Remembering Tim Burton's 'Batman' Films

Before Christopher Nolan's acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, before Joel Schumachers Bat-nipple craze, Tim Burton was the man in charge of the Batman film franchise. While his films are sometimes overlooked in favour of some of the more modern incarnations of the character, I feel like it's very important to highlight just how brilliant these films were. The first of these, Batman, was released in 1989 and was followed by a sequel, Batman Returns, three years later. The films came at a time when Batman comics were getting darker, from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, to Alan Moore's The Killing Joke, Batman was no longer the campy caped crusader of the 1960's. Naturally because of this Burton's films were quite dark as well, maybe not so much by today's standards, but in comparison to other superhero films that came before such as Richard Donner's Superman, these were much darker films. It was because of this that Burton never got to make his third Batman film, his vision was seen as too dark and unsuitable for younger audiences. Burton then left the franchise, Joel Schumacher took over, and the rest is Bat-history. While his run on the franchise was cut short, Burton's Batman films are by far some of the best, in some aspects even better than Nolan's. Here are some reasons why his films deserve to be better remembered.

The Visuals

Tim Burton is a director known for his unique visual style, and his Batman films are the perfect representation of this. Burton put the goth in Gotham City, his version of Batman's hometown is a sprawling, dark metropolis that looks like a hybrid of noir cinema and the German expressionist movement. Full of pointed skyscrapers, gothic cathedrals, and dark alleyways, this version of Gotham was the perfect playground for a darker incarnation of Batman. This version of Gotham felt otherworldly almost, it didn't look like a normal city but rather something taken straight out of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. It really made the films feel like comic book films and made them stand out from other similar films. Along with this, the costumes also enhanced this otherworldly, gothic atmosphere in Burton's films. From Penguin's black top hat and suit, to Catwoman's stitched-up, black leather jumpsuit, these were darker incarnations of familiar characters. The costumes helped these characters fit into this gothic landscape and set them apart from previous incarnations. My only criticism of the production design is in Batman Returns and the fact that it was a closed set. The city feels much smaller and much more confined in the second film, and it feels like we're visiting the same locations again and again, almost like a play. Despite this, however, it's still a beautiful looking set.

The Love Interests

One of the biggest issues with modern superhero films is the treatment of the love interest. Normally, they are reduced to underdeveloped, supporting characters, who seem to be there for the sole purpose of being a love interest and nothing more. Most of the time they are stripped of any depth or personality, being left as one-dimensional characters. However, the love interests in Burton's films are treated a little differently. In the first film, Kim Basinger takes on the role of resident reporter Vicki Vale, the love interest of the piece. Vale is front and center for a considerable part of the film and her relationship with Bruce Wayne is a major part of the story. While she is still a damsel in distress type character, at least she is a damsel in distress with a bit of character development. However, the second film is where we see Burton really make use of the love interest character. In Batman Returns, Michelle Pfeiffer takes on the role of Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. This is as much her film as it is Batman's, and we watch her develop from meek secretary into the vivacious criminal Catwoman. Pfeiffer is phenomenal in the role and to me, is the definitive portrayal of the character, but along with this, her character is given depth. It's not just about Catwoman, but also about Selina Kyle, her feminine liberation, and her relationship with Bruce Wayne. The fact that they both struggle with that sense of duality makes for a really interesting story arc and allows for a much more layered incarnation of Catwoman.

The Villains

Of course, no hero is complete without their villain, and Burton brought some of Batman's greatest rogues to life in both of his films. First of all there was The Joker, portrayed superbly by veteran actor Jack Nicholson. Nicholson brings that signature craziness and applies it to the character to make for a charming, yet terrifying bad guy and the perfect match for Batman. Unlike other incarnations of the character, this version of The Joker has a definite backstory that ties into Batman's past as well. While it does take away that some of that sense of mystery from the character, it allows for a more layered villain with a closer tie to Batman. Three years later, Batman Returns gave us The Penguin, played by Danny DeVito. This version of the character was a lot different from previous incarnations, instead of the gentleman of crime, he was a deformed man who lived in the Gotham sewers where he was raised by penguins from the zoo. This was a much darker and almost disturbing version of the character, he was foul-mouthed, filthy, yet he was also sympathetic to a certain extent. He was a man abandoned at birth who had been rejected by society his entire life, at times you couldn't help feel sorry for the guy. The villains of Burton's films received a considerable amount of development each, and we watch both their stories and Batman's stories play out simultaneously, almost like in Michael Mann's Heat. Burton understood how integral the villains were to these stories and provided a number of terrifying, yet layered characters for Batman to face off against. It's another thing many modern superhero films tend to neglect and it's something I think that they could take note of.

Batman Himself

Michael Keaton's Batman wasn't exactly well received upon his announcement, mainly because he was a comedic actor whose physique didn't exactly resemble that of Batman from the comics. It's an understandable criticism to be fair, but regardless, Michael Keaton delivered in a brilliant performance as the caped crusader. Of course, Batman is a dual performance at the end of the day and Keaton was fantastic as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. As Bruce, he was a very troubled individual who always seemed distracted, like his mind was elsewhere. You can tell that he is a character still haunted by his parents death and that it is still the primary motivation for his vigilantism. As Batman however, he is very different. Keaton's Batman is almost like an urban myth, a boogie man who is feared by the criminals of Gotham city. At the beginning of the first film we see two criminals discuss him as though he is some sort of supernatural being, he is an enigma as opposed to just a vigilante. While he may not be the muscle-bound Bat from the comics, Keaton's Batman uses other techniques to overcome his adversaries. He puts to use a wide variety of gadgets and 'toys' to outsmart other criminals as opposed to just beating them down. He is tactical and theatrical, almost as if every night of crime fighting is a performance. While he may seem a bit dated by today's standards, particularly during combat sequences, Keaton's Batman made for a much darker onscreen version of the character and set the standard for Batmen that followed. As Bruce, he was troubled and vulnerable almost, but as Batman he was incredibly formidable.

