Pete Messum Reviews...

Marvel has had success after success since starting the Avengers film series in 2008 with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk so much so that the Avengers film itself ( Avengers Assemble , 2012) grossed 1.5 billion at the box office, not to mention many high-praising reviews from critics and fans alike, and it is because of this success that now DC Comics is trying to build up a cinematic Universe with 2013’s Man of Steel . You could even say that the success of Marvel films began in the early 2000s with X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002), even though Marvel studios did not actually produce the films as such (they were made by Twentieth Century Fox and Sony Pictures). This success has even given Joss Whedon an even bigger boost than ever, after he heralded the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers Assemble. So when fans became upset after the tragic death of Agent Phil Coulson in Avengers Assemble, the team decided to make a new Television series following Coulson and his team from...

Atlantis is from the people who brought us Merlin, and even from the man behind the BBC Four series of Dirk Gently between 2010 and 2012. So, is it actually any good? The series opens with a young man called Jason going to find his father in a submarine vehicle under the ocean. However, we do not know his surname, his father’s name, where in the ocean he is, whether he is rich or poor, where he comes from, how old he is, what exactly his father was doing when he went missing, is his father presumed dead and a lot more. Then, none of this is even mentioned. I’ll make this review quite short, because the plot holes are pretty big. The episode seems to rush into a rushed story that rushes into an ending leaving Atlantis, which looks as Atlantis-esque as a squirrel. But when Pythagoras shows up, it gets so complex that you have no idea where you are, how Jason got there, when he is in history and what the heck happened to Jason’s submarine vehicle and his clothes. This episode sets up ...

So, the third and last film in The Matrix trilogy was released ten years ago this year, and after watching the motion picture, I couldn't help but think of it as one of the most flawed conclusions to a film series ever made. The Matrix (1999) was a fantastic film, with a unique style, score and action sequences, and is a film I would strongly recommend if you haven't seen it. The Matrix Reloaded (2003) was an enjoyable film, even if the plot made little sense, at least it would all be tied up in the final film... The Matrix Revolutions has barely any plot, and while the last films' ending was unclear, it was a cliffhanger ending with 'to be concluded' written into the end credits. So, why is everything set up in the previous film ignored? The man that Agent Smith possesses - Bane - escapes the ship on which he was rescued onto and has a brutal fight with Neo and Trinity. But why? And how does he posses the guy in the first place? There are many things that make n...

So, the eagerly awaited 'Man of Steel' has at long last come to cinemas. It has already been granted a sequel (rumoured to be released late next year!) and a full, DC Universe film series (huh?) after it earned lots of money on its opening weekend at the box office. This does seem a little strange after 'Superman Returns' was a box office flop, but in the light of 'The Dark Knight' trilogy, it seems that this film was going to do well, as it has a similar tone and is made by the same people. The story has a unique structure, and it is clear that this structure is a Marmite structure - you'll either like it or hate it. I quite like it, myself. It gives the film a unique and interesting structure, and by the end you do know Kal-El's story, so it isn't flawed. The film itself sets up the differences between the cultures of Krypton and Earth very well, and Krypton itself looks amazing. It opens with Kal-El's birth, Zod's imprisonment and Krypton...

So, as one of Sylvetser McCoy's most popular stories, and Classic Doctor Who's last, how does 'Survival' hold up? Not well, anyway. The story is simple: people are being snatched away by the Cheetah People to a remote and desolate planet, where the Master is trying to avoid being possessed by the planet. With this simple(ish) premise, you'd think we'd get a really good and fascinating episode, but no. This story is very much modern Doctor. Ace returning home to the 'Present Day' and dealing with the effects of her travels with the Doctor, and with a good percentage of the story being set in 'Present Day' Earth. Ace is a very interesting companion in this story, and her character clearly evolves after her experiences with Karra. She doesn't even scream in this story, showing a less 'stereotypical' Doctor Who companion, and is a compelling character to watch. The Seventh Doctor is great and at his best. He has a clear darker side and...

So, after the very successful first two films, not including his Avengers appearance, Iron Man 3 has been expected for a long time. Iron Man was the first film of 'The Avengers: Phase One' so Iron Man 3 is the first film in 'The Avengers: Phase Two'. While Iron Man was brilliant, Iron Man 2 was just pretty good. There was very little that stood out in this film, and there were many areas that felt either forced, de ja vu and just pointless. It wasn't bad - no, that was Captain America. This film, however, is very different to its predecessors and the other Avengers films, so it is really hard to review. The film has Tony Stark narrating his life story from 1999 to now, and if you can sit through the entire credits (the music is quite cool) you will see that he has been talking to Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), AKA the Hulk, which is good as the two became friends in the Avengers Assemble and Stark appeared at the very end of The Incredibly Hulk. Tony in this film is ...

So, Neil Gaiman returns to write Doctor Who! OK, lets get the bad stuff out of the way. The kids were quite...knaff. Artie was a bit posh, for some reason, and Angie was really, really annoying. The episode felt a little too cut at points as well - apparently it was cut-down dramatically. Hopefully an extended version will come out one day. Now, to the good stuff. The Captain was a character I hated, but she got killed by a Cyberman, so yay! The Cybermites were clever and creative creations. They showed how futuristic this story was - they were a replacement for Cybermats, which made sense. The continuity in this episode was great: Cybus Cybermen; Cyberplanner; Cybermats; Mondas; Gold; Cleaning fluid; Cyber tombs; Cyber Wars; and previous Doctors and regeneration. Well, Neil Gaiman likes the Cybermen more than Russell T Davies that's for sure. While previously the Daleks and Ice Warriors were indestructible, the Cybermen now are, which is GREAT! I don't know why people are c...