'T2: Trainspotting' Review

This weekend saw the release of one of the most highly anticipated sequels since The Force Awakens, the follow up to Danny Boyle's iconic Trainspotting. Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, the original film followed the heroin-fueled exploits of a group of friends living in Edinburgh. Picking up 20 years later, T2 sees protagonist Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) return to Edinburgh for the first time since the events of the first film, inevitably the sins of his past come back to haunt him and chaos soon ensues. The hopes were high for this one, I mean the original Trainspotting is nothing less than iconic, a film that defined a generation. While T2 doesn't exactly capture the magic of its predecessor, it does enough to make it an enjoyable and satisfying sequel.

T2 reunites director Danny Boyle with the original cast members, all the old gang are back on board for this one. 20 years have passed however, so the characters have gone through a lot of changes since the first film, these are made apparent in early parts of the film but as things progress we soon find the gang back to their old tricks once again. 20 years later and the cast fit back into their old roles almost effortlessly, they may have aged but they're still the same characters we grew to love in their first outing. McGregor is excellent at playing an ageing Renton, now a much more mature character who finds himself attempting to reignite the flame of his youth upon returning to Edinburgh. However, unlike the original, T2 pays an equal amount of attention to its four main characters, this isn't just about how Renton has developed since Trainspotting, but also Sickboy, Spud (Ewen Bremmer) and Begbie (Robert Carlyle).

I was delighted to see Ewen Bremmer get more screentime here, Spud being the most compelling character of the four in this film, he is a lot more fleshed out this time around and acts as a large contribution to the films emotional backbone. As for Robert Carlyle, he slips back into the role of Begbie like a glove, injecting just the right balance of menace and humour to remind us why we love to hate him. He has this incredibly intimidating presence during all of his scenes, creating this sense of tension that had my heart vigorously pounding in my chest. There is once scene in particular where he is reunited with Renton and let's just say, it's not a happy reunion. Carlyle steals the show by far. As for Kelly Macdonald who played Renton's quasi-love interest Diane in the first film, her role is reduced to merely one scene. While I wasn't too bothered by that, I was quite disappointed at how underused Shirley Henderson was here. Acting as Spud's love interest in the first film the character of Gail had so much potential in the sequel, unfortunately she is reduced to merely one line of dialogue. As for Anjela Nedyalkova, a newcomer to the cast who plays Sickboy's prostitute girlfriend Veronika, she does a decent job at fitting in among this already established cast of characters but is somewhat bland in comparison to those around her.

A lot of the film focuses on a a scheme between Renton, Sickboy and Veronica involving the opening of a brothel, and for me this is what let the film down so much. Such a large chunk of the film is dedicated to this storyline that ultimately never amounts to anything, it lacks that exciting and visceral atmosphere of the original. While it is obviously a pleasure to see the relationship between Renton and Sickboy become more layered in this film, their story arc just felt a bit bland which is a real shame considering how much of the film it takes up. Thankfully, the film has two wonderful, intertwining subplots involving Spud and Begbie that bring it back to its feet. Not only do they provide much more development for the duo, but they inject that unique sense of grit and emotion that made the first film so memorable. Spud's story is particularly touching but I won't spoil it, you'll have to see it for yourself. Eventually all of these different story arcs collide in a cathartic climax packed with tension, ultimately leading to a satisfying conclusion to the Trainspotting story.

Visually, the film excels. A combination of Danny Boyle's masterful direction and the ambitious cinematography from Anthony Dod Mantle gives this film that distorted, almost otherworldly atmosphere much like the original. Speaking of which, there is plenty of reference to its predecessor to satisfy diehard fans. Be it through archive footage, through the soundtrack, through dialogue, almost every medium is used to hark back to Trainspotting, respectfully paying homage without relying too heavily on fan service. It almost reflects the character of Renton himself, a man who has returned home after 20 years and becomes immersed in nostalgia. We, the audience can relate to this as we finally return to the world of Trainspotting after all these years.

While it doesn't hit all of the bars that it could and is, at times, dragged down by a rather lackluster plot, T2: Trainspotting is an enjoyable sequel that will please causal cinemagoers and diehard Trainspotting fans alike. It has a strong cast, beautiful visuals, and pays enough homage to the original to create a beautiful sense of nostalgia. When the original film has become so iconic over the years, it's hard to make a follow up that will fully live up to that sensation, no matter how this film turned out it was never going to be as good as its predecessor. In particular, the soundtrack does not come close to the perfection of the original, to be fair I don't think that could have ever been possible. Despite of its flaws, I think T2: Trainspotting does enough to honour the original and please its fans, it may not tick all of the boxes, but it ticks enough of them.

10 Romance Films for People Who Hate Romance Films

If I had to pick my very least favourite genre of film it would be romance. While I generally tend to stay away from that genre altogether, being in a relationship means that watching the odd rom-com or romantic drama is inevitable after a while. Nowadays especially, the genre has become a bit repetitive with many romance films sharing similar premises and ideas that just become too worn out after a while. To me, a lot of these films just sort of blend into each other and it's hard to tell them apart, but come on can you honestly blame me?

