The Moor - Film Review

 

There are certain places that will always feel a little bit creepy, places where humanity have failed to really make much of a dent thanks to the in hospitability of the land, and where nature still rules. In Britain this is the moors. A desolate, dangerous place, they're creepy enough on their own, but when coupled with murder it makes it all the more spine chilling. The Moor makes great use of this location, and will end up leaving you wary of ever setting foot in the place. 

Beginning with a flashback to the 1990's, we meet a young girl, Claire, and her friend, Danny. The two of them want some sweets but don't have the money to get any. Claire, set up as something of a troublemaker here, forms a plan with Danny where he'll distract the shopkeeper by pretending to be lost whilst she fills her bag with stolen sweets. The plan works and Claire grabs the goods, but there's no sign of Danny. Heading into the shop, she asks the owner about her friend, who informs her that everything is okay because his dad collected him; except Claire knows Danny's dad is away on business. And thus, Danny becomes the latest victim in a series of child abductions.

Following an credits scene that shows the impact of the child abductions on the small Yorkshire community we jump forward to the present day where Claire (Sophia La Porta) has grown up and moved away from her old home, having tried her hand at being an entertainment podcaster. She's come back, however, to see Bill (David Edward-Robertson), Danny's father, who's still out searching the moors for any sign of his son. Despite the killer being in prison many of the missing children have still never been found, and this haunts Bill and has forever changed his life. Despite her reservations, Claire is convinced to help Bill, to try and raise awareness of his search using her media influence. 

The two of them begin searching the moors, but when talking to one of the police investigators at the time, played by the late great Bernard Hill, Claire realises that they're searching a small part of the massive moors, and that it's miles away from where the police looked back in the 90's. This is how Claire learns that Bill is making use of a dowser, Alex (Mark Peachey) and his psychic daughter Eleanor (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips) to narrow the search. The sceptical Claire soon comes to see that there might be something more than the ordinary at play, and that there is something dark waiting for them out on the moors. 

The Moor is a film that likes to play it slow, and spends a great deal of its time building up the character and story before anything overtly frightening happens. It's a choice that I think does the film a great service, and you begin to get drawn into the very realistic drama playing out before you. Anyone with a familiarity with true crime documentaries will feel at home with a lot of The Moor, and Claire's documentary she's building with various people from the community talking about the kidnappings brings to mind multiple real life examples. You almost start to forget that the film is billed as a horror movie, and it settles much more comfortably into the realm of dark thriller.

It's perhaps this that makes the more overt horror hit a lot harder, as up to that moment things feel much more grounded in reality, and it's inclusion feels like a sudden shocking inclusion that makes those moments hit much harder. The latter half of the film leans into this much heavier, and the last half hour is particularly unsettling to the degree where you both want to see more and also want to look away from the screen in equal measure. 

One of the biggest ways that director Chris Cronin does this is with atmosphere. The moors are almost like a character in the film. They're a looming presence in the background at the beginning, mentioned multiple times and built up into an almost mythical quality. The first time that Claire steps out onto it it's something that she has to build herself up to do, standing on the edge of the road, psyching herself up to take that final step and actually touch the moors. It's an innocuous thing, yet it feels like a big moment, something filled with tension that will dictate the path the rest of the film will have to take. 

The visuals of the moors are also incredibly striking, wreathed in mist, home to strange stones and monoliths, and odd sheep that appear in the distance, there's nothing about it that's overtly wrong, yet every second the film spends on them the moors gets under your skin and makes you feel like it's trying to do something to you. The atmosphere in these scenes is phenomenal, especially towards the end of the film, and it left me wishing we'd have had a lot more of it; even though the film was already rather long for a horror movie at two hours. The film gives you just enough information, enough hints, that you can come away with an idea of what happens without ever being told outright. It's the kind of horror where not knowing for sure is part of the fright, as it feels unknowable, ancient, and powerful, something that you can never hope to understand for real. 

But it's not just the locations that grabs the audience, as the central cast deliver stand out performances across the board. La Porter is a young woman running from the guilt and trauma of her past, having blamed herself for Danny being taken. And you can see that, you can see the unease and guilt behind her eyes throughout the film as she feels obligated to try and do something to make up for her past mistakes. She has to overcome the fear of going onto the moors, of taking that step into the unknown and the frightening in order to move on with her past trauma. It's a subtle yet deep performance that goes across as somewhat dethatched and aloof at first, but makes complete sense when you understand her motivations. 

David Edward-Robertson is almost the exact opposite, and Bill makes all of his feelings known. He's a man so worn down with loss and grief that he doesn't care about hiding it anymore. He doesn't care what people think, because why should their opinions matter when he's trying to bring his lost son home? Most of the scenes he's in Edward-Robertson is playing the character as either openly angry, full of regret, or barely holding it together. It's a wonderful depiction of grief and loss that has played out over decades, wearing him down day after day. There are multiple scenes in the film where any other time you'd be calling him an arsehole for his words and actions, yet you understand why he's like this, and can see the pain he's going through, and you end up feeling a lot of pity for him. 

The supporting cast are decent too, with Mark Peachey and Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips making an interesting father daughter combo. Both of them bring the more unusual and supernatural into the film, yet manage to make their characters feel incredibly grounded. Unlike some films where the psychic medium character can derail things somewhat, feeling a little over-the-top or ridiculous for the tone, these two play the role well, especially the young Dormer-Phillips, who has perhaps the more difficult scenes in the film to pull off. I also can't finish without mentioning Bernard Hill, who sadly passed away last month. Whilst his appearance in the film is brief, playing a retired police officer, his scenes are important ones, ones that bring new context to the film and push Claire's narrative forward. It's a shame there wasn't more room for him in the film, but what we do have of his is great. 

The Moor is a wonderfully dark and brooding movie, one that isn't afraid to take its time and let tension build. With some fantastic performances and some truly creepy moments, it's the kind of horror that gets under your skin and leaves you wanting more; even if you're not completely sure what you've just seen.

The Moor is released in cinema 14th June in the UK, with digital download available 1st July. 

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Cyber Manhunt 2: New World - Game Review

 

It's been many years since I've gamed on my PC with any degree of regularity, and as such there are certain types of games that I just never really play as they tend not to make the leap to consoles. Cyber Manhunt 2: New World falls squarely into this kind of category, being a point and click mystery game, and whilst I was unsure if it was going to be something that I'd enjoy when I started playing it I was very quickly sucked into the narrative and the fiendishly simple gameplay.

