Ariana Grande - Problem ft. Iggy Azalea (Music Video) [+ Review]

 Get ready for a trippy, 60's ride, filled with vintage-inspired clothing and funky colours in the recently released music video for Ariana Grande's track 'Problem', featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. Also cropping up in the music video is Big Sean who softly whispers at various interludes in the song. The track by Grande and guest starring Azalea (and Big Sean) is a blend of 90's pop and jazz, featuring a fantastic saxophone sample and a catchy drum beat. Grande puts her spin on 'Problem' by delivering her usual belting vocals, adding a contemporary vibe to the catchy urban pop track. The theme of the track focuses around how much better off Grande would be without that particular person in their life, whilst also dealing with the problem of how to get over 'the crush' and the difficulties in her life caused by said 'crush'. Pretty much overall how things would be less hassle without them in her life. 

If that wasn't enough, the sass-meter is cranked up to an eleven with the appearance of guest vocalist Iggy Azalea, who spits out her raps in double quick time, offering an infectious interlude to Grande's powerful vocals 'Smart money bettin' I'll be better off without you/ In no time I'll be forgettin' all about you/ You sayin' that you know but I really, really doubt you/understand my life is easy when I ain't around you'. It's certainly and eclectic mix of styles, but they actually work quite well in the track as the soulful sax meets quirky rap meets power-pop. A mixture of the new and the retro, the track itself certainly makes it mark on the modern era, and Grande and Azalea are a delightfully sassy pair. In terms of the video, there are a few things we'd like to note (but first, watch below!): 

As you can see, the theme of the video has a very retro-inspired 60's theme, featuring pin-wheels with monochrome design and Grande sports a very 60's centred outfit, featuring black and white patchwork crop top and matching skirt (which switches between a black 60's dress and a white sweater with high socks) whilst Azalea sports what looks like a black jumpsuit and an incredible blonde wig. 

The theme of the overall video is very retro and very in-keeping with what Azalea has previously done for the music videos she stars in (see Clueless inspired 'Fancy' video) and Ariana looks as cute as a button perched on her spinning pin-wheel. A couple of annoying things about the video, which bring down its overall quality though is that Grande's lip-syncing isn't really all there, and she seems to struggle in sections, and the video itself is very similar to the lyric video, in the sense that Grande seems to perform similar sections with literal alteration from her previous performances. It would have been more exciting to see something a bit different in this regard, but nonetheless it is an appreciated effort. Azalea fairs far better in the lip-syncing front, and we get to see more of her in the actual video that we did in the lyric video. 

We certainly think you'll be seeing stars for weeks as the duo take you on a funky fresh journey with plenty of trippy movements and colours - not to mention the video features contortionist street dancers who bend and twist everywhere. With a get up and dance feel to it, 'Problem' is a significant success for both Azalea and Grande, with the track reaching the Billboard Hot 100's 2nd spot. Azalea has now claimed the first (with 'Fancy) and second spot ('Problem') on the list, marking her as the first artist since The Beatles to do so. So, what do you think of 'Problem' and its music video? Let us know in the comments! 

Ella Eyre - If I Go

British singer-songwriter Ella Eyre (real name Ella McMahon) has recently released the music video for her new début single, 'If I Go'. The luscious haired singer gets up to a menagerie of upside-down antics in the video, which sees her walking on every wall and ground in sight. If you're having trouble picturing it, imagine David Bowie in The Labyrinth, minus the goblins, tight trousers and impending doom, and you're pretty much there. Similar eccentric hairstyles, of course. We are a fan of anyone who isn't afraid to roll around on the walls in the name of music videos. Eyre has quite a deep, powerful voice and we love her soulful bursts in this new track and the quality and tone of her voice is just incredibly rich and energetic. It really commands attention. The up-and-comer is certainly making a big name for herself, having lent her vocals previously to Rudimental's 'Waiting All Night' and Naughty Boy and Wiz Khalifa's track 'Think About It'. The instrumentals in the track are pretty on point, and we love the energetic beat when Eyre hits those high notes. If you want to check out Eyre's new song and video, then feel free to watch below: 

Maleficent (2014) Review

                   'I must say, I really felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation' 

The latest thing in cinema, it would seem, is the re-imagining and reworking of certain fairy-tales, structures and plots in order to invent something new and exciting. A process which inevitably produces some duds, but is ultimately required in order to create new things, is one that should be encouraged in cinema and television alike, less we are left with the stale, outdated and stereotypical structures to endure.