Although I would like to point out that The Notebook, despite what you may think, is a good film and I will stand by that statement. Yes while I don't tend to enjoy the majority of romantic films, there are some films like The Notebook that I have enjoyed and that I do think would appeal to those who also claim to dislike them. The following, in no particular order, are 10 romance films that I feel some of the most anti-romance people would even enjoy (although I didn't include The Notebook because, let's face it, a lot of people still wouldn't like that). They cross over to a number of genres but at heart, they are all romantic films.

Moonrise Kingdom

One of the more recent films from director Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), two troubled kids who cross paths and decide to run away together into the wilderness. The two young leads are both fantastic to watch, delivering that sharp dialogue with wonderfully deadpan performances. They share this great chemistry between each other which makes it clear that the love between these two characters, despite their age, is very strong. They may be children, but they both have this sense of maturity that makes them seem a whole lot more adult, something that could only work so well in a Wes Anderson film. That's what makes this film stand out, Anderson's signature trademarks such as sharp dialogue, beautiful visuals and clever framing make this a very distinctive love story. Throw in the two talented leads and an equally talented supporting cast including Bill Murray and Edward Norton and you've got yourself a grade A love story unlike anything else out there. Moonrise Kingdom is an incredibly humorous film and clever love story with just the right level of Wes Anderson quirk to set it apart from your everyday rom-com. 

Love Actually

'Oh no!' I hear you cry, 'not that one!'. I watched Love Actually over the Christmas, initially reluctant to do so, but I soon found myself breaking my heart laughing at this festive rom-com. Set in London, it follows a number of peoples intertwining love stories over the course of the Christmas season, from a writer who falls for his Portuguese housekeeper to a young boy in love with one of his classmates, the film includes a number of contrasting tales about romance. While the main theme of the film is 'love', it avoids being overly sappy by injecting a fair bit of humour into its respective stories, some of the funniest scenes include Billy Mack's (Bill Nighy) performance and Rufus (Rowan Atkinson) slowly gift-wrapping jewellery which had me in fits of laughter. It's a rom-com that has the perfect balance between rom and com. Enough romance to provide an emotional core for the film and enough humour to make it more than just a soppy anthology of love stories. The huge ensemble cast including Laura Linney and the late Alan Rickman to name a few, are all fantastic in their respective roles. While the film has gone on to inspire similar ones such as Valentine's Day and New Years Eve, none compare to the original. 

Grease

The musical genre is one that frequently overlaps with romance, and while I'm not usually a fan of either, Grease is one of the exceptions. I know many people who despise musicals yet still admit to enjoying this 1978 classic. The film centers on greaser Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and the innocent Sandy (Olivia Newton-John), whose summer romance becomes much much more when the latter unknowingly enrolls in the same school as Danny. The rest, as they say, is history. Grease is undeniably a classic, from its catchy musical numbers, witty dialogue and portrayal of 50's youth culture, the film has enough to appeal to even those who strongly detest romantic films. I dare you to try and watch this without having 'You're the One That I Want' stuck in your head for weeks after. The film just has so much charm that it's impossible not to become engrossed in it from start to finish, the dialogue is well-written, the characters are well-acted, and the music is toe-tappingly good. What can I say, as much as I don't enjoy musicals or  romantic films I cannot help but love Grease, it's just a classic.

Life After Beth

Horror and romance have always shared this interesting, often morbid relationship since way back when Gothic literature began, here, that bizarre relationship comes fully into play in a hilarious tale of love and zombies. The film begins with Zach (Dane DeHaan) mourning the loss of his girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza) after she dies from a snakebite, however, the mourning doesn't last long as Beth soon returns from the dead as a zombie. Plaza steals the show here as the zombified Beth who, in her undead state, experiences extreme mood swings that gradually become much more violent. While Zach is initially thrilled with the return of his beloved, his excitement soon turns to horror when he realises that zombies are just as vicious as in the movies. While it's not as good as other 'rom-zom-com's' such as Shaun of the Dead, it puts more emphasis on the romance aspect and therefore fits in better on this list. A darkly comedic love story that will make you laugh and, oddly, touch your heart, Life After Beth is an excuse to bring a bit of horror into your romantic movie night.

Amélie

After the highly disappointing Alien: Resurrection, French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet gave us Amélie four years later and suddenly all was forgiven. The film follows the day to day life of Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) in Montmarte, Paris, as she encounters a variety of interesting characters and situations. Amélie spends the majority of the film trying to bring happiness to the lives of her friends but it's not until the end where she finally achieves happiness for herself. Throughout the film, we gradually see her fall for a young man named Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz), however it's not until the end where she finally gets her man. What I like about this film is that, while it is a romance at heart, the romance is not the centre of the film. Instead, it opts to focus more on the little details in life, peoples likes, dislikes, general quirks, it pours immense detail into the personalities of its characters, even the minor ones. Amélie is a quaint little film filled with such immense beauty and detail, while the romance between Amélie and Nino is not center stage throughout, it is nonetheless crucial to the films satisfying finale. It's the type of film where you smile to yourself afterwards and remember why you love cinema.

