The Interview ..... Don't let the Terrorists win

“The Interview” was not a film I was planning on seeing at the cinema, I probably wouldn't have paid to download it or rent it from a digital rental service. I MAY have watched it if it came to a service that I already have like Netflix. That’s not to say I thought it would be bad but I only go to the cinema a handful of times a year and I have to be picky, for me comedies don’t usually win in that battle.

However following the news that Sony has decided to completely cancel the release of this completed film in the light of the cyber attack hack against them last week and the further threat of physical terrorist attacks if the release goes ahead, I am now determined to pay to see this film at the earliest opportunity and I think everyone else should do the same.

We should not live in a world where terrorists can suppress free artistic expression and by giving in to their demands Sony are setting a dangerous precedent. If terrorist groups like this see that they can be successful in influencing behavior with their threats it will only make them more emboldened to make even more outrageous demands.

Currently Sony has said it doesn't plan any kind of release for the film, not even a digital only one. I hope they change their mind, and when they do I’ll be ready with my money to support the filmmakers. The people who put years of their life into making something only to have it pulled from under them.

I hope you will do the same, Even if you wouldn't have seen this film normally, even if you've never enjoyed a Seth Rogen film and generally dislike comedies, because this is about making an important stand to say we refuse to be threatened. 

What could Marvel Phase 4 hold in store?

If you’re a Marvel Cinimatic Universe fan they you, like me, will have gotten very excited a couple of days ago by the announcement of the next 5 years worth of films. Cap vs Iron man in “Captain America: Civil War”, Black Panther and Captain Marvel movies, Avengers: The Infinity War Pts 1 AND 2. I could barely sleep for the excitement.

  

All this got me thinking and speculating.  This is the whole of their Phase 3 revealed, but what could phase 4 look like?

I took the basic release principles Marvel has established of alternating established and new franchises, and the fact that in phase 3 they are moving from 2 to 3 films a year, also tried to factor in when Actor contracts might be up and a good boat load of pure guessing but this is what I came up with.....

2020       – Planet Hulk (Spring)

-          Blade (reboot) (Summer)

-          Ant Man 2 (Autum)

2021       - Black Widow (Spring)

                - Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (Summer)

                - Doctor Strange 2 (Autum)

2022       - Captain America 4 (with Bucky Barnes taking over the Mantle of Cap) (Spring)

-          War Machine (Summer)

-          A Sony/Marvel  co production Spider-man (Autum)

2023       - Black Panther 2 (Spring)

                - Punisher (Summer)

                - Captain Marvel 2 (Autum)

2024       - Avengers  4 (Spring)

I’m sure my views on possible line ups will change as I watch the phase 3 films but for now I think that’s a good potential line up. And here’s my thinking….

The first Sequels  

Assuming they do well at the box office is fair to assume that Ant Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Captain Marvel will be getting sequels. There is one notable exception on my list and that is The Inhumans. Which to be honest I think has just as much chance at a sequel. I didn’t include it because it would have meant bumping Avengers 4 from it’s traditional May slot. Not outside the realms of possibilities of course but something had to give. I also suspect that in order to keep their slate manageable Marvel may have to start sitting out some franchises for a Phase. And of course if any of these new Phase 3 franchises don’t do as well as hoped they may decide that they shouldn’t get included in the next phase. (as happened with Hulk after Phase 1)

Hulk Smash.  

Yes, I’ve put it down as Planet Hulk. That’s pure hopeful thinking, I would love to see this story  from the comics up on the screen. It would require a bit of set up in phase 3 though. Particually Hulk doing something so bad (probably in Infinity War) that the other heros feel they need to shoot him off into space. If that doesn’t happen I still think we’ll get some kind of solo Hulk movie in Phase 4, it’s long over-due and Marc Rufalo is certainly worthy leading it.

