Fixing Fiction: Rewriting the Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014)

I really enjoyed ‘An Unexpected Journey’ when it first came out, even ranking it among my beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, as the franchise went on – and on and on – it became increasingly clear that cracks were beginning to show in a once-promising prequel. There’s still a lot to like about the films; the acting’s good, there’s some nice moments scattered throughout, but there are too many mistakes and missteps that point to wasted potential. After much thought, here are 5 things I’d have changed about the Hobbit prequel trilogy…

The Devil’s Double: Punisher vs. Daredevil (Season 2)

What can Matt Murdock and Frank Castle possibly have in common? I’ll be tackling that question in the third instalment of my Marvel Doubles series, looking at duality in Season 2 of Netflix’s Daredevil.

Basil (1998): Not the Great Mouse Detective; or Great, for that Matter

Taking a break from my Marvel Doubles blog series (as I’m still catching up on Luke Cage/ Iron Fist and collecting my thoughts on Punisher/ Daredevil), I just had to vent about this rather odd film I watched last night which features 1990’s-era Christian Slater and Jared Leto fighting against each other – and homoerotic subtext – in a twee love triangle that descends disturbingly quickly into disfigurement. No, really.

The Devil & Miss Jones: Doubles and Duality in Netflix’s Second Superhero Show

The next post in my Marvel Doubles series looks at duality and mirroring in Netflix’s Jessica Jones.

The Devil’s Reject: Looking Back at Daredevil (2003)

How does 2003 Ben Affleck vehicle Daredevil hold up 14 years later? When compared to Netflix’s take on the same titular defender, not very well at all. In fairness, it’s probably among the least rubbish comic book movies of the early 00’s, which also gave us Ang Lee’s Hulk, Halle Berry’s Catwoman and Jennifer Garner’s Daredevil spin-off Elektra, but it’s no X2 or Hellboy which came out around the same time. Still, it was a little slice of nostalgic nonsense that I enjoyed in a post-modern ironic kind of way whilst remarking on 2003’s questionable fashion and music choices. So here, in all its grungy glory, is 2003’s Daredevil…

Daredevil’s Doubles: Daredevil vs. Kingpin

The first post in my Marvel Doubles series which looks at the ways in which Netflix’s Daredevil frames its titular hero, and villain Kingpin, in more shades of grey than E.L. James could shake a stick at. What makes a hero heroic, or a villain villainous? In the grimy underbelly of Hell’s Kitchen, there’s more overlap than you might imagine…

The League of Extraordinary Missteps: LXG Revisited

This was one of my favourite films growing up. I know, I know – I’ve read countless articles detailing all the ways in which the 2003 adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (hereafter LXG, for brevity’s sake) messed up Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ seminal source material. The film was apparently such a nightmare to make, it ended the careers of its director Stephen Norrington and star Sean Connery in one fell swoop. Re-watching it now, 14 years after the fact, the flaws stand out as clear as day. But I can’t help loving this strange, beleaguered blip in the comic book movie landscape, and here’s why…

Darkness Visible: Descent into Hell, Revisited

The second post in my exploration of Charles Williams’ macabre masterpiece Descent into Hell…

Updates, Promises and Happy Holidays

In which I make more promises than I’ll likely be able to keep…

The Eye Monster

There’s a monster in my eye. He’s been there for a while. He sits where I used to see, but now I don’t see so well anymore.