The Princess Bride 

Possibly one of the most exciting romance films of all time, The Princess Bride follows farmboy Westley (Cary Elwes) as he embarks on a quest across a fantasy world to rescue his beloved, the Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). The title alone may be enough to turn off those who may mistake this for some Disney princess film, however, it is far from that. Taking influences from the likes of Robin Hood and Zorro, this is a swashbuckling tale of adventure and romance that takes place in a beautiful fantasy landscape. It is full of colourful and memorable characters, most notably the Spanish fencer Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) whose monologue has now become one of cinemas most iconic pieces of dialogue. The main story of Westley and co is in fact a story within a story, being read to a young boy (Fred Savage) by his grandfather (Peter Falk). This almost acts as a reflection of some of the viewers themselves, initially disinterested in the love and romance yet slowly becoming more and more engrossed in the world of The Princess Bride. It is that type of film, the more it progresses, the more it captivates you and by the time it's over you'll be wishing to return to its world. Beneath all of the action and fantasy, we sometimes forget that this is a romantic film at heart, and a damn good one at that. 

Blue Valentine

The title of this film is a bit misleading, it sounds like your regular, run of the mill romance flick when in fact it is something much more than that. It's more of an anti-romance film, documenting the downward spiral of the relationship between Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), flashing back and forward from the early days right until the end. At first, you may be led to think that this is your standard romantic drama and that there is a happy ending in store, however Blue Valentine sets to make the point that some problems just can't be resolved. What I loved about this film is that it doesn't sugar coat things, this is not the idealistic movie relationship we are used to. Instead it is a much more realistic depiction of relationships and how sometimes the spark does not last. It's pretty bleak at times, especially in the latter half of the film where we see how much their relationship has developed since the beginning. While it is a romantic drama, don't expect a warm fuzzy feeling by the end of it, just brace yourself is all I will say.

Annie Hall

Before becoming one of the film industries most despised figures, Woody Allen made some pretty great films, Annie Hall being one of my personal favourites. The film revolves around comedian Alvy Singer (Allen) who reflects on his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Annie Hall (Diane Keaton), trying to determine where it went wrong. Much like the aforementioned Blue Valentine, this is another film that depicts the gradual downfall of a couples relationship, unlike Blue Valentine however, it's not nearly as bleak. Instead, Allen injects his signature brand of clever humour into the film, incorporating things such as his experience with psychoanalysis for comedic effect. At several moments he even breaks the fourth wall, there's a famous scene where he pulls Marshall McLuhan into the frame in order to correct a man who, beforehand, gave a misinformed interpretation of McLuhan's work. This type of clever, almost meta humour is what has made the film so distinctive and marked the beginning of a more mature filmmaking career for Allen. However, it is his chemistry with Diane Keaton that makes this film so memorable. The part of Annie was written specifically for Keaton while the character of Alvy bares many similarities to Allen, allowing both actors to slip into the role with ease and deliver a natural and believable onscreen chemistry. It's an unconventional sort of love story, emphasising how love can come and go and the importance of moving on if it does, it's another film with a more realistic portrayal of relationships which, for me, is what makes it stand out.

Singles

A love story set against the Seattle grunge scene in the 90's, Singles is probably one of the coolest rom-com's out there. Not only because of its brilliant soundtrack including the likes of Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, but also due to actual onscreen appearances from Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Not only that, but Eddie Vedder and co from Pearl Jam portray members of the band 'Citizen Dick', fronted by Matt Dillon's character Cliff. The film follows a number of intertwining stories that focus on the lives of a number of different 'singles' searching for love. These include waitress Janet (Bridget Fonda) who is smitten with Cliff, and Linda (Kyra Sedgwick) who struggles to commit to fellow single Steve (Campbell Scott) despite his genuine affection. As the film progresses, we watch their respective relationships unfold and anticipate who will remain single by the films end. As a fan of grunge I particularly enjoyed this due to the appearances of some of Seattle's most iconic grunge bands, it was pretty surreal seeing Matt Dillon and Eddie Vedder playing in the same band. Much like many of Cameron Crowes films, this one will appeal as much to music fans as it does to film fans, it's a humorous love story that gives an insight into the wonderful world of grunge-era Seattle. Featuring live performances from Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, Singles is a rom-com that's not to be missed.