Blade – Marvel have the rights to Blade back. This was the character that really kicked off the modern age of superhero movies back in the 90s. It’s a big potential draw and I can’t see Marvel sitting on it forever. I reckon phrase 4 is when we’ll see him back on our screens in a reboot that takes place in the MCU. It’ll also allow Marvel to start to explore a slightly darker area of their universe. Something that also comes with teh Punisher movie I’ve also put on the list. Despite his publicly stated interest in returning though, I wouldn’t expect to see Wesley Snipes back in the role. He was fantastic and perfect at the time but a fresh start and younger blade is needed now.

Black Widow

There was some disappointment that she didn’t get a solo movie in Phase 3. Perhaps one in Phase 4 could be set a bit back in time and allow us to find out just what did happen in Budapest.

Cap 4

I think it’s important that all the franchises that kicked off the MCU in phase one don’t disappear. We’ve already lost Iron Man from phase 3 (which I think is the right call), I’m calling Thor to be the phrase 3 original avenger that doesn’t have a solo in Phase 4. Out of the big 3 heroes his are the least performing of the movies. But just because there is a Cap 4 doesn’t mean Steve Rogers is still wearing the suit. I think, if it hasn’t happened already by that point, we may see Bucky Barns take on the Cap mantel after Steve is killed in action in the Infinity War.

War Machine

Ok, so we don’t have an Iron Man film any more. This could be the natural successor.  James "Rhodey" Rhodes has been firmly established over 3 Iron man films now and he’s due to pop up in next spring’s Avengers: Age of Ulton. It’s at least possible he gets his own film.

Spider-man

There are a lot of Rumours flying around at the moment that Marvel and Sony are close to a deal to allow Spidy to appear in MCU films. The most obvious place for him initially is the Captain America: Civil War movie. Spider-man was a big part of the Marvel comics Civil War event and it would be fantastic to have him involved. And if they pull it off perhaps a co-produced Spider-man solo movie, set in the MCU and with Cameos from some of our other favourite characters would be on the cards. Who knows. It makes sense for Sony to agree. Each Spider-man film since the very first Toby Maguire one has made less money than the previous one, a co-production deal would be a way for Marvel to make the film a more must see while Sony still gets a slice of the profits. 

Avengers 4

By Avengers 4 expect a very different team to the one we know.

Steve may be dead and Bucky may be Cap. Hulk may be off in space on another planet – (or he may return angry at being sent away and be the antagonist of this film). Downey Jr will be WAY too expensive by this point so Iron man won’t be in it. A whole load of new avengers who joined at the end of Phase 3 will part of the team and, fingers crossed, Spider-man.

No doubt it will be nothing like I’ve dreamed up here. It’s just one possibility. But it’s fun to speculate. Got a different idea of how it might pan out? Let me know in the comments. 

Welcome to Nightvale

The surreal American Radio Drama/fake community show podcast Welcome to Nightvale launched a couple of years ago now and in that time has built up quite a cult following.

If you’ve never heard of Nightvale it’s kind of a cross between a David Lynch film, the twilight zone, the TV series Eureka … and a community radio show.

I’ve been a casual listener to the podcast’s for over a year now, although I’m about 6 months behind their release schedule, and I’ve generally really enjoyed listening to them. I like slightly surreal stuff like this and, of course, I love radio drama, especially ones that do something new with the genre.

So when I heard they were doing live shows, and bringing the tour to the UK I thought it would defiantly be worth checking out.

I had sampled some Radio-drama-as-stage-show at the Edinburgh Fringe back in August courtesy of the Wireless Theatre Company. (which you can read more about here) and found it a really enjoyable and amusing experience.  But, you think, isn’t it just people at microphones standing on a stage? That’s a bit dull right? Well in the examples I’ve seen, not at all! These guys are professional actors, professional actors used to making radio dramas, they know how to entertain an audience with just their voice.  And little touches like amusing facial expressions,  Seeing Spot FX created live, and in creative lighting all add to it.

