Pfangirl Through the Looking Glass

Arrogant isolationist elves. Barrel escapes. Monstrous spiders. Shape-shifting bear men. We can look forward to them all in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - part 2 in a 3-part movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien 's classic fantasy novel . And, of course, a film prequel to The Lord of the Rings . I'm still not entirely sold on the idea that the story of the Hobbit needed to battered out and alternately bloated to make up three 3-hour movies but it's no use moaning about that decision any longer. For the record, you can read my review of the first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey right here . In short, while there were a handful of unnecessary fan service scenes that hauled the film back to first gear, it did improve as it went along. The action sequences were especially engaging and inventive, and it seems like we can expect more of that in The Desolation of Smaug. Plotwise, Part 2 sees the dwarf band, accompanied by hobbit Bilbo Baggins ( Martin Freeman )...

Over the past week or so there has been a surge in debate around the fact that highly anticipated September release Grand Theft Auto V features three playable leads – and none of them are women. [Commence the eye-rolling of those already tired of this topic… Stop reading now then, if that applies to you.] Anyway, given how female representation in games is such a hot topic at the moment, it’s worth considering why Rockstar didn’t seize this prime opportunity to introduce GTA ’s first ever playable woman character. GTA V is the first entry in the free-roaming – and ever controversial – action franchise to feature more than one protagonist (Michael, Franklin and Trevor for the record). Surely giving one of the three criminal leads a vagina wouldn’t have been that tough? And to clarify, it’s not like Rockstar has been skittish around issues of representation before. In GTA: San Andreas , you played the entire game as a black man, Carl Johnson, a blue-collar (or should that be ...

Four films open in South Africa today. It's a big week for ensemble casts although the biggie release is very much in the midyear blockbuster mould... for better or worse. The Lone Ranger : From the same acting-directing-producing team behind Disney 's Pirates of the Caribbean comes this action comedy western. Based on the iconic American character popularised on radio and TV, the Lone Ranger sees Armie Hammer as a Texas Ranger-turned-masked-vigilante, fighting for justice alongside vengeance-seeking Native American Tonto ( Johnny Depp ). Also with William Fitchner , Tom Wilkinson and Helena Bonham Carter .  Trailer Tuesday profile here . So how much of the negative Lone Ranger critical reaction is based on genuine flaws and how much is "weirdo Johnny Depp" backlash? According to reviewers, the relaxed comedic camaraderie between the two leads is one of the film's greatest strengths, as is its imagination. Otherwise the two-and-a-half hour effort is too ...

It took a bit longer than I intended to get this second video done - mostly because I am a bit stumped as to what content you'd like to see me stammer over as opposed to write about. So, please, leave your topic suggestions below this post, or the YouTube clip itself. Anyway, this clip is a follow-up to this first vlog uploaded earlier this year. This time I'm reviewing three films that I watched but never wrote about - Argo , Hitchcock and Star Trek Into Darkness . Enjoy. Then let me know what you think. P.S. I apologise for a few of the stretched videos. This is my second vlog attempt and it's quite a fiddly learning curve.

I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm getting older , growing up in both body and mind. You see, once upon a time I would watch pretty much every animated film that came out. These days I find myself ruling out a chunk of the cinema releases because, well, they really don't appeal to me. Too manic. Too kiddie-orientated. Too tired a concept. And I'm sad to say that's how I feel about Turbo , the second animated comedy to come from DreamWorks Animation 's new alliance with 20th Century Fox (previously, all DreamWorks animated films were distributed by Paramount ). Now the film's  feature trailer gives you a better idea of the plot, but in short Theo, AKA Turbo (voiced by Ryan Reynolds ) is a garden snail who dreams of speed, and a fast-paced, exciting life. He gets his wish when he's exposed to nitrous oxide during a street race and develops freakish racing abilities. Defying the odds, he ends up competing in the Indy 500. Also providing voi...

One of the most entertaining things I've read this past month is this Game Front article , which draws very perceptive - and highly amusing - comparisons between some of the biggest players in video game development and the major noble houses of Westeros, AKA the kingdom where most of George R.R. Martin 's historical fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire takes place. This novel series is of course the basis for everyone's favourite " They did what?! " TV series Game of Thrones . Here you go. Enjoy!:

Three new movies open in South Africa today and all cross paths with villainy in some form or another. Despicable Me 2 : The original Despicable Me - which didn't come from any of the major American animation studios - was a surprise comedy hit... helped no doubt by the film's trio of adorable little girls and, of course, the minions. Anyway, in this sequel, reformed supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carell ), is approached by the Anti-Villain League to stop an even bigger bad guy who has got their paws on a powerful mutogen. Screening in 2D and 3D. Also with the voices of Kristen Wiig , Benjamin Bratt and Russell Brand . Despicable Me 2 is apparently excellent family entertainment - colourful, charming and elevated by its spot-on vocal performances. The big question is whether it's better than its predecessor or kinda pointless at the end of the day. 74% Fresh on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes . Killer Joe : Craving something a little darker... okay, ...

