Backwards Compatible
  • Home
  • Audiobooks Entertained
  • Tangents Entertained
  • Comics
  • Tech & Toys
  • Pokemon Trading Card Game Hub
  • Audiobooks
  • Games
  • TV & Film
  • Interviews
  • Books, Graphic Novels, Trades & Volume Reviews
  • News & Comment
    • Listen
    • Random Chat
  • The London Film and Comic Con Report
  • Football Inclined

FX drama TYRANT coming to the UK in September on FOX

31/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture
Image courtesy of FOX International
Why this has piqued our interest

Coming from Howard Gordon one the producer's behind 24 and Homeland gives this show a level of expectation that it will be gritty and pull no punches. From the release below this certainly seems the way the team are heading.
Add to that a interesting cast and a setting we have yet to explore in this way you have the makings of a must see TV series.
We will be keeping you abreast of any more details as well as reviewing the show when it airs later this year.
FOX International Channels UK has acquired the rights to FX drama Tyrant from Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution.  The 10 x 60 US series was created by Gideon Raff (Prisoners of War) and is executive produced by Howard Gordon (24, Homeland). The series is produced by Fox 21 and FX Productions. Tyrant will premiere in the UK this September on FOX.

The deal was brokered by Toby Etheridge, Head of Programming & Scheduling, FIC UK, and Jason Simms, SVP Global Acquisitions for FOX International Channels, with Steve Cornish, SVP & Managing Director, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution

Tyrant is a tense, political and family drama, bringing a Godfather style plot to the Middle East. It tells the story of Bassam “Barry” Al-Fayeed (English actor Adam Rayner), who has escaped his past and now lives in California with his American wife Molly (Jennifer Finnigan) and two children Emma (Anne Winters) and Sammy (Noah Silver).  Barry is the youngest son of Khaled Al-Fayeed (Nasser Faris), a war-torn country’s controversial dictator and authoritarian President. 

After 20 years of a self-imposed exile, Barry returns to his homeland for his nephew’s wedding and is immediately thrown back into the familial and national politics of his youth. Barry’s concern intensifies when he sees the degeneration of his older brother Jamal (Ashraf Barhom), heir to the throne. Amidst a chain of tragedies, this all-American family find themselves embroiled in the geopolitical intrigue of a volatile and turbulent Middle Eastern nation that will forever change their lives.

Toby Etheridge, Head of Programming & Scheduling, FIC UK, commented:  “Topical and relevant, Tyrant is an engrossing political series. At its heart a family drama, Tyrant is fascinating and well-made, and everything you would expect from the makers of Homeland and 24, and the broadcaster that brought us Fargo, Louie and American Horror Story. “

Cecilia Beacon, Director of Broadcasting & Marketing FIC UK added: “Tyrant is the perfect addition to our Autumn line up on FOX – with big subject matter and bold themes, we know this will appeal to our passionate audiences who come to FOX for the best in first run US drama series.’

Steve Cornish, SVP and Managing Director of Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution concluded: “Tyrant, which is set in a fictional nation in the Middle East is a thrilling and dramatic family saga on a grand scale.  It  is international TV at its very best. Lead by Brit Adam Rayner, it features an amazing cast from the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the US.”

Comments

Review; True Blood:  Season 7 Episode 4 'Death Is Not the End'

28/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture

Warning Spoilers ahoy.

If you are new to the series then may I suggest you catch up with our look backs of the previous seasons. If you have seen the first episode or are just curious what all the fuss is about then read on McDuff.

Picture
The show seems to be suggesting throughout the episode that the reasoning’s for staying are far more built round the idea of resilience and determination. Sookie despite her faults has always strove to do what is right in her eyes, her moral compass though tends to point back to the love of her life Bill. It seems odd that such a person like Sookie should be so blind when it comes to the affairs of the heart but if you were unsure this episode is the one that really tells you how clueless she really is.
Picture
From there the melodrama comes thick and fast as we are taken through a number of encounters that show who is left to fight the Hep V band. With a force that feels somewhat undercooked we receive our salvation in the form of a diseased Eric. His appearance although shown in the show in a surprise for our resistance and Sookie especially. As always with the big Viking his entrance changes the mood of the mood of the entire place although it is tinged with sadness as we realise this is the end for Eric. His embrace with Sookie feels honest from his point of view however Sookie’s reaction does feel a little over cooked as she cannot contain her sense of loss. 
Picture
The gravity of the losses the folks of Bon Temps have had to endure would cripple most people but still the residents stay. You have to ask yourself why?

