Marvel Studios is in desperate need of revitalisation. Unlike the superheroes in Avengers Endgame, it has been unable to resurrect itself from Thanos’s snap, releasing a string of lacklustre movies that have underperformed at the box office and producing a dizzying array of TV shows. The once exciting prospect of ‘The Multiverse Saga’ has failed to ignite the excitement of audiences, with so much content being produced that the franchise has become more overstuffed than one of Wade Wilson’s chimichangas.

As a Marvel fan myself, their recent output has left me bitterly disappointed. The Disney+ shows have been a chore to get through (I haven’t even seen What If Season 2) and The Marvels was such a mess that I thought I may be done with superheroes. 

Oh, how wrong I was.

Marvel has worked its own superhero powers, making me geek out with anticipation yet again for Deadpool & Wolverine. Perhaps the reason I was drawn back to see the 34th movie in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) was because of the brilliant ad campaign, which has promised more foul-mouthed language, bloody action and multiversal madness from everyone’s favourite Merc with a Mouth. Or maybe it was the rumours that the film is the swan song for the 20^th Century Fox Marvel movies (due to the Disney-Fox acquisition which), full to the brim with easter eggs and cameos. If, there is anything that can get me to go and watch another film in a declining franchise, it’s a good old dose of popcorn fuelled nostalgia that transports me back to the days of my youth, away from the dreary rut of adult life. It says a lot about Kevin Feige (the head honcho of Marvel Studios), Ryan Reynolds and the enduring legacy of both Deadpool and Wolverine, that they have managed to make it one of the most anticipated movies of the year, despite Marvel’s arguable decline.

With its arrival in cinemas, it has a lot riding on it with a lot of questions that surrounding it. Can Disney really produce a mature superhero movie? Is it actually any good or just another attempt to cheaply pander to audiences with fan service? Can it bring Marvel back to life?

Well, have no fear. For those of you reluctant to see another superhero movie, I have been gullible enough to hand yet more of money over to Mickey Mouse to help answer those questions and deliver my musings on the latest Marvel outing.

In Deadpool & Wolverine, we reunite with a slightly downtrodden and rejected Wade Wilson (Reynolds), split up from his girlfriend, no longer carrying the Deadpool mantle and working as a car salesman and desperate to do something meaningful with his life to prove that he really matters. Wade is forced to don his red spandex once again, when he is recruited by Mr Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) of the Time Variance Authority to help fix the ‘Sacred Timeline’ (the timeline where the MCU takes place). Traversing the multiverse, he comes face-to-face with a Wolverine variant (Hugh Jackman), who is awash with guilt and shame. As villainous forces emerge, Deadpool and Wolverine must band together to save Wade’s timeline, and everyone he loves, from ceasing to exist. 

One thing is clear as soon as the opening logo appears on screen, Feige has given Reynolds free reign to run about in Marvel’s playroom along with a huge wad of Disney cash to cause as much glorious havoc and mayhem as possible. Make no mistake, this is a Deadpool movie through and through. In fact, it might be even more gratuitously violent and explicit than the previous two instalments. Just as a Deadpool movie should be, it makes you question your morality for laughing at an excessive level of comedic violence, potty mouthed language and crude humour that constantly veers on the borderline of being too risqué.

As ever, Ryan Reynolds plays the Merc with a Mouth with gleeful abandon, cementing the character as the most iconic role of his career. As well as producing the film, Reynolds co-wrote the script. From the acerbic wit with which he delivers dialogue to every small mannerism he makes whilst wearing his suit, Deadpool is treated with a genuine sense of care and earnest, lifted right out of the comics and seamlessly transitioned into the MCU. Whilst Disney may now own Fox, it’s clear that Reynolds isn’t letting The Mouse taint the legacy of the X-rated character that fans of comic books have come to know and love, proving just how much he cares about Deadpool.