Cyber Manhunt 2: New World makes the player give up their humanity in order to play as an AI, created to assist Ashley Grayson, a senior team member at Titan, a company who specialises in tech advancement and the development of artificial intelligence. You get a little bit of freedom to decide what kind of AI you want to be at the start, when you get asked a number of questions about what you'd do in certain ethical situations. I don't know if this dictates any changes in the game itself, but it's at least nice to click on the options that say you won't harm humans (no Skynet here).

After a quick set-up you get put through a tutorial level, in which Grayson needs you to investigate another member of the Titan team who may be leaking information to a disgraced former colleague. Using their company information you're able to search for their social media accounts, where you can gather other important info such as their age and where they live, and who he's been having conversations with. Using the data you gather you can unlock more sources to hack, such as their instant messages and emails, where you can continue your search for clues and start ton build a bigger picture of what's going on. If you come across anyone else along the way that strikes you as possibly being a shady individual you can do the same process with them, further expanding the narrative. 

After this introduction to the basics of the game the story starts in earnest as a man enters the Titan lobby with a bomb strapped to his chest. He's screaming about getting even with the people at Titan, and claims that they've ruined his life. From here, you are able to start investigating the man, trying to find out if his claims of people being out to get him are true so that this can be passed on to the negotiators to try and deescalate things. However, it quickly becomes apparent that there is a lot more going on here than you first think, and a much larger story begins to form as you look into his life.

Cyber Manhunt 2: New World is not the kind of game that I normally play, and I've had some bad experiences in the past with puzzle games that are so obtuse that I would get stuck on relatively simple things (or at least simple if you know what you're doing). Looking at everything in the game, how you can hack into multiple different accounts, how you can break into phones, and even create fake voiceprints to trick people into talking about their crimes, it can all feel a little overwhelming. However, the game introduces you to a lot of these things very slowly, letting you get used to one area of the game before moving on to another. 

It also helps that there's not a huge amount to do other than to click on buttons and occasionally type some snippets of code. As you're playing an AI you don't exist in the real world, there's no environment for you to explore, and your domain is the computer display. As such, you simply point your mouse and click. It's incredibly simple, but thanks to the appearance of complexity you feel like you're achieving something. I can barely do more than post here to my blog in real life when it comes to tech, but the game let me feel like I was hacking my way through security code with a couple of simple command prompts and a click or two. 

The simplicity of the gameplay works brilliantly in conjunction with the complexity of the story. Very early on I thought I knew what was happening, why this man had entered a building ready to blow himself up and kill people. However, my assumptions were proven wrong, multiple times. During my investigation I would come up with a theory, and then the game would throw a curveball at me. I thought I understood a certain character, but then they'd shift and reveal a very different motivation that changed the entire trajectory of the story. There was never a time where I accurately guessed every twist or turn, but I also found that I wasn't trying to. By being involved and actively searching for the answers I was enjoying things on the fly, rather than trying to see the next stage. 

I knew the game had hooked me when I had to leave it for a while in order to go and do something else and all I could think about was getting back to it in order to find the next clue and to see what the story had in store. There are a lot of games I play that fail to hook me that way, and it's a large part of why I don't game nearly as much as I used to, but this game gave me that high, that drive to dive back into it.

Graphically, the game is very simple, and doesn't need to do anything flashy in order to get you invested. Instead of opting for a more realistic approach, the game has an animated flavour to it, with characters on screen represented by artwork, and cutscenes playing out like motion comics. It works well, and removes the game from reality somewhat by making it less real. I don't know how easy it is to hack into things, my experience of it is what film and TV tell me, and it's never really been something that has interested me; so I can't help but feel if the game tried to be realistic, or used real actors in filmed scenes it would be too close to reality to grab me in the same way. 

The final thing to talk about is the game's music. The music for Cyber Manhunt 2: New World is very subtle, and most of the time I didn't even realise it was there. The music is repetitive, sitting in the background as you search for clues, accompanying the tone of the game without overpowering it or distracting you. If anything, it helps to get you into the zone.

I'm glad I took a shot with Cyber Manhunt 2: New World as it's been a game that I've genuinely loved playing. Not only has it brought me a lot of enjoyment, but its made me consider an entire new genre of games to try out. I'll certainly be diving back into it soon, and can't wait to see what the team behind it does next. 

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The Valiant Ones (1975) – Blu-ray Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Set during the Ming Dynasty, The Valiant Ones paints itself as a historical epic that plays it more realistic than most Wuxia movies, yet manages to still fall into the realm of the delightfully ridiculous at times. As part of Eureka Entertainment‘s Masters of Cinema collection, fans of the genre are given the chance to add this hard to find film to their shelves.

Directed by King Hu, the film tells the story of a nation under attack, as China has fallen victim to a band of Japanese pirates and bandits who routinely raid, pillage, and kill. The Jiajing emperor, shown to be mostly disinterested in the plight of his people and generally lazy, puts one of his officials, Zhu Wan (Tu Kuang-chi), in charge of putting an end to these attacks.

Zhu Wan begins working with a skilled tactician, Yu Dayou (Roy Chiao), and his band of expert warriors, who hatch a scheme to bring an end to the Japanese attacks by killing their leadership, thereby leaving the rest of the pirates leaderless and lost. Part of their plan involves using the highly skilled married fighters, Wu Ji-yuan (Pai Ying) and Wu Ro-shi (Hsu Feng), whose skills have become legend.

The Valiant Ones sits in a strange place in terms of tone, and those looking for a pretty straight historical movie will find that there’s a little too much ridiculousness here to be fully pleased with the way that King Hu presents the movie; whilst those looking for the extravagant, and fantastical elements associated with some of the better known Wuxia movies may find the more realistic tone too dull to keep their attention.

The film seems to jump backwards and forwards with what kind of movie it wants to be, and this is perhaps the biggest downfall in an otherwise very entertaining film. King Hu presents things well at least, and there’s a strong use of striking colour in order to draw the viewer’s eye, with good use of lighting and smoke in enclosed sets that create a pretty decent atmosphere that sets it apart from some of the more hastily produced and less cared about films in the genre.

The character introductions are strong, with some of the early scenes that showcase why these heroes have been recruited being some of the first action scenes in the film. Thanks to a somewhat slower start, when our protagonists come to the aid of a small town about to be attacked by bandits it almost comes as something of a surprise. You have almost begun to forget that this is a martial arts film thanks to the quieter moments.