Also, as a side note, can we take a moment to appreciate Danny Elfman's iconic score?

It is clear that there are a lot of things that modern superhero films can learn from Burton's Batman franchise. First of all, all of the major characters receive an equal amount of development. Not just the protagonist, but the love interest and the antagonists are all layered characters with as much significance to the plot as the eponymous hero. Along with that, they have a distinctly unique visual style that set them apart from other superhero films. Burton's Batman films are easily distinguishable from other ones and set in stone that dark environment for him to inhabit. I would also like to point out that, despite one Crime Alley flashback, neither of Burton's films are Batman origin stories so that's another thing that modern superhero films can learn from. It is now evident why Burton's Batman films are so important and what the superhero genre can learn from them today. They got a lot of things right that some superhero film still fail to do.

'The Mummy' (2017) Review

In 1931, Universal Studios launched an incredibly successful chain of monster movies beginning with Dracula and Frankenstein. The latter begins with a famous scene in which actor Edward Van Sloan appears onstage to warn the audience of the terrors to come. 'I think it will thrill you' he announces, 'it may shock you, it might even horrify you.' Well, the same can be said for Universal's latest attempt to revamp their monster movies, The Mummy, only not for all the right reasons. While the film does have some mild thrills, I was more shocked by its treatment of the titular character, and horrified at it's terrible script. Set to kick off the Dark Universe franchise, the film follows ancient Egyptian priestess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) who rises from the dead in the 21st century and attempts to resurrect an evil god of death. While it has some enjoyable moments, overall the film is a straight out mess.

Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hu- I mean, Nick Morton, a soldier turned treasure hunter who uncovers Ahmanet's tomb. Morton is that same old loveable rogue that Cruise has played time and time again, only this time he didn't seem so loveable. This is the main protagonist after all, a character we're supposed to root for, but instead he spends the whole film looking confused, being downright arrogant, and of course, running. He has a few comedic moments, but overall I would have rather seen him being eaten by flesh eating scarabs or something actually exciting. To make matters worse, his chemistry with female lead Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) is virtually nonexistent. One of the things that the film actually does get right is to give the 'love interest' some sort of development, and I actually did enjoy Wallis' performance and her character overall. However, there is little chemistry between her and Cruise aside from a few flirtations early on, and this really takes away any impactful emotions from the films climax. Of course, I thought at least Russell Crowe could save this film as Dr. Henry Jekyll and his villainous counterpart Edward Hyde, but oh was I wrong. Crowe's Hyde persona is literally him doing a Danny Dyer impression with a bit of CGI to change his eye colours and add veins to his face. However, I'm still convinced that with a better script and better direction, Crowe could still pull off a better iteration of this character.

Then of course, there's the eponymous Mummy herself Ahmanet, played by Kingsman star Sofia Boutella. Boutella does the best with what she's given, unfortunately what she's given is not that much. That's right, in her own bloody film the mummy is reduced to a mere supporting role who spends the whole film chasing Tom Cruise like an obsessive fan girl. This is not Boutella's fault however, and there are some moments where she is truly menacing, especially in the films first act. However, from the moment she is chained up in the underground headquarters of Prodigium (don't ask), it's hard to see her as anything but a supporting character in The Tom Cruise Show. Ahmanet had so much potential as a character, but if I'm brutally honest, those in charge had so little respect for her. If you look at Universal's classic monster movies, the monster is generally front and center for most of the film. They are intimidating and have this constantly menacing presence that leaves an impact on the audience. Karloff's original mummy Imhotep had this, even Arnold Vosloo's iteration of the character in the 1999 version of The Mummy had this, but unfortunately poor Ahmanet is deprived of this. She is not treated with the respect that she is more than deservant of. Hopefully if a sequel ever materialises she will get better treatment, but as of now she is just wasted potential.

The worst thing about this film, and for me, the thing that drags it down most is its terrible script. It's hard to believe that it took six writers altogether, between the screenplay and the overall story, to come up with such an awful script. The worst thing about it is the consistent and excessive exposition throughout the film. The convoluted story is explained more than once, practically drilled into our heads, and it feels like every time a character goes to do something, they have to announce what they're doing. For example, during the plane crash scene where Nick searches frantically for a parachute he keeps shouting 'parachute! parachute!' For god's sake man, we know what you're looking for, you don't have to keep telling us. There's nothing more frustrating than a film that underestimates its audiences intelligence, this film may as well have been made for three year olds, only even they would still feel insulted. Along with that, there's nothing really new here and the entire film just feels like a mash up of various other films. From previous mummy movies, to Mission Impossible films, even An American Werewolf in London (you'll see), it feels like a variety of much better films all rolled into one to create something just awful. It tries to balance too many themes and ideas that it just feels like one big mess and really brings the film down upon itself.

Which leads me to the films tonal inconsistency. The Mummy never really knows what it is, one minute it tries to be a horror, the next it tries to do action, one minute it takes itself seriously, the next it throws in some comedic one-liners. For me, the film does best when it tries to be scary and there are some really enjoyable scenes near the beginning where the film genuinely feels like a mummy movie. Ahmanet roaming the gloomy countryside with her undead minions, that's what we're here to see, that's what works. However, as soon as monster-hunting organisation Prodigium are introduced in an effort to expand this shared universe, the film just goes completely off the rails. Along with this, the film quickly veers away from horror to action, which could have worked in the way the Brendan Fraiser films did, but unfortunately the action just isn't that good. Sure, the plane sequence is thrilling enough, but after that there's practically nothing, a bit of running, a bit of swimming, it all feels very mundane after a while. While there are some admittedly humourous moments, a lot of them feel extremely out of place at times. The worst is by far one of Cruises one-liners at the end where he says something along the lines of 'you're just not my type', and that was the final nail in the sarcophagus for me. The Mummy works best when it tries to be just that, a mummy movie. If it stuck to its horror roots and refrained from introducing this shared universe it would have been a lot more enjoyable, but unfortunately it didn't.