Casablanca 

Ok, so I said this was in no particular order but I had to save the best for last. I don't think there will ever be a romantic film that is superior to Casablanca, the tale of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) has become iconic since its release in 1942. Set in the titular city of Casablanca during the second World War, the film follows nightclub owner Rick Blaine who is forced to choose between his love for his old flame Ilsa and helping her husband combat the Nazis. It's a wonderful story and the chemistry between Bogart and Bergman is timeless, still iconic to this day. It's not your typical romantic drama, focusing on Rick's conflict between having the woman he loves once again and letting her go once and for all. While it is clear that he and Ilsa still deeply love each other, he feels that he must do what's best for her. While it is a romantic film at its core, the World War 2 setting and subject matter make it feel like much more of a thriller, and it is quite thrilling at times especially due to Conrad Veidt's villainous Major Strasser. It is a love story wrapped up in an exciting tale of espionage, which is why I feel that it has such a wide appeal. Casablanca is essential viewing for everyone at some point in your life, no matter how much you dislike romantic films, you're bound to enjoy this one regardless.

So those are a few romantic films that can be enjoyed by those who hate the genre the most. Don't get used to me talking about romance films though because for the next couple of weeks I'll be doing a 5 part series on horror remakes. Each post will be about a different horror remake that I feel lives up to the original, remakes done right, if you will. The first of those will be up next week. 

'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Season 1 Review

Yesterday, Netflix dropped what I consider to be one of the most highly anticipated television shows of the year, their adaptation of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Based on the books by Daniel Handler, the series follows the three Baudelaire siblings who become orphans after their parents perish in a fire. The children soon find themselves being pursued by the villainous Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris) who plots to steal their massive fortune by any means necessary. The show is being developed by Mark Hudis and Barry Sonnenfield, and stars Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf, Patrick Warburton as Lemony Snicket, K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Poe, and Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes and Presley Smith as Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire respectively.

As a huge fan of the books I was thoroughly excited for this series, and while I did enjoy the 2004 film adaptation with Jim Carrey and co, I think television is certainly a better medium to tell such a large story. I have to say I am very impressed with how the series turned out, not only does it manage to perfectly encapsulate the style and tone of the books, it also provides a much more thorough adaptation and includes many details and Easter eggs from the books that were omitted in the film. The first season consists of eight episodes (two per book) and adapts the first four books in the series: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, The Wide Window and The Miserable Mill. Not only does this allow the series to remain closer to its source material, but it is also an opportunity to further develop the universe built in Handlers books. While the show can feel mildly repetitive when you're binge watching, with every couple of episodes feeling like Wile E. Coyote cartoons, it is saved by its unique visual aesthetic that offers captivating new locations with every story arc. Judging by the direction the books take as well, this sense of repetition will probably die out in the next season.

Speaking of the shows visuals, A Series of Unfortunate Events is by far one of the most aesthetically pleasing shows in recent television history and really reflects the style of the books. Veteran production designer Bo Welch creates these awe inspiring sets and does a fantastic job of bringing to life that unique style in Handlers books. From the lush reptile room to the gloomy Damocles Dock, this gothic world is exactly what you picture when reading A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's got a very Wes Anderson brand of quirkiness to it as well, I found, from the unique and colourful production design, to the equally unique costume design, the show does take a fair bit of visual inspiration from Anderson but not enough to make it a full carbon copy of his work. The visual style it maintains is very much its own thing and is one of the series' greatest assets.

The show also incorporates a number of CGI elements in order to help further enhance the visuals along with bringing to life certain things from the books such as the incredibly deadly viper and the lachrymose leeches. While it is mostly successful in enhancing the visuals, I felt at times that it just looked plain silly, especially during those moments when it was used with the baby, Sunny. It's just really noticeable at times and in certain contexts it's extremely out of place, however this is only at several instances and most of the time the CGI works in favour of the show.

Something we were all curious to see was Neil Patrick Harris' take on sinsiter master of disguise Count Olaf, one of the highlights of the film adaptation for me was Carrey's performance so I was particularly curious as to how Harris would set his Olaf apart from that. I can safely say that Harris' portrayal of the character is very much his own thing, he does not go as over the top as Carrey did but it works very much in his favour. He brings his own theatrical flare to the character and manages to maintain the balance between campy and evil. While at times I did feel that he could have been a bit nastier and less comedic, I am a fan of what Harris has done with the character, along with his numerous alter egos. I particularly enjoyed his role in the reptile room under the guise of Uncle Monty's (Aasif Mandvi) assistant Stephano, I couldn't keep a straight face whenever he opened his mouth.

The show also boasts a colourful cast of supporting characters played by a variety of talented actors. From the grammar obsessed Aunt Josephine (Alfre Woodard), to stern businessman Sir (Don Johnson), to all of Olaf's henchpeople, each character stands out in their own unique way and give memorable performances despite limited screentime. Olaf's henchpeople get a lot more attention than in the film adaptation, I particularly enjoyed Matty Cardarople as the deadpan henchperson of indeterminate gender. I also loved Aasif Mandvi as the warmhearted uncle Monty, one of the shows most likeable characters and one of the only adults that the Baudelaires can rely on. Knowing his ultimate fate made his scenes with the children some of the hardest to watch. However, for me the real star of the show was Lemony Snicket himself, the fictional author of the books played by Patrick Warburton, who acts as the shows narrator. His deadpan delivery of some of the shows sharpest dialogue gives him this wonderful onscreen presence, here he is a much more active narrator as opposed to a mere voiceover.