There seems to be some kind of loyalty to the area but much like the Hellmouth from Buffy the Vampire Slayer I still cannot fathom why people would stay here, the life expectancy (once the Vampires are taken out of the equation) must be well below the national average. It feels odd that dirt and building materials can have such a hold but then again I’m not sure I would want to give away my home for anything.
Picture
First there is the matter of the death of Alcide; we open with Sookie calling the Wolf’s Dad letting him know of his son’s passing. It is an interesting scene as at the same time Jason is calling a glamoured Hoyt telling him of his mother’s passing. Of the two phone calls Jason’s is certainly more touching as you have the issue the joint positions of the horrendous news mixed with the normally clueless Deputy Stackhouse realising his friend has no memory of him. His occasional attempts to try to instigate a response are well timed and do strike a chord. 
Picture
Of course all this background is really just the starter for the main course that is the final showdown at Fangtasia. Thanks to some rather convenient background storytelling we discover that the Club was once a video shop complete with an old underground railway tunnel from the civil war days*. From there you can guess what’s coming with the battle between the infected and the non-infected it is just as stylised as the first battle of the season except now we get to see Bill and co in top form with a slightly below par Eric still able to pull out all the stops.
I’m getting a little worried about this season with the Bill and Sookie love story seemingly back in play it seems we are supposed to forgive him for his indiscretions because he has had a blood and so soul transfusion. Obviously I cannot tell how this will end but part of me will feel betrayed if Bill and Sookie walk off into the sunset. Despite the shows flaws I have watched each season and been thoroughly entertained so even if the ending I dread does occur it will not tarnish my journey just the final destination.
Picture

* Giving Ginger her due

The slightly lost Barmaid has been an ever present in the show and in this episode we finally get to find out why. The way she is portrayed as a clever student desperate to learn is an almost polar opposite to her current form. Her demise was Pam’s fault but it plays out well and does give her a great leaving plot, it would have just been better if she would have been made more of in earlier series.
Picture

Picture
Picture

By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox and HBO
Comments

The Walking Dead S5 - Comic Con trailer

28/7/2014

Comments

 

 “The Walking Dead” Season 5 premieres worldwide just 24 hours after US broadcast

FOX International Channels announced exclusively today from Comic Con International in San Diego, CA “The Walking Dead” will return to audiences globally just 24 hours after it’s US launch. The new season will premiere Monday, October 13th in all of its 125+ markets as part of FIC’s continued commitment to broadcast the series day-and-date internationally.

As in previous seasons, the series’ fifth season of 16 episodes will air in two-parts with the first eight hours kicking off October 13 and returning February 2015 with the final eight episodes.

The zombie drama continues to break ratings records both domestically on AMC and worldwide across FIC’s 200 entertainment channels in 125 countries. Internationally Season 4 consistently ranked as the number one show on pay-tv, beating out all other competition in major markets and over-preforming all prior season averages.

International premiere locked for October 13 
Across All 125+ FOX International Channels Markets

Comments

Review; True Blood:  Season 7 Episode 3 'Fire in the Hole'

21/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture

Warning Spoilers ahoy.

If you are new to the series then may I suggest you catch up with our look backs of the previous seasons. If you have seen the first episode or are just curious what all the fuss is about then read on McDuff.

Picture
Karl Marx once said “Die Religion…ist das Opium of the Volkes which roughly translates as “Religion is the opiate of the masses”. If True Blood has one person who embodies this quote its Sarah Noolan, the once wife of the preacher come vampire Reverend Noolan has had her fair share of callings from God and at the start of the episode we find she has found a new opiate to follow, but it looks like her past may be coming back to haunt her in more ways than one. There is something about her that gives her the air of a Cockroach her ability to survive is actually a real strength but there are many who would love to see her get her comeuppance. 
In another search for seemingly divine inspiration Pam has finally found an ailing Eric, he is lying on his death bed seemingly from contracting Hep V. and in true Eric style he uses this time to reflect on his past conquests and the ones he has lost. His relationship with Pam has always been interesting and we find out even more about the pairs relationship with Nan Flannigan and the authority. The desire to rebel seems to run thickly through our rather large Viking and sometimes he seems to court danger just for shits and giggles. The problem is if he were to leave the series it would put a dampener on the end of the series, though the return of Mrs Noolan could be the tonic he needs to recover his resolve to at least go out swinging.
Picture
Picture
Of course thanks to Willa’s blood Mrs Daniels is also on the return to an opiate, the principle of once a junkie always a junkie seems to run deep in Bon Temps and on that front Sookie has returned to her drug of choice Bill’s blood. From all the crap he has put her through you have to wonder how she can ever trust him but like a bad penny she always seems to let him back in her pocket. Sookie however is using Bill to help her track down the missing townsfolk of Bon Temps. The way she thought of her plan is a throwback to season one it’s a little to cutsie but does make the Bill/Sookie dynamic have a little more legs.  
Picture
The time the two spend together is filled with the sombre True Blood music and flashbacks. Unfortunately I’m finding these a little unjustified for the past few seasons Bill has shown us a truly evil side and it is going to take more than a few daughter filled flashbacks to make him a sympathetic character again. He is charming and Stephen Moyer does a wonderful job making him feel like a character that we may be able to forgive, however at this time I feel he needs to do a lot more before I can trust him again. 