Nightvale live started off well, introduced in a very stand-up comic way by the lady who’s voice is often heard at the beginning or end of the pod casts (sorry, I forget her name). Right from the off I found myself chuckling out loud to her witty one liners in her introduction. It was a good start. We were then treated to a fantastic music set from Mary Epworth. The regular Nightvale Podcast always has a music section in it, the weather (they announce that it’s time for the weather as any radio station would… and then music starts instead, just one of Nightvale’s many quirks) , but that’s just one song and, to get a good live artist along for one song for the live show would have possibly been a struggle and to fill a whole 2 hour live show you need to expand your format a bit from your usual 30 min podcast, so this 20 minute set was a nice addition to kick things off with (and of course, she came back for the weather later).

Then it’s in to the usual Nightvale weirdness, told to us, as always, by Cecil, the host of this fictional radio show from this fictional US city, our guide into it’s weird world and underworld.

If you don’t pay much attention to the podcasts while you’re listening you may miss that they do actually have plots running through them. There is usually some kind of event that is tracked through news updates and phone interviews with people on site. It escalates throughout the episode and is usually quite strange (Randomly appearing glow clouds, disappearing children, a mayoral race between a man who is “Literally a five-headed dragon” and “The faceless old woman that secretly lives in your house” … you get the drift). Not only this some plot points crop up In multiple episodes. Yes this strange little wonderful show even has story Arcs.

I won’t spoil the live episode too much (they will be releasing the audio I gather), but the main plot revolves around Liberians, and in Nightvale Liberians are not things you want to meet down a dark ally.

There were a lot of in-jokes, referencing back to previous episodes. Some I got, some I didn’t. but the ones I didn’t get didn’t spoil my enjoyment over all. I’m quite a casual night-vale listener. I’m about 6 months behind on the episodes and it’s just something I enjoy listening to. But there are some seriously dedicated fans of this show. A large number People at this event were dressed up in their own interpretations of the various characters (some costumes were really impressive as well… particularly glow clouds). Good on them, it’s great to be passionate about something but I don’t think you have to have that level of passion to have a good time at this show.

Sadly, due to train engineering works, I had to duck out early to avoid having to sit for hours on a replacement bus service so I still don’t know how the plot was wrapped up.

But then, not getting what the hell is going on is part of the fun of Nightvale anyway, so maybe I got the truest Nightvale experience by leaving anyway, 

Find out more about Welcome to Nightvale and where you can download the Podcast: Here

Fringe adventure: day 3

So my summery of my third and final day at the Edinburgh fringe is a bit late really. I mean, the other two days were written and posted sereral days after the events they talk about but this one? Two weeks after. Whoops.

And it'll probably be the easiest to write too. We only saw two shows that day. 

After very quickly dismissing the idea to do another breakfast play and instead have a bit of a lie-in, we checked out of our accomedation and made our way to our first venue. Just about sneaking in time to grab a quick bacon role to eat in the Queue. The reason we only saw two shows on this day (in addition to the fact that we had an early evening flight home) was primarily due to the fact that the first show was 2 and a half hours long (inc interval). It was a full blown musical. Our only musical of the fringe. But we couldn't resist because it was "The Addams Family" and it looked good. I'd heard rave reviews about this musical from around the country where it has been released to amateur groups before any full profeshional productions and it defiantly deserves a profeshional west end or touring production because it is a very good, very funny musical. The writing is witty and the songs are toe-tapping and fun. The famous Addams family theme is heard briefly in the orchestration at the beginning but my one disappointment with this show is that they didn't sing the lyrics as part of the curtain call, instead revisiting a song from the show.

It was performed brilliant by students of the Scottish Royal consevertoire. A particulalr highlight was the gentleman playing Gomez who absolutly nailed the comic timing and charactisation. 

If you see someone near you performing this show I'd definatly recommend it. 

We grabbed some lunch and found a seat at a bench table, sharing with a lovely couple and their son with learning difficulties for who it was also their first year at the fringe. But not their first visit. They had come up at the beginning of the fringe and enjoyed it so much that as soon as they got back they immediately booked another trip for the end of the month. Now that says something about how exillerating coming here can be.