As the film progresses these moments become more frequent, with bigger and more elaborate scenes being used. There are a number of scenes where it almost feels impossible that our heroes will make it through, outnumbered by several degrees, and these are the best parts of the film. The action is choreographed well, and King Hu uses a moving camera and interesting angles that elevate the feel of the film.

There are times, however, where certain scenes begin to feel like they go on a little too long, and with the overall run-time of the movie being close to two hours I couldn’t help but think that some of these scenes could have been trimmed down, or cut altogether, to help with the pace.

There’s a scene where two of our protagonists go undercover, and the raiders insist that they show off their fighting ability. And then again, and again, and again. Every time they fight an opponent or showcase a skill the enemy wants them to try a different opponent, and by the third time the scene has already overstayed its welcome, no matter how good the martial arts skills are. Despite this, the film is filled with some good moments, and the group of heroes makes for an enjoyable team that are a genuine delight to follow.

The new Blu-ray release comes with a 1080p HD presentation of the film, restored from the original negatives, and looks absolutely fantastic. Alongside this is an audio commentary from Frank Djeng, who delves into the history of the setting, as well as his usual dive into the histories of the cast and crew who worked on the film. There are a number of new interviews about the film, a video essay, and some archival material, alongside a collector’s booklet with some interesting writings inside by John Clements that makes this a release that fans of the genre are going to want to check out.

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Weekly Comics Review - 5th June 2024

 

I take a look at a selection of this weeks comic releases. This week I read and review Shazam!, The Ultimates, Birds of Prey, Batman, and more!

Batman #148

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jiménez, Colourist: Tomeu Morey, 
Letterer: Clayton Cowles

I've had some ups and downs with the Zdarsky run on Batman. I enjoyed the first 'Failsafe' arc, but have struggled with it since with its use of Zur-En-Arrh and some of the choices that have been made regarding Bat Family relationships. It seems, however that things may have come to something of a conclusion in this issue as Batman defeats Zur and Failsafe, ridding his city of the robotic threat; though with Zur being involved with Amanda Waller and the Absolute Power event I'm not entirely convinced that he's completely done.

The issue has two main focuses, the first being Bruce and some select members of his family preparing for their confrontation with the robot, whilst the other centres on Damian, who is being held hostage by the Zur-En-Arrh Robin. Fans have been theorising over who this new Robin may be for the last month, and we get a pretty wild answer this issue as it's revealed to be a clone of Bruce. The heroes attack Zur, in a fight that leads to Jason Todd being killed by the machine in order to restore the original Failsafe program, thereby overwriting Zur. Batman then simply deactivates the unstoppable machine now that he's figured out a solution to that previously impossible task.

Despite the villains being defeated, Jason coming back to life, and a few of the heroes ending the book posing for the audience in a moment of triumph the book feels a bit rushed, scattershot, and lacklustre. The solution to beating Zur does tie back to the very beginning of Zdarsky's run, but the idea that Bruce can then just turn the robot off feels kind of cheap. The death and immediate resurrection of Jason does little and seems to have zero weight or consequences. And the fact that the members of the Bat Family that have been left out, relegated to the background and don't even get to be part of the final picture, are Cass, Steph, and Duke; and Zdarsky doesn't even seem to know who Steph is, calling her Spoiler even though she's been Batgirl for years. It feels kind of bad to leave these popular characters out, and for those who already feel like these three get shoved to the side lines too much it's going to be very noticeable. I'm also very curious to see if  Zdarsky has any plans for this crazy child clone version of Bruce, or if this is one of those things that's never going to come up again. 

If I was to sum up the issue in one word it would be rushed. Things feel rushed here. Lots of stuff gets resolved super fast, challenges that were insurmountable before are put to bed in a page. I don't know if perhaps Zdarsky had to wrap things up quickly in order to have certain things in place in time for Absolute Power, or if he simply just couldn't make things resolve well, but as it stands Batman has become one of the weaker books for me every month, and I often find myself wondering why I'm still reading it. ⭐⭐

X-Men #35

Writer: Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Gerry Duggan, Chris Claremont, Gail Simone, Jed MacKay, Artist: Sara Pichelli, Stefano Caselli, Jerome Opeña, Leinil Francis Yu, Mark Brooks, Walt Simonson, Luciano Vecchio, Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara, Phil Noto, John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Salvador Larroca, Javier Garrón, Colourist: Laura Martin, Matt Wilson, Sunny Gho, Sonia Oback, Phil Noto, Matt Hollingsworth, David CurielRomulo Fajardo Jr., Marcio Menyz, Morry Hollowell, Letterer: Clayton Cowles

There are a lot of names attached to this title, a lot of pages, and a lot to cover as the First Krakoan Age comes to an end. The threats from Orchis, the evil AI's, and Enigma have been dealt with, so what's left for the X-Men? It's time to say goodbye to Krakoa and to those left behind. Things kick off when the other half of Krakoa, the piece left inside the White Hot Room reappears inside regular reality beside the other island. It turns out that time moves somewhat differently inside the WHR, as fifteen years have passed for them. In that time the mutants there have flourished, the fifteen million mutants killed in Genosha have been brought back, and mutants finally have peace and hope for a future. However, not everyone wanted to stay, so they've built up enough power to come back for a single day, to drop some folks off, and to reassure the heroes of Krakoa that they didn't fight for nothing, and that they did good.

Of course, things don't go completely smoothly, and Apocalypse starts acting like a jerk and needs dealing with. There's also a large part of the issue that deals with Charles Xavier. The first is an opening in which we see him and Magneto get to have a chat, which establishes where each of the men stand for the coming new era. There's also a segment at the end that sees Charles, inside a prison cell, projecting him mind outside of it to see where his X-Men are. This part gives you a little glimpse into each of the key players for the From the Ashes initiative, and lays the groundwork for their books. Accompanying this is a separate story by Claremont that sees Nightcrawler, Mystique, Destiny, and Rogue spending some time together to deal with their family situation and past trauma.