In typical Sookie fashion she has been hot headed and not filled in others on her plans which caused the wolf in her life Alcide to go on the hunt to find her. His passing was probably the most understated event in the show and felt natural with little grand standing; the most pleasing aspect was Sookie’s refusal for him to be turned. If the Wolf had become a Vamp it would have been a betrayal of his character and shown how little Sookie understood or respected him.
Picture
Picture
On the wider front the Townsfolk of Bon Temp are still on the rampage and now they are heavily armed with the Sheriffs weaponry. Of course this is new Andy an along with Deputy Stackhouse they put down some rather startling ultimatums when confronted. Of course the fact they have Violet by their sides does make them a lot more of a threat. She is now the most bad ass vampire in town and her volatile relationship with Jason has a mixture of humour with real world problems is making for great television. Their chemistry is great and they feel natural when fighting or F+#*ing.  
Despite this episodes up and downs you can see the end game coming as the players move around the board. The biggest question at the moment is who do we think will survive, it takes a brave show to kill pretty much everyone off but it’s something I can see True Blood having no problem with. Of course we will have to see how things end but at the moment I cannot see a fairy tale end for our Fairy Halfling or any of her friends/family.

Picture
Picture

By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox and HBO
Comments

SNEAK PEAK CLIP: Falling Skies Season 4 Episode 1 premieres tomorrow 9pm on FOX

14/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi blockbuster Falling Skies Season 4 returns First on FOX. Once again it’s time for aliens to invade your TV screens.  It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for as Tom (Noah Wyle) and the rest of the humans finally reach home, but can it be that easy? Watch the human resistance battle a new Espheni war machine, and witness how Lexi’s mysterious ever-aging movement questions her role in the resistance, whilst the rest of the clan fight for survival. Will they fight and reunite or will they face extinction?       
Comments

Preview True Blood Season 7 Episode 2; “I Found You”

11/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture
These previews are as spoiler free as possible. We hope they can help you get excited for what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting final seasons in a while.

Keep an eye out after the episode airs for our full episode review.

I’m not sure what to say about this opening sequence except that involves two of True Blood’s hottest properties engaged in a moment that will certainly get a lot of pulses racing. It’s pretty well acted but I’m pretty sure it won’t be winning many Emmy’s however it more than likely be played more than once.

The crux of the episode revolves around the town’s ability to survive, with the federal government not answering calls the question comes down to who can people trust. The local police (Andy, Jason and Kenya), their Vampire protectors or is the answer really closer to home. We are going to find out one way or another.
Picture
Picture
The clip below the read more line (Watch out it has light spoilers) is probably the most harrowing of the episode and right up there with the most disturbing from the whole show. It has a sense of what is going to come not only for Bon Temps but for the rest of small town America. The Hep V virus seems to be the most potent force for death in the world however history tells us that there is another force in the world that can be just as destructive, the power of man with a firearm in tow.

This is a strong episode that has an emotional impact which at times can feel a little melodramatic but in a way it feels fitting for the subject matter.

Picture
Picture
By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox and HBO

Read More
Comments

Cmoar Smartphone Viewer – one device offering 2D cinema, 3D cinema, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality – preparing to hit the market!

10/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture
Why this has piqued our interest
With VR, AR, 3D & 2D support the Cmoar is looking like a universal viewing experience. If the device can be executed as well as we hope this could easily become a must have accessory for every smart phone owner who games, watches TV/Films or wants to do a multitude of other tasks.

Cmoar Smartphone Viewer is the first ever device allowing gamers to enjoy Virtual and Augmented Reality and cinema lovers to get the full 2D and 3D cinema experience at home. All thanks to the use of a smartphone technology.