The final production of the fringe for us was one I was very keen to see and which is very much linked to my day-job. Wireless Theatre company were doing live records of audio drama each day, in front of an audience. You may say that's a bit of a bus man's holiday but I'm lucky enough to work in an field I love, radio drama, so it doesn't at all feel a waste to take in a show that involves this. I wasn't sure what to expect, it was billed as stories about couples who had had a big impact on history. And the recording we were watching was Henry Ford (the car man) and Adolf Hilter (the sycopathic mass genoicidal murderer). I didn't know of any connection exsisting between the two and as it turns out I shouldn't have either... as these audio dramas were pure made-up satire. And what brilliant made up satire they were. Laughter out loud was had throughout. The actors were surpurb. Especially the guy who played hitler. 

It was fun to spot all the little radio drama tricks that I'm very familiar with. When the actor fluffed a line and paused a second before going back to the beginning of a previous sentence I knew why (so they can easily edit out the fluff - if you were wondering). I delighted at some of the spot FX they were doing and the way they would change their voice to make themselves sound in a different position to the mic without moving. 

All the audio dramas recorded at the fringe are going to be available to download from their website (which has an "all you can eat" subscription price to listen to as many of their dramas as you like. I'd definatly recommend checking them out. I certinaly plan on listening to all the others they recorded at the fringe. 

And then.... That was it. Back to the airport (again via tram) back on the plan and back home. 

When I planned this trip I had thought it was something that I really wanted to do, yes, but something that I could "get out of the way" before circumstances meant coming was impractical and too expencive. Now I want to come every year. I've caught the fringe bug. 

As it happens after we'd booked our accomedation for this year, my sister happened to mention that NEXT year she plans on coming up here with a show. in a tech or backstage capacity but either way it'll mean I obviously just HAVE to come back up. Small little human in pushchair will just have to come with. 

I can't wait. 

Edinburgh Fringe... Day 2

[note: this has been posted several days after the events it talks about ... In case you were wondering] 

Day two at the fringe. The day when I would pack in as much as possible....And we started early.

The Traverse theatre do a great thing to tempt people out of bed and to the theatre early... They provide bacon sandwiches and coffee along with a 9am play. It's a rehearsed reading rather than a fully staged play but don't let that put you off, the quality was great.  If you're ever at the fringe and willing to get up early check it out. Although I did have to ask for a bit more bacon in my roll. One rasher was a bit stingy for the huge bap it was put in I felt. 

We had some time before our next pre-booked show. All part of the plan to be able to discover stuff while we were there: through recommendations, being given an interesting looking flyer or even just ducking in somewhere random to get out of the rain (thankfully that last one never had to be inplimented).

So,using the very handy official iPhone app, we searched for what was on nearby. 

First we thought we'd check out a free  thing running at the venue of our next pre-booked show. All day they were running short films. Could be interesting.... But it wasn't the sort of short films I was expecting. They were more visual art pieces. Black and white, no dialogue, no real characters just grainy shots, weird camera movements and a soundtrack straight from the student horror film handbook. Not bad necessarily, but not what we really fancied at that moment. So back to the app we went to find another option. 

Now it's fair to say that most of what we had pre-booked were more my choices than Emily's. Sure there were things we both really wanted to see like Al Murray but I was aware there were things we had booked Emily really wasn't interested in and nothing that I wasn't interested in. In my defence to this I have been wanting to go to the fringe since I was 15, but never the less I still felt guilty which is why I didn't put up much of a fight when she said she wanted to go see the children's show "The Snow Queen". I would take this for the team   (After all i had managed to fight off a suggestion yesterday to go see a children's show, my reasoning being that with a child on the way we'll have much kid's theatre to come in our near future why subject ourselves to it now, and instead we ended up at the phenomenal -in both ort opinions-  Feral) 

My fears were realised as in general the plot lacked substance and the acting was hammy, over the top and with no subtly. And before I get shouted down with "yes but that's because it's for kids!" I've seen some really well acted children's theatre where the characters are developed and have emotional depth and the kids in the audience have loved it. The idea that all kids theatre needs pantomime delivery is one that should be stamped out as soon as possible. 

