tanzi

Sep 072012
 

Switch Fringe was born after a chance meeting of Amy Wragg & Cad Taylor. The pair identified Ipswich’s desire & need for a platform to showcase all the exciting creative activity going on across Ipswich.

Sep 062012
 

 

Amy glues herself to the sofa and experiences the most hotly anticipated SF on UK TV today…   

Well, what a start to Series 7 with shocks and surprises at every corner, it was a tremendous opener, filled with sharp writing and performances in an episode that had it all: explosions, excitement and an extraordinary amount of soufflés and despite a twist that saw the Doctor being kidnapped along with Amy and Rory and forced into helping his sworn enemies, it’s classic Doctor Who as we see our heroes run about on a spaceship, blow up some Daleks, overcome mortal peril, and teleport back in time for tea.

“Don’t be fair to the Daleks when they’re firing me at a planet!”

The kidnapped time travellers are begged by the Daleks to beam down onto a planet so fearsome they won’t set foot on it: an asylum for lunatic Daleks who can no longer be controlled, and due to an impenetrable force field that can only turned off while on the planet, they can’t destroy it so the Doctor faces an impossible mission because as soon as the force field is turned off the Daleks will blow the planet up but of course with a little help the Doctors ingenuity saves the day and as the planet is blasted into dust, cries of “Doctor Who?” ring out because in an unexpected twist every memory of the Doctor is wiped from Dalek history.

The biggest surprise was most definitely Jenna-Louise Coleman’s appearance in this first episode, four months before her expected debut; we see her playing the part of Oswin Oswald, dazzlingly funny, charming and offbeat, with a striking familiarity to the Doctor. When watching Oswin in her apparently cosy spaceship communicating with the Doctor outside in the snow, we naturally assume that both world’s we see are real and form part of the same universe and as all of Oswin’s actions come through the planet’s technology, we never question that she isn’t real, however the Doctor realises straight away that something is wrong, constantly questioning her about the milk for her soufflés and the reveal that Oswin was killed long ago and has been transformed into a Dalek, and that her cosy home-cooking lifestyle on board the spaceship is a fabrication is a total shock!

“You dreamed it for yourself because the truth was too terrible.”

How Oswin can be saved remains to be seen, and how does she become Clara? But as we await these answers I am looking forward to seeing her character evolve as this was a stunning first appearance.

Viewers of the series 7 webisodes prequel ‘Pond Life’ won’t have been surprised to see Amy and Rory in the middle of a divorce at the beginning of this episode, torn apart the fact Amy can’t have children due to the incident in Demon’s Run, where the Silence trapped Amy until she gave birth to River Song. The Doctor desperately wants to help fix the problem but while he is otherwise occupied they fight it out, and in an emotional and heartfelt scene we see them make up leaving the Doctor to push the escape button.

But things are due to keep getting better as this Saturday we see Doctor try to save a spaceship filled with dinosaurs from imminent destruction, so don’t forget to tune in and enjoy!

Sep 032012
 

With an understated gold band firmly on her finger, Becca whispers the words ‘one ring to rule them all…’

With it being almost three months until the much-anticipated Hobbit film is released (that is, the first part), I thought I’d write a review for the films that brought Peter Jackson to fame. Plus, I absolutely love them…

Okay, for those who don’t know by now, The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy of books by J.R.R Tolkien, set around the back-drop of ‘Middle Earth’, where elves frolic through forests, dwarves roam under-ground, and hobbits (tiny, little people with hairy feet), just keep themselves to themselves in the Shire, a place where I secretly wish to live one day.

The Fellowship of the Ring is set many years after Tolkien’s first short story, The Hobbit (natch), but instead of Bilbo Baggins setting off on an adventure, you have Frodo, his nephew…or maybe it’s his second cousin twice removed; you never can be sure with hobbits. Anyway, it is Frodo who is chosen for the incredibly daunting task of destroying the One Ring – that’s the magic ring that belonged to the Dark Lord Sauron, before he got done in about a thousand years ago. Bilbo has had it with him ever since he found it in Gollum’s cave, sixty years ago.

Still with me? Good. The thing about this ring, though, is that whoever has it eventually becomes completely twisted to its will, and when you’re in the power of something that only has the power to destroy, well you’re in real trouble there. So Bilbo is a tad reluctant to give it to Frodo, who then has to throw it “into the fiery chasm from whence it came”. Yes, that was a direct quote from the book/film. That’s how much I love it, people.