Krakoa has been divisive, some have adored this era, whilst others have been counting the days until it's done and the next thing comes along. For those that did love it, this book will be somewhat bittersweet as it puts most things to bed completely. It's nice to get certain answers, such as how the mutants in the WHR fare, and seeing the joy in Emma's face when she realises all of the dead Genoshan children have returned is genuinely magical. There's a sense that things are moving on, but in a way that doesn't put down this passing era. There are hints that Krakoa may return in some form in the future, and gives those that loved it hope for what's to come. Some of this is somewhat hampered by the number of artists on the title. The artwork changes frequently, and for the most part there is no narrative reason for it. When we're checking in on different people, or going into different stories it's fine, but seeing the art shift a dozen times when the X-Men are fighting Apocalypse is a little too much, and threw me out of the book more than once thanks to how jarring it was at times. Overall, this felt like a pretty decent end to things. The book could have been longer, it could have focused a little more on some of the characters that really got a chance to shine in this era, such as Synch, who's relegated to being a background cameo, but as it is it's still a good way to bring things to a close. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kneel Before Zod #6

Writer: Joe Casey, Artist: Dan McDaid, Colourist: David Baron, 
Letterer: Troy Peteri

We've witnessed something of a fall for Dru-Zod since the start of this series. He was the ruler of an entire world, he had a son, a wife, and a child on the way, he was a military power and was respected by the United Planets. Now, he's scarred, hallucinating one of his greatest enemies, and is in charge of a battered old prison ship filled with inmates who are following him through fear. He's not exactly at rock bottom, but he's not far from it either. However, Zod is never one to let a bad hand keep him down, and is consolodating the little power that he actually has. This involves trying to figure out who or what is being kept inside the two maximum security cells in the heart of the ship. The answer to this mystery is somewhat surprising; at least to him, if you've seen the cover you probably already know.

One of the things that I've liked about this series is that you don't really know where it's going. I wouldn't have guessed from the first issue that Zod was going to fall so far, or that he'd end up in the position he's now in. Likewise, I can't predict where the next issue is going to go. Is Emerald Empress going to be an ally for him, is she going to be a challenge that he's going to overcome with force, or could she perhaps replace Ursa as a new paramour for him? I genuinely don't know, and I kind of like that about this book. Sometimes it's fun to follow the bad guy, and by being out in space away from Earth Zod can actually be something of a villain, he can do bad things, he can clash with other bad people and lose on occasion, and you're never expecting a hero to come crashing in to stop him. Because of that, this is the kind of series that can get away with being a little bit different. ⭐⭐⭐

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #4

Writer: Benjamin Percy, Artist: Danny Kim, Colourist: Bryan Valenza, 
Letterer: Travis Lanham

Before this series it had been a while since I dipped into Ghost Rider, so I was quite surprised to find that this time around the Spirit of Vengeance had found itself a new host, and that it was a character I knew; Parker Robinson, the Hood. This series has been very different to what I expected, but has been fairly entertaining. I've recently come discover Benjamin Percy with his work on the X books, and enjoy pretty much everything I've read so far, and this book is no exception. It's been different, enjoyable, and has kept me guessing at every turn.

The latest issue shows us some more of Johnny Blaze and Zebadiah's journey towards Chicago, a journey that sees them dealing with possessed civilians, and questioning if re-joining Johnny and Ghost Rider is the best option, or if destroying the entity altogether might not be better. Meanwhile, in Chicago, The Hood continues his mission to take over the underworld, using his new powers and his alliance with the local vampire coven to take over more territory and businesses, all whilst trying to make a real life for himself and his estranged family.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this series, especially when the freed Spirit of Vengeance decided to settle on The Hood, but the last few issues have drawn me in much more than I thought they would, and I've been finding the deeper dive into who The Hood is as a person has been a big draw for me. I also really like the Ghost Rider version of him, even if it does at times make me think of Spawn with a flaming skull. It's a cool design, and Percy is having him do some cool stuff, so it's all a winner really. The art on the book looks great, and every moment when the new Ghost Rider is on the page is a stand out, I love the way that Danny Kim and Bryan Valenza brings him to life, and am very looking forward to seeing what they create for the inevitable confrontation between him and Blaze. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aliens: What If...? # 4

Writer: Hans Rodionoff, Brian Volk-Weiss, Story By: Hans Rodionoff, 
Brian Volk-Weiss, Adam F. Goldberg, Leon Reiser, Paul Reiser,  Artist: 
Guiu Vilanova, Colourist: Yen Nitro, Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Aliens comics have been something of a mixed bag over the decades because it seems to be the medium in which writers aren't afraid to try something a bit weird with the titular monster, and we've had some very odd stuff over the years as a result (such as an android that looks like the Xenomorph smoking a cigar whilst firing a pulse rifle - which is fantastic). Aliens: What If...? is doing something similar, by blending together the seriousness and horror of the franchise with a more comedic approach that's generally been working pretty well.

This issue sees Carter Burke rushing to his daughter, Brie, in order to get her off their asteroid home as an alien queen has been born, and there's little time to escape before all hell breaks loose. Finding her post-coital with Hiro Yutani, the son of one of the big bosses at Weyland-Yutani. Instead of getting away in their ship, however, the three of them decide it's worth trying to save everyone else if they can, and load into mining suits and set out to hunt down the juvenile Alien Queen.

As with the previous issues, the fourth part of this story follows the traditional beats of an Aliens story, this part covering the 'try to beat the monster' segment where the heroes think they have the means and skills to take the creature down. But, as with previous chapters it does so in a way that subverts expectations at a number of turns, and makes use of some good comedic timing and visual gags to inject a great deal of humour into the situation. I've always maintained that doing humour in comics can be hard, and marrying it with genres like horror only adds to that difficulty. But here the creative team manages to do it well, creating some moments that made me laugh out loud (a first for an Alien comic). The art team do a great job with this too, as there are times where the art does some of the heavy lifting for certain gags. The attention to detail in character expressions is a bug part in the jokes landing too, and the team manage to pull it off wonderfully. This series has managed to turn Carter Burke from a complete douche we were glad to see die into a bumbling loser who you kind of feel sorry for, and who I'm actually genuinely interested in seeing if he manages to live or die by the end. ⭐⭐⭐

Wolverine: Blood Hunt #1

Writer: Tom Waltz,  Artist: Juan José Ryp, Colourist: Guru-eFX, 
Letterer: Cory Petit

The world has fallen to darkness, and vampires have turned the planet into an all you can eat buffet, so of course it wouldn't be long before one of the deadliest killers in the Marvel universe stepped up to put an end to things. Logan, however, knows that despite being able to kill hundreds of vamps on his own it's not something he can keep doing forever, nor will it help to save the day. As such, Logan's reaching out to some allies to help him along the way, including CIA agent Jeff Bannister and Louise, the vampire hunter turned vampire who's still fighting on the side of good. Logan and Louise meet up in a dive bar in the middle of nowhere, but soon discover that there are a lot of vampires coming after Logan.

