Displaying items by tag: Mark Gatiss

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

US, 2025, 115 minutes, Colour.

Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Egon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, Mark Gattis. Voices of Ralph Ineson, Matthew Wood.

Directed by Matt Shakman.

2025 as been a superpower blockbuster movie year, Thunderbolts*, then DC with Superman and Marvel with The Fantastic Four. The latter two performed beyond expectations at the box office in the US and around the world. Still popular!

The Fantastic Four are not as familiar to moviegoers as Superman or Batman. There were two films in 2005-7 and an attempt to revive the franchise in 2017. This film is another attempt – and with the promise that the Fantastic Four will appear in forthcoming Avenger films.

One of the features of the Fantastic Four is that they are a very friendly group, especially likeable for the audience. For anyone not familiar with them, and for those who are, there is a prologue to this film, a TV program, a kind of This is Your Life summarising with clips the personal lives and origins and all the exploits of the Four, their venture into space, their DNA being altered, then becoming superheroes, and very popular with the citizens of New York City and the world.

Reed Richards, played sympathetically by Pedro Pascal, is the scientist, mathematician, intelligent, cerebral in his approach to crises. By contrast, Vanessa Kirby is his wife Sue Storm, her discovering she is pregnant, and she and the family, and the audience, happy anticipating the forthcoming birth. Then there is her younger brother, Johnny Storm, played enthusiastically by Joseph Quinn sometimes brash, literally full of fire, eager to be an uncle. The fourth member is Ben, played by Egon Moss-Bachrach, seen as his ordinary self in the prologue but then DNA drastically altered to some thing of a monster look, but genial behind all that orange granite that forms his exterior.

Casting is interesting because two of the Four are British, Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn. Pedro Pascal is from Chile.

When Earth is threatened by a strange alien, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), and threatened by the archetypal cosmic villain, Galacticus (voiced by British Ralph Ineson), the Four go into space to confront him.

Part of the drama is their initial failure (though with some spectacular sequences in space, and, emotionally and dramatically, the birth of the baby), the brief press conference where they tell their adoring public that there is no hope, then the determination to find a way of confronting Galacticus who has set his ambitions on taking over the new born child and its powers.

Which means that the second part of the film is the confrontation of Galacticus, the intervention of the Silver Surfer, the giant Galactic is heavily treading through New York City demolishing huge areas (as Lex Luthor did in Superman) intense demonstration of the superpowers by the Four.

And, there is nothing like a baby to elicit audience sympathy – and there is a pleasing preview during the final credits of the baby at four, with his mother, just having spent a day reading Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species.

1. The status of the Fantastic Four in the marvel comics, created by Stan Lee? The previous film versions, modest, this version as a new beginning?
2. The basis of the plot, the Marvel universe, the four characters, Reed and Sue, their backgrounds, marriage? Johnny as Sue’s brother? The work with Ben?
3. The opening, a kind of resume of the characters and their superpowers, their activities, their reputation in New York City?
4. The relationship between Reed and Sue? Background of their space mission, the experience, overwhelmed, the changes in their DNA, superpowers? The marriage, Sue, discovering she was pregnant, Reed, the scientist and mathematician, his more cerebral approach, his joy? Johnny and his enthusiasm?
5. Ben, in the television program, his normal self, the space experience, the DNA, the granite and its colour, his size? And his voice, human and humane, his interventions? The encounter with Rachel, the students and his comic behaviour with them, his later going to find Rachel?
6. The situation with Galactus, origins, age, giant, sinister, eager for power, targeting the baby? The Silver Surfer, her appearance, the surfboard, through space, arriving on earth, the warning?
7. The status of the Four, Ed Gilbert and his show, the program, the exploits, the public and acclaim?
8. The decision to go into space, travel, the space ship, the equipment, technical skills, Reed and intelligence? The confrontation with the Silver Surfer, with Galactus, their being caught, the escape, travelling back to earth, the pursuit by the Silver Surfer, her skills, evading capture, each of the Four coping, Ben and his piloting, reading the calculations, Johnny and his attempts with his fire? Their eventually arriving home?
9. Sue, pregnant during the return, her experience, everybody involved in the delivery of the baby, the happy birth? Franklin?
10. The television show, Mary and her friendship, the press conference on return, no hope, the reaction of the public, gradually turning against them?
11. Reed and his experiments with transportation, the plan to move the planet Earth to the outer reaches away from Galactus? Its failing?
12. The determination to resolve the situation, the public learning about Galactus wanting the baby, accusations of selfishness with the family not giving up the baby? The calculations, seemingly impossible? The discovery of the lever, the calculations, the appeal to the public, the television response, the collecting all the materials, the building of the bridges, the issue of electricity, the world collaborating in blacking out to give full power?
13. The plan, times square, the central landing, the ring to trap Galactus?
14. The encounter with The Silver Surfer, her coming for the baby, the dialogue with Johnny, her back story, her experience with Galactus, giving up family for the sake of the planet? Her hostility, her embarrassment and shame, her finally turning against Galactus and sacrificing herself?
15. The help of Harvey Elder, his role in the past, sinister, ruling in the subterranean area, the clashes with the Four, their appeal to him, selfish, but agreeing, taking all the refugees from New York City?
16. The arrival of Galactus, gigantic, walking through New York, crushing the buildings, the tremors for those in the underground? Capacities, voice, penetrating sight to see the baby, his being blinded, the substitute group, but his seeing where it was hidden, the continued pursuit, Ben and his interventions, Johnny willing to sacrifice himself, read in the calculations, Sue and her willpower, forcing Galactus back, almost to the Circle, the machine, the 37 seconds, his destruction?
17. The Four, acclaimed, the public, Ed Gilbert and the program, Mary and the studio, the sudden call and their going out on mission?
18. The preview for the Avengers films, four years later, the baby and reading Charles Darwin, Sue finding the baby with the sinister hooded figure?