Overall, The Mummy is a huge disappointment and a terrible start to Universal's Dark Universe. The poor script, inconsistent tone, and general treatment of the titular antagonist really hold the film back from doing anything spectacular. While there are some funny moments, both intentional and unintentional, along with some exciting scenes, overall the film is just a mess and a blatant attempt to follow the success that Marvel have experienced with the MCU. The Mummy had the potential to do something great, to reimagine this classic movie monster for a new generation of horror fans to issue in a new era of terror. Unfortunately, it veers too far away from its horror routes and instead opts for a below average action flick with as much exposition as there is CGI. This new version of The Mummy is bad enough to make even Imhotep turn in his tomb.

'Wonder Woman' Review

It's safe to say that the DC Extended Universe got off to a bit of a rocky start in comparison to its Marvel competitors. From the largely forgettable Man of Steel, to the polarising Batman v Superman, to the purely awful Suicide Squad, fans were beginning to lose hope in the franchise. However, I am happy to report that Wonder Woman marks a turning point for the franchise, making for an exciting and enthralling female-led action flick. Directed by Patty Jenkins, the film stars Gal Gadot, reprising her role as the eponymous Amazon as she sets off from her home world of Themyscira for the very first time during the First World War.

It's hard to believe that this is only the second feature film directed by Patty Jenkins as her direction is akin to that of someone who has made a vast number of films. Her skills are masterful and she brings to life these excellent action sequences throughout the film. There is a battle scene on a beach near the beginning of the film that feels like something right out of one of Homer's epic poems, and Jenkins manages to transport us right into the battlefield making for an engaging experience. Unfortunately, some of the later action sequences are bogged down a bit by excessive CGI and there are a few Zack Snyder-isms that contrast the films overall tone. The final act feels feels like a totally different film altogether due to its CGI-heavy boss battle, but sure look, at least it wasn't another beam-shooting-into-the-sky climax thank god. Regardless, Jenkins' directorial skills still hold up and, along with her fantastic production team, she manages to bring to life these wonderful locations. The island of Themyscira is a beautiful setting, blending these natural locations with CGI really works here to create this entirely otherworldly environment. Jenkins also brings to life familiar locations as well such as war-torn Belgium, London, and the Ottoman Empire, putting her own spin on each of them so that they all feel entirely new. Let's hope she comes back for the sequel.

Once again, Gal Gadot shines as Princess Diana, giving a charming and layered performance throughout. Her character is initially a fish out of water, experiencing our world for the very first time, Gadot brings a sense of innocence and curiosity to the character while also posing questions about various aspects of society during the First World War. However, she is also an optimistic character who is experiencing war for the first time, and watching her develop due to the horrors of war is a fascinating experience. Chris Pine takes on the role of Steve Trevor, a US intelligence agent and Diana's love interest. He brings his signature charismatic wit to the character and shares excellent chemistry with Gadot, if only all comic book movie love interests were treated so fairly. Other highlights include Danny Huston and Elena Anaya as the villainous General Ludendorff and Dr. Poison respectively, they felt like characters ripped straight from a cartoon and shared an interesting dynamic onscreen. There is one scene in particularly where they both give a villainous laugh after gassing a room full of generals which truly embodied that sense of comic book corniness brought in for good measure. David Thewlis also gives a strong performance, however I feel like his character was somewhat underused, perhaps we haven't seen the last of him.

In a world where superhero films are yearning to be more dark and nihilistic, Wonder Woman opts to take a different route, taking pages from Richard Donner's Superman as opposed to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. This was a refreshing change to the usual gloominess found in the DCEU and pits Diana as a symbol of hope instead of a symbol of fear. While the film does display the sheer horrors of war and looks at the dark side of humanity, it also looks at hope and how it can always be found amidst the darkness. Diana is this character who wants to save everybody, and when she realises that she can't, she finds herself questioning everything she believed about humanity. However, instead of turning her back on humanity because of its flaws, she accepts them and aims to bring hope to the people who need it most. It has surprisingly strong themes for a summer blockbuster film, looking at female empowerment, the horrors of warfare, and of course, love. Instead of embracing the darkness, Wonder Woman opposes it and becomes humanities beacon of hope, which was a refreshing change for the superhero genre.

With excellent direction, strong performances, and a thought-provoking story, Wonder Woman brings DC back to form. While it does suffer from a few of the usual pitfalls such as excessive CGI and an underdeveloped villain, it manages to overcome these and shine through strong. It's an interesting period piece that brings a powerful female to a world where females had little power, and seeing her oppose these social constructs in the name of doing what's right is a true pleasure to watch. Not only is this the film that DC desperately needed, but also what the superhero genre as a whole needed as well, and I sincerely hope that it will inspire more female-led superhero films in the future. Wonder Woman is a breath of fresh air for the genre, and I one can only pray that DC are taking note if they want continued success in the future.

The Forgotten Masterpiece That is 'Lisa and the Devil'

Before Dario Argento spooked the world with Suspiria, before Lucio Fulci unleashed hell in The Beyond, there was Mario Bava. The renowned Italian filmmaker known primarily for his horror films has influenced a variety of filmmakers both in his native country and across the Atlantic in America. Ranging from suspensful giallo flicks to more supernatural ghost stories, Bava's extensive filmography has become greatly celebrated in the horror community. While there has been countless amounts of praise for his films such as A Bay of Blood and Black Sunday, one of his more forgotten films is the polarizing Lisa and the Devil. One of Bava's more surreal films, Lisa and the Devil borrows aspects from a variety of different horror subgenres, while at the same time transcending them all. The film begins straightforward enough, with a young tourist named Lisa (Elke Sommer) getting lost in the Spanish city of Toledo and winding up at an old villa where nothing is as it seems. While the premise sounds simple enough, Lisa and the Devil is anything but.

