detective Cormoran Strike for some help in confirming his suspicions of foul play. Strike initially doesn’t seem up to the job considering that his personal life is coming apart at the seams after an acrimonious break-up. Strike is a disabled war veteran with a prosthetic leg, and his business has not been very fruitful. Strike is skeptical that he is going to come up with a different conclusion from the police, but he could use the money. He has a temporary assistant who ends up being more help than most. Strike also is pretty skillful investigator, so it’s not too long before he starts to wonder if his client may be onto something.

I have yet to read Rowling’s Harry Potter series, but this endeavor may encourage me to give that a shot. It’s not that the plot is all that original, but Strike ends up being a compelling enough protagonist to spark my curiosity. Strike is a pretty distinctive and disheveled figure, but his instincts and morals have not dulled since leaving the Royal Army. There is also kind of a cool chemistry depicted with his new temp worker, Robin. It took a bit of persistence for me to start to like this novel, but it gets better. Rowling may need to work on her literary hooks a little, but her talent and popularity does still appear to be well-earned.

This novel was first published in 2013, so she has continued this series quite a bit since then, and I think it will not be too far down the road before I get to the next installment.

My next port of call on the leisure reading cruise will be Ellis Peters. It has been a while since I have visited the gates of a certain medieval abbey where Brother Cadfael resides with his fellow monks, but it’s time I learned the truth of the mystery surrounding The Heretic’s Apprentice.

Film Review: Warfare Doesn’t Always Need To Be Gentlemanly

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is the latest action-comedy spy caper directed by Guy Ritchie and is actually quite entertaining in the typical over-the-top Ritchie style.

Ritchie co-wrote the screenplay alongside Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, and Arash Amel. Henry Cavill is in the lead as Major Gus March-Phillipps. He is joined by an impressive cast that includes Alan Ritchson, Eiza Gonzalez, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Rory Kinnear, and Cary Elwes. The film is loosely based on the history surrounding a group of rogue operatives who worked secretly for Winston Churchill in efforts to disrupt Nazi activities during the Second World War.

The major and his company are sent on a mission to destroy a German supply ship docked at an island known as Fernando Po. They first have to rescue an ally who has fallen into the hands of the Nazis. They also are conspiring with a couple of spies on the island. Gonzalez plays an actress and singer named Marjorie Stewart who is assigned to seduce a Nazi commander on the island. The background is a mission known as Operation Postmaster, which apparently really happened. Of course, Ritchie took some creative liberties with the historical figures and events.

There is a lot of gratuitous violence throughout the film, but it’s pretty well choreographed and is entertaining to watch. The set designs are great. Gonzalez may be one of the most beautiful women I have seen onscreen in some time. Also, the rogue agents recruited by Churchill were great. There was some quintessential British deadpan humor that really makes this film work. I appreciated the humorous stoicism displayed by the team during the setbacks or what would be traumatic events to anyone else. Somehow, it’s almost always satisfying to watch Nazis getting mowed down with the frequency that occurs in this particular film.

I should note that Cavill’s role is apparently an inspiration for James Bond. Ian Fleming appears as a character as well and is plated by Freddie Fox.

Yes, this is a pretty ridiculous film but an enjoyable one. It also reveals another interesting historical piece of World War II that could bear some further research

Book Review: The Dark Hours Belong to Ballard

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Dark Hours is a pretty intriguing novel by Michael Connelly and features Harry Bosch and his most recent series character, Renee Ballard. Bosch has been retired from LAPD for some time, but Detective Ballard still manages to draw him back into an investigation or two.

This thriller takes place during the thick of COVID lockdowns and mask-wearing. Ballard has been called out in the middle of the night to look into a fatal shooting. Evidence leads her to look into an unsolved case that was once investigated by Harry Bosch. Meanwhile, a pair of rapists have been stalking the streets of Los Angelos and have also attracted Ballard’s attention and ire. Bosch once again provides some invaluable support and insight even though he no longer carries a badge. Ballard also has to navigate the treacherous waters of department politics as well and finds her pool of allies getting smaller. It’s another cluster of tense situations provided by the prolific Michael Connelly.

I would have been fine if Connelly ignored the pandemic situation in his novels, but it’s not my call. Once thing that adds a dose of reality to his crime fiction is that his characters are often working more than one case in a particular novel. There is usually a primary plot, but Connelly will often have a side project for his protagonists going on and manages to skillfully weave in and out of them quite skillfully.

I don’t know if Connelly is really a master of the craft, but I don’t begrudge him his current popularity and success. Connelly is consistently good, and this particular novel isn’t the one to change my mind. I was pretty well hooked and inwardly cheering when Bosch would appear. This was still mostly a Ballard story, but I was fine with that. I enjoy the friendship that Connelly has developed between them. I found it interesting that Ballard acknowledged that Bosch has become sort of a mentor because that was not immediately obvious since Ballard is pretty sharp on her own. I thought it was pretty cool when she actually verbalized that aspect of their relationship. I also appreciate that Connelly has also chosen to not shoehorn in some romantic spark between them. Since there is a significant age gap between the two detectives, it would just seem tawdry and unnecessary, and Connelly seems to agree.

Overall, I enjoyed this one quite a bit, but I haven’t come across a Connelly novel that I did not enjoy in some degree. It was pretty good and should be one that crime fiction enthusiasts add to their reading lists.