Alongside Reynolds, Hugh Jackman dons the adamantium claws once again to reprise the role of Wolverine. You would be forgiven for thinking that his performance could have been tired and half-arsed, a chance to collect an easy paycheque, given that 2017’s Logan was a poignant and perfect send off to the character. These fears are alleviated as soon as Jackman graces the screen. He makes it clear that he is Wolverine, bringing the somewhat sardonic, steely and burdened qualities of the character combined with a sense of brutality audiences haven’t previously seen. This is Wolverine truly unleashed, dressed in his resplendent comics-accurate costume that fans have been clamouring to see in live-action for years. The film jokes about how long Jackman has been and will be playing this role, but with how fantastic he is here, it seems hard to see how anyone else could ever wield those claws.

Deadpool and Wolverine bounce off each other with an eccentric and infectious vivacity, moving from enemies to friends to lovers. The two leads possess more chemistry than Reynolds had with any of his former rom com co-stars. They have known each other since Reynold’s first debuted as a sanitised Wade Wilson in the infamous X-Men Origin: Wolverine and director Shawn Levy has previously directed both stars, Jackman in Real Steel and Reynolds in The Adam Project and Free Guy. This goes to show just how important actor-director relationships can be, with the three clearly working together seamlessly to create a character dynamic that feels effortlessly natural and real, no easy feat when making a formulaic Marvel movie. 

Levy is a welcome addition to the MCU whose direction has maintained the edge of previous Deadpool movies whilst injecting it with the more zany and colourful aspects of the MCU.

Reynolds and Jackman aren’t the only cast on top form. I never tire of hearing Leslie Uggams’s Blind Al swearing profusely whilst Rob Delaney’s Peter is simultaneously endearing and sexually kinky. The rest of Wade’s friends and family are as eccentrically quirky as ever, although sadly underutilised. A standout for me is Matthew Macfadyen as Mr Paradox, emulating a wickedly camp effervescence a. Whilst Cassandra Nova befalls the same fate as most Marvel villains (not managing to feel like an established presence or long-lasting threat beyond the confines of the movie’s runtime), Emma Corrin plays the character with a wonderfully sadistic streak and is given a disconcerting powerset that manages to make a Marvel villain…well…villainous. It’s a joy to see the actors have fun with their roles, especially considering that recent MCU performances have felt as though they were performed by A-listers who are counting down the number of obligated appearances left on their contract. 

Whilst Deadpool & Wolverine is a refreshing change of pace this is still another paint-by-numbers Marvel movie. It moves from action scene to action scene, strung together with often forced attempts at levity, off kilter humour or brooding moments of unearned sincerity. At least it isn’t done too jarringly here. There is of course a reliance on cameos, often used to bathe the audience in a deceiving golden glow of noughties nostalgia to detract from the weaknesses of the movie. Unlike recent multiverse cameos however, they weren’t just lazy attempts to win over the audience. Each impacted the film in a meaningful way, servicing the story, providing some hilarious and moving moments. 

Sadly, no matter how amazing these cameos were, they were not enough to distract from the fact that Marvel is still careening in an unknown direction. Once the end credits rolled, I realised that the studio has yet created another movie full of fan service rather than telling a story that moves the story of ‘The Multiverse Saga’ forward. I’m still not clear what will happen next or even if these characters will stick around in the future.

With Deadpool & Wolverine though, it’s hard not to forgive its flaws, especially when it acknowledges and embraces them. Its self-referentiality is its greatest strength, with Deadpool breaking the fourth wall multiple times to poke fun at Marvel and its downward streak. It’s also a joy to watch, crafted with a sense of reverence and respect for its source material and fans, beautifully recreating the panels of a comic book onto the big screen. Behind all of the corporate synergy, hyper octane action, side-splitting humour and stellar humour, lies a story with a huge sense of heart with Wolverine and Deadpool finally bought together, creating a beautiful bromance. It’s the best enemies to lovers romcom in years.

Has the film done enough to win over the Marvel and superhero movie detractors? No, of course not, it’s more of the same. But if you are a Marvel fan, who like me has  grown tired of MCU in recent years, you won’t be able to walk away without an immeasurable sense of nerdish glee and a huge grin on your face.