It wasn't until I reached the end of the issue that paid any attention to the creators involved in this book and realised that this wasn't a Benjamin Percy title. This series is drawing on the previous Wolverine series a lot, brining in multiple characters from it, and referencing events that happened there; and this is fantastic. One of the worst things with comics for myself is when a new series or creator will ignore what came before, or we have characters that never come back after becoming a part of the lead's life because the next person in charge doesn't want to use them. Tom Waltz, who's writing his first Marvel title here, clearly has a lot of respect for what's just come before, and effortlessly slips into the role of writer that I was surprised it wasn't Percy himself. I'm already convinced that Waltz knows how to write Logan, and captures his voice brilliantly. If he doesn't get more work for the character after this it's criminal. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ultimates #1

Writer: Deniz Camp,  Artist: Juan Frigeri, Colourist: Federico Blee, 
Letterer: Travis Lanham

It's a little unusual that we've had to wait the longest out of all of the new Ultimate titles to get one that bears the name The Ultimates, with Spider-Man, Black Panthter, and X-Men all coming before and kind of doing their own thing, with Spider-Man being the only story that really feels like it's touched upon the overarching plot for the universe. But despite this wait, it kind of feels worth it as this might be the best opening issue in all of the new Ultimate series.

Having jumped forwards in time six months in order to avoid the deadly attack from the Maker's council, our team of mismatched heroes decide to come up with a plan to try and give themselves an edge on the villains who are ruling the planet with an iron first. Doctor Doom and Iron Lad come up with a plan to use the items they stole from the Maker's vault to send out care packages to all of the people they can recruit to their cause. These contain messages that tell them the world is wrong, provides information on the heroes they're meant to be, and contains both a super-suit and the thing that's supposed to give them powers. 

We've seen this in Ultimate Spider-Man, as the orb that gives Spidey his powers. Unfortunately, barely anyone has become a hero in that time, with a few trying it and losing their lives (Spidey aside). Instead, the team, now joined by a dethawed Captain America, decide to try recruiting the old fashioned way. Tracking down Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym, the team talk to them, appeal for them to become the heroes that they were born to be. But when Captain Britain and his forces attack the two of them have to make the choice of whether to embrace their destiny there and then. 

The Ultimates has a great vibe to it. It's loads of fun watching the heroes try to figure out their next move, sending the care packages back in time a few months, waking Captain America up, him learning America is gone. It's great stuff. And getting to know these versions of Janet and Hank is great. The shock of what they've been called in to kill as exterminators was horrific, as was learning the worlds stance on the subject. However, we see that despite the more cruel world around them they're still good people, and it's this innate goodness, and a fear of hurting his wife that has kept Hank from stepping up for so long. The slap gets brought up a lot in comics, to a degree that there will be very heated debates over it and if the 616 Hank Pym should ever be forgiven for hitting his wife, so to see it brought up here, but done in this way is actually really good, and shows straight away how this version of the character is very different to what we have in 616.

The book also looks fantastic, and Juan Figeri does an amazing job at bringing these characters to life. They all look amazing, the costumes for the new heroes are cool looking, and the emotion we get on the characters faces makes it easy to get inside their heads and understand them. This is not the Ultimates we've had in the past, this isn't a group of complete assholes, this isn't racist Cap, violent Hank, or super cops that are working for the government, this is a group of freedom fighter, people who're being labelled as terrorists by those in power, who are not only fighting to make a better world, but would actively have the previous Ultimate universe version of the team. This is a title that I'm going to be eagerly awaiting each month. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Get Fury #2

Writer: Garth Ennis,  Artist: Jacen Burrows, Colourist: Nolan 
Woodard, Letterer: Rob Steen

After the set-up for the mission in the first issue, Get Fury issue two gets Frank Castle into enemy territory so that he can begin his mission to stop the Vietcong from getting classified information out of Nick Fury. However, getting Frank behind enemy lines is far from easy or bloodless. The scene in which Castle enters the country, ejecting out of an F-4 during the middle of a bombing mission, is a dramatic opening to the book, one that takes a moment to reflect upon the deaths that occur in war, as the pilot who knows he's not making it back from the mission asks Castle if his death will at least be worth it. It highlights that these are not just background players being killed in the service to Castle and Fury's stories, but in the real world it's real people who die in wars never even knowing if their deaths actually matter.

The rest of the issue introduces some more wrinkles into the story, though it does so in a way that doesn't necessarily make it clear what's going on. A CIA operative reveals that there's been an illegal operation to export drugs from Vietnam inside bodies of dead soldiers, and that three CIA agents that were part of this were killed and dumped behind a brothel. They think it's Fury, but when they realise that Fury knew the three men were gay it means he wouldn't have dumped them behind a brothel, and so it's vaguely implied that Castle did it. It's also heavily hinted that the belief that Fury knew about the drug operation is why his death was ordered. But maybe that's not what's going on. Ennis leaves a lot unsaid, with characters speaking in sentences that never quite finish, leaving big revelations implied rather than spoken out loud. This in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, but depending upon the execution it can leave the reader feeling a little lost; and sadly that's how I ended up feeling by the end of the issue. Thankfully, there is a lot of other stuff in here to keep me entertained enough to read the next issue. ⭐⭐⭐

Shazam! #12

Writer: Josie Campbell,  Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino, Mike Norton, 
Colourist: Trish Mulvihill, Letterer: Troy Peteri

'Moving Day' comes to a close this issue as Billy Batson has to face past trauma as his mother comes into his life, at the same time that The Captain, his heroic alter ego, seems to be fighting against Billy by messing with his memories and keeping secrets from him. One of the things that this arc has done is managed to make The Captain feel a little sinister, especially with him doing things without Billy's knowledge. There was a little bit of an edge to him, and it felt like the story could very easily try to shift into him being somewhat villainous. However, this final issue in the arc makes it clear that The Captain was trying to protect Billy, and whilst he may have chosen a bad way of doing it he's still very much a good guy.

