Mike Goes To Movies

Russian Doll - Season 1 (2019) I had been meaning to watch Russian Doll, Netflix's newest critical darling, when it released in February, however, life got in the way a bit (as it always does) and I just finished the show's incredible inaugural season a few days ago. Created by Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland, Russian Doll is the newest incarnation of the 'Groundhog Day' formula, that is, a plot revolving around a character being stuck in a time loop. In this case, it is Nadia (Lyonne), a gregarious, headstrong young female living in New York City. The catch, in this case, is that Nadia's time loop restarts every time that she dies - which just so happens to be quite often. For the first two-thirds of the show, the series plays out more as a comedy, with much of the humour stemming from Nadia's in-your-face and eccentric antics as well as her attempts at staying alive to not restart her loop. What makes this series special though is the slo...

Spoiler Discussion - Avengers: Endgame (2019) Now that a week has passed since the mammoth release of Endgame, I feel I can now go into a more-spoilery discussion about the film, and about the general ending to the Infinity Saga. Disclaimer: Spoilers for Endgame Below! There are two particular reasons why I so immensely liked Engame. No, it is not perfect at all, but these two elements of the film let me see past the flaws and elevate it to great heights in my eyes. Firstly, is the final battle scene - truly a cornucopia of amazing moments and fan-service. From the appearance and inclusion of almost every hero of the MCU - amazing team-ups and interactions - to a few specific moments, such as Cap's long-anticipated wielding of Thor's hammer and Iron Man's use of the Infinity Gauntlet (with his iconic line), it has to be one of the most epic battle scenes in film history. The second, and even greater, reason why I thought Endgame was so fantastic though, was because ...

Del Toro Double Feature: Cronos and The Devil's Backbone For those knowledgeable of Guillermo Del Toro, two of his early films, Cronos and The Devil's Backbone , will feel quite familiar. They are built upon many of the director's most recognizable styles and themes. Cerebral and gothic horrors about life and death, mortality and immortality. Innocent, victimized children trapped within the violent conflicts of adults. Mythology, fantasy, and folklore. Imagery of insects, clocks, and mechanical contraptions. Like other of Del Toro's, all of these elements permeate Cronos and TDB . Both films are well-made and well worth the time for those who are a fan of horror and the supernatural. They are also an insightful looking glass into the beginnings of one of my all-time favourite directors working today. Cronos (1993) Cronos tells the story of a mythological contraption that imbues its possessor/user with immortality. The insect-like golden item falls unwittingly into...