Next up, I am reading my first J.K. Rowling novel, however it’s not her Harry Potter series. Time to meet Cormoran Strike in The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith. Yes, Galbraith is really J.K. Rowling. Anyway, that’s the next step in my path of literary indulgence.

Doctor Who Audio Review: Detective Orion Hood Is On The Case

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Two pretty good stories make up the latest set of Fifth Doctor audio dramas just released by Big Finish Productions. Peter Davison is reunited with his original TARDIS crew portrayed by Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton, and Matthew Waterhouse in a pair of audio dramas written by Tim Foley and Lizzie Hopley. Ken Bentley is in the director’s chair yet again.

The great Agatha Christie is channeled in Tim Foley’s The Merfolk Murders which kicks off this set. The guest cast includes Tom Alexander, Pearl Appleby, and Josie Lawrence. The TARDIS arrives in 1940 Scotland at the dawn of the Second World War. They encounter a little group known as the Merfolk Society, who meet to discuss murder mysteries. They are gathered to discuss The Casebook of Orion Hood, whose protagonist is quite familiar to the Doctor and his friends. It seems that the Doctor spent some time as an amateur detective in his previous incarnation, and those adventures were chronicled by one Sarah Jane Smith, who was using a pseudonym at the time. Anyway, a murder has occurred, and the Doctor has to slip back into the role of Orion Hood.to get to the bottom of the disturbing crime.

This was a pretty fun and interesting story. The red herrings were pretty effective. Apparently, this is a set-up for a future Big Finish project which is likely to star the great Tom Baker. I am a great fan of murder mysteries of this sort, so Doctor Who dipping into this genre is a bit of an extra treat. The main cast continue to display their usual chemistry. I do struggle with ignoring how much Peter Davison’s voice has changed over the years. He was in his early thirties when he first played the Doctor on television. Although he does not really sound bad in these new stories, his voice seems to have changed the most compared to the other Doctors participating in these recordings. His acting is still on par, and I still enjoy dipping into the range of stories regardless. This is still a pretty good addition to the Fifth Doctor catalogue of Big Finish stories.

Dream Team is written by Lizzie Hopley and brings back creatures first introduced in the new series known as the Dream Crabs. The Crabs latch on their victims’ face and puts them into a deep sleep, feeding on their brains as they dream. They’re actually rather effectively chilling. The Doctor and his friends arrive in a place that specializes in corporate bonding and find themselves experiencing some very vivid nightmares. There is no guest cast in this story, and it’s a two-parter. Hopley manages to pack in a lot in this relatively short episode which focuses solely on the main cast. It’s another one of the stronger episodes that Big Finish has been putting out recently.

I will also mention that there is a range included in some of the recent downloaded releases known as Interludes. This release included one of these episodes entitled Meanwhile, Turlough by Jonathan Blum and features the talented Dan Starkey presenting this audio short story. While the Doctor and Tegan Jovanka deal with a crisis on a planet where the TARDIS has recently arrived, Turlough has his own crisis going in that his escape from his exile on Earth has been noticed, and he has to contend with a monitor from his own planet who has recognized him. Starkey is pretty good as a narrator and actor, but his efforts to emulate the Fifth Doctor is not that good. He actually is closer to mimicking Mark Strickson, who plays Turlough in the series. It’s an interesting story, but I am easily intrigued by Turlough. He was definitely one of the Doctor’s more enigmatic and intriguing companions. Blum has a long history of writing Doctor Who stories, and I was reminded why he was one my favorite contributors.

The whole set is quite good. The main cast once again prevails in making any plot holes much less meaningful. Davison is getting older, and one can hear it, however he is still welcome to keep me entertained as I listen to his new recordings with Big Finish. I think the murder mystery at the top of the release is going to be my preference, but the whole collection is worth the time.

Film Review: Possession Or Insanity…Who Can Say?

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Nefarious had an intriguing idea, but this supernatural thriller didn’t quite pull off the execution onscreen. More than likely, the book written by Steve Deace is considerably better.

Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon wrote and directed this film. Sean Patrick Flannery and Jordan Belfi are the leads alongside Tim Ohmer and Glenn Beck, who makes a special appearance toward the end of the film.

The film starts off with a psychiatrist who commits suicide by throwing himself off a building for some inexplicable reason. His protégé, played by Belfi, takes his place interviewing a death row inmate to determine if a notorious killer is legally sane, which would allow the execution to proceed. Flannery offers a fairly chilling performance as the killer known as Edward Wayne Brady. Beady explains that he is actually a demon in possession of this body. Brady was actually coerced into committing the murders that have landed him in this predicament. Of course, the shrink is an atheist, and what follows is a pretty lengthy match of verbal jousting which ended up being somewhat predictable and rather clumsily written.

Anyway, the film is apparently billed as a Christian film, which becomes more evident when social issues such as abortion come up. I don’t actually disagree with the position the writers and producers apparently take. I do sort of question the whole demonic possession angle, but some of the theological points made did resonate with me. I just wish there was some better skill in the writing.

I will say that the transformation Flannery undergoes for his character is actually quite impressive. I actually had to recognize his name to realize that I had seen him quite often before. Flannery is a pretty good actor, but I always kind of considered him a pretty boy. That wasn’t there in this one.

Overall, I appreciate the effort for some of these studios to put out some more faith-based content, and this film is not that bad. It just isn’t that great either. It had a low-budget feel to it, and the writing just wasn’t strong enough to overcome that.