Written by The Curmudgeon Last time we had a chat about the inevitable train-wreck that will be the live-action remake of Cowboy Bebop (1998) that nobody asked for (click here for more on that). But hey, what about adapting something live-action into animation ? Well, I say “adapting.” Rather, an animated spin-off riding the coattails of a cult classic. Blade Runner: Black Out 2022  (2017) Late last month, it was announced that an anime set in the world of Blade Runner (1982) is in the works . Might this be banking on the critical success of 2017’s Blade Runner: 2049 (2017)? Or, might it be because we finally reached Blade Runner time in November 2019, when the 1982 film was set? The real question is: who cares, so long as it’s good? A few lines up, I used the phrase “riding the coattails.” That was a little cynical of me, but then again, cynicism is my default setting since the…accident. … In either case, sometimes I just need to slap ...

Written by The Curmudgeon SPOILER WARNING: The following contains spoilers for both Carole and Tuesday and Kids on the Slope . Go watch them first if you don't want the plot spoiled. If you have seen them, or you just don't care, read on! I love Shinichiro Watanabe. I love ‘im. He’s responsible for some of my favourite things; from Cowboy Bebop  (1998)  – smart, sombre, and slick – to the utterly hilarious and bizarre Space Dandy  (2014) , he’s got a style that suits me just fine. Although it’s unlikely he’ll ever make something which moves me quite like Bebop , he always finds a way to imbue his work with such panache. Also, he wears sunglasses all the damn time. I’m not kidding, it’s actually challenging to find out what this man’s eyes look like. The problem is that he doesn’t helm too many original titles. As such, when Watanabe’s most recent series, Carole and Tuesday  (2019), debuted this year, it made some serious waves. Something about this...

Written by The Curmudgeon There’s this scene at the beginning of Logan (2017) during which the titular character wakes to a group of thugs heisting the hubcaps from his car. A fight scene ensues, but not in the way you might be used to with this character. The “Weapon X” of his youth has given way to an old man, barely capable of keeping up with his younger attackers. In a pitiful display, one of his claws gets stuck in his forearm. Soon enough, he succumbs to his berserker rage – Logan , the man, yielding to Wolverine , the beast, decimating his foes with what could only be described as animalistic efficiency. What’s more interesting is the scene which follows. As Logan tends to his wounds, we get a glimpse of what’s going on underneath. He slowly and laboriously pushes bullets out of his ruined flesh, revealing calloused skin and countless scars. In an instant, we understand that the enhanced healing factor which kept Logan impervious to damage has deteriorated ove...

Written by The Curmudgeon Does anyone remember the PlayStation Vita? … … No? Yeah, me neither. But, regardless of the console’s undeniable forgettability, in some way I have it to thank for a little game called Gravity Rush . In 2012, the slightly -upgraded PSP that is the PS Vita was a receptacle for Gravity Rush , known as Gravity Daze in its native country of Japan. Over the course of 2015-2016, Gravity Rush deservedly received a remastering for the PS4 – you know, a console people actually owned and used – and a stellar sequel in 2017. As it stands, they’re two of my favourite games of all time. And I’m going to tell you why . Now, you might be thinking – if you belong to my currently minuscule  list of readers – why are you writing about one of those videographic games , Mr. Curmudgeon? Aren’t you supposed to be a FILM fellow, Mr. Curmudgeon? Doesn’t it say “Curmudgeon FILM Talk” on the banner above? Good questions, disembodied voice in my...

Written by The Curmudgeon WARNING: The following review requires a familiarity with Breaking Bad . If you haven’t seen it, go watch it – it’s good. SPOILER WARNING: There may be a light SPOILER in this review. The paragraph containing said spoiler will be highlighted in red. After the televisual monolith of Breaking Bad  (2008-2013)   came to a close, people seemed – generally – pretty satisfied. What more is there to add? Walter White (Bryan Cranston) passes in a blazing shot at redemption, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) escapes his captors and drives into the proverbial sunset. So, when the Netflix movie El Camino  (2019)  – a continuation of Breaking Bad – was announced, you can’t blame someone for being more than a little cautious. I was trepidatious with the idea of a Breaking Bad movie. At first, there was no indication of what the film would be, and television rarely translates to film successfully. But the trailers looked incredible, and I quic...