Surprisingly one of my biggest issues with the show was the children. I am by no means criticising their performances, the three young actors do a brilliant job at delivering the Baudelaire's complex and intricate dialogue, their performances are not the issue. I simply find them hard to empathise with, the show never really takes any moment to slow down and take some time to really emphasise how they are feeling. For children who go through so many terrible scenarios, the show has a hard time conveying their emotions to us. Even initially, when the children discover that their parents have died, there is no real expression of sadness that you would expect from such a scene and instead it continues with its usual dry sense of humour. Now I get that the whole point of A Series of Unfortunate Events is to emphasise the harsh reality of death and has that consistently dry sense of humour is ever present in the books, but even the film adaptation managed to provide an emotional heart. That's my one main issue with the show, the lack of emotion, it's an issue that I hope will be resolved in future seasons.

Other than that and some questionable CGI however, I really enjoyed the first season of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Not only does it act as a faithful adaptation of Daniel Handler's books, it has also established a unique visual aesthetic that will have you captivated right from the beginning. Along with some strong performances, sharp dialogue, and its signature dark brand of comedy, A Series of Unfortunate Events is the breath of fresh air that we needed in terms of television. It has that unique style and humour to attract newcomers to the series, along with containing enough Easter eggs and world building to please longtime fans of the books. As a fan of the books myself, I can safely say the show has done a brilliant job with the first four and cannot wait to see how future seasons handle the rest.

10 Most Anticipated Films of 2017

2017 is finally upon us, and while we recover from all of 2016's atrocities we at least have some damn fine films to look forward to in the coming months. Apart from those projects related to The Room that I mentioned in my last post, there are a wide variety of exciting films on the horizon for 2017. From sci-fi films, to superhero films, to long awaited sequels, the new year is already looking out to be another great one for cinema. With so many highly anticipated films within the next 12 months, it was difficult for me to narrow this list down to just 10, but these are the ones that have really got me buzzed for future cinema excursions.

10. Justice League

Now the DC Extended Universe didn't exactly get off to the best start last year, with Batman vs Superman proving to be the most divisive film of 2016 and Suicide Squad just being pure shit. However, there is still hope for Batfleck and co. as 2017 sees another 2 projects for Marvel's potential rival. The first is Patty Jenkins' solo Wonder Woman film that will hopefully see an improvement to the franchise by bringing more focus. The second, and the one that's got me shaking with excitement in my Batman slippers, is Justice League. Seeing the return of Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), along with the proper introduction of those heroes glimpsed at in BvS, the film will follow the assembly of the Justice League in order to combat the villainous Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). Personally, I have always favoured the Justice League over The Avengers, I grew up watching the DCAU Justice League tv show and enjoy their characters more. I've been waiting for a live action film about the Justice League for years and now that it's finally on its way I am incredibly excited, but also highly skeptical. Excited because, hey, it's the bloody Justice League! Yet my skepticism stems from the sheer disappointment from the DCEU last year, will Justice League learn from its predecessors mistake? If so, how will it redeem their failures and ultimately save the DCEU for good? We will find out on November 17th when Justice League flies onto our screens.

9. Alien: Covenant

Ridley Scott's 2012 film Prometheus was a bit of a letdown, fans were expecting a quasi-prequel of Alien but instead got a jumbled up mess that was a bit too ambiguous for its own good. Looking to build on the events of Prometheus, Scott returns with a follow up that looks like it will be more in tone with the rest of the Alien franchise. Entitled Alien: Covenant, the film will follow the crew of the colony ship, Covenant, who arrive on a mysterious alien world and meet David (Michael Fassbender), the android from the first film and 'sole survivor' of the Prometheus voyage. The idea of David being the 'sole survivor' of Prometheus is somewhat disappointing as many fans, including myself, hoped to see a continuation of Elizabeth Shaw's (Noomi Rapace) story from the previous film, and while Rapace will supposedly appear in the film, it is unsure as to what capacity. We got the first trailer on Christmas day and ooh boy did it raise the anticipation, from blood, to back-busting(?), to the Xenomorph itself, this film looks as if it will be a more faithful prequel to the original Alien. While certain aspects of the trailer give the impression that this could be just a mere re-hash of the original film, we still can't help but anticipate how this will further link Prometheus to Alien and hopefully answer questions from the former as well. Starring Katherine Waterson, Michael Fassbender and Billy Crudup to name a few, Alien: Covenant is slated to be released on May 19th.