Maleficent is the re-imagining of Disney’s classic story of ‘Sleeping Beauty’, except this time, things are from a whole new perspective – the ‘villain’s’. Seeking to enlighten audiences as to the true story of Maleficent, a fairy who resides in the moors, the film follows the titular character as she seeks to save the moors from outside human influence, whilst also being betrayed and caught up in a curse that she enacts out of revenge. Portraying the titular character is the undoubtedly brilliant Angelina Jolie, whose character casts a curse on the young Aurora, played by the delightful Elle Fanning. Assisting Maleficent in her tasks is the raven-turned-human, Diaval (Sam Riley), whilst the over-ambitious and greedy King Stefan is portrayed by Sharlto Copley. The infamous three fairies (with their re-imagined names); Knotgrass, Thistlewit and Flittle are portrayed by Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville, respectively.

Whilst many will argue that this re-telling of the classic Disney film will stray too far away from the original version, it would be exceedingly dull to watch an exact live-action replica of the original. Maleficent plays with the story and with the help of its leading actress, Jolie, it redesigns the outdated design of the tale, by altering certain sequences, but ultimately still including the best elements of the original tale; the dragon, the curse, the deliciously wicked elements to Jolie’s character. Ultimately, it succeeds in doing some new as well, but adding in a different dimension to the character, showing different sides to the villain that we just didn't get to see first time round. While it would have been exceedingly fantastic to see a little bit more on the character development front, the original didn't offer any explanation as to why Maleficent was doing the things she was doing in the first place, and frankly portrayed Aurora/Briar Rose as a ditzy blonde who spends the majority of the film comatose waiting on some guy she just met to rescue her. Maleficent establishes each character as their individual selves, and contains a few surprising twists to offer to a generation which is clearly bored of the original ‘boy saves girl’ scenario (note: evidence – See the success of feminist flick ‘Frozen’). Whilst this film may not exactly be in Frozen’s league, it is a suitably darker and more defined version of the classic tale, and is propelled rather dramatically by the performances from its leading ladies.

Whilst in places the tone may seem a little uneven, the performances from its cast save the film from going off in a wayward direction, as in some places it can become a little unclear as to where it is going. However, Jolie is outstanding in the titular role, bringing a new level of depth to the character, and masterfully executing every single eyebrow raise or piercing stare. Making sure to capture the deliciously dark side to the character, as well as the more slightly humorous side, (whilst still managing to convey this between a serious of stern looks, so as to not let her guard down) Jolie injects fear into the hearts of children and adults alike, and makes sure that all eyes will be on her. Hypnotic and captivating, her performance is undeniably remarkable and truly ingenious and she ultimately steals every scene she is in simply by focusing on the audience. In the shadow of Maleficent, Elle Fanning proves to be a cheerful and delightful Aurora, who is everything the character should be; full of grace and beauty, but still with a sensitive and angry side when she needs to be. Fanning makes sure she doesn't get obstructed behind Maleficent’s wings and puts in a confident performance as the character, and stars opposite Jolie beautifully.

Whilst the visuals on Maleficent can sometimes get too intense to bear, the overall effort is appreciated and it is a stunning film that could have fared even better in the hands of a different director. The overall look of the titular character is particular striking, sporting deep red lips, chiselled cheekbones and thick black horns. The special effects make-up in this regard is one of the most enchanting and dazzling affairs and the moors is a particularly beguiling place.

In case you are especially keen to jet out of the cinema as soon as the film finishes, we advise you to stick around to hear Lana Del Rey’s haunting rendition of ‘Once Upon A Dream’ which eerily plays over the credits in a most entrancing manner.

Overall, Maleficent is a confident source of family entertainment, being only marginally let down by its uneven toning in places at the hands of its director, and it seems evident that this particular twisted film could have been truly magnificent in the hands of another individual (nevertheless, it is still a worthwhile watch). Jolie is truly captivating in this role, and its one she will probably be remembered for, for a long time. 