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING

US, 2025, 169 minutes, Colour.

Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Trammell Tillman, Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Charles Parnell, Mark Gattis, Rolf Saxon, Cary Elwes.

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

The grand finale.

The spin-off from the very successful television series, with its pounding score and the messages disappearing after five seconds, the first Mission Impossible, the introduction to Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, was released in 1996. Cruise was 33. Now, 2025, the eighth film in the franchise, and here is Cruise in his early 60s, athletic, doing all his stunts, very serious saviour of the world.

There is something of a complex background to this finale, an AI development called The Entity and the danger of its overcoming the human race, and setting off a nuclear holocaust. Luther, Ving Rhames from the past films, is here developing a mechanism to counteract The Entity. But, arch-villain, Gabriel (Esai Morales) wants to conquer the world and has the other piece. The President of the US, Angela Bassett, surrounded by advisers (several British character actors, including Janet McTeer and Mark Gattis) is relying on Ethan Hunt to save the world.

There are various characters who have worked with Ethan in the past, especially Benji, Simon Pegg, and a reunion with Grace, Hayley Atwell. The first part of the film is setting the scene, Hunt building up his team (and some mask removing action scenes). In this film there are quite a number of references to the action in 1996, especially an angry character, Briggs (Shea Whigham) whose father was killed by Hunt (with some flashbacks from the original and Jon Voight). Briggs is working with Kittredge, Henry Czerny, Hunt’s sometime control. But, especially with killer, Pom Klementieff rescued from prison, the team is ready.

The second part of the film has Ethan Hunt underwater most of the time, and some extraordinary stunt work, as he dives into a sunken vessel in the Behring Sea, the difficulties of the depth, compression, breathing, an narrow tube which means that he has to strip down to his boxers! and survive and reach the surface. Ultimate success (but perhaps some realists in the audience wondering about meals, sleep, toilet stops! None of which are shown.)

The last part of the film is action adventure, stunts and CGI, making mission impossible, Mission Impossibler, in fact, Mission Impossiblest. And, with some instant travelling from Europe to Africa, beautiful mountain and valley African locations for the finale, especially with Hunt pursuing Gabriel in light planes, and some ultra-gymnastics as Hunt leaps, dangles, climbs on to Gabriel’s plane, overcomes him, takes the connection to destroy the Entity, tension with the time coming down to the splittest of seconds to save the world.

In the American presidential control room, enormous relief, then a final puzzling scene in Trafalgar Square, Ethan Hunt, each member of his team approaching him, looking knowingly, then turning away… And we wonder actually if he is dead and this is the final tribute to his world saving achievement from his team…