After a big success at E3 this year, where Cmoar Smartphone Viewer was firstly revealed, Cmoar Ltd. - the company behind it, is now prepared to make the final step that will allow the team to complete the work on the device and release it on the market. One last thing missing though is the community support and to get it the company decided to start a Kickstarter campaign to make Cmoar Smartphone Viewer a reality.
To watch the movie presenting all the features that the device has to offer visit:

Cmoar Smartphone Viewer Kickstarter Campaign

Ever since VR devices started appearing on the market it was Cmoar Ltd. CEO – Damian Boczek’s dream, to create one universal device that will offer all the features that until now were available separately. Moreover his main goal was also to deliver something that will not only look good but also would be available for a reasonable price and affordable for an average gamer or cinema fan. After over a year of developing ideas and prototyping, something that was once a dream, is finally becoming a reality.
Cmoar Smartphone Viewer offers 2D and 3D cinema, Virtual and Augmented Reality in one, simple device. Unlike other similar devices available on the market, that offer all those features separately, Cmoar allows you to enjoy them all. So it doesn’t matter whether you are a fan of Virtual Reality in games, Augmented Reality for learning or you’re fond of watching movies in the best quality possible. From now on you won’t have to limit yourself and be forced to make a difficult choice of what feature you prefer and what device to buy. Cmoar is there for you, ready to cover it all.

To reach the goal the development team has been working on creatively implementing and adapting the technology that’s already there – your own smartphone. They’ve also made sure to design Cmoar in a way, that allows you to  enjoy all its features despite the smartphone type and model you have. Kickstarter demo was based on a Full HD smartphone with a 5.7” screen but the device is compatible with over 100 different smartphone types and models. It’s important to remember though that since the smartphone is the heart of Cmoar Smartphone Viewer, the better model one has, the larger the display and the better resolution, the better Cmoar one will get. The list of all compatible models and their features can be found here.
Picture
To find out more you can click the read more button below or go to the offical website for Cmoar here

Read More
Comments

True Blood Season 7 Episode 1 Review

9/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture

Warning Spoilers ahoy.

If you are new to the series then may I suggest you catch up with our look backs of the previous seasons. If you have seen the first episode or are just curious what all the fuss is about then read on McDuff.

In a direct continuation to the climax of season six we find BelFleurs (the newly named Merlottes) ready for an onslaught from a Hep-V rippled horde. This is a huge slap in the face of a opening sequence as we see fighting from between Vampires who are diseased and those who are healthy. The fights generally revolve around at least one human, mostly those that have been assigned protection but there are some protective that run far deeper than the idea of a mutually beneficial arrangement. The action s very stylised in this section and you cannot help but notice the way the Hep-V vampires move when they are on the chase.
The aftermath of the attack is a total bloodbath, as well as more than one of Bon Temps residence being taken to places unknown (it turns out Fangtasia is the hives home for now). This though is overshadowed by one of the shows most notable characters meeting the true death. There is no ambiguity revolving around this death as Tara is now just a blood riddled pile of goo covering her mother. There is a question over who killed her (I have my own tin hat theory) but losing her should be a major point in the show instead though I think the creators missed the mark with their depiction.  It may be because we have no time to grieve as the world is being turned upside down but I felt more emotion the first time she was killed. Unfortunately now though one of True Blood’s most sarky characters is now no more and for one will miss her greatly.
Picture
Picture
One of the main characters not present at the party is Jessica, she instead is keeping a vigil over the last of the Sheriff’s daughters. In the last season she decimated the family draining three of the sisters and leaving the fourth for dead. In her determination to do the right thing Jess is not eating and almost kills herself trying to save Adilyn from a Hep-V vamp who has caught the half Fairies scent. The two actresses play their parts really well and you get the idea of a strained relationship growing between the two. 
Picture
In another strained relationship the emasculation of Jason continues as Violet continues to deprive him of that which is most vital to his existence, Sex. Not only this but the way the medival vampire protects him and calls him her own further destroys the young Stackhouse’s pride. The resolution of this is very True Blood as in the end Jason (not noted for his intelligence) finally realsies Viloet just wanted him to take control, the final pay off being a quick session on the bonnet of a police crusier. 