4 stars 

Lana Del Rey - Shades of Cool (Official Audio) [+ Review]

Lana Del Rey has recently released the official audio for her new track 'Shades of Cool'. The aforementioned single is taken off her upcoming album, Ultraviolence, which is due for release on the 16th June in the UK and the 17th June in the US. Continuing on her string of successes, 'Shades of Cool' is seemingly another hit for the singer. The track (which you can listen to down below) is a bit of a sombre ballad, with a distinctive haunting tone to it, which just makes us love the singer even more. 

The song switches between two different tones, with Lana usually her particular drawl in a truly captivating manner, and she switches between a more wailing-esque sound and a more subtle, controlled manner. This variation in style is particular in-fitting with how the album is being set up so far, and compliments 'West Coast' rather nicely, with Del Rey's haunting voice carrying the track off into the metaphorical moonlight. 

The track is certainly something you could get lost in, and the use of the guitar just finishes off the track in a truly memorable manner. Being a mix of quite eerie relaxation and bitter-sweet sounds, 'Shades of Cool' is something you probably want to listen to at least once. Fingers crossed the music video is as stellar as the audio. Check out Lana's 'Shades of Cool' below:

You can also check out our review of Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence album, here. 

Lindsey Stirling - Shatter Me [New Music Discoveries!]

In this addition of 'New Music Discoveries' we're looking at Dubstep violinist, Lindsey Stirling. Now, I have heard of Lindsey for a while now, but for some reason have never wrote about her, because I wasn't entirely sure what she would come under as a 'category'. But with our new segment, she seems like a perfect fit and we can finally include her, and also let you all know about this great woman. So, what is a Dubstep violinist? 

Well, Lindsey, rather obviously - plays the violin, and incorporates her classical instrument with some new rhythms and beats. Her original take on mixing in dubstep with her violin has earned her much attention in recent years, with her latest album, Shatter Me, charting on The Billboard Top 200, reaching number 2 (and before you ask, yes we have got the album - look for a review coming soon in the next week!). We're going to link a couple of her videos throughout this article, so be sure to check them out, if you haven't already!

Her recent album sees her teaming up with other singers to produce a new wave of music which combines catchy electro beats, violin and some awesome powerhouse singing. But more of that to come in the album review. Lindsey Stirling (who some of you may remember from The X Factor) is a undeniable talent, having grown her fan-base via YouTube, by producing videos and parodies of games with a musical twist - such as the Zelda Medley, Skyrim (featuring Peter Hollens) and the Pokemon dubstep remix. Her most notable songs (and of which you should totally check out) include 'Crystallize', 'Elements', 'Moon Trance' and of course, more recently, 'Shatter Me' and 'Beyond the Veil', taken from her new album. 

We're also partial to a bit of 'Stars Align' which features some killer choreography and an out-of-this-world theme. We love how Stirling has made violin new and exciting for the younger generation (not to say it wasn't before!), by incorporating a modern dubstep with her classical twist of the violin. Whereas mixing instrumentals isn't something new, she seems to have had quite a bit of success, especially online, with her YouTube channel garnering almost 5 million subscribers, and her 'Crystallize' video reaching into the 95 million hit mark. Pretty impressive for the American Violinist. 

So, we hope you've enjoyed this little segment of 'New Music Discoveries' and we look forward to introducing you to another great music artist that you might not have heard of before. 

EXO-K - Overdose (Latest K-Pop Videos)

In this segment of 'Latest K-Pop Videos' we discuss EXO-K's epic Music Video for their track 'Overdose'. EXO-K seem to be killing it at the moment, with their latest video reaching in the 12 million mark, viewing figure wise. The group, comprising of 6 members (Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun) lay down some serious dance moves on their track, proving that they have still have it after XOXO. The group EXO is of course, split into two sections; EXO-K and EXO-M (which is made up of Xiumin, Lu Han, Lay, Chen, Tao) and both perform admirably in their separate respective music videos. 

In addition to its catchy video, the musical composition of 'Overdose' is actually quite clever, and the track is suitably catchy, possesses a solid beat, and plenty of catchy clicks and twists to really sell the hook of the track. It is also unique in that it showcases the talents of all of its singers, something which some K-Pop tracks fail to do. The chorus is especially catchy as the group perform some pretty crazy dance moves in perfect synchronism. 