Lisa and the Devil was a sort of passion project of Bava's and in 1973, he finally found the means to make the film with little studio interference. Producer Alfredo Leone gave Bava complete creative control over the film, allowing him to bring to life his dream. That's essentially what watching Lisa and the Devil feels like, a dream. From the moment Lisa finds herself lost in the ancient city of Toledo, we feel as though we are being dragged down the rabbit hole into Bava's nightmarish wonderland, but that's just the beginning. The more Bava's dark tale unravels, the more dreamlike this world begins to feel, and by the time it all comes to a close we are left to interpret what exactly just happened. Essentially, the film sees Lisa arrive at this old gothic villa where she meets the Countess (Alida Valli), her son Maximillian (Alessio Orano), and their enigmatic butler Leandro (Telly Savalas). Maximillian soon begins to mistake Lisa for his old lover Elena, believing she is a reincarnated version of her. For a while things are pretty straightforward, Lisa gets stranded at the villa, a few people die, and it looks as though the film will take a similar route to The Mummy with Maximillian using Lisa to resurrect his dead lover. However, the appearance of a mysterious mustachioed man and the enigmatic motives of the butler Leandro lead this film down a very little route.

Still with me? Grand. So what makes this film so great you ask? Well, first of all, the atmosphere. As Bava has frequently demonstrated, he is a master of creating atmosphere. This is first evident here when Lisa finds herself lost in Toledo, strolling hopelessly through its ancient streets. The entire sequence feels incredibly unsettling, despite the fact that it is set during the day. The sense of isolation that constantly follows Lisa as she attempts to find her way out of the old city is highly unsettling, and there is this consistent sense of hopelessness as she struggles to find her way back. This was an excellent way for Bava to open the film as, not only does the atmosphere grab the audiences attention, but it also acts as the transition from our world into Bava's dream world. Lisa even passes through a small doorway leading into the backstreets of Toldeo in a scene very reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. The suspense is consistent throughout, and pays off wonderfully during some of the films death scenes where Bava harks back to his earlier giallo films. One of the most memorable is the scene where Maximillian murders one of the other characters by caving their face in. Bava shoots this sequence from the floor, and we watch as the screen fills up with the victims blood as his head is smashed, it's one of the films most grizzly yet rewarding moments. This is by far Bava's most atmospheric film, and it's only enhanced by the sense of mystery surrounding the character of Leandro.

This brings me to the most interesting aspect of the film, Leandro, or the eponymous devil. Played by Telly Savalas, aka T.V. detective Kojak, Leandro is the true highlight of the film and is the focal point of all its mystery. While he is not a central character, Leandro is an ever present force through out who is with Lisa from the beginning right until the end. Throughout the film, we see him wander through the villa carrying out strange tasks involving mannequins, however his motives are generally kept secret. While it's never explicitly stated, the general consensus among critics is that Leandro is the devil, this is hinted at in the beginning where Lisa draws comparisons between him and a painting of the devil she saw in Toledo. While this is not built upon much throughout the film, there are a number of moments that reinforce this idea. Throughout the film we see Leandro interact with these mannequins that resemble the characters, at one point we even see him use the mannequin of the countess to trick her son into thinking she had returned from the dead. Many believe that the mannequins represent the films characters and how Leandro, as the devil, is capable of manipulating and controlling them. The ending almost confirms this theory, as Lisa boards her plane home to safety she realises that things are far from over as the pilot reveals himself to be..you guessed it, Leandro.

Many believe that Leandro was behind everything all along, manipulating the characters into repeating their ill-fated lives over and over again, the fact that he repairs one of the dead characters mannequins reinforces this idea. So while we've been watching Lisa on her dreamlike journey, in reality Leandro was the central character acting as puppet master to the rest of the characters inside some twisted version of purgatory. By the time the credits begin to roll, we are left to reflect on what we have just watched. Was the film a dream? Were Lisa and the other characters dead all along? Was Leandro the devil? Unfortunately, we have never gotten any decisive answer for reasons I will address soon, but that sense of uncertainty is part of the beauty of this film. Right from the get go Bava presents us with a very unconventional film, it's a surreal tale immersed in mystery and uncertainty. For Bava to present us with a conventional ending would have taken away from the films mystery, it would have been out of place, if he wanted to give us a straightforward ending he would have told a straightforward story. Instead we are left to ponder the films events, and for me that is the real beauty of Lisa and the Devil, it presents you with all these different pieces and leaves you to piece the puzzle together.

So why isn't the film so widely talked about in comparison to some of Bava's more conventional horror films? Well, upon its original release, Lisa and the Devil was a commercial flop and only received a limited release over in the US, this prompted producer Alfredo Leone to make some changes to the film. Leone convinced Bava to alter the film into copycat of sorts of The Exorcist in order to cash in on the latters success. New footage was shot, old footage was cut, and the entire plot was changed into an exorcism story, much to Bava's disappointment. Bava eventually left the film entirely which was eventually released under the name The House of Exorcism. While I have not seen this version of the film, the reviews are less than favourable. Bava's passion project faded into obscurity with few being aware of Lisa and the Devil's existence, then in 1980, Bava unfortunately passed away. Three years later however, Lisa and the Devil resurfaced for a whole new generation to discover as it was finally released in its full version. Bava's passion project was saved, but unfortunately he never lived to see its return.

It's an upsetting thought that Mario Bava died thinking that the film was a failure, the fact that it was supposedly his most personal film makes it all the more unfortunate. However, Bava's legacy lives on, and Lisa and the Devil has gained an immense cult following over the years. It is an interesting film that disregards the idea of a conventional narrative in a way that not a lot of horror films did at the time. While it does present itself initially as a straightforward story, Bava constructs a complex, dreamlike narrative that leaves many things up for interpretation. It is a film oozing with atmosphere, soaked in blood, and full of twists and turns. On top of all that, Telly Savalas' devilishly camp performance as Leandro may just be one of the greatest onscreen versions of the devil I've ever seen. So if you're a fan of horror and are looking for something different, something that will chill you to the bone, something that will leave you pondering for days on end, then I highly recommend Lisa and the Devil.