There is however a problem with this episode it feels very disjointed as we spend a small section following a number of groups. It works to help catch us up to the world as it now is but almost to the detriment of any kind of cohesive narrative. Obviously we can only judge the episode as part of the series and if the following episodes feed from this then it will be a success but in isolation the main part of the show cannot live up to the opening.
My main gripe is that we do not get more of the Andy/Bill dynamic, the way the sheriff plays his part shows his character growth and is a great piece of acting to boot. However it’s facing off with Bill that really shows the best of the Sheriff as he controls his pain to tell him exactly where he stands. This is probably the stand out scene from the entire episode.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Elsewhere we do get a spot of time with Lafayette and Sam and of course Sookie. This is a particularly rough episode for our Fairy Halfling especially at the conclusion in her dealings with the grieving Mrs Daniels (Tara’s Mum). The way the human population of the town have turned on her is small minded with a hint of the understandable. It remains to see where she will end up by with the lone Wolf Alcide at her side she may not be around to save the population of Bon Temp for very much longer.

Picture
Picture

By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox and HBO
Comments

American Horror Story: Freak Show UK premiere confirmed First on FOX

8/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture
Why This Matters!

Not only is American Horror Story a hit in its own right with Burn Notice finishing recently and True Blood starting its final season keeping a quality line up is essential to the channels success.
When American Horror story is coupled with The Walking Dead you can expect a scary line up for FOX in the the coming months.
Fox UK are proud to announce that American Horror Story: Freak Show will premiere in the UK First on FOX.  The critically-acclaimed twisted horror anthology from Ryan Murphy is one of the most shocking, innovative and enthralling programmes on TV.  The  A-list cast that will be appearing in the fourth season include Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts, Frances Conroy and Evan Peters.

Previous seasons have seen a young family terrorised when they moved into a haunted house in American Horror Story: Murder House. Things took an even darker and more disturbing turn as we travelled back to the 1960s in American Horror Story: Asylum. Set in an insane asylum, danger lurked around every corner - from Nazis and serial killers to mutants and aliens, nobody was safe.  More recently, American Horror Story: Coven was set at Miss Robichaux's Academy in New Orlenas, where a coven of young witches battled it out to see who would reign supreme.

American Horror Story: Freak Show is a brand new tale, which is sure to become another horror classic.  Set in the late 1950s in Jupiter, Florida, Jessica Lange plays a German ex-patriate who runs one of the last ‘freak shows’ in the United States.  The story follows a group of ‘unusuals’ as they will do anything to keep their business running.  Filming is due to begin mid-July, and although production are remaining tight-lipped on the exact details, they have revealed a few juicy tidbits to whet our appetites:

·         Sarah Paulson is playing Dot and Bette, a conjoined twin with two heads.

·         Michael Chiklis is joining the cast and will play a “strong man” who’s married to Angela Bassett’s character

·         It features a character called ‘Clown Killer’

·         This will be Jessica Lange’s final season

The scariest and sexiest thrill-ride on television, don’t miss American Horror Story: Freak Show when it premieres in the UK later this year, First on FOX.

Picture
Comments

Thing are hotting up as The Guardians of the Galaxy get an extended trailer.

8/7/2014

Comments

 
Picture
©Marvel 2014
Why this Matters!

With the release less than a month away many Marvel fans fans are still not that knowledgeable about this rag tag team. Trailers like this are helping us to learn about the team as well as showing us their odd dynamic and most of all the action we can expect to see.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy extended trailer - in UK & Ireland cinemas Thursday July 31st in IMAX 3D, 3D & 2D. From the studio that brought you Avengers Assemble, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. 

An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy's fate in the balance.
Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

    Categories

    All
    Adaptation
    Agent Carter
    Age Of Ultron
    Amc
    American Horror Story
    Announcement
    App
    Arrow
    Avengers
    Batman V Superman
    BLU-RAY
    British
    Buffy
    Casting
    Cinema
    Cmoar
    Comedy
    Comedy Central
    Comic
    Constantine
    Cosmos
    Daredevil
    Dawn Of Justice
    Dc
    DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
    Disney
    Documentry
    DVD
    Event
    Falling Skies
    Film
    First On Fox
    Flash
    Fox
    Game Of Thrones
    Gotham
    HBO
    Images
    Indie
    Lionsgate
    Marvel
    Movie
    National Geographic
    Netflix
    Penny Dreadful
    Podcast
    Pokemon
    Poster
    Premiere
    Preview
    Review
    Rumour
    Season
    Showtime
    Sky
    Sky Atlantic
    Sky Go
    South Park
    Star Wars
    Steven Speilberg
    Streaming
    The Following
    The Force Awakens
    The Walking Dead
    Trailer
    True Blood
    Tv
    Vodcast
    Walking Dead
    Warner Brothers
    Watch

    RSS Feed

About Us

Paul Fiander
If you're human please use the contacts on the left.
Picture