I loved that the focus of this issue is Billy, and his journey to go and meet his mother was the highlight of the book. I was wondering where things were going with it, as it was clear that there was going to be something there that would hurt Billy, and I was almost convinced it was going to connect his mother to the villains in some way. However, the choice that Josie Campbell made instead was so much better. The amount of pain and trauma that Billy goes through in learning that his mother had another child, and that they have a happy life is heart breaking. Billy has gone through a tough childhood, he felt abandoned and unloved, and now he's feeling like he's the reason why his mother couldn't make her life work, because now that he's gone she's managed it. The amount of pain he's put on himself is horrible, but completely believable; and I love that Campbell has chosen to take a much more grounded and human approach to the story, and dealing with the fallout from that is going to be interesting going forward. 

The issue features two artist in Emanuela Lupacchino, and Mike Norton, with each of them beginning the issue focusing on one of the two stories going on. This makes the art changes make sense to a certain degree, however, towards the latter half of the book the changes start to come at different times, with characters that were being handled by one of the artists then being done by the other. This is where the art change is the most start, and begins to become noticeable. Despite the book using the same colourist throughout it also seems like the colours were done slightly differently for each artist, which only highlighted this change. Whilst not a huge problem it does take you out of the book a little. However, both artists do a great job throughout. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #4

Writer: Iman Vellani, Sabir Pirzada,  Artist: Scott Godlewski, Colourist: 
Erick Arciniega, Letterer: Joe Caramagna

The end of the current X-Men era also means the end to the current Ms. Marvel mini-series, as this book firmly entrenches Kamala into the hated and feared category all of our mutant heroes find themselves in. We join up with Kamala this issue with the Inhumans, who are helping her with her glitching powers that have been plaguing her since her resurrection. We find out that her problems stem from the mutant resurrection process recreating her Inhuman powers without actually using Terigenisis to do so, and now her body is rejecting it. This appears to be the first real negative effect from the process that we've seen, and this may be because of Kamala's unique situation. It does raise some questions as to is this may happen with other characters in the future though.

After getting her powers fixed, in a rather touching scene involving the spirit of her grandmother, Kamala comes face to face with the person who's been sending undead X-Men to fight her, and who's now using Kamala's own dead body against her. This undead Ms. Marvel is attacking her own community, using purple hard light powers, her apparent mutant gift awoken (I think we all saw this piece of MCU synergy coming a mile away). In all honesty, this issue kind of reinforces why I was a little dubious about the comics following the films and making Kamala a mutant. The forcing in of having both powers even though they still haven't explained how it works, those powers being the movie ones which as shown in the comic just make her a stretchy version or Armor, her supporting cast and standing within the world being messed around. It all feels a bit off. I'm not the biggest reader of the character, and still need to go back and do a lot of her stuff, but I can imagine this has left some long time fans feeling a bit put out. It's a big shift for the character that's going to change a lot for her in the coming years. ⭐⭐⭐

My Adventures With Superman #1

Writer: Josie Campbell, Artist: Pablo M. Collar, Colourist: Nick Filardi, 
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

My Adventures With Superman is a great series that has been giving viewers a fun new interpretation of the Superman mythos and universe. Filled with humour, heart, and some great moments, it's a series that has found a vocal and dedicated fanbase and has secured itself a second season. Set between the two seasons, the new comic series manages to capture a lot of what works with the show. Taking place around the holiday season, Jimmy and Lois are planning the perfect first Christmas in Metropolis for Clark as he's unable to go home to see the family and they want to make sure everything is special for him. However, their holiday plans are disrupted when a deadly new foe appears in the city, one capable of copying and absorbing Superman's powers.

Josie Campbell manages to capture the voices of the show perfectly, and everyone feels like they've leapt off the screen onto the page. These aren't the versions of the characters that regular comic readers know, and they have their own quirks and unique traits that makes this version feel a little special, and Campbell keeps to that tightly, and it's impossible to read the issue without hearing the actors speaking the lines. The art, by Pablo M. Collar, also brings the show to life on the page in great ways. This looks like the show, yet also feels different enough that it's clear it's a comic and not just a series of stills taken from the episode. The art married traditional comics with the series, and there are some really great visuals to be found in here too. I particularly like the design of the person I'm assuming is their version of Amazo (surely right?), and am looking forward to reading what happens next. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Birds of Prey #10

Writer: Kelly Thompson, Artist: Robbi Rodriguez, Gavin Guidry, 
Colourist: Jordie Bellaire, Letterer: Clayton Cowles

The previous issue of Birds of Prey was enjoyable, but somewhat confusing as it felt like it was lacking a bit of context, luckily, this issue clears that all up as we get an explanation to what that was all about, and get a dangerous new villain to threaten our team in an interesting new environment. One of the things that I'm really loving about this latest run is that it's not just playing it safe. Kelly Thompson could have easily had our team of heroes fighting street level threats, with the occasional big bad, and it would have felt like a lot of previous stories for the title. However, we've had time travel, goddesses, the Amazons, and now super power created pocket dimensions. It's taking huge swings, and is delivering some amazing stories.

Having jumped through a portal at the end of the last issue our characters leave the creepy gothic world behind and find themselves in a 1950's inspires place. However, we learn that it's all the same pocket dimension, but the portals basically reskin it into different looks based on who jumped through first; giving us a wonderful excuse to the a variety of cool new designs for our characters. And this issue is no exception, as Big Barda's love of the the 1950's aesthetic gives the team some cool new looks. Vixen and Black Canary are somewhat less exciting, looking more like regular clothes, but both Batgirls have a very cool classic comic vibe to them. Barda, however, looks absolutely stunning in her new outfit, and it's a costume that I'd be more than happy to see her wear on a regular basis. The explanation for all of this gets provided this issue too, and whilst it's a bit high concept it makes a certain amount of sense and works for the story being told.

The art on this book has always been great, and this issue is no exception, beyond the new looks for the team there's a new character introduced who also looks fantastic, and there's one panel of her standing beside a huge wolf that looks absolutely gorgeous. The art and the colours work perfectly together, and whilst the book doesn't have the standard comic look to it that most DC and Marvel books have it's one that I'd love to see more and more of. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi - Book Review

 

'Five childhood friends are forced to confront their own dark past as well as the curse placed upon them in this horror masterpiece from the bestselling author of Come with Me.