Why 'Twin Peaks: The Return' is More Than Just Your Average Cup of Coffee

So last weekend after a lot of patient waiting, we were finally blessed with the return of David Lynch and Mark Frosts cult television show Twin Peaks. I've talked a lot about Twin Peaks and its imminent return on my blog and naturally I was incredibly excited, ecstatic even, it's all I spoke about for the entirety of last weekend. It's evident that myself and fellow Twin Peaks fans across the globe were dying to return to this world of mystery, murder, and damn fine coffee. So far we have been treated with four new episodes of Twin Peaks that I took upon myself to binge watch last weekend, and I must say, it's a lot different to what we were all expecting. Not that this is a bad thing, in fact I'm quite pleased with the ambitious new direction the show is taking, however it is clear now that the new series will separate the Twin Peaks fans from the David Lynch fans, and the intersection is smaller than you may think. WARNING: spoilers for those who have not seen episodes 1-4 of Twin Peaks: The Return.

First of all, the biggest difference between The Return is the scale. The original series took place predominantly in the eponymous town, sometimes veering off over the Canadian border or to the nearby town of Deer Meadow in the case of Fire Walk With Me. However, the new season takes place on a much wider scale in areas such as New York, Nevada, and South Dakota. In fact, we have spent very little time in Twin Peaks itself over the course of these four episodes which may seem strange considering..well, the fact that the show is called Twin Peaks. While we do catch glimpses of what's going on in the town during the course of these four episodes, a lot of the time is spent elsewhere following seemingly related storylines. In New York, we meet a young man tasked with watching a mysterious glass box, while in South Dakota, a grizzly murder leads to the arrest of a seemingly oblivious high school principal (played by Matthew Lillard). It seems that Lynch is doing his best to frustrate us, to tease us even further after keeping us waiting so long. Along with spending a large portion of these episodes outside of Twin Peaks, Lynch also slows the pacing waaay down, to a level that can only be described as torturous. Patience is the key to watching the new series of Twin Peaks and is necessary to follow and enjoy the events that are unfolding on the show.

The fact that we spend so much time of these 4 episodes outside Twin Peaks means when we do finally catch glimpses of the titular town, it's a lot more satisfying. There were so many 'oh, look who it is!' and 'wow, look at how they've changed!' moments over the course of these episodes and it was a real pleasure catching up with some of these characters after all these years. Christ, I was even happy to see James Hurley (James Marshall), one of the shows most unbearable characters! Most of the time spent in Twin Peaks is set at the Sheriff's station where Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) tries to unravel a cryptic message from the Log Lady (Catherine Coulson, in a heartbreaking appearance) regarding Agent Cooper. Here, we get a sense of familiarity, like reuniting with an old friend from years ago, and it's these moments that we cherish the most in the revival. We see the return of many other familiar faces such as Ben Horne (Richard Beymer) who is alive and well after that bang on the head at the end of season 2, and Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook) who is now a Sheriff's Deputy! There are still a lot of old characters that we are yet to be reunited with and a lot of plot points yet to be resolved. However, it's clear that with each new episode, more time is spent in the town of Twin Peaks. It's a gradual return to the world we all know and love, but with each episode there is a greater sense of familiarity, ensuring us that sooner or later down the line, the town will undoubtedly feature much more heavily.

The biggest difference between The Return and the original series is that David Lynch now has complete creative freedom on the show. As Lynch is known for his uniquely surrealist style, it is not a surprise that the new series is a completely unrelenting Lynchian nightmare. While that sense of surrealism didn't feature too heavily in the original series, it is completely let loose in the revival. It feels more like an amalgamation of all of Lynches work as opposed to being solely Twin Peaks, with many moments feeling reminiscent of other works within his filmography. The South Dakota subplot that follows Matthew Lillard's character feels very Lost Highway, while Agent Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) odyssey through the Black Lodge feels a lot like Eraserhead. It's clear that Lynch is borrowing from some of his other works for the revival. He has done away with the shows old campy, soap-opera-parodying ways and has opted for a much more darker tone. Despite this, the show does retain its signature sense of humour and has some scenes that truly left me in stitches (look out for 'Mr. Jackpots' and Wally Brando). While the drastic shift in tone does work very well, one thing I can't help but miss is Angelo Badalamenti's unforgettable score from the original series. While we are treated to small snippets here and there, the absence of the score can be felt deeply, especially in some of the more comedic scenes.

Of course, the burning question asked by many fans after the original series ended was what happened to Agent Dale Cooper? When we left him at the end of season 2 he had been possessed by the malevolent spirit BOB after seemingly escaping from the Black Lodge, leaving many fans shocked and let down. Thankfully, while we don't spend a lot of times in the town of Twin Peaks, we do spend the majority of these four episodes with Cooper himself, or rather themselves. The good, coffee-loving Cooper who we all know and love has been trapped in the mysterious Black Lodge for the past 25 years, along with MIKE (Al Strobel), and the man from another place (who is now a giant nerve). Meanwhile the evil Cooper has been out in the real world, keeping a low profile and doing evil things while looking like Tommy Wiseau. Their respective journeys are equally bizarre and are enthralling to watch. Good Cooper's journey out of the Black Lodge is a truly mind-bending experience pulled from the darkest corners of Lynches mind, while bad Cooper's mysterious motives are just one of many enigmas wrapped within the new series. These two are both on their own individual paths that will undoubtedly converge at some point down the line, we can only imagine what will happen when that day comes.

So far, Twin Peaks: The Return has been a rollercoaster ride across David Lynches twisted version of America. It is full of strange and often terrifying moments, but manages to retain that unique sense of humour to keep a nice balance in there. While it has answered some of the questions left with fans at the end of the second season, The Return has posed even more questions and mysteries to occupy our minds for the next few months. While Twin Peaks is undoubtedly back, it is still a gradual return, Lynch and Frost appear to be having a great time keeping us waiting for all of these major storylines to converge. However, it allows for the anticipation to build between each episode, leaving us hungry for more every week. Twin Peaks: The Return is terrifying, it's funny, it's downright bizzare. Instead of opting for a full on nostalgia trip, Lynch gradually feeds us small spoonfuls of nostalgia with each new episode, teasing us and leaving us wanting for more. Is it frustrating to watch? Yes. Is it satisfying? Most definitely. If the first four episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return are anything to go by, then we're in for a long, strange, and exciting summer.