Frodo must travel to Mordor, where Sauron’s not-quite-so-dead-after-all Eye watches over everything from his Dark Tower. But our pint-sized hero is not alone on this journey, oh no. He travels with eight companions, including three of his kin: his devoted friend (and, er, gardener) Sam, and Merry and Pippin; they’re the kind of Ant and Dec of the group. There’s also Legolas, an elf (Orlando Bloom, probably the main reason I watched this so many times, as a teen), a dwarf, Gimli, two men, Boromir (Sean Bean, who still can’t quite shake off his Sheffield accent) and Aragorn. But more importantly, there is Gandalf the Grey. His is their leader, a wizard played with heart-breaking ease by Sir Ian McKellen. Apparently Sean Connery was lined up for the role, but turned it down, because he “didn’t understand the story”.  Now, hard-core fans of the franchise may scoff at that (I know I certainly did, when I read it on imdb.com), but when you step back and look at it from a Tolkien virgin’s perspective (I doubt I will be using that phrase ever again), you can kind of see what Connery was getting at.

The plot is rather complicated (many would call it epic), full of dark twists and turns and magic, and “do we trust this person, or are they just trying to get their filthy mitts on the Ring?” kind of paranoia that is incredibly engrossing. Poor Frodo is like a fish out of water, having a nice life in the Shire, only to discover the uncle he loves has been hiding a dangerous secret from everyone, and now he has to pick up the pieces – it’s hardly fair, is it? Elijah Wood plays him admirably, I mean, when you spend most of the film having to look scared, it helps to have big eyes – and he certainly has those.

Now, I would be a pretty rubbish reviewer if I did not mention the use of effects in this film. They were groundbreaking in their day (wow, that makes me sound old), particularly the memorable scenes in the mines of Moria, and the way Gollum was brought to life…but as he doesn’t feature much until the second film, I won’t go on too much about it. I will take this time, however, to applaud the crew that spent four hours every day applying the necessary make-up to bring the orcs to life. Those nasty blighters were the reason I hid behind a cushion while I watched the film for the first time, aged nine, so it was certainly worth that time. A part of me still grimaces when I look at them now, especially when you see them being ‘created’. I call it the maternity ward, heh, heh.

And don’t get me started on those Black Riders, either. Considering they barely say anything, they still have the ability to unnerve and generally send multiple chills up your spine, with that awful screeching scream they make.

But all in all, my favourite performance of the film has to be Viggo Mortensen’s as ‘Aragorn, Son of Arathorn’. He is a mysterious man, known only as a ‘Ranger’ (which I think is Middle

Earth’s equivalent of a ninja), called Strider. There is a definite sense of “who is this guy, and more importantly, can the hobbits trust him?” at the beginning, but as the film progresses, his back-story is slowly revealed. Aragorn is fierce with a sword (apparently Mortensen carried it around with him even when he wasn’t filming, and got in a spot of bother with the police for it too), growling with effort, as he battles many of the fellowship’s foes, but he is also full of softly-spoken angst, but only in the presence of his elfin belle, Arwen.

 

Come the end of the film, you feel it has reached a satisfying conclusion of sorts, but it also leaves you chomping at the bit for the next one.

Rating: 4/5

Aug 242012
 

Ted review by Pond…

When you hear of a film about young boy’s teddy bear coming to life you automatically think of a movie for the whole family, well Ted certainly isn’t that, but it is a hilarious yet heartfelt comedy that will have everyone (over the age of 15) laughing, but what else would you expect from the genius behind ‘Family Guy’ and ‘American Dad’.

John is an 8 year old kid with no friends, so when his parents give him a teddy bear for Christmas they soon become inseparable, one night he wishes for his teddy to come to life and when this wish comes true they both shoot temporarily to fame but vow to be thunder buddies for life, fast forward 27 years and John and Ted are still best friends, they live together and their favourite hobby is smoking pot and watching Flash Gordon, but John’s girlfriend Lori wants them to move on with their lives and get Ted out of the house, but how can John and Ted manage without each other? Well not easily and this causes all sorts of problems for everyone.

It is the three main characters, Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane and Mila Kunis that make this film so good, the acting is honest and understated, they portray sincere relationships between the 3 also the CGI used to create Ted is astounding, you actually forget that he’s not real because the actors eye lines are spot on and even in the high action fight scene the animation is flawless, in addition, Giovanni Ribisi plays an ultra freaky lifetime stalker of Ted and in his pursuit to ‘own’ Ted for his overweight son, puts on a compelling performance as a totally creepy stalker, there is also fantastic cameos from Sam Jones, bring Flash Gordon into the modern day, and also Norah Jones as you’ve never seen her before.