I did feel a bit sorry for the company though as they only had 5 in the audience. But that, I gather, is the way of the Fringe. You may get great word of mouth and packed houses or your advertising may fall flat, your flyers fall on blind eyes and you end up performing to your mum who has come up from wiltshire to show her support. 

Next up was a play by Oliver-Award winning Lucy Kirkwood: NSFW. I had booked this because I had read the script about two years ago. It had been one of my random play purchases from Samual French bookshop. Every so often I'll go into this wonderful shop in Fritzrovia, London and browse for 20 mins until I find a play I like the cover and synopsis of. Partly this is an always on hunt for something to direct, partly it's just entertainment reading pleasure. 

But a couple of years ago I had found NSFW (which stands for Not suitable For Work if you were unsure) and really liked it so when I noticed it was being performed at the fringe it went straight on my list. It's a play about the magazine industry and the negative culture towards women,  from both the men's and women's mags, inherent in it. 

It was a really well done production as well.

We had another big gap to fill now so back to the BBC area. Where we were treated to a free sample of a very funny show "one man Star Wars". Where funny man Charles Ross plays all characters, racing through the plot of the film at hyperspace speeds. I only wish I had time to go the full show. 

At this point i tried to get tickets to something that had been recommended to me. But it had sold out. I tried another of their recommendations, also sold out. The lesson here being if you really want to see something make sure you book. Sure it may end up with only 3 People in the audience but it also may sell out. So better safe than sorry. Defeated I returned to the pink tent and cheered myself up in the BBCs free greenscreen photo booth here are the results ....

I particularly liked the fact that they had a W1A one and, as I happens to have my staff lanyard with me, I could really look the part in the pic (I was directed to pull a "think your better than everyone else" pose by the way, that's not normally how I pose... No really) 

I rounded out the evening with two productions from The Lincoln company, the company formed from current students and alumi from the university of Lincoln's Drama courses. I used to go to lincoln (although I studied media rather than drama) and my sister currently IS studying drama there (though she isn't part of The Lincoln Company this year) so I defiantly had to go see some of their productions (they had 6 on at the festival) . I went for MoJo by Jez Butterworth, because I had heard good things about this play from when it was on in London, and the ridiculously long titled "The Cosmonaut's last message to the woman he once loved in the former Soviet Union" (hence forth refered to, for the sake of all our sanity, as simply "Cosmonaut").

I really liked MoJo. As a play it's interesting, tense and keeps you guessing. Shane Humberstone was the stand out performance of this piece and seemed perfectly at home as the smooth talking Potts. 

This finished at 8:45pm. We hadn't yet bought tickets to Cosmonaught but I knew they were available cheaply  at the half price hut which, according to google maps, was a 15 min walk away..... And it shut at 9pm. 

I wonder if this is a sprint many have done at the fringe in an eagerness to get some cheap tickets? I bolted down to the hut and JUST made it in time. I was literally the last person they served before shutting up shop. While there I also got tickets for the following day for The Addams Family musical. 

We actually then had a bit of time to kill before the start of the Cosmonouts after meeting back up with Emily (funnily enough my pregnant wife hadn't wanted to sprint down to the half priced hut with me) we for once had a leisurely stroll to the venue and a nice sit in it's charming courtyard area. This was C cubed venue and I would defiantly recommend checking out it's courtyard cafe at some point on a nice (non-raining) night if you're after a bit of atmosphere. 

Cosmanauts itself was a very surreal play. One of those ones where your not always sure what's going on but despite that it's fascinating. With eariy use of music and lighting that made it more about the mood than the plot. You either love things like that or you don't. If they are done well I do. Emily very much does not. 

But you can't please everyone. 

She did have one positive thing to say about it though: the Russian accents were very good. I would have to agree. Especially those of the cosmonaughts themselves. (One of who had also been in MoJo) 

So that rapped up our longest day at the fringe. In my head planning the trip I had imagined all days would have been packed like this.  practicalities stopped that idea but I hope one day I make it up for a whole week when I can have many days of very busy theatre going (although I may die of exhaustion by the end) 

Ed Fringe Day 1....15 years in the waiting. Losing my Edinburgh fringe cherry.