'Alien: Covenant' Review

Around this time four years ago, I emerged from the cinema slightly confused and quite disappointed as I scratched my head, wondering what I had just watched. Of course, what I had just watched was Prometheus, the quasi-Alien-prequel that left most fans with a sour taste in their mouths, pondering whether or not director Ridley Scott would ever expand on what exactly happened in the film. Thus Alien: Covenant was born, a film that acts as part semi-follow up to Promethus and part semi-Alien origin story. Does it clear up Prometheus any better? Well, sort of. The film is not a direct continuation of Prometheus, rather a loose follow up that sees a ship full of unsuspecting colonists becoming immersed in this world of extra-terrestrial terror. It sees the return of Michael Fassbender's David, along with the debut of some new characters such as Walter (also Fassbender), a much more innocent android, and Katherine Watersons Daniels, the main protagonist. While the film is a lot more straightforward than its predecessor, Alien: Covenant is still heavily flawed and is not exactly the most fulfilling follow up.

The film begins with the crew of Covenant answering a distress signal on a mysterious planet that appears to be capable of sustaining life. As soon as the crew step foot onto this new world we are immersed in this beautifully gloomy environment full of jagged mountains, crystal lakes, and sprawling woodland. The visuals in Covenant are truly breathtaking, from the natural environment, to the fascinating, Giger-inspired production design, the world of Covenant feels entirely unique with an acute sense of familiarity for fans of the franchise. Scott proves that his direction is still second to none right from the first scene, he and cinematographer Darius Wolski create this visually stunning environment that encapsulates the audience as soon as the film begins. The visuals are by far one of Covenant's strongest points and allow the film to stand out among the rest of the franchise.

As soon as the crew begin to explore this lush new environment, the film reminds us of what made the first Alien so bloody scary. The first act is incredibly intense as the crew make their first close encounter, and it is full of truly nail biting moments that mirror those of the first film. My heart was racing during the films first act and for a while it looked as though it was set to match Alien in terms of thrills. However, the suspense is inconsistent and the majority of the second act feels a bit sluggish. While it does set about answering some of the questions posed in Prometheus and the events that followed, it lacks that sheer sense of terror from the first act. Although the action does pick up in the final act, the last 20 minutes or so almost feel like another film entirely, stapled on to Covenant to provide the audience with one last twist (a predictable one at that). It tries to balance all of these philosophical ideas and allusions to classical literature, with these B movie tropes that simply don't play off each other that well onscreen.

As for the characters in Covenant, the vast majority are just paper thin. Within the first few minutes we can already tell who the 'red shirts' are, and even some of those who make it to the latter half of the film are just too underdeveloped for anybody to care. Actors such as Demián Bichir and Billy Crudup feel somewhat wasted in their roles, which is such a shame as they are both very talented actors. Along with feeling very disposable, a lot of the characters make some truly awful decisions throughout such as wandering off alone and other actions reminiscent of an 80's slasher teen. It's moments like these when the film starts to feel more like a B movie than anything else. Not all of the characters are forgettable though, Katherine Waterson gives a powerful performance as the main protagonist Daniels, despite being a bit underused in the second act. Danny McBride also stands out as Tennessee who, despite a couple of comedic quips, manages to transcend his usual funnyman persona to take on a much more serious onscreen role. Of course, the real highlight was Michael Fassbender, in a dual role this time as androids Walter and David. The duo could not be any more different from each other, and Fassbender plays off an interesting dynamic between them both.

The main thing that most fans were looking forward to however, was the return of the beloved Xenomorph whose absence was wholly missed in Prometheus. It takes a while until they finally show up, but in the meantime we are treated to its equally terrifying predecessor the neomorph. The creature designs in Covenant are excellent, as to be expected from an Alien film, and the spine-busting neomorph was one of the highlights for me. While I was delighted to see the xenomorphs back again, I can't help but feel that a few practical effects wouldn't have gone amiss. While I understand that the CGI was necessary for the creature to move the way it did, there were several moments where practical effects could have been utilised nicely. The films environment just feels so natural that too much CGI can just feel out of place.

All in all, Alien: Covenant is a bit of a mixed bag. It tries to cross the suspense of Alien, with the action of Aliens, and the philosophical jargon of Prometheus, but these drastically different ideas don't always play off each other that well which causes the film to feel incredibly uneven. As well as that, aside from a few exceptions the majority of characters are underdeveloped and at times, act like teenagers at Camp Crystal Lake practically asking to be killed. While there are some strong performances, immaculate visuals, and countless easter eggs for fans of the franchise, the film ultimately feels dragged down by its drastic shifts in tone and paper thin characters. Is it an improvement over Prometheus? Most definitely. Is it what's best for the Alien franchise? Perhaps not. While I do think Ridley Scott is still a fantastic director, I'm not sure I quite agree with the direction he's taking this franchise. Maybe it's time Neill Blomkamp finally got to make his Alien movie.

10 Terrifying Twin Peaks Moments

In just under a month, the cult television series Twin Peaks will finally return to our screens after almost 27 years. Now I'm not old enough to have been around when the show originally aired, but I've been a huge fan for the past few years and have eagerly been waiting for the return of David Lynch and Mark Frosts iconic series. If you're not familiar with Twin Peaks, the series follows the investigation of the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) and how it effects the lives of her fellow townsfolk. The series ran from the spring of 1990 to the summer of 1991 and was followed by a divisive prequel film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me in 1992. Part soap opera parody, part murder mystery, part psychological horror, the series quickly became a cult phenomenon that was renowned for its quirky characters, jazzy soundtrack, and signature Lynchian madness that has influenced countless shows ever since. With the new series quickly approaching, I thought I'd look back at Twin Peaks and some of its most terrifying moments. Amidst all of the strange characters and comedic moments, the show often delved into nightmarish territory as well, courtesy of David Lynch. So, in honor of Twin Peaks' return, here is a look back at some of its most spine-chilling moments. Also, >>>Major Spoilers Ahead<<< just in case.

