heart

01 Sep

What If…? Episode 4 Review: Doctor Strange Loses His Heart

New DVD releasedoctor, episode, heart, loses, review, strange

This Marvel’s What If? review contains spoilers. Marvel’s What If? Episode 4 What If…? episode four is here. While many fans were likely expecting to see Captain Carter show up as soon as they realized it was a Doctor Strange story, that is not the case. Instead, we get a romantic tragedy which pits two versions of Stephen against each other in order to save the woman that they love.  It’s a cosmic ride through Strange’s own arrogance that has absolutely world ending consequences. It’s also, interestingly, the second episode where we see a hero turn to the dark side.…

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23 Apr

Love and Monsters: How a Robot and a Dog Became the Heart of Netflix’s Apocalyptic Romp

Netflix, New DVD releaseapocalyptic, became, heart, monsters, netflix, robot

Isolated groups of people hide out underground for years after a monster-apocalypse wiped out 90% of the earth’s population in the latest buzzy movie to arrive on Netflix, Love and Monsters. Though the title and synopsis lean toward light-hearted comedy, this movie from director Michael Matthews, which is nominated for an Oscar for best VFX in this year’s awards, is actually a lot more nuanced than that. And while there are some utterly wonderful monsters (giant frog is a personal favourite, though the crab monster also delivers…), and an exploration of themes of love – the key centrepiece scene of…

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18 Feb

The Violent Heart

Max SchindlerMovie reviewsheart, violent

Nine-year-old Daniel lives in a town outside of Nashville. Daniel sees his sister sneak out the door and follows to a dark, secluded spot in the woods, where she is killed. Fifteen years later, Daniel lives at home with his mom and teen brother Aaron. The killer has never been caught. Struggling to find his path in life, Daniel works at a local auto shop and dreams of enlisting in the Marines like his father. But he has a criminal record and would need a rarely granted waiver. Cassie is an 18-year-old who has had her fill of high school.…

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11 Jan

Tales from the Hinterland Explores the Dark Feminist Heart of Fairy Tales

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This feature is sponsored by Thanks to current pop culture, when the average reader thinks of fairy tales, something very specific probably comes to mind: Beautiful princesses. Cute animal companions. Handsome princes. Perhaps most of all, a happily ever after. Much of that is thanks to the Walt Disney Company, whose family-friendly retellings of classic tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White are careful to remove the darker and more problematic elements from the stories, sanitizing them to the point where many modern viewers are most likely completely unaware of the popular films’ complicated – and often shocking –…

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21 Dec

The Ghosts Christmas Special Will Warm The Very Cockles Of Your Heart

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Kiell Smith-Bynoe isn’t much of a Christmas person. “I don’t like the whole build-up and I despise the idea of people putting up their Christmas trees on the 1st of November. I’m horribly against it!” he tells Den of Geek over the phone. “If that makes some people happy then fine, but no, I’m not really a Christmas guy at all.” That didn’t stop him from feeling a touch of the Christmas spirit when filming the Ghosts special in February this year. “That actually felt very festive. It really had that Christmas feel. As well as the decorations, they added in some scents that made the set…

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11 Dec

The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

Max SchindlerMovie reviewsbroken, heart

The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart chronicles the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees. The iconic trio, who found early fame in the 1960s, went on to write over 1,000 songs and have 20 No. 1 hits throughout their career, transcending more than five decades of changing tastes and styles.Rated: Not RatedRelease Date: Dec 12, 2020

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16 Sep

Des Episode 3 Review: a Serial Killer Drama With Brains and Heart

New DVD releasebrains, drama, episode, heart, killer, review, serial

This Des review contains spoilers. Serial killer dramas have a grimy reputation. The phrase conjures up lurid magazine headlines promising Sick! Twisted! Depravity! and Never-Seen-Before Crime Scene Photos! Think ‘true crime serial killer’, you think of Jack the Ripper tours and David from Psychoville poring over victim stats and working himself to a froth over all the gory details.   To shake off those associations and emerge as nuanced, intelligent and non-exploitative, a drama has to work hard. It has to foreground the human cost and trace a story that doesn’t revel in gore. It requires scripts that build in context and narrative…

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15 Sep

Marvel’s Avengers: How Kamala Khan Became the Heart of the Game

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This Marvel’s Avengers article contains spoilers. Marvel’s Avengers, the new superhero action game from Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix, sees the return of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to modern platforms. But while the new adventure might let gamers and fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe alike take control of the team as seen in the movies, there’s one character who’s captivated players above all others. I’m of course talking about young Kamala Khan, the Avengers superfan who becomes an inspiring superhero in her own right. While the game opens with the Avengers at the height of their…

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23 Aug

Zack Snyder Says Cyborg Is the Heart of His New Justice League Cut

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During Saturday’s (August 22) panel launching the official first teaser for the Snyder Cut of Justice League, director Zack Snyder hinted during one exchange that the character of Cyborg, a.k.a. Victor Stone (Ray Fisher), would be “the heart” of the movie. Snyder brought on several of the stars of the movie, including Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Ben Affleck (Batman), Ezra Miller (Flash), and Ray Fisher (Cyborg). Each of the actors read a fan question tailored for the most part to their particular character, with Snyder doing his best to make it seem as if the actors’ clearly…

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01 Apr

The Romance at the Heart of Miss Fisher & The Crypt of Tears

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears. The world of Miss Fisher is filled with many rich character dynamics, but the relationship between Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) and Detective Jack Robinson (Nathan Page) has always been at the heart of the period mystery drama. Three seasons of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries chronicled their ever-burgeoning romance, as they slowly fell in love over various murdered bodies (it’s more romantic than it sounds). The dynamic is also at the heart of Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, the feature film continuation of Phryne’s story, which…

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13 Mar

Knife + Heart

Max SchindlerMovie reviewsheart, knife

Paris, Summer 1979. Anne (Vanessa Paradis) produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet with her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald. But one of her actors is brutally murdered and Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down.Rated: Not RatedRelease Date: Mar 15, 2019

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09 Nov

Horn from the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story

Max SchindlerMovie reviewsbutterfield, heart, story

Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story is a feature-length documentary about the life and career of legendary blues musician Paul Butterfield. A white, teen-age harmonica player from Chicago's south side, Paul learned from the original black masters performing nightly in his own back yard. Muddy Waters was Paul's mentor and lifelong friend, happy to share his wisdom and expertise with such a gifted young acolyte. The interracial Paul Butterfield Blues Band, featuring the twin guitar sound of Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop, the rhythm section of Sam Lay and Jerome Arnold and the keyboards of Mark Naftalin, added…

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06 Apr

The Heart of Nuba

Max SchindlerMovie reviewsheart

Welcome to the war-torn Nuba Mountains of Sudan, where American doctor Tom Catena selflessly and courageously serves the needs of a forgotten people, as the region is bombed relentlessly by an indicted war criminal, Omar Al-Bashir. Two things remain constant: Dr. Tom?s faith and his enduring love for the Nuba people.Rated: Not RatedRelease Date: Apr 06, 2018

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