8. Logan

While Wolverine is arguably the most popular character in the X-Men franchise, and Hugh Jackman is flawless in his portrayal of him, any attempt at a solo Wolverine film has been less than stellar. 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine was plain awful, and while its 2013 follow up The Wolverine had many redeeming qualities, it fell short on its underwhelming third act. However, it looks as though we are finally getting a Wolverine film that will do the character justice with the upcoming project, Logan. Seeing a return of Hugh Jackman in the titular role, along with Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Charles Xavier, the film will be set years after the events of Days of Future Past and will follow Logan and Xavier as some of the worlds last mutants, as they protect a young mutant girl from sinister forces. The trailer, set to the tune of Johnny Cashes cover of 'Hurt', set up a much more darker tone for this installment and from what we've gathered so far it looks as though not all of our heroes will be making it to the end of this one. It appears to have a very post-apocalyptic vibe, similar to the story arc Old Man Logan from which this will take influence. The films R rating also suggests that will be a much more raw Wolverine film, contrasting its rather toned down predecessors. With Jackman confirming that this will be his last outing as Wolverine, we can be sure that this will be something big, a film that will hopefully remain faithful to the character and act as a touching send-off to Jackman himself. The film will be released on the 3rd of March, so the wait is not long at all.

7. A Cure For Wellness

While horror films naturally tend to take you by surprise throughout the year, examples being last years The Witch, one horror that has caught my attention set to be released this year is Gore Verbinski's A Cure For Wellness. The film is set to follow a young executive (Dane DeHaan) who sets out to investigate the mysterious 'wellness centre', a remote spa where patients are treated for their illness, however not all is as it seems. Verbinski seems to be taking a darker route this time, more in tone with his remake of The Ring than his recent, more family friendly features. The trailer exhibits a very gloomy world and has an almost Lovecraftian vibe about it, with those weird tentacle things slithering over Mia Goth's character, it's looking to be a striking film in its visuals alone. With such wonderful horror films released last year, one can only hope that this years offerings will be of a similar quality and so far, A Cure For Wellness is looking to do just that. Not much has been given away about the film, so far we only know the bare bones plot with little details as to who the characters are and what exactly it is they do. We already know DeHaan will be playing the protagonist, while Jason Isaacs looks as though he will portray one of the staff members of the wellness centre. It's certainly an intriguing project and I look forward to seeing what it has in store, we won't have to wait long to find out as A Cure For Wellness will hit screens on February 17th. 

6. Baby Driver

We haven't seen Edgar Wright since he concluded his cornetto trilogy with The World's End back in 2013, however, this year the British director will make a return with his upcoming project, Baby Driver. While not much is known about the film so far, it's set to follow a young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) who has a run in with some criminals after a robbery goes wrong. The film does sound a lot different from Wright's previous efforts, but we can be sure that he will inject his signature style into this one that has made his previous works so unique. Wright has stated that the protagonist will be a lover of music, listening to different songs during his getaways, so we can be sure that Wright will deliver another spectacular soundtrack in this film as well. Along with that, the film will also boast an extremely talented cast including Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, and supposedly Meryl Streep. These big names alone show that Baby Driver will perhaps be Wrights biggest film to date, an extremely exciting concept for fans of his previous films. I'm a huge fan of Edgar Wright and admire that within a small filmography, he has already established his own directorial style that sets his films apart from any other. He is an incredibly talented filmmaker, and accompanied by this incredibly talented cast I can see no reason how Baby Driver could go wrong. We'll have to wait until August 18th to witness Baby Driver, but I can tell it will be worth the wait. 

5. John Wick: Chapter 2

The first John Wick was the most pleasant surprise in the world of film in the past few years. A film about an ex-hitman seeking revenge on the men who killed his dog, starring Keanu Reeves of all people, is a concept that sounds like it shouldn't work. However it worked magnificently and proved to be a unique action film that excelled in style, world building, and established a solid role for Keanu. Naturally, due to the films immense success, a sequel is on the way very soon that will see Wick come out of retirement again and heading off to Rome to face off against some of the world's deadliest assassins. Not only was the first film so action packed, it was also full of subtle, yet effective world building that helped to establish the universe of John Wick and the underground world of contract killers. My hopes for the sequel are that it maintains a consistent style with its predecessor while continuing to build upon the world in which it is set, along with that I just want the dog to survive this time. Returning alongside Keanu from the first film are Ian McShane as Winston, the suave owner of the Continental Hotel, Lance Reddick as Charon, the consierge, and John Leguizamo as chop-shop owner Aurelio. Along with that, the film will introduce some new characters such as The Bowler King played by Laurence Fishburne, and Ares played by Ruby Rose. I have high hopes for this one so I'm praying that it won't let me down, we shall find out when John Wick returns to the big screen on February 10th, one month from today. 