As always with EXO, the sets and design of the music video is high-rate, and has that twist of dark (we especially love the set with the reflective mirror and the diamond-esque piece on the ceiling) that we all have come to expect from the group. 'Overdose' is a solid addition to their second mini-album, and we can look forward to great things in the future. To watch EXO-K bring the moves in their latest video, click below: 

Iggy Azalea - The New Classic [Album Review]

The release of the debut studio album from Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea's brought with it much promise. Entitled The New Classic, it featured numerous hits from the female rapper, and with a name like that - it pretty much set itself up to be a hit or a failure. So which one is it? Making its way to the Billboard Hot 200 (at number 2) it certainly proved to be popular, but did The New Classic deliver on its promises? Well, the answer is yes and no. The avenue the album seems to have taken is a sort of self-praising, as if Azalea has been around for centuries; which is obviously not the case. It seems to be a bit confused as to whether its a compilation of hit singles or a fully formed album. If the album had taken a different angle in regards to not making most of the tracks focus on Iggy's journey into the music business (without actually revealing much about how that happened, other than to effectively boast about 'making it') then this could have garnered a higher rating.

However, The New Classic features a considerable amount of gems, one of which being the nineties-inspired track 'Fancy', which is an eclectic mix of electro-hop and hip-hop, packed full of enough sass to fuel a small city. Teaming up with Charli XCX, the two make for a rather dynamic duo as Iggy sasses her way through the track, unifying pop and hip-hop successfully. Charli XCX provides the ultimate hook on the track 'I'm so fancy/ You already know/ I'm in the fast lane/ From La to Tokyo' and the rapping from Azalea ('First things first I'm the realest/ Drop this and let the whole world feel it') really balances out the track, making it addictive and incredibly memorable. This rebellious streak continues in other areas on the album, crossing over into popular hits such as 'Work' and 'Bounce.' 

Other notable tracks from the album include the upcoming single 'Black Widow' which features Rita Ora (who provides the main singing parts, in counter-balance to Azalea's rapping), and actually is one of the best songs on the album. 'Black Widow' is one of those tracks from the album that you just have to listen to, and her partnership with Ora is unexpected but actually quite suitable, as Iggy reels off her lyrics in quick succession across the killer beat. The first track on the album, 'Walk The Line' is seemingly another success, as it once again focuses on the singer's past, but it is actually rather more forward thinking than some of the other tracks like 'New Bitch', as it is far more optimistic. The album is lacking in no amount in terms of self-confidence and self-validity, with 'Goddess' and 'Don't Need Y'all' proving to critics that she literally doesn't need you to validate her success or self-worth as a recording artist. In regards to 'Goddess', Azalea addresses the misconception that White Girls can't rap, 'Oh what?/ A white girl with a flow aint been seen before?' whilst spitting out verses in rapid succession. 

There's actually a lot of things to like about the Azalea as an artist; her quick-firing rapping, her unique southern drawl (despite the fact she is Australian) and her over-emphasis on the endings of words (in a cartoon-esque manner) certainly mark her out as an individual artist, and make her easily distinguishable on tracks, and indeed, on the radio (which is vital in today's music culture). Not to mention her level of sass is off the charts. An avid fan of 80s and 90s culture, Azalea incorporates them into her work, (most recently with her music video for 'Fancy') and within her songs themselves. The New Classic is a combination of pure drive and passion for her craft, combined with the grafting she has done to get where she is, and her renouncing that she has finally made it, and that no body can make her disappear.

If there's a few things The New Classic suffers from, it is perhaps that it is so bizarrely constructed. Featuring an array of hits, but a unidentifiable theme (apart from hardship), it seems as if Azalea has accumulated too many songs and needed an album as more of a storage device to her fans as opposed to a relative project. Occasionally on some tracks, Iggy's singing isn't as strong as her rapping and she loses her way somewhat, dipping into the dangerous territories of not quite matching the tracks beat. That being said, Iggy is seemingly strongest and most confident with the short verses with a strong beat where she can fully utilize her skills and create a maximum impact on the audience. The New Classic appears to have been produced a little bit too early in Iggy's career, and no doubt people will be confused as to the name choice, but despite this, it does actually feature numerous songs that are worth listening to. These notable successes ensure that The New Classic is remembered, but perhaps not as much as it could have been. 