10. Cooper's Dream

Sent to investigate Laura's death was Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan). The coffee loving special agent was known for using some rather unconventional methods during the investigation, taking advice from cryptic messages that he heard in his dreams. In this scene from the third episode of season 1, we get a glimpse at a bizarre dream had by Cooper in which he meets a number of mysterious figures. The first of these is Mike (Al Strobel), a man with one arm who informs Cooper of his 'partner' Bob (Frank Silva), a denim-clad psychopath with mysterious links to Laura's murder. After the introduction of these two characters, we get to one of the shows most iconic moments where we meet the enigmatic man from another place (Michael J. Anderson), a little man in a red suit who offers Cooper cryptic messages. The sequence is totally bizarre and at first watch it feels oddly out of place, however, it foreshadows some of the events that will follow such as the reemergence of the terrifying killer Bob, who I'll get back to later. While not exactly terrifying, the scene is the first time we really get a taste of that Lynchian surrealism that made Twin Peaks so iconic. It was a spoonful of the strangeness to come, a sneak peek into the wonderful mind of Mr. David Lynch that left viewers bewildered yet incredibly intrigued.

9. Josie Dies

Now Josie Packard (Joan Chen) wasn't exactly my favourite character. While the enigmatic trophy wife of logging mogul Andrew Packard (Dan O'Herlihy) was intended to be more of a femme fatalle, poor Josie just came across as a plain bore. However, halfway through the second season her story arc took centre stage and we learned a great deal about Josie's past and the crimes she committed. The sins of Josie's past finally caught up with her, leading Agent Cooper and her lover, Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) to arrest her at a hotel room at the Great Northern. However, before the duo can take her into custody Josie suddenly dies, leaving Harry distraught and Cooper confused. After her death, Cooper has a vision of the malicious Bob appearing behind the bed, taunting him, before the man from another place suddenly appears and disappears in the blink of an eye. If that wasn't enough, unbeknownst to Cooper Josie's soul seemingly becomes trapped in the bedside table leaving a macabre expression in one of the drawer knobs. This marked one of the shows most chilling death scenes and reminded viewers of the dark forces that dwelled in Twin Peaks, ones that had been relatively dormant after the apprehension of Laura's killer. With actress Joan Chen seemingly not on board for the revived series, it looks as though Josie may be still trapped in that chest of drawers. Probably for the best too.

8. Leo Wakes Up

From the moment we first meet Leo Johnson (Eric Da Re), it is clear that he's a bit of a wanker. Wife beater, drug smuggler, and all round bad egg, it was only a matter of time before Leo got his comeuppance, and by the finale of season 1 it looked as if he finally did. After being shot by Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey), Leo went into a vegatitive state, leaving him unresponsive and preventing him from doing any more harm...or so we thought. On a dark and stormy night, while his wife Shelly (Madchen Amick) sits unsuspectingly in the next room, Leo eventually wakes up and sets out to give his wife another beating. We are left on a cliffhanger as a smiling Leo confronts his wife before picking back up in the next episode where she struggles helplessly against him in the dark. It's a highly intense scene that sees poor Shelly plunged into darkness and forced to confront her husband, but what makes it most effective is how real it feels. Twin Peaks often deals with the supernatural and the downright dramatic, but Shelly's arc is one that is grounded in reality and deals with such horrific issues like domestic abuse. In a way, this scene presents Leo as a more terrifying force than any of the supernatural entities that reside within the forests surrounding Twin Peaks, he is a real man capable of doing real damage, something Shelly understands all too well. Fortunately however, Leo is interrupted and badly injured, forcing him to stagger out into the woods, never to harm Shelly again.

7. Windom Earle Appears 

However, we have not seen the end of the dastardly Leo Johnson as soon after, he would come face to face with an even more monstrous human being than himself: Windom Earle (Kenneth Welsh). Now Earle is perhaps one of the shows most divisive characters, many fans often criticise him for being too cartoonish even by Twin Peaks standards. Personally I don't think he's that awful, I mean the man is truly evil and acts as a sort of Moriarty to Cooper's Sherlock Holmes, however, he's nowhere near as sinister as some of the shows other antagonists such as Bob or Jean Renault (Michael Parks). Regardless of what you think of the psychotic ex-FBI agent, you cannot deny that his first appearance is incredibly chilling. After coming across a mysterious cabin in the woods, Leo enters to find a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows, one who beckons him inside with his soft-spoken voice. The figure finally emerges from the shadows and reveals himself to be Windom Earle, the insane former partner of Agent Cooper whose arrival we had been teased with for the better part of season 2. We had heard so much about Earle, how dangerous and insane he was, and seeing his face emerge from the darkness for the very first time was a scene that I found particularly unnerving. While he may have become more of a comic-book villain in the episodes that followed, Earle's introduction certainly left an impact.

6. Leland's Interrogation

After hours watching and waiting and constantly guessing, we finally discovered the identity of Laura's killer in the first half of season 2. While we knew her killer was a man named Bob since early on, we had no idea that Bob was in fact a malevolent spirit who had possessed none other than her own father Leland (Ray Wise). It was a shocking revelation and when Leland was finally apprehended, we got a chilling insight into the mind of killer Bob. Speaking through Leland, Bob confesses to Laura's murder while sniggering and taunting Agent Cooper in what was a truly terrifying performance from Ray Wise. It's an incredibly unsettling moment as we watch the maniacal Bob admit to killing Laura whilst using her own father as a vessel, the implications make it all the more disturbing. Following the confession, we watch as Bob finally exits his vessel, leaving poor Leland to cope with the crimes he had committed and forcing him to take his own life. What was once horrifying soon becomes downright upsetting as we witness Leland's final moments before entering the light. Along with being an incredibly creepy moment, it also acts as one of the shows most powerful scenes, saying goodbye to Leland once and for all and bringing a sense of closure to Cooper's investigation.