'Maybe this is a ghost story... Andrew Larimer thought he left the past behind. But when he receives a late-night phone call from an old friend, he finds he has no choice but to return home, and to confront the memories—and the horror—of a night, years ago, that changed everything. For Andrew and his friends, the past is not dead, and the curse that has befallen them now threatens to destroy all that they've become. One dark secret...'

Secrets will come out, the past will haunt you, and you can never really escape your home in the latest book from Ronald Malfi that sees a group of childhood friends reuniting and having to deal with the things they did years before; things that no one can ever know about. 

Small Town Horror tells the story of Andrew Larimer, a successful lawyer in New York City. He's married, and is expecting his first child. Things are going great for him. However, when he receives a phone call from his childhood friend, Dale, telling him that his wife has gone missing and begging Andrew to come back to his hometown to help. Andrew makes some lies to his wife, and heads out to the town he never wanted to go back to, where he reunites with Dale and his other friends, Meech, Tig, and Eric. The five of them have come together to try and help find Dale's wife, and to deal with the curse hanging over them. You see, the five of them did something terrible when they were younger, something that has left a stain upon them, and it's coming back to haunt them now.

Starting Small Town Horror I was immediately struck by the similarity to Black Mouth, Malfi's previous novel, which also played upon the trope of a group of childhood friends reuniting years later to deal with a dark secret. The two of them are also strikingly similar to Stephen King's IT not just because they use this trope, but because they use the double narrative, where we see things play out across two time periods that build the story in a way that gradually unfolds the mystery. Whilst making use of this structure that was made famous with IT, this in no way feels like a copy, as Malfi manages to make it distinct in its own ways, and instead it feels more like a love letter to that kind of story, a small nod to similar horror books that have come before.

Small Town Horror is a slower read than some, and instead of putting the horror up front Malfi slowly builds the dread and tension, focusing instead on the narrative and the characters. The central group are an interesting bunch, each of them with their own distinct flavours, with their own quirks and flaws that seem to stem from the terrible event in their past. Each of them is clearly haunted in some particular way, whether it's running away from what they don't want to face up to, or losing themselves in drink and drugs, each of them feels like a study in both trauma and suppression.

Malfi also does a wonderful job with the feel of the locations. I loved the town that he built, and whilst it's not a place that I'd want to live in, it serves the story well and is filled with that creepy, small town horror that the title promises. The cover sets up the feel for the book wonderfully, and the remote lighthouse in the cold, hard environment lays the groundwork for what you'll find within the pages. The clifftop over the sea, the old houses, and the flooded basement all bring a particular feel to mind that makes a cold chill go down your back, even though the book is set during the height of summer. Malfi is able to take the ordinary, the unremarkable, and make it chilling in a way that I adore. 

Whilst the book spends much of its time building, it eventually has to reach a peak, a point in which the rising tension must break, and when it does it's all the more shocking. I think that Small Town Horror has one of those endings that people are going to remember, one that's so shocking to read, so horrific that you find yourself gripping your book all the tighter whilst reading, and once you've reached the final word you realise you were holding your breath for too long. It might not sit well with everyone, and it may be a little too much for some, but it's the kind of ending that shows why Malfi is such a deft hand at horror, and why you should be keeping an eye out for his name on the shelves. 

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Death at the Dress Rehearsal by Stuart Douglas - Book Review

 

'In 1970, on the set of downmarket sitcom 'Floggit and Leggit', leading man Edward Lowe stumbles across the body of a woman, apparently the victim of a tragic drowning accident. But there's something about her that rings the faintest of bells in Edward's head and, convinced the woman has been murdered, he enlists the help of his co-star John le Breton to investigate further. Crossing the country and back again during gaps in filming, the two men uncover both a series of murders in the modern day, and links to another unfortunate death during the War. As the body count mounts, Edward and John face a race against time to save the innocent victims of a serial killer...'

Crime fiction has existed for hundreds of years, and likely as long as human history when you count things like verbal stories in which tales of murder and mayhem would be passed on in the form of gossip and campfire stories. Humans are drawn to the world of crime because it's something so alien to many of us; especially murder. After all, the kind of people who commit murders are so unusual, so against the norm that it becomes fascinating, and we want to understand why it happens. 

But not everyone is drawn to real world stories of murder, and instead choose to indulge this fascination via the medium of fiction because at least then you know no one actually got hurt. Cosy crime fiction is a sub genre that has long been popular, where the sex and violence happen off screen, and with the events happening in the quieter, more rural settings. And more often that not, those solving the crimes aren't police, instead being amateur detectives, or people who happen to get pulled into the mystery. It's the kind of crime story that you expect to find on television on a Sunday evening that all the members of the family can watch together. Death of the Dress Rehearsal not only fits into the genre, but feels like both a love letter to it, and a pitch for a TV series. 

The story takes place in the 1970's, where the stars of a sitcom television series are on location to film their latest episode. The show, which follows a duo of antique store owners and the various antics they get up to with the local villagers, feels very much like something you've seen on TV before, and the older cast and laid back attitude the show seems to have is very reminiscent of Last of the Summer Wine. Things begin with a murder, told through the eyes of a victim, a young woman running through the dark countryside, trying desperately to escape from the person chasing them to their deaths. Sadly, she fails in her escape, and thus begins our mystery, as the next day actor Edward Lowe stumbles upon her body whilst on a location shoot. 

Whilst the local police are happy to rule this as a tragic accident, claiming that the woman simply died whilst drunk, there's something about it that doesn't sit right with Lowe, and he can't just let things be. Accompanied by his dashing co-star, John le Breton, he begins looking into the woman. Soon, the two of them become certain that this was not only no accident, but that they have a killer on their hands. As they try to investigate further, more bodies begin to mount. Can the two of them solve the case before the killer claims any more victims, or before they themselves fall victim too?

One of the things that I liked the most about the book is that Stuart Douglas has a very easy writing style, and I found myself getting lost in the story very quickly. It's the kind of read that sucks you in, where you've read several chapters when you only mean to read the one, and you realise that finishing the book is going to be more of a fight to pace yourself than a struggle to get to the end. Cosy mystery is often used to describe the setting and the characters, but it can very much be used to describe the writing style too, as it it just a very comfortable read. I read it in a cabin in the woods, with a log fire and a thick blanket, and it was honestly one of the best ways to read this. It's the kind of book that you can curl up with in the winter with a hot drink and lose yourself in, or the kind of novel you can take to the beach or the pool and devour whilst laying back soaking up the sun. It's relaxing, despite the heavy nature of the material; which is no small feat. 