3.5 stars 

Hannibal Season 2 Finale 'Mizumono' [Review + Recap]

Last night NBC's Hannibal aired its season 2 finale and boy, was it a shocker.

Directed by David Slade and written by Steven Lightfoot and Bryan Fuller, the episode was almost perfection. It answered a few of this season's most perplexing questions, but raised a few more. There will be spoilers, so do not read ahead if you have yet to watch the episode.

Hannibal is a show that is artfully done. The photography is carefully placed and significant, the season finale provided no exception. Initially, the show might seem focused on Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelson), his persona, and it is; however the narrative has always followed the theme of friendship. Throughout the two seasons, Hannibal's friendship with Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) has evolved, however it some ways it has never truly been severed. This finale, however, seems to ensure that there will be no phoenix rising from the ashes in terms of their friendship - this is the end. It was clear that there was no coming back once the last 10 minutes of this week's episode began to play. It will be interesting to see where the writers choose to go from here now that Hannibal has been renewed for a third season, but the finale secured that indeed no focal character can go back to their previous lives.

The episode opened with Hannibal writing an invitation to a dinner party to Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne). This dinner party had been planned and heavily mentioned in the previous episode. Hannibal would lure Jack to the house to 'tell him the truth' - i.e. to cut him up into little pieces and serve him as some sort of tasty, elaborate dish, probably. However, this party had been truly orchestrated by Will and Jack, who are trying to set Hannibal up to attempt to kill Jack, so they will have the proof they need that indeed Hannibal is a monster.

Hannibal begins burning all his patient documents, so that once he flees there will be nothing left behind. He talks about getting caught - something we rarely ever see Hannibal mention, he is usually so composed; in this scene though he does contemplate being apprehended, but says that he will flee to his 'mind palace'. Will asks if Hannibal could be happy there, Hannibal replies that 'All the palace chambers are not lovely...there are holes in the floor of the mind'. Will talks of what he does to calm himself; he tilts his head back, closes his eyes and 'wades into the calm of the stream'. Viewers do not know it yet, but this will hold significance in one of the final scenes of the episode, where the story reaches its climax.

We start to see glimpses of Will and Jack's plan going array; earlier in the day Will went to see the still alive and kicking Freddie Lounds, but this serves to aid Will's destruction because Hannibal later smells Freddie's hair on Will - but does not give away that he knows. Of course, if Freddie was the burnt corpse that Will claimed her to be, her scent should not be on his clothes.

Their plan stats to unravel even more when Kade Prurnell (Cynthia Nixon), who is an investigator for the Inspector General, puts Jack on 'compassionate leave' after a full investigation has been conducted because she disapproves of the ethical implications of trying to 'entrap' Hannibal Lecter.

So Jack and Will are off the case, they will have no back up and warrants have been issued for their arrest due to their improper conduct. Alana Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas) tells Kade that Jack and Will won't stop. Kade says that's why she is going to arrest them. Alana then calls Will and tells him that they are coming for him and Will escapes through the back entrance of his house. Will then calls Hannibal and says that 'they know', Hannibal hangs up.

It's all getting very tense as Jack turns up at Hannibal's house early for the dinner party (realising he is running out of time); of course we all know what will happen next, it was foreshadowed in the first episode of season 2. Jack and Hannibal's intricate fight scene ensues. Jack gets a few good punches in, however he is ultimately dropped by a shard of glass to the neck. He flees to the pantry and shuts the door.

Then Alana turns up at the property. At this point in the programme, viewers might be likely screaming at the screen. Alana seems to be armed (she has a small gun) but we all know that Hannibal is resourceful and not easy to kill (of course Beverly Katz had a gun earlier in the season, but that did not help her). Alana enters the house and goes to the kitchen. She walks in on Hannibal who he trying to break down the door to finish Jack off. She asks him where Jack is, he replies 'in the pantry'. Looks are exchanged. It's all getting very tense. He says he will give her a chance to leave and if she does not, he will kill her. She shoots at him, but her gun has no bullets (!!) He explains that he took out the bullets from her gun earlier on - something which, really, you think she would have checked before walking into this death trap of a house (good going Alana). She then proceeds to run upstairs and locks herself in the upstairs room.

