Marvel – Captain America Brave New World review by Con
In Cinemas 14/2/24 (12A) 3.5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
This new Marvel ticks all of the right boxes for young Marvel fans. Action packed, under 2 hours and really good fun. There’s a nice Batman and Robin feel to the relationship between new Cap and Falcon, that I really enjoyed. This added something a bit fresh to the MCU. Also I really like how this continues from all of the past Marvel films – but it also feels like the first MCU movie that doesnt make you feel like you need to have seen all of the others movies to enjoy it. This is the start of a new Marvel series of stories. A must see for all Marvel fans!!!
Con at the Captain America Brave New World Screening Party!!!
Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K 24/2/25 (15) 4 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
We all love Guillermo del Toro and his beautiful/sensitively dealt with way of storytelling. But Cronos was where it all began and if you’ve never seen this film – it genuinly is one of all time must see horror movies from recent years. This new 4K restoration is something very special and guarentees Cronos will be loved by many generations to come. Highly Recommended!!!
Con and Alex see Guillermo del Toro’s classic Cronos in 4K on the largest cinema screen in the UK, at the BFI IMAX Waterloo. Alex’s Review CLICK HERE!!!
Companion review by Con (Be aware this review gives away details of the story as seen in the trailer. Many fans are enjoying the experience of Companion, without the knowlege of some early plotpoint details.)
In Cinemas 31/1/25 (15) 3.5 Stars
Youth #Gottit View:
This is an exceptionally good and fresh take on the classic ‘Friends meeting up for fun, in a remote house’ horror genre. Both myslef and Con really enjoyed this film – although we had differing opinions on the star rating. I personally would have given it 4 stars. Con gave it a very strong 3.5 stars. A must see for all horror fans and try to know as little as you can about the story before seeing it at the cinema. For the best experience – don’t watch the trailer. Highly Recommended!!!
PLEASE READ: I highly recommend not watching the trailer below, before seeing Companion. This movie is a far better experience when you go in knowing nothing about the story!!!
PLEASE READ: I highly recommend not watching the trailer below, before seeing Companion. This movie is a far better experience when you go in knowing nothing about the story!!!
Con & Alex talk to Dead Before They Wake Writer, Co-Director and Star Nathan Shepka
What challenges come with Directing yourself as a cast member when making a film? Con
Nathan Shepka – I think sometimes I have a tendancy to be in front of the camera and focus on other people’s performances and then run round to watch the take before realising you’re on auto-pilot a bit yourself. It’s finding a balance between immersing yourself in the scene and reviewing what others are doing too. Fortunately our DOP Andy and latterly co-director is good at telling me when I can do better!
And with Dead Before They Wake we were fortunate to have so many great cast members that needed very little direction at all.
Films like Dead Before They Wake need to have intense moments. How do you create an intense feel for a scene? Con
Nathan Shepka – This one sort of builds in a way, we wanted to keep a feeling of tension and dread throughout the entire film that increases as it comes to an end. We wanted the audience to have that feeling of unease in the pit of their stomach and know things might not end well. Individual scene wise I think a lot of it happens in the writing but in one of the opening scenes where a taxi driver tries to snare a young girl waiting for a bus, the realism in the acting helped nail that.
A couple of reviewers commented that the intensity comes from the viewer knowing things like this have actually happened.
Was there much difficulty minimising reflections of the camera crew when reflective surfaces were in shot? (e.g. like the indoors scenes next to a window) Alex
Nathan Shepka – That’s a random one! It is always an issue though. Indoors and with windows and mirrors it is a bit easier because you control the light. So you can bounce light in different ways to stop the reflection as much, sometimes we use an anti-glare spray to try to help. The worst though is car door panels. They are huge and they see everything and outdoors it is more difficult to control the light!
And sometimes you don’t spot the crew until you see it in the edit suit and then it is time to get the digital paintbrush out!
Was Alex character based on any real-life vigilantes? And if not, how did you come up with the character? Con
Nathan Shepka – Not any real-life vigilantes as such, certainly not the kind you see on social media of predators being cornered in the street. Inspiration partly came from Joaquin Phoenix’s character in You Were Never Really Here. I’d always done more upbeat, extroverted characters so I thought it would be nice to play someone quiet, reserved, only speaks when necessary so he’s direct and to the point.
I also wanted to give him a sense of loneliness, a sense that he’s just existing as opposed to living in a way – again a bit like Phoenix’s character. But going beyond that I felt he needed more of an arc; someone to give him hope (the stripper/school teacher that he develops feelings for) and something to give him purpose (finding the missing girl). He’s got a real rage far below the surface though, that takes almost the entirety of the film to come out.
What was the oddest object used to create a desired sound effect for a scene? Alex
Nathan Shepka – Some of the baseball bat scenes were partly done in camera, hitting the bat off the likes of an inflatable bed and then beefing the sound up in post with wooden bats hitting a ball. Likewise with the hammer, hitting the surface of a table but then layering in squelching watermelons and such like. The one thing that’s always a challenge is knife puncturing flesh. I imagine in real life there’s very little sound but in the movies you always have to exaggerate everything.
Who do you think will enjoy this film most and what do you hope they take away from seeing it? Con
To me some films are there to entertain (popcorn action flicks), some are meant to make you think (Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas) and some are meant to be an experience (Requiem for a Dream). I suppose with this we were almost trying to do all three. Anyone who likes really gritty, dark, borderline disturbing films might enjoy Dead Before They Wake – the likes of Bull, Blue Ruin, Nocturnal Animals.
It is harrowing in places because it is based on the Rotherham/Rochdale grooming gangs so there’s a real life element and there’s a “this goes on in society every day and most of the time we don’t see it” element. I suppose the takeaway is realising that this goes on. I dare say people won’t leave this one feeling uplifted. But I also felt there needed to be a pay-off for the audience, one thing about the bad guys in this film is that they don’t get a chance to experience British justice or early release from prison – they don’t make it that far!
Dead Before They Wake Available to rent or own on Digital Platforms in the UK from January 27th!!!
Con talks to the Stars and Guests at the Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders Of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Sh*trockers Story UK Premiere!!! (Be aware there is some muture content and ‘purley humerous’ replies to Con’s questions)
Con with Bubbles!!!
Con at the Trailer Park Boys Presents – Standing on the Shoulders Of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Sh*trockers Story Abbey Road Studios Premiere and After Party CLICK HERE!!!
Trailer Park Boys Presents – Standing on the Shoulders Of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Sh*trockers Story is coming exclusively to VUE cinemas 10th January 2025!!!