This is one of my favourite films of this year, I had expected the comedy to be that typical of Seth McFarlane but what I didn’t expect was the genuine heartfelt scenes that actually had me close to tears, however I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who is easily offended as there are a lot of drug references, crazy behaviour, insane innuendos, some occasional racial slur, foul language and some shocking sexual antics but all of this adds to the comedy.

Overall this is a raunchy, intelligent and totally entertaining film that will keep you laughing long after the credits roll, definitely the must see film of the year!

 

Aug 232012
 

 

Amy reports on what could just be the most exciting (and geeky) moment of her life…

When booking my trip to Cardiff this summer a friend gave me the most exciting piece of information I could have wished for, the brand new Doctor Who Experience was due to open just days before my trip to the city that is the new home of the legendary series, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was considering only weeks before I was saving the world from the Weeping Angels during ‘The Crash of the Elysium’ show, I was automatically beyond excited and booked my ticket right away!

I have seen pretty much every episode of Doctor Who, from the very first releases in 1963 to the modern day continuation which started in 2005, my Dad being such an avid Doctor Who fan I saw my first episode at just 4 years old, so for me the stories of the Doctor travelling through time and space are practically written into my DNA, so knowing I was going to get the chance to see original costumes and props filled me with such anticipation and expectation, and thankfully it did not disappoint.

Cyberman

Walking to the experience you are welcomed with the Tardis parked, rather wonkily parked overlooking the bay, as you enter the building you are greeted by Bessie, the yellow roadster acquired by the Brigadier for the 3rd Doctor during his exile to earth, which proved to be instrumental in several major episodes and was used by the 4th, 5th and 7th reincarnations of the Doctor. You are then shown into a room with a screen that has a rather familiar shaped crack through it, as the video starts Matt Smith as the Doctor fills the screen, he has been trapped in the Pandorica 2  (which is exactly the same colour, the Daleks are not known for their creativity) and needs your help to escape.  The crack opens and as you step through you find yourself aboard the Starship UK museum with an information Node, originally seen in ‘Silence in the Library’ showing you around the treasures held from historical episodes of the show, including Rosanna Calvierri’s throne and Picasso’s painting of the exploding Tardis. The Doctor soon interrupts as the Tardis materializes in front of your eyes, and as you step through the legendary blue doors you are faced with the Tardis console used by Christopher Ecclestone and David Tennant, everyone in the room is set up in front of a separate console which allows you to fly the Tardis, the floor starts to move as the renowned Tardis hum starts to sound, you are transported through time and space, but end up having to use the back door to get out, onto what unfortunately turns out to be a Dalek warship.

As you end up on the bridge of the Dalek ship you are met with 3 members of the new Dalek paradigm created in the ‘Victory of the Daleks’ episode in Series 4, as they threaten to exterminate you due to the time energy you have been doused in during your trip in the Tardis, the Doctor once again swoops in to save you by antagonising the Daleks in his usual way, but soon enough the Daleks have more to worry about as another Dalek ship approaches with the aim of wiping them out to eradicate their impurity as there can only be one true Dalek race, this distraction allows you to escape into the next room where, armed with 3D glasses you reach the final stage of your adventure with a spectacular 3D show that sees the Doctors enemies fly at you from the screen, everything from the Cybermen to the Weeping Angels, but as they get pulled through the crack in time the Doctor sonics himself safely into the Tardis and escapes, you have saved him and the world.

Dalek

Time for your reward…

As the exhilaration of the show starts to sink in you walk through into the museum and the butterflies start again, the first thing you see is all 10 Doctors, although its only pictures accompanied by their original costumes (the 5th Doctor’s costume has the celery!) there is also a life size wax figure of Matt Smith as the current Doctor, the affect of all this is instantaneous, as a self confessed Whovian I know the the only thing you can do is smile in astonishment as you walk further in to see the Tardis standing proud next to the original 10th Doctors Tardis console, complete with the mallet used by Donna Noble in ‘The Poison Sky’ episode to take out a Sontaran, there is also the console created in ‘The Doctor’s Wife’ episode,  along  with the costume worn by Idris as she inhabits the Tardis’ matrix and amazingly there’s also 2 of the consoles used in the 70’s for Doctors 4-7. In glass cases you get to see all the Sonic Screwdrivers used throughout all series, from the very first in the 60’s including the sonic cane used by the 11th Doctor in ‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ as well as the Tardis keys given to assistants throughout the show.  This is all just on the first floor, and when you head up the stairs to the second things get even more thrilling.