Would I say the MCU has been bought back to life? Well…not exactly. Perhaps a more apt description is that it’s been placed on life support. Only time will tell if it wakes up from its coma. 

What this movie has proven though, is that no matter inconsistent the MCU may be, I will still get sucked into the excitement, hype and see whatever they release…Every. Single. Time. 

In that regard, Marvel truly is a superhero.

Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in cinemas. 

The post Deadpool & Wolverine Review: ‘the best enemies to lovers romcom in years’ first appeared on The Life of Riley.

Released in 2015, Pixar’s Inside Out centres around the inner workings of 11-year-old Riley Anderson’s mind and the emotions that influence her decisions: Joy, Fear, Sadness, Anger and Disgust. As Riley struggles to deal with her family moving to San Francisco, we follow her emotions as they learn to work together to help her navigate the topsy-turvy path of childhood.

I’m not a big fan of Inside Out but I don’t think that it’s a bad film. On the contrary, I think it’s another shining jewel in Pixar’s crown, a beautifully tender tale, full of emotion. It’s not only ingenious in its premise and imagination of what goes on inside the mind but deftly balances a sense of childish whimsical humour with the often harsh and painful realities of growing up.

Maybe the reason I’ve never connected with it is because I just became a teenager when it was released; I wasn’t young enough to be the target audience its message was trying to speak to but wasn’t yet old enough to reflect upon its psychologically astute reflections on life.

Yet, despite its excellence, it suffers from the pitfalls of many post-2010 Pixar movies, pulling on your heartstrings and tear ducts in a manner that feels more emotionally manipulative than earnest. Inside Out is great movie that tries a little too hard to be a Pixar movie.

I was somewhat sceptical then when Disney announced that they were making Inside Out 2 and was even more hesitant when it was revealed that it would follow Riley, and her emotions, navigating life as a teenager.

How could an all-ages family movie address the murky, messy topic of puberty? Could the movie communicate a mature issue effectively to both a young and old audience? I felt as though they would somehow manage to mess it up in a mind-numbingly cringe inducing manner and none of the marketing or trailers quelled my nerves in the lead up to its release.

Did I still go and watch it?

Of course! I’m a big kid with an unbound affection for Pixar and a sucker for big capitalist, corporate movie franchises. I even re-watched Inside Out in preparation and was surprised to find myself resonating with the movie and being moved by it like never before. As I am closing the door on one chapter of my life, opening the door on the next and scared for what the future could hold, Riley’s struggle in navigating turbulent emotions struck a chord.

So as I sat down in the cinema, ready to witness Inside Out 2, I was actually quite excited, especially as many reviews were calling it one of Pixar’s best films in recent years.

Was it any good?

Yes, it was good. In fact, it was great.

Was it one of Pixar’s best?

Well, not really.

Inside Out 2 follows Riley as she enters her teenage years. As headquarters is demolished, Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness have to make way for new emotions: Anxiety, Embarrassment, Ennui and Envy. When Riley struggles with the plethora of feelings and moods that come with puberty, the emotions have to learn to work together to help her through this new period in her life.

The sequel expands upon its predecessor in clever and inventive ways, telling another beautifully heart wrenching yet poignant tale that offers profound mediations on adolescence, with a particular focus on anxiety. As ever for Pixar, the worldbuilding on display is impeccable, with aspects of the mind and psychology explored intelligently and displayed with a beauteously vibrant animated flair. It is also filled to the brim with witty humour. The various mind related puns featured in the trailer had me rolling my eyes, worried that attempts at levity would be too heavy handed but the jokes landed pretty much every time. My housemate and I couldn’t stop giggling, snorting and belly laughing throughout the entire screening; we left a bit befuddled as to why the rest of the audience weren’t doing the same!

I couldn’t help but have an instant affection for Anxiety; an undoubtedly phenomenal character with an ingenious artistic design, bolstered by a stellar voice performance from Maya Hawke. The film’s message around anxiety serves as a soothing mediation to those who have emerged from the horrors of growing up but to those who will have to navigate the joyous yet horrendous years of being a teenager, it acts as a reassuring hug. It tells the audience that that it is okay to (forgive the pun) feel all inside out.

