Hey, shiny happy people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this little update, I’d thought I’d share some of my recent media consumption, with thoughts, opinion and reviews to boot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As always, if you have any recommendations for interesting bits and bobs to watch\/read\/listen etc, feel free to get in touch<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I went to the cinema recently and what a treat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s been a while since saw a film in the flesh and it’s good to remember there\u2019s an interactive world out there, beyond the sweaty neon Netflix chamber of doom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve always loved the immersion of the cinema with sugar-laden snacks (peanut M&M\u2019s? Yes please), assortment of teaser trailers, and excited hush of the main event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this instance, that spectacle was the much anticipated Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I hadn\u2019t read any reviews pre-screening, meaning my opinions thankfully weren’t swayed by extraneous inputs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And the overall verdict is that I thoroughly enjoyed the film. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In an era where superhero films have largely descended into CGI fests with green screen explosions conveniently camouflaging a fragile script and watered down narrative, the Joker went deep, telling an altogether human and unnervingly relatable tale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a tension-filled two hours, building steadily over the duration, somewhat reminiscent of The Revenant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I was informed post-watch that people had actually left the screening in disgust, perhaps expecting another piece of cotton candy Hollywood fluff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the concern about the graphic nature of the film, the violence wasn\u2019t overdone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rather, it was the constant threat throughout the story that proved most menacing, making the movie more akin to a horror flick than DC comic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And let\u2019s face it, by going dark, there was a lot to live up to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Its predecessor, The Dark Night, is one of my top ten favourite films, its gritty scenes accentuated by a career-defining Heath Ledger performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That’s why Joaquin\u2019s performance must be applauded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As my friend said during the credits, \u201cI think he was just playing himself\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Phoenix is certainly believable as a psychotic clown, in the best way possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But rather than attempting to re-create a half-baked, Tom Waits<\/a> revision of Ledger, he brought his own wholly unique paranoid delusion to the role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The film largely documents how the Joker came to be, an accurate and at times worrying portrayal of society’s ostracism of down and outs and the disturbing consequences that can result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Without wanting to give too much away, I\u2019d recommend giving it a watch. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Joker<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Desert Island Discs with Thom Yorke<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n