4. It

Last year I managed to read Stephen King's epic horror novel It in full, and while the book blew me away, it made me like the adaptation a little less. While I loved Tim Curry as Pennywise, the fact that it was so limited by being a tv miniseries meant that it couldn't do the book much justice. Fortunately, this year we will see the first of a two-part adaptation of It that will hopefully remain more faithful to the book. Directed by the man behind Mama, Andrés Muschietti, the film will follow the parts of the book that depict the younger versions of the Loser's Club and their first encounter with the creature known only as 'It'. It will be set in the 1980's as opposed to the 1950's in order to keep in more up to date, and is set to star a number of young actors including Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard as funny guy Richie Tozier. Taking on the iconic role of Pennywise the dancing clown will be Bill Skarsgard who, from the promotional images, will be just as terrifying as Curry's portrayal all those years ago. Spanish actor Javier Botet has also been cast as The Leper, another one of It's forms, and if you're familiar with the book and Botet's previous work then it looks like Pennywise won't be the only one giving you nightmares. This will be the first film in the two-part adaptation of It which I feel was the right decision, it will give enough time to provide the development and chilling scares present in Stephen King's book. It is set to be released on September 8th, so if you haven't read the book by now that gives you a good 8 months to get through it, trust me you'll need it.

3. Trainspotting 2

The film that defined a generation, the original Trainspotting directed by Danny Boyle and based on Irvine Welsh was a hit and has only grown in popularity since its initial release. This year, this moth even, we will finally get a chance to catch up with Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) and co. as they embark on another drug-fueled adventure 20 years after the original. Danny Boyle is back in the directors chair for this one while original cast members such as McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller, and Robert Carlyle will reprise their respective roles as well. It will supposedly be loosely based on Welshes own sequel to his book entitled Porno, that sees the lads reunite after 10 years in a story that involves the porn industry. How much of the book will make it into the film is unclear, regardless however, we can raise our hopes high for this long awaited sequel due to the returning cast members and Danny Boyle himself. One of the defining features of the original film was its iconic soundtrack that included songs by the likes of Iggy Pop and Underworld, recently we got a glimpse at the sequels soundtrack which will hopefully be used just as masterfully as in the original. With songs by the likes of Wolf Alice and Ireland's own Rubberbandits to name a few, it looks as though Trainspotting is about to be reintroduced to a new generation. The best thing about this one is that we only have to wait 17 days until it's released, that's just over two weeks! Whether it will live up to the original is unclear as of yet, but I put my trust in Boyle and co. to deliver something solid with this one.

2. Star Wars: Episode VIII

Directed by Rian Johnson, this will be the follow up to 2015's The Force Awakens and will continue the story of Ray (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) after locating long lost Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Very little is known about this sequel, only that it will pick up directly where The Force Awakens left off and that veteran actors Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern will join the cast. Other than that, the film is shrouded in secrecy and we have yet to see a trailer or even a subtitle for the upcoming film. I really enjoyed The Force Awakens, while it did bare a lot of resemblance to the original Star Wars, I felt like it was a suitable way to return to that universe, just like how we were introduced to it in the first place. Since then, Star Wars fever has taken the world by storm, issuing in a new generation of fans and reminding us why we love the franchise so much. We were already itching for more Star Wars by the end of The Force Awakens, and while Rogue One managed to provide some relief, we still cannot help but anticipate what episode 8 has in store. The fact that so little is known about the plot makes things even more exciting as we wait in anticipation every day, in the hope that Disney will release even a mere sliver of information on the next installment. There's not much I can say about this seeing as how so little is known about it right now, I'm incredibly excited for it and hungry for more information, but unfortunately we'll have to wait until December 15th to finally see episode 8.

1. Blade Runner 2049

Perhaps the most exciting film of 2017 is the long awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece, Blade Runner. After recently re-watching the first film, my anticipation grew for this one and with a new trailer released quite recently I can barely contain my excitement. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film will take place 30 years after the original and will follow a blade runner known as K (Ryan Gosling) in a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who went missing soon after the events of the first film. Revisiting the world of Blade Runner will be quite an experience, the dystopian metropolis presented in the original film was a visual marvel so going back there is an exciting concept. The idea of getting to further explore the universe of Blade Runner is one that has enticed fans ever since the original film ended, so finally being able to do so is something definitely worth looking forward to. It will be interesting to see how this world has changed in that 30 year interval, not only that, but how that character of Rick Deckard has changed as well. Joining Ford and Gosling will be the likes of Robin Wright, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto, whose roles have not been revealed as of yet. No sign of Sean Young or Edward James Olmos among the cast, in fact Deckard is the only character from the original confirmed to return. Who knows though, there may be a few surprises in store. With Villeneuve behind the camera and Roger Deakins as cinematographer, the film is sure to be as much of a visual spectacle as the first. Along with that, the cast is full of talented actors and the story has been penned by the originals Hampton Fancher, which ensures that it will be a faithful sequel. We will have to wait until October 6th for Blade Runner 2049, will it live up to the original? Or disappear, like tears in rain?