1. Popular 30 year franchise? The television series (and the continued use of the musical theme)? The character of Ethan Hunt, saving the world? Tom Cruise, his presence, performance, stunts, hero-saviour?
2. The development of the character of Ethan Hunt over the decades, this film using flashbacks to the original film, to past films? Tom Cruise at 30 something then 60 something?
3. The locations, Washington and the President, the vast security headquarters? The Arctic, the Behring Sea, underwater photography, the long sequence exploring the submerged vessel, the transition to Africa, the beauty of the scenery, London, Trafalgar Square? The background musical score, sense of excitement, tension, amplified?
4. The explanation of the basic situation about The Entity? Control of the human race? The nuclear danger? The role of Gabriel, wanting power? President of the US, her response, her advisers, the reliance on Ethan Hunt? Those dissenting? The short time to DEFCON, the focus on the clock?
5. Re-introducing Ethan Hunt, his reputation, his achievements, Kittredge, the explanations of his achievement, dangers, deaths, the presence of Briggs, the flashbacks to his father and Hunt causing his death? Refusing to shake hands? Kittredge and Briggs working together, building up to a confrontation? Then a reconciliation?
6. Luther, his presence in the previous films, technical skills, getting older, facing The Entity, the preparation of material for the capture of The Entity? His death? His final message after the achievement and exploding after five seconds? Seen in flashbacks?
7. Benji and Grace, their characters, in the previous films? The team, Grace, pickpocketing, her skills and timing, the relationship with Ethan? Benji, technical skills? The recruiting of Paris, going to the prison, as guards, the masks, the shootout, Capt Bledsoe, the guns, the fight? Paris, her character, killer, speaking in French?
8. The explanation of the strategy, the team possessing Luther’s capture, Gabriel, the confrontations, arrogant personality, his troops, the escape, his possessing the other part of the capture? The explanation of the timing, the split second timing?
9. The background of locating the sunken vessel, the issue of the key, who had the keys? The compass points, the technology, the submarines, Hunt and the various ships, the explanation of the dangers, the cold, compression, revival? The captain of the ship, getting the information, the code? The Admiral supervisor, the collaboration?
10. The team, going to St Matthew Island, the discovery of William Donloe, his wife, his presence 30 years earlier, his achievement on the island? The arrival of the Russians, the buildup to the fight, Don and his transmitting the code, his wife and Grace with the compressor for revival?
11. The long sequence of Hunt underwater, the dangers, the depths, tunnel and his having to remove his clothes, going to the top, unconscious, the revival, Grace and Donloe’s wife?
12. Washington, the dilemmas for the the president, the personalities of her team, the timing, her reliance on Hunt? Different advisers, the decision about bombing the American city, the advisers with the gun, his being shot, the general killed?
13. The tension with Hunt, Gabriel’s arrival, confrontation, his men the shooting, Gabriel and the plane, Hunt in pursuit, the beautiful scenery, the range of highflying stunts, possible or impossible? The battle in the sky, overcoming Gabriel, getting the peace for controlling The Entity? Parachuting down?
14. The fight, Benji wounded, Donloe and his collaboration, Benji giving the directions for the wires, Grace waiting to cut when the signal came through? Down to the final second? The achievement?
15. The president, her decision, not to destroy the town city, the power going off, coming on again, the world saved, her going to inspect the troops, her son?
16. The team, the achievement, Benji and his wound, care, Grace and Hunt?
17. The final sequence, Trafalgar Square, the world saved – did Hunt survive or was this a symbolic death sequence, his meeting once again the significant people in his team?

WALLACE AND GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT

UK, 2005, 85 minutes, Colour.

Voices of Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes. Helena Bonham Carter, Liz Smith, Geraldine McEwan, Mark Gatiss.

Directed by Nick Park, Steve Box.

Wallace and Gromit have become British icons – and one of Britain’s best exports.  Their creator, animator, Nick Park, brought them to the screen in 1989 in the Oscar-nominated A Grand Day Out.  They won their Academy Award in 1993 with The Wrong Trousers and again in 1995 for A Close Shave.  Wallace and Gromit were popular the world over.

Now they appear in their first feature-length film.  And they have another success on their hands, topping the US Box Office on its opening weekend at the beginning of October.  But the makers received bad news as well when the production studios in Bristol, the Aardman company, burnt to the ground the same weekend.  While they lost decades of film history, many of the clay models were out on exhibition and were not destroyed.

The films themselves are indestructible.  They have great appeal for both children’s audiences and for adults.

As the title indicates, the film is something of a spoof of horror movies.  And that is a smart move.  After all, so many horror stories have become classics of literature and cinema.  Older audiences will have quite a lot of fun noticing the parallels with horror movies and the amusing send-ups.  Of course, it starts with the play on werewolf.  This time the monster is a gigantic rabbit who has an enormous appetite for vegetables.  This is especially disastrous for the village because all the inhabitants are desperately tending extraordinarily sized pumpkins and gardens full of veg to win the competitions at the forthcoming fair.  Gromit himself is growing a giant marrow.  Wallace, of course, does not like vegetables at all.  He loves cheese.

Wallace is an inventor (and we see quite a few of the inventions from the previous films as well as a machine for collecting rabbits out of lawns – a kind of giant vacuum cleaner – without injuring them).  Not only does he now create a rabbit Frankenstein creature, trying to brainwash the rabbits to hate vegetables,  he also becomes Dr Jekyll and creates his alter ego Mr Hyde. 

When the going gets touch, the people turn on the rabbit just as they do in Son of Frankenstein – and there is the potential for a bride of the Were-Rabbit.  But, when the rabbit is pursued, he seizes the lady of the manor and climbs a tower as did King Kong of old.  Just when you thought, the writers might have run out of ideas, they set up Gromit like a British Snoopy and create an air battle modelled on World War I and the attack of the Red Baron.  You see how inventive they have been.

The script is also funny and witty.  In the middle of the chase, Gromit turns on the car radio and it is playing Bright Eyes, the theme from Watership Down!  Some of the jokes have mild and amusing innuendo that will be lost on the smaller audiences.

Nick Park has done wonders with the clay characters, patiently working with stop-motion photography for years.  It is extraordinary the expressions he can create – especially with Gromit who does not speak but whose facial gestures are worth a thousand words.

The voices are wonderful as well.  Peter Sallis has been supplying the voice of Wallace for years and it would be hard to imagine Wallace without him.  The villain of the piece, Victor Quartermain, a bounder who wants to marry Lady Tottington for her manor and money and hunt down rabbits with his rifle, is played by Ralph Fiennes sounding far more vigorous than in his films, a real moustachio-twirling performance.  Lady Tottington is Helena Bonham Carter, more lively and funny than she has ever been as well.

Fans of Wallace and Gromit will also welcome the musical score with the familiar anthem from the previous films.  The Curse will keep you smiling.