5. How's Annie?

The final episode of Twin Peaks is a downright thrill ride. After stepping back from the show during the shows second season, David Lynch returned to the directors chair to give us the shows nightmarish finale. After navigating through the surreal corridors of the Black Lodge and rescuing his beloved Annie Blackburn (Heather Graham), it seemed as though Cooper had escaped the evils within Twin Peaks once and for all. In the shows final scene, we watch as he awakens in his hotel room and heads into the bathroom to brush his teeth, all appears to be well until he begins to squirt the toothpaste all around the sink. We then get a look at his reflection and in a horrifying final twist it is revealed that Cooper is now possessed by Bob after returning from the Black Lodge. Smashing his head against the mirror and flashing the camera a devilish smile, Cooper/Bob starts to repeat the line 'How's Annie?' over and over again, words he had uttered to Sheriff Truman and Doc. Hayward (Warren Frost) mere moments ago. This was an incredibly disturbing moment, especially for the shows conclusion, and left a lasting feeling of hopelessness in the stomachs of viewers as the credits began to roll. We've only got a few weeks left until we find out what happened after this scene.

4. Doppelganger

The Black Lodge was mentioned a number of times during the show, believed to be a dimension of pure evil. In the finale, Cooper is forced to enter this realm of terror to end things once and for all and what's inside is just as terrifying as you'd expect. While he is initially greeted by seemingly friendly spirits such as the man from another place and the Giant (Carel Struycken), as Cooper progresses further he is faced with the evil beings that reside within the lodge. Upon entering one room, he meets the evil doppelgangers of the man from another place and Laura Palmer, whose eyes are both pale and glazed over. Laura's doppelganger proceeds to shriek at Cooper as the lights begin to flicker, causing the distraught agent to flee elsewhere. This is a prime example of David Lynches own brand of surreal terror that he injected so perfectly into the finale. While Laura herself is a seemingly harmless character, her doppelganger is erratic and violent, shrieking in anger at Cooper before chasing him out of the room. It truly is the stuff of nightmares and the scene helps to allow the Black Lodge to live up to its sinister reputation.

3. Ronette's Nightmare

Ronette Pulaski (Phoebe Augustine) was there on the night that Laura Palmer was murdered. After being found the following day wandering along train tracks, Ronette soon fell into a comatose state and was kept in hospital until she woke up. In this scene, after lingering momentarily on the empty hospital corridors, we find ourselves in Ronette's room where she begins to slowly show signs of movement. However, she suddenly begins to have a horrific nightmare that flashes back to the night of the murder, flashing between images of the maniacal Bob and a screaming Laura. It is an incredibly frightening sequence and the first glimpse we get of the murder being committed, the disturbing imagery of Bob paired with Laura's agonising screams is enough to give audiences nightmares of their own. While it is only brief in comparison to Cooper's dream, the quick editing and disturbing imagery makes this scene much more impactful, and only adds fuel to the fires of the mystery itself.

2. Bob on the Sofa

After a horrible musical number courtesy of (sighs) James Hurley (James Marshall), we get what is one of the series' most frightening moments thus far. We had already caught glimpses of Bob before and we knew that he was somehow involved with Laura's murder, the only thing was that nobody seemed to know who or what Bob was. In this scene we watch as Maddy (Laura's cousin, also played by Sheryl Lee) experiences a frightening vision of Bob in the sitting room. We watch as Bob slowly enters the room, crawling over the furniture like some sort of animal before coming right up to the camera with that psychotic smile of his. It's a highly unnerving scene and is one that many find hard to watch due to the way in which the camera constantly lingers on Bob. The fact that he appears to be there with Maddy, in a place where she is supposed to feel safe, is what makes the scene even more frightening. It leaves audiences further intrigued as to who this mysterious figure is and why he keeps cropping up unsuspectingly. Of all of Bob's appearances in the series, this is by far his second most terrifying, and I'm just about to get to his first.

1. The Killer Revealed

In the seventh episode of the second season, audiences finally discovered the identity of Laura's killer, her father Leland under the influence of Bob. While it would take Cooper and co. a couple more episodes to uncover the truth, it was in this scene where the killer was finally revealed. After his wife Sarah (Grace Zabriske) mysteriously passes out, Leland stands in front of a mirror, fixing his tie. However, instead of his reflection in the mirror, we see Bob smiling back at him and it's at that moment when everything becomes clear. However, before we have time to fully process things, poor, unsuspecting Maddy enters and faces a grim fate similar to that of her cousins. Leland violently attacks his niece, cutting between images of both he and Bob doing the attacking, the latter being much more disturbing. Set to the sound of a record needle repeatedly hitting off a record, we watch helplessly as Maddy is violently beaten to death, leaving Bob to claim yet another victim. Not only is this the most terrifying moment in the series' entirety, this may also be one of the most terrifying scenes that David Lynch has ever directed. It's intense, it's disturbing, and incredibly upsetting at the end of it all as the audience slowly processes what just happened. It is by far the shows darkest moment and one that will follow viewers long after they've watched it.

..And that's just the series, wait till you see how frightening the film is! Looking back there it is evident that Twin Peaks had some extremely frightening moments thanks to Lynch, Frost, and some of the other writers involved. With only a few weeks until the new series airs, one can only imagine what nightmarish material David Lynch has thought up this time, he's had plenty of time to plan for it anyway. While unfortunately Frank Silva who played the terrifying killer Bob passed away many years ago, I am sure that David Lynch has plenty more horror up his sleeve to take his place. We shall soon find out when Twin Peaks returns on the 21st of May, until then, let's hope for the best.