Despite this being the film’s greatest strength, it is also its greatest weakness. The message of the movie didn’t feel too forced but it still felt like a story that didn’t need to be told. Upon leaving the cinema, I felt as though I had been emotionally manipulated rather than profoundly moved, force fed a message in a perfectly palatable yet not completely comfortable manner. Whilst the first movie was a genuinely interesting reflection on growing up, Inside Out 2 felt as though it veered into lecture or PSHE territory, as though it was a generic pamphlet given to all schoolchildren that details the ABC’s of puberty. In order to put this message across, the beginning suffers from a heavy-handed exposition dump, instantly making it feel like a forced entry in a money-making franchise rather than a natural progression of Riley’s story.

It is also re-tread’s the same plot beats of the first film. Whilst new concepts and ideas are introduced that allow it to feel exciting, the plot still revolves around the emotions being separated from headquarters and having to trail their way through Riley’s mind in order to save her from a mental breakdown, all whilst Joy learns a valuable lesson about how to help Riley. I am also gutted that Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling were not given the pay they deserved to reprise their respective roles of Fear and Disgust; the new voice actors didn’t do a bad job by any means but I still noticed the difference. Riley’s other new emotions also offered an amazing opportunity to explore the wide range of emotions teenagers can experience in a single day, yet they feel entirely wasted, relegated to background pieces, used as Anxiety’s sidekicks.

Despite its flaws however, Inside Out 2 is still a good movie. It made me laugh, cry, smile and cringe in the best way possible. It sadly just didn’t feel necessary.  Like the first film, it is great but just tries too hard to be a Pixar movie. This hasn’t stopped it from becoming the highest grossing animated movie of all time, only six weeks after its release. Disney will now undoubtedly be greenlighting more unnecessary sequels (we’re already getting a Toy Story 5), that I will still fork over money to see.

Pixar has proved to be a truly inventive studio, producing the best animated movies to ever grace the silver screen and this creativity still shines through in Inside Out 2, with a moving story, wonderful world building, impeccable voice performances and even the fusion of different animation styles. With studios creating even more sequels to turn a profit however, I pray that they don’t lose their passion in telling new stories, as it was this very passion, creativity and willingness to do something new that led to the release of Inside Out in the first place.

I just really hope we don’t get Inside Out 3.

Inside Out 2 is now playing in cinemas.

The post Inside Out 2: Anxiety Awakens… (Review) first appeared on The Life of Riley.

Allons-y! Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary with David Tennant, Catherine Tate and the introduction of Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th incarnation of the Doctor is almost upon us! Being a fan since my sweet and naïve youth, I can barely contain my innate sense of ‘whovian’ glee and wonder. 

For those of you who are feeling completely clueless…whose eyes have not witnessed sci-fi excellence…let me explain. 

Doctor Who is about a 900-year-old time-lord from the planet Gallifrey, who flies through time and space in the TARDIS (a blue police box) with his (mostly) human companions whilst saving the universe from evil aliens and monsters that threaten to destroy it. Oh, and I should also mention the Doctor carries a sonic screwdriver! The genius of the show is that the Doctor has two hearts and can therefore ‘regenerate’ into a new body right at the point of seeming death, which has allowed the show to constantly reinvent itself. First broadcast on 23rd November 1963, the show remained on air until 1989 before returning in 2005, cementing its legacy as a televisual touchstone, providing stories of faraway planets, slimy monsters, alien invasions, plastic robots and a metal-robot dog, called K-9. 