Trying something new on the blog here - a series centred on some of my favourite lady crushes. As some of you may know I have as of late been, uh, exploring different aspects of my personality. Things I probably should have considered about myself a long time ago. Things that I know many people in my immediate circle certainly did for years. This blog feature is all about me sharing my appreciation of certain actresses who captivate me every time they're on the screen. I can't necessarily put a finger on the reason for my infatuation, but I'm sure you'll quickly realise that I definitely have a type... Anyway, we start off with a profile of French actress Eva Green who turns 33 this Friday. Things you may not know about Eva is that she is a fraternal twin, and a natural dark blonde who has dyed her hair since she was 15. More common knowledge is that this sultry actress is certainly not afraid to get her kit off, like most actresses born east of the Atlantic, ...

Here's the funny thing. We spend half of the year looking forward to the glut of blockbuster releases that make up the midyear/Summer movie season. But no sooner are we are a couple of months into this period than we can't wait for the generally less braindead, more thoughtful fare of the Northern Hemisphere Fall and festive season. One late-2013 release worth mentioning now is the real-life thriller Captain Phillips , from director Paul Greengrass , the filmmaker responsible for United 93 and half of the Bourne series . Tom Hanks plays the title figure, captain of the Maersk Alabama, the first American ship to be captured by pirates in over 200 years. You can read about this little slice of naval history here , but in short, in 2009, a very brave Phillips and his crew made life very difficult for the Somali pirates who boarded their cargo vessel. Events culminated with a dramatic Navy SEAL rescue. Love him or loathe him, Hanks can generally be relied upon for p...

Just in case you think I've been slacking off lately with blogging and my other usual creative endeavors, here's the reason why: I've been working on my first  - okay, first as an adult - piece of fan fiction. Part 2 of a 3-chapter Tomb Raider  follow-up tale is now online. Can't Go Home: Part 2 - Shattered Can't Go Home: Part 1 - Suffocated You can also read the  full story (so far, anyway) online here at FanFiction.net It's been a time-consuming exercise, obviously, but I've been really enjoying my return to fiction writing - which, as a story-telling/communication medium, has its own unique set of challenges. Feedback has been very positive, however, for this one-shot "return to the real world" tale centred on gaming's favourite ship of the moment: archaeologist Lara Croft and her college bestie, documentary filmmaker Sam Nishimura. Say what you want about fan fiction but the closer interaction with readers gives you an all-...

Three new movies open in South Africa today, with one of the new releases being one of the most highly anticipated blockbusters of 2013. I think you can guess which of the following it is... Man of Steel : Screening in 2D and CONVERTED 3D is this reboot of the Superman film franchise. Directed by Zack Snyder and overseen by the Dark Knight 's Christopher Nolan , Man of Steel updates the origin story of DC Comics ' Superman for the 21st Century. Ashamed of and alienated by his freakish abilities, young Clark Kent ( Henry Cavill ) searches for answers as to his extraterrestrial beginnings. He's forced to step into the spotlight when his adoptive world is threatened by General Zod ( Michael Shannon ), a militant survivor from his home world of Krypton. Also with Amy Adams as reporter Lois Lane, Russell Crowe as Superman's biological father, and Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as his adoptive parents. You can read my full Man of Steel review here , but in short, wh...

“It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” This quote isn’t entirely true about Man of Steel , the highly anticipated reboot of the Superman film franchise – as well as potential launching point for a Justice League film to rival Marvel ’s The Avengers . It’s just that huge explosions and mass destruction alone do not a good movie make. And as visually impressive and technically faultless Man of Steel is, it’s also utterly soulless. Those of you expecting the thematic depth and ambitious complexity of The Dark Knight are likely to be disappointed, particularly if you consider that trilogy’s writer-producer-director Christopher Nolan wrote the story and oversaw production of this comic book adaptation as well. Zack (Watchmen, 300, Sucker Punch) Snyder is in the helmer’s chair for Man of Steel, for the record. I suspect Man of Steel can best be described as a Superman film for people who don’t like Superman, on screen or in comics. If yo...

Once upon a time, writer-director M Night Shyamalan was a critical darling. His 1999 feature, The Sixth Sense was a smash sleeper hit, breaking records for its time spent atop the US box office and garnering multiple Oscar nominations. Over time though, Shyamalan’s star faded with reviewers and audiences alike. Over time, his later filmic efforts, like Lady in the Water and The Happening , produced unintentional laughs, not gasps of delight and surprise. The filmmaker could still generate moments of tension, but the soul seemed to have seeped out of his work. Nowhere was this more apparent than in his going-through-the-motions adaptation of animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender . Still, even with a reputation in tatters, it’s unfair to dismiss every single thing a movie maker does by default. It’s easy to do that but each effort still deserves to be judged on its own merits. And while there is a lot wrong and plain dumb about Shyamalan’s new sci-fi survival thriller, ...