The other thing that I really loved about the book were the lead characters. I was told before starting it that they were loosely based upon Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier from Dad's Army, but even without that little tip is became immediately obvious that's who our lead characters were. Yes, the names were definitely a big hint, but the way in which Douglas absolutely captures their essence from that show and puts it into his lead characters is nothing short of frightening. I was imagining the two of them with almost no effort, hearing their voices and their intonation during the dialogue. This is why the book felt in a lot of ways like the perfect material to make into a TV series, because it felt like it already was one. It had its two lead actors, and they were doing fantastic in every scene. I'd honestly love to see this book adapted for the screen, but if it was it definitely needs the best impersonators for Loew and Le Mesurier because I just would not accept anyone else in these roles. 

Douglas paces the story incredibly well, and there are several twists and turns and sudden surprises in the narrative that will keep the end of the book hidden for the longest time; and I genuinely didn't see the ending coming. He's able to create a story that not only fills its pages to the brim, but leaves you wishing there was even more despite the fact that it's already four hundred pages long. I'm really hoping that the book finds its audience, that it gets the praise that it deserves, and becomes popular enough that we end up getting several sequels (or even more if Douglas has the desire to make one of those twenty plus mystery book series).

Before I finish my review of Death at the Dress Rehearsal, the first entry in the Lowe and Le Breton Mysteries series, I do want to make something of an admission. I was sent an advance copy of the book to review a few months ago, which in itself isn't too unusual for reviewers such as myself. However, this wasn't the regular review process, as I was asked if I wanted to blurb for the book. I accepted, excited for my first opportunity to do it, and as the book happened to arrive the day before I went away for a small week break I took it with me, thinking that I would perhaps get started on it. I read the entire thing in two nights as I couldn't put it down. 

I genuinely loved reading the book, and have since loaned my copy of the ARC to my mother, insisting that she needs to read it. So, if you happen to pick up a copy of the book and notice my blog's name on the inside, singing its praises please be assured that whilst I was sent a free copy from the publisher it in no way coloured my opinion on the book, and it has earned its spot as my favourite read of the year entirely on its own merits. It's the kind of mystery story that I'll happily read again and again, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the news of the next one in the series.

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Crimson Peak (2015) – Limited Edition 4K UHD Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Guillermo del Toro is one of those filmmakers whose work has a very specific flavour to it. Quite often when you sit down and start watching one of his films you’re able to tell it’s his even if you didn’t see the credit on screen, thanks to the visual flair that seems to seep into all of his work.

Sometimes it’s not as strong as others, with things like the first Hellboy film or the television show The Strain being much more grounded and realistic in its tone (mostly). But even then the world of the fantastical manages to bleed through. However, there are some films, like Pan’s Labyrinth, or the second Hellboy, that are such dark and twisted fairy-tale-like creations that even looking at a single frame tells you it’s del Toro’s work. Crimson Peak is one of these kinds of movies; a film that’s so utterly del Toro that no other director could have made it quite like this.

Perhaps one of his more divisive works, Crimson Peak seems to have people either loving it or feeling indifferent or even fed up. Even I will admit, despite my love for del Toro’s work, Crimson Peak is perhaps one of my least favourite of his pieces – or at least it was when I first watched it. Thanks to the passage of time, sitting down to watch the new Arrow Video UHD release has somewhat changed my outlook on the movie, and made me re-evaluate my first impression of it.

Crimson Peak tells the story of a young novelist named Edith (Mia Wasikowska), the daughter of a wealthy businessman, who falls in love with the dashing baronet Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). Thomas wants Edith’s father to invest in a machine that would allow him to revitalise his family’s ageing clay mine. However, Edith’s father refuses to assist him. When some strange facts about Thomas and his sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain) come to light, Edith’s father forces him to leave, breaking Edith’s heart. However, when her father is murdered, Edith and Thomas reconcile, and marry. Travelling to England, Edith moves into the huge mansion where Thomas and his sister live, and finds herself caught up in a world of conspiracy, murder, and ghosts.

Crimson Peak is, in one word, Gothic. Perhaps one of the finest examples of the classic Gothic horror that’s been put onto screen in the last twenty years, the film ignores many of the more modern horror tropes and isn’t afraid to do its own thing. Apart from the early acts of the movie, which are set in the US, the rest of the film is confined to the grand halls and elegant rooms of the Sharpe estate, where Edith is trapped in her strange marriage. Because of this, the environment becomes a character in itself, and a huge amount of care and craft has been given over into making the mansion one of the more interesting and bizarre locations in a del Toro film. Those familiar with the Gothic horror genre will know that isolation is a key component, and thus viewers are treated to multiple scenes of Edith searching through the rooms of the mansion, alone.

Perhaps this is one of the factors as to why the film has been somewhat mixed in its reception, with those who are fans of horror with jump scares and gore feeling somewhat disappointed with the slower, more thoughtful approach that Crimson Peak takes. And whilst it doesn’t rely on things suddenly bursting from the shadows or loud musical jumps to frighten the audience it doesn’t mean that it is devoid of horror. The ever increasing sense of foreboding and the twisted, bizarrely beautiful environment gets under the skin and makes the viewer uncomfortable throughout. And of course, there are ghosts aplenty to be found too; brought to life with shocking suit work and clever performances from the del Toro mainstay Doug Jones.

The new 4K release offers a stunning visual presentation of the movie, and really showcases the wonderful level of production design that went into it, allowing the best look at the intricate sets and costumes we’ve had to date. The film also comes with a full length audio commentary from del Toro, who (as anyone who’s listened to any of his commentaries before will know) offers a great companion piece to the film, giving listeners insight into all of the various stages of production. Accompanying this is a feature length documentary, several interviews, deleted scenes, video essays, and behind the scenes featurettes, including a set tour with star Tom Hiddleston. Accompanying the Limited Edition is a double sided poster, postcards, and an 80-page hardbound book featuring writing about the film, production design art, and interviews that makes this a key release for fans of the film.

Having come back to this film for the first time in almost a decade, and with a greater understanding of and appreciation for Gothic horror, Crimson Peak has become one of my favourite examples in modern cinema. With so many newer horror films going for the biggest jump scares, the wildest plots, and blending elements like action and comedy into the mix, Crimson Peak very much feels like a love letter to the cinema of old, and to authors like Edgar Allan Poe.

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