The writers then deliver a truly shocking moment. Alana turns around and from the corner of the room, emerges Abigail Hobbs (Kacey Rohl). Abigail says to Alana that she is sorry and proceeds to push her out of the window. At this point, it's all becoming too much for us to watch, just as Will pulls up to the house in a taxi and finds Alana sprawled out on the front path looking severely injured, although she is conscious at this point.

Will rushes over to her and she tells him Jack is still inside and he promptly leaves Alana (thanks Will) and rushes to Jack. As Will enters the kitchen he sees Abigail in the corner. He looks as confused and traumatised as viewers are probably feeling at the moment. He asks Abigail where Hannibal is, she gives Will a look that makes everyone watching realise he's right behind you. Will turns around and of course, Hannibal is right there. At this point we know there's no going back. He knows. Will knows. Abigail knows.

Hannibal begins to embrace will, this is one of the most genuine moments throughout the whole season - we can see the pain in Hannibal's face, we all know what's coming - mid embrace, Hannibal stabs Will in the stomach. Will recoils, Abigail's crying, Hannibal looks disappointed. He says to Will that he let Will see all of him, and this how Will repays him. He knows Will orchestrated the whole thing and yes, he feels betrayed. He mentions that there might have been hope for them to go off, the three of them and that Abigail was his surprise for Will.

It's tense. Will is on the floor of the kitchen, bleeding out. Hannibal calls Abigail over to him, and in literally a second, he is slitting her throat right before Will's eyes and Will is distraught. She falls next to him and Will tries to stop her bleeding out, (whilst neglecting his own wound). It's really not looking good for anyone at this moment. Hannibal walks over to will and tells him to tilt his head back, close his eyes and wade into the calm of the stream. He exits the house, casually walking over Alana's body (is she dead?) as he leaves.
The composition is perfect.

The credits start to roll - we're feeling a bit fragile - but suddenly we cut to Hannibal on a plane, being asked if he'd like champagne. The camera pans right and just like that, the writers drop another bombshell, less than 30 seconds before the end of the programme. Sitting next to Hannibal on this (rather fancy looking) plane is Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson), Dr Lecter's former psychiatrist. He looks over to her, she looks at him and they both smile. The screen fades to black.
We are left with so many questions. Are Alana and Jack dead? What is the fate of Will? (We're pretty sure Abigail is definitely dead at this point). Were Bedelia and Hannibal in it together all along? What are we missing? What will Season 3 hold?

The season finale was put together with such intricacy - Hannibal which had a slow mid season, managed to reach a truly thrilling, satisfying, yet agonising conclusion which makes us really anticipate season 3. This is definitely a triumph for Hannibal, and hopefully, if the show continues to be this good, there will be many more seasons yet.

4.5 stars

X2 (2003) Review

                 'The assassination attempt on the President. What do you know about it?'  

As X-Men: Days of Future Past hits our screens, we look back at some of the best and worst films from the franchise, and possibly one of the best comes in the form of X2, known internationally as X-Men 2 or X2: X-Men United. Released way back when in 2003, the film saw the introduction of one of the best villains in the series; Colonel William Stryker, portrayed by Brian Cox. Directed by Bryan Singer, and co written and edited by Zak Penn, David Hayter, Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty, X2 was the highly anticipated sequel to X-Men, a film based off of the Marvel superheroes of the same name. 

An emotional and touching film that dealt with humanity and peace, X2 saw the introduction of the villainous Stryker, who wanted to essentially eradicate all mutants. Differing from the first film, X2 saw Xavier’s gang team up with Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants to battle Stryker and save the mutants. Back for the adventure were of course the Professor himself, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, along with Magneto (Ian McKellen) and also the powerful Storm (Halle Berry), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Cyclops (James Marsden), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore). X2 also saw the introduction of new characters such as Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), Deathstrike (Kelly Hu) and of course, Stryker.

Having been left in a plastic prison following the first film, Magneto is visited by Xavier and Cyclops, who are enquiring about an assassination attempt on the President. It soon becomes clear that Xavier and Cyclops aren’t the first visitors Magneto has had, as Professor X discovers a government operative named Stryker has been extracting certain information from Magneto. After Xavier and Cyclops are captured, it is up to Wolverine to defend the school from Stryker, and for the rest of team X-Men to join forces with Mystique and Magneto to try and get them back, whilst also preventing Stryker from completing his goal of mass genocide of all mutants. 