The first thing you see as you reach the top of the stairs is the control console used by the Silence in ‘Day of the Moon’ including 2 members of the Silence, who are as creepy in real life as they are on the show, luckily I was able to remember them, next to you is ‘The Face of Boe’ which is incredible in size but the excitement is just beginning! There are the original costumes of the Master, Time Lord President (before the Time War) Billie Piper, Sarah Jane Smith, Captain Jack Harkness, Donna Noble, Astrid, Amy Pond, Rory and River Song. There is a huge array of the Doctors enemies gathered in this room, and if they weren’t all made of plastic, plaster and silicone there would be a war of epic proportions, they range from the Ice Warriors from 1974 (which will be returning to Doctor Who in the 7th series) to all the versions of the Sontarans, the Slitheen and the very sinister dolls from ‘Night Terrors’ complete with the doll’s house.  There is a mask of each version of the Cybermen throughout the shows history, from the first appearance in 1966 to the modern day conversion unit used in ‘Closing Time’ in which the Cybermen tried to convert Craig Owens to be their new leader. On top of those used in the live show there are also all versions of the Daleks, from their creation on Skaro in 1963 to all the different versions used throughout their 41 appearances in the show.  On top of these you also have the Robot from 1974 who attacks as the 3rd Doctor makes the transition to the 4th, the terrifying Smilers used on Starship UK, the Hath from the planet Messaline, the Abzorbaloff which was designed by 9 year old William Grantham as part of a Blue Peter competition in 2005, the Judoon, who are the rhino faced out of space police who make it rain on the moon, the shape shifting Zygons for the original 4th series, the deadly anti bodies that roam in the Tesalecta, the Silurians who live below us, the scarecrows who came to life in ‘The Family of Blood’  the King & Queen of the Trees from the 2011 Christmas special, the brave Ood who were vital to the 2nd and 3rd series, including a half mask showing how they’re made, also the most current remake of one of the most famous faces of the show, Davros himself, and finally my personal favourite, K9, the little robot dog who is constantly loyal and totally adorable.

Spooky Dolls. Very Spooky Dolls.

There are also walls of photos of never before seen behind the scenes pictures, original drawings of proposed monsters, sets and tardis consoles. There is a special area where you can learn all about the soundtrack behind the show, you can learn to walk like a monster with a televised instructor and step inside a Dalek to control one of the most powerful weapons in the show.

Props from all series, including the carpet from the Richard Nixons oval office, the drawing of the Empire State building used in ‘Daleks in Manhattan’ the Mona Lisa portrait used in the Doctor Who spin off ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’ the partially naked painting of Matt Smith we see being painted in ‘The Impossible Astronaut’ the stunning portrait of Katherine Jenkins as Abby in ‘The Christmas Carol’ as well as the painting of Kazran Sardick’s father used above the fireplace the Doctor jumps down in the same episode, there’s a part of the marble circuit board used in the ‘Fires of Pompeii’ and my personal favourite the Doctors cot used in ‘A Good Man goes to War’ complete with the Doctors first stars.

Overall, this was one of the most exhilarating, absorbing and awe-inspiring things I have even been to in my life, I felt like I was a child again, the museum filled me with memories of watching Doctor Who with my dad, and for anyone who loves the show this is one of the most amazing things you will ever experience. I literally could not stop smiling all the way around and honestly never wanted to leave, it is a day that will forever be one of the greatest things I’ve done. And don’t forget just as the Doctor would want, there’s a little shop for you to buy souvenirs, including a life size cut out of Amy Pond, now who wouldn’t want that. If at any time you find yourself in Cardiff, then definitely go and experience this because you will never regret it, it is an adventure and honestly amazing!

 

Review by Amy Webb aka Pond

Aug 232012
 

Are the Daleks to return? Is Pond going to die? Tell us, Amy, tell us!

The eagerly awaited Series 7 of Doctor Who returns to our screens early in September, like the previous series this will be split into two, we have 5 episodes in the 1st instalment with the Christmas special dividing the two halves, and in Spring 2013 the concluding 8 episodes. We already know that Amy Pond and Rory Williams will be leaving at the end of the 5th episode, which is devastating for me! However we will see Jenna Louise Cole, formerly of Emmerdale take over the assistant role, as Clara Oswin, we will meet her in the Christmas special which will be set in 1890s London.

Until then we have a lot to look forward to with the Daleks making a dramatic return in the first episode, the team end up in an outer space asylum with little chance of escape, the Doctor has to save not only their lives but Amy and Rory’s marriage, which is in meltdown. In the 2nd episode we see the Doctor try to save a spaceship filled with dinosaurs from imminent destruction, and with a rather different set of adventurers by his side he faces a few surprises on the way. In the 3rd episode the Doctor gets his Stetson back as the team head to Americas old west (actually filmed in America) where he meets a cyborg menacing the town and an alien doctor who’s hiding a dark secret. Episode number 4 we see mysterious black cubes fall to earth causing mass illness which sees the return of UNIT to the show. And sadly as we reach the 5th episode River Song returns as we say goodbye to Amy and Rory, based in 1930’s New York they face the return of the Weeping Angels, we have been promised that this will be a heartbreaking ending for the loveable pair as not everyone will make it out of this episode alive.