So that's just a mere taste of what's in store, a mere sliver. We've also got three installments from the people at Marvel (Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Thor Ragnarok.), the new Mummy film, War of the Planet of the Apes, Kong: Skull Island, and Wonder Woman just to name a few. Those are just the ones we know of so far! In the world of film, 2017 is looking to be a good year.

2017 and The Return of The Room

With 2017 off to a start one cannot help but anticipate the large variety of films in store for the next 12 months. From DC to Marvel, Star Wars to Kong, Trainspotting 2 to It, it's safe to say that this will be another year well spent at the cinema. However, this is not a post about these films, oh no, this post is about a number of projects being released this year that tie in with The Room. For those of you who don't know, The Room is often considered one of the worst films of all time, a cinematic oddity that needs to be seen to be believed. It has been labelled the Citizen Kane of bad films due to it being written, directed, produced by and starring the one and only Tommy Wiseau, the true auteur of terrible. Due to its awful and sheer outlandish nature, the film has become a cult classic of sorts and has garnered a huge fanbase that includes the likes of David Cross, Paul Rudd, and even myself. Which is why this gives me immense pleasure to announce that 2017 will see the release of not one, not two, but three new projects related to The Room. This is incredibly exciting if you're a fan of The Room, so join me below as I go through what's in store for you fanboys and fangirls this year.

The Room Actors: Where Are They Now?

Ever wondered what happened to the cast members of The Room? Well this little web series will give you an inside look at the lives of those unfortunate actors who starred alongside Tommy Wiseau all those years ago. Well, sort of. The Room Actors: Where Are They Now? is a mockumentary style web series that will take a tongue-in-cheek look at the fictionalised lives of a number of The Room's cast members. It's written and directed by Robyn Paris, aka Michelle from The Room, and stars a number of her former co-stars including Juliette Danielle (Lisa), Philip Haldiman (Denny) and Dan Janjigian (Chris R). To me this is a really exciting project, I had always pondered the whereabouts of the cast of The Room ever since my first viewing, so seeing them back in action in fictional versions of their own lives will be a real treat. It's nice to see that they can laugh at The Room and themselves as much as we can, and this project looks like it will have plenty of laughs for fans of The Room everywhere. The Room Actors: Where Are They Now? finished production last year and is set to be entered into a number of web festivals this year so keep you eyes peeled for it.

You can watch the trailer here.

The Masterpiece

A few years ago, Greg Sestero, aka Mark from The Room, released a book entitled The Disaster Artist that gave an account of the production of The Room and his friendship with Tommy Wiseau. The book is incredibly hilarious and is a must read for any fan of the film, it even became so popular that it's getting its own film adaptation. James Franco will be stepping into the role of Tommy Wiseau while his brother Dave Franco will be Sestero. Alongside the Franco brothers will be the likes of Seth Rogen, Josh Hutcherson and Zac Efron taking on the roles of a number of cast and crew members of The Room. If you thought the film itself was bad then you're in for a treat as what went on behind the scenes was equally as bizarre. From going through a number of different crews, to mid-production re-casts, to every outlandish decision made by director Tommy Wiseau, this is a story that has to be seen to be believed. Sestero's book is already comedy gold, so with the likes of James Franco and Seth Rogen behind its adaptation, The Masterpiece is sure to be an instant classic for fans of The Room everywhere. While there is no official trailer of release date, production has reportedly finished and it is slated for a 2017 release.

Best F(r)iends

Right, so a few months ago my friends and I attended a Q&A type thing with Greg Sestero where he talked a bit about The Room, signed copies of his book and all that stuff. Towards the end of the night the audience were promised a sneak peek at an upcoming project related to The Room, initially I was expecting a teaser for The Masterpiece, but what we got was something even more bizarre. Instead, we got a trailer for the upcoming collaboration between Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau himself. That's right, Tommy Wiseau and his beloved co-star of The Room are reuniting for another film, one that you wouldn't exactly expect for that matter. The trailer begins with a blood soaked Sestero wandering through a desert before arriving in the city, carrying a sign claiming that his family were kinapped by ninjas. Suddenly, a mysterious man in a funeral hearse pulls up offering him a job, this man is Tommy Wiseau, the crowd went wild. The trailer gets even more bizarre from there in what looks like some surreal, buddy-heist film that I can't even put into words. It's hard to tell what type of film this will be, will it be a tongue-in-cheek throwback to The Room? Will it be a more serious outing for the duo? Or will it be something completely different altogether? We will have to wait to find out, and while there is no official release date the film is supposedly slated for a release later this year.

You can watch that rollercoaster ride of a trailer here.

So as you can see, if you're a fan of The Room then 2017 is without a doubt an exciting year. While there is no official release date for any of these projects, they all seem to have wrapped up production or are at least close to doing so. With that in mind we can look forward to a good year for The Room.