With rather thought-provoking themes such as world-peace, genocide and social inclusion, X2 proved itself to be something more than just another superhero movie, by being highly relatable to real-world issues. The film marked itself out as being a tribute to those who feel like outcasts in their society, such as teens, different races or people of differing sexualities, and that is one of the defining features of the film, that it is universally relatable. These emotional themes, combined with the usual killer special effects, elaborate costumes and incredibly detailed make-up earn X2 its status as one of the best comic book movies of the 2000s.

What some films lack, and of which X2 made sure it didn’t, was a truly engaging and devious villain. Stryker was all of these things, from his war-like mentality when it comes to dealing with mutants to his manipulation of others to achieve his goals, he seemed unstoppable. Brian Cox was sure to play the character to its full potential, and the scenes where Stryker featured were arguably the best of the film. In addition, the acting from the cast improved all round, and X2 seemed altogether a better put-together film, despite some of its flaws in its storyline. I remember watching the film when I was younger and one of the inevitable moments that sticks out is the ambiguous ending, which was dramatic in itself, and sets the series up for a climatic third instalment (even if it may not have turned out that way).

With engaging and emotional performances and themes, it is hard to find a reason not to watch X2, and I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. So prepare to board your X-Jet to the land of Marvel movies and join the X-Men in their fight for the survival of the mutant race!

4 stars 

You can also check out this review on I'm With Geek

Red Dead Redemption [Review]

In 2010, Rockstar, the group made famous for its Grand Theft Auto series, released Red Dead Redemption, an open-world western-style game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles.

Red Dead Redemption follows the story of John Marston, an ex-gang member and outlaw who must hunt down his previous friends and fellow gang members in order to appease government officials, so that his wife and son will be returned to him. Marston's story is elaborated throughout the game and although the character appears prickly, defensive and none too friendly at the beginning of the game, the way in which the story progresses allows you, as a player, to understand his motivations at a deeper level.

The true triumph of this game lies in the way in which the story is told and its open-world element. Did the game not provide the ability to explore relatively freely then this might be a rather different review. However, the main draw of this game is its emphasis on discovery and diverse activity. The player can take part in a variety of different activities, whether it is aiding a stranger in need find their missing loved one or saving a stagecoach from being robbed - there are several side missions, quests and challenges to do. This variety allows gameplay to be mixed, rather than just progressing through the main story line and its accompanying gameplay, players can choose to 'take a break' and explore many of the alternative activities on offer.

Indeed, the gameplay is also diversified by allowing players the option of choosing from several different types of weapons. Throughout the game and main storyline players will be able to pick up more durable and powerful weapons (the rifle you start the game with will be far inferior to the rifle you receive near the end of the game) but there are also a variety of different types of weapons. Players can utilise perhaps more common-place weapons such as rifles, shotguns, pistols and revolvers. However, players can also use explosive rifles (which literally cause enemies to explode), knives, dynamite, fire bottles and tomahawks to dispense of enemies; gameplay even allows players to lasso horses and enemies, with the option of hogtying the latter.

The game provides players with various choices throughout the game (although not as overt as choices in games such as the walking dead). Players can choose to aid other bandits or fight against them; when approached by pleading members of the public, players can choose to aid victims or ignore them (however all choices have consequences on 'honor' and 'fame' levels in the game.

The gameplay is so diverse and complex (spread over 4 different chapters, based in 4 different parts of the world) that players are unlikely to get bored. The game follows Marston as he explores various areas of America and Mexico and each new area offers new challenges, new strangers, new missions and new animals available for hunting. However, to unlock the new areas (such as Mexico) the player must progress through the main story line. Players can ride on horses, stagecoaches and trains throughout the game but they can also hunt a diverse range of animals including birds, deer, elk, bears, rabbits, wolves, cougars, coyotes, beavers and more.

The game is truly excellent - and that's without even mentioning the graphics. The graphics really make the game almost perfect; one only needs to look out across the desert at sunset to see how much thought has gone into the game in terms of quality.

Perhaps ahead of its time, Red Dead Redemption achieves greatness visually and its characterisation coupled with diverse gameplay provides a winning combination. 4 years on and it is still the best western-based game ever made for a console and is guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment to players.

4.5 stars