Review by Amy Webb

Aug 152012
 

The Dark Knight Rises

 

Becca dons her cape to cover the latest release in what has become the summer of the superhero…

Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy comes to an end (of sorts!) in this epic conclusion.

Eight years have passed since the pivotal escapades of The Dark Knight. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has gone into hiding, nursing a limp and a broken heart, after the untimely death of his beloved, Rachel in the previous film. Gotham isn’t missing Batman, however. The police still believe him to be the bad guy, after taking the blame for kidnapping Commissioner Gordon’s son, and not Two-Face. This in turn made Dent look like the real hero, as he went on to help the police hunt down and imprison all of Gotham’s worst criminals, before he too was killed.

Except he didn’t quite catch all of the criminals. Bane, an intelligent, mutilated terrorist with incredible strength, is threatening to overwhelm Gotham city, and it looks like only the Batman and his ridiculous voice can save it. However, he is not alone. Selena Kyle (Anne Hathaway), an acclaimed cat burglar with all the killer one-liners is on hand to help…but only if there is something in it for her if she does.

Bruce Wayne is a broken man, something which Bale portrays quietly and delicately. There is a particular moment (that I will go into more detail in a minute) between him and his long-suffering butler, Alfred where he truly shows his pain over Rachel. He does not shout, and he does not cry, but in no more than a mumble do you see the full extent of his heart ache.

Meanwhile, Hathaway’s performance blows Michelle Pfeiffer’s (from Tim Burton’s Batman Returns) completely out of the water. That leather outfit has been exchanged for something a little more demure, but nonetheless, still sexy enough to catch male attention. I say she has all the great one-liners, but in conversation with Bruce, it looks like she’s has met her match.

“My mother warned me about getting into cars with strange men,” she murmurs, unknowingly buckling up for a ride in Batman’s new helicopter.

“This isn’t a car,” he smiles.

Hathaway’s character enjoys toying with men, playing with their apparently built-in instinct to be chivalrous, which often leaves them wishing they hadn’t, or completely unaware that she was the one behind the trouble, while she plays the pitiful damsel in distress. To the police, she is a criminal, but to the audience, we see her as one of the good guys (despite stealing Wayne’s mother’s pearl necklace), and you actually find yourself missing her presence when she is not on screen.

The same also applies to Bane, in a strange way. When he speaks, there is an intelligence there which goes against his brute strength and impossible size, compared to the Bane seen in – dare I say it – Batman and Robin (shudder). Unlike the Joker, there is more of a method to his madness than simply provoking the Batman into unmasking himself. Heck, if Bane wanted to do that, he’d just beat him to pulp. And he does, whilst fighting against the greed of the rich people in Gotham, the police…and the American obsession with their football.

Tom Hardy has come along way from playing the supporting actor from Nolan’s enigma of a film, Inception, and despite a huge chunk of metal obscuring most of his face, he proves to be an incredibly competent actor (though it is a little difficult to understand what he is saying sometimes).

Yet it is Michael Cane (The Italian Job), and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer, 50/50) that stood out for me overall. Cane has, of course, appeared in all of Nolan’s Batman films so far, and though I have enjoyed seeing him on the screen each time, with Alfred’s rather dead-pan sense of humour, he was overshadowed by Bale. This time, however, the tables have turned. As aforementioned, the moment where Alfred and Bruce talk about Rachel is a terribly sad. In his speech, you really do see the pain Alfred goes through every time the Batman makes an appearance, enough so that he holds back tears; I must admit I got a little teary myself. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Blake, the ‘rookie’ police officer who strikes up an immediate rapport with Bruce Wayne: they are both orphans, and they were both angry about it as kids, but the difference with Blake, is that he is more of an ordinary hero; he doesn’t need to wear a mask or put on a stupid voice to save the day and evacuate the city…

But as much as I enjoyed The Dark Knight Rises, I do have my criticisms. New character Miranda (played with quiet grace by Inception’s Marion Cotillard), pops up out of nowhere, and suddenly – oh, she and Bruce Wayne are in love. It doesn’t seem at all realistic, even if she is pretty.

My only other criticism is that I won’t be able to watch it for the first time again…

 

4/5