About 15 years ago, when we were teenagers, a very good friend of mine went up to the Edinburgh festival with her dad. It was the first I'd heard of this festival in the distant land of the Scot but based on what she told me when she came back i knew I too wanted to go. 

Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons (although most of them being "money"), it's taken me till now to get here. But with a baby on the way in Jan (have I mentioned that? I don't think I have as I haven't blogged since I found out) I thought it should be something I'd better get off the bucket list  while it's easier. 

In a way I've gradually worked up to the  Ed fringe. For the last couple of years I've been attending the Camden Fringe in London. A much smaller (although growing every year) festival with a similar array of types of show: plays, musicals, stand-up, dance.  

So, this year I took the plunge: booked accomedation, flights and pre-booked some tickets to shows (making sure to leave room in my schedule to discover stuff while I was there)

And I've made it through my first day. And boy was it a long day! Up at 4am to leave the house by 5 to get to Gatwick and catch plane at 7am. We were in Edinburgh City centre by 10am already tired and ready for caffeine. But not before paying a quick visit to the half price hut to pick up a bargin. 

That Bargin was well worth it too. Tortoise in a Nutshell productions' "Ferall" was a brilliantly inventive show that used puppetry, multi-media filming, soundscapes and drawings to tell a moving tale of Britain's  seaside towns in decline. The puppet town (gradually built up piece by piece in the first third of the show) is expertly filmed live and projected up on a screen in such a cinematic way, utilising multiple camera, transitions between then as well as  pans and sweeps . It much have taken a lot of planning and practice.

Next up was a talk on Arthur Conan-Doyle which I can't tell you much about ..... Because I was mostly dozzing off during it. Whether this was due to my 4am start or the content of the talk I'm honestly not sure. 

Finally though we could check in to our accomedation. Which we promptly did and had a bit of a much needed siesta.

Back into town for the early evening we checked out the BBC area (checking up on my lovely employers). Their area is a really nice one to go to just to relax. As well as their main ticketed event tent they have the "pink tent" with seating, a small stage for a programme of free events and bookshelves full of books if you feel like whiling away the time. Also in their area are food stalls, a bar, table tennis and a free greenscreen photo booth that I defiantly plan on coming back to have a go at. 

They even had funky branded headphones to listen to the large outdoor  sceen they had. Look, here me in all my BBC branded glory, doing my bit for my employers.

We had pre-booked tickets to the evening for Al Murray. We used to watch his weekly show 6 or so years ago and always were in fits if laughter watching it. So it had been the first thing we had pre-booked coming here. We weren't disappointed. Al Murray was as ever very funny as the pub landlord character with ever so slightly out dated views who you'd be slightly nervous to have as a real friend and yet can't help chuckling along to many of the things he says. 

So, after that, at this point it was only 9:30. Part of the reason I had booked an early flight was to be able to pack a whole days worth of shows in... But we had been up since 4am and despite a couple of Naps through the day I do still have a pregnant wife who was starting to get a bit grumpy about me dragging her from venue to venue. It was time to call it an early night, and save the real packed day for tommorow......

 

First they came for ....

So BBC 3 is going (subject to BBC Trust approval)
I won't go into detail about my thoughts about it. Many of them are summed up quite well in this Radio Times Article...

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-03-15/never-mind-saving-bbc3-the-bbc-itself-is-in-danger#.Uyrdxj6Zav8.twitter

Reading the article it struck me that a famous quote works quite well adapted for this....

"First they came for the Asian Network, and I did not speak out--
Because I do not listen to the Asian Network.

Then they came for the BBC 6music, and I did not speak out--
Because I was do not listen to BBC 6Music.

Then they came for the BBC three, and I did not speak out--
Because I do not watch BBC 3.

Then they came for the BBC service I use, and no one was left to speak out for that."