The Reluctant Blogger

It's been nearly 50 years since the Planet of the Apes franchise first started, and although making sequels and prequels appears to be the norm nowadays, the prequel trilogy starring Andy Serkis in the role of Caesar may prove to be one of the most popular and successful reboots to date. Despite finally coming to the end of a brilliant new trilogy that tells the story of how the Planet of the Apes came to be, the third installment did in no way disappoint. War for the Planet of the Apes delivers an emotionally driven story that is accompanied by stunning cinematography, incredibly technical visual effects and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack composed by the amazing Michael Giacchino. Directed and co-written by Matt Reeves, the film delivers what everyone has been waiting for: the final battle between Apes and Humans. Having survived a disease that wiped out the majority of humankind in Rise of the Planet of the Apes , the remaining survivors are faced with a choice: to sp...

Finally, after what feels like decades of waiting, it is finally here... After the epicness of The Force Awakens , and then the Episode 4 prequel Rogue One, who knew that it was possible to get even more excited about Star Wars? Following on from Episode 7, The Last Jedi promises more adventure, more action, and could possibly (just like The Empire Strikes Back ) be overshadowed by the dark side of the force - hence the red typeface perhaps? There were so many unanswered questions left after the last film: Who are Rey's parents? Who is Snoke? Has Luke already turned to the dark side? Will Finn survive? What is Snoke planning next? Will Kylo Ren eventually turn to the light, and be reunited with his mother? Will Leia be reunited with Luke? Who knows? But the teaser trailer does offer enough sneak peeks to let the entire Star Wars fandom start speculating and anticipating the movie's plot.  Besides, we've all watched it a million times now, right? WARNING: TEAS...

Desirably jam-packed with delightful intrigue and unnerving suspense, Apple Tree Yard combines the best of a psychological thriller, a heartfelt romance and the worst of human nature. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD! Although many viewers may find steamy encounters in secret closets a little much for their Sunday night viewing, Apple Tree Yard does deliver much more of a plot-line than a couple of raunchy scenes that one would generally expect to hold little narrative. However, this is not the case. Thankfully the series, based on the novel of the same name by Louise Doughty,  provides its viewers with a multi-layered plot which digs deeper and deeper until it seems practically impossible to uncover any more dark and troubling secrets. This is no ordinary love affair; b it by bit the plot twists and turns as a one-off encounter in the heat of the moment evolves into a nerve-wrecking scramble to hide the truth, therefore  unraveling  consequences of a horrifying nature. ...

"When his peaceful life is threatened by a high-tech assassin, former black-ops agent Frank Moses reassembles his old team in a last ditch effort to survive and uncover his assailants". Directed by Robert Schwentke and written by Erich Hoeber, RED is an action-packed adventure, full of mystery, suspense and comedy.  Although t his movie may not be the action-packed film one might expect, it still manages to shine with its undeniable wit, classic style and a star cast including Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman.   RED is not a fast-paced film, but neither is it slow; in comparison with the characters, the film is set at a steady speed with insane action sequences that intertwine throughout and leave the audience wondering where the story line will take them next. As for the characters themselves, they are all brilliantly written with a good dose of humour, wit, romance, regret and sobriety . For some, the comedy may make up for t...

'When Jane Foster is possessed by a great power, Thor must protect her from a new threat of old times: the Dark Elves'. 'THOR 2: The Dark World' is the action-adventure/sci-fi/fantasy sequel to Marvel's 2011 film Thor, which continues the adventures of Thor, the mighty avenger, god of thunder, in the Marvel Universe. Jam-packed with special effects and a brilliant story line, Thor: The Dark World will keep you rooted to your seat from beginning to end. Although thrilling from a technological point of view, there is the opinion that the SFX within the film, and the focus on the action and seemingly superfluous fight sequences, has deterred from the emotional connection between the characters and the audience; and has hindered the general enjoyment that might have been more accessible. Some say that the film is a missed opportunity, that the film is saturated with tedious dialogue and the characters are too bland. The acting however, is to be praise...

Man of Steel is an American Action-Adventure/Sci-fi Superhero film made in 2013. Directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Christopher Nolan, the film is based on the DC Comics of Superman and retells the story of his origin.  A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind. Reviews:   3/5 - Rotten Tomatoes   3/5 - Metacritic   3.5/5 - Imdb The film rests on an act of courage taken in a time of war - one life saved from a dying planet and given to save another - and sets out to modernize the story of Superman; creating something entirely new through the storyline and Special FX. However, many viewers have called the film cold, dull and lengthy. The beginning of the film starts well, throwing the audien...