The first episode of the show I ever saw, Smith and Jones, was recorded onto a VHS tape by my grandparents, who unknowingly started a borderline unhealthy obsession. The opening title sequence with its swirling mass of colour, the story of a hospital on the moon, with a rhinoceros police force called ‘Judoon’, a blood-sucking ‘plasmavore’ and Martha Jones being whisked away by a dashing young man in a pin-stripe suit in red converse to explore the wonders of the universe (which my unaware self at the time didn’t realise was a subtle queer awakening), had me transfixed. That day I must have almost worn the VHS tape down with how many times I re-watched it. By my third watch through I was already pretending I was the Doctor, with a makeshift Phillips screwdriver, shutting all the doors in the house to protect myself from aliens.

And that was it…from that moment on I was Doctor Who mad. I implored by parents to buy the DVDs of episodes I had missed, waited feverishly for future series, dressed up as the Doctor, played with the action figures, read the books (and the weekly magazine). The 2000s were THE time to be a fan – with exhibitions, concerts and endless spin-offs that led to the creation of a ‘multiverse’. (Doctor Who did Infinity War before the MCU and they did it better. Yes…I really did just write that). I dissected episodes intently with the only other fan I knew at the time (my mum) and can vividly envision going to see the behemoth Toys ‘R’ Us displays of merchandise. I even remember the ‘TARDIS’ and ‘Dalek’ cakes I had for birthdays, themed ‘Frubes’ and tins of ‘wholewheat pasta shapes’. To this day, chords of music from the show can bring tears to my eyes and I am not ashamed to say I have danced to the theme tune…alone…in my bedroom…countless times. 

Beneath all this nostalgia lies my true love for Doctor Who: It simply allowed me to disappear. Whenever the real world felt too scary or overwhelming, I could fly off with the Doctor, to anywhere my imagination would take me. It made me feel less alone, giving me the bravery to stand up to the far more terrifying human monsters that surrounded me. 

The show’s companions became my feminist icons. From Martha Jones to Sarah Jane Smith, these were the women who inspired me, taught me to stand up for what is right and to never back down in the face of the most insurmountable fear. Its subtle LGBTQ+ representation, with the inclusion of an omnisexual time agent showed me that our differences make us valuable, that out in the vastness of the universe, we can be anyone who we want to be, a message my little gay heart carried with me until it was ready to be set free. 

Therefore, it feels slightly odd, as a fan who has stuck with the show, to see so many excited for its return. In recent years interest has waned and viewing figures have fallen. However, the fervour around it all is bringing me right back to those days of childish joy. 

You may ask…’Is any of it bad?’ 

Oh yes…some episodes are true clunkers. It doesn’t matter though. They make me laugh, still transporting me to a place of happiness and joy. At the core of the bad episodes still lies a set of characters, looking to find something better amidst the monotony of life. It is the characters that the fans fall in love with, it is them that make us adore the show despite its occasional inconsistencies. These stories are as quintessentially iconic as the rest of the show, reaching a level of camp that I hope I will be able to achieve in my lifetime. 

Ultimately, Doctor Who is an incredible piece of television or, as the Doctor would say, ‘a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff’. Like all great sci-fi, it provides an escape. It offers us hope, Jammie Dodgers and Jelly Babies. The idea there is a person, out in the stars, willing to risk their life to save us? In such a gloomy world, what’s wrong with looking out to those stars once in a while? 

If only I could step into that little blue box that’s bigger on the inside… 

To coincide with the 60th anniversary, ‘The Whoniverse’ has launched on iPlayer, featuring 800 episodes of Doctor Who and its spinoffs. 

If any first-timers are interested I recommend starting with the 1st episode of the revival: Rose. This should ease you in. Trust me, ‘you’ll have the trip of a lifetime!’

The post  My Love Letter to Doctor Who (Opinion) first appeared on The Life of Riley.

So, it may come as a surprise when I say that I utterly adore the football-centric Ted Lasso, a show that has changed my perspective of the game entirely. 

Originating as a character in an NBC sports ad in 2013, Ted Lasso debuted as an Apple TV+ show in 2020. It tells the story of the titular character, (played by Jason Sudeikis) an American football coach hired to be the new coach of AFC Richmond in the UK. The catch? He knows nothing about football. We follow Ted, the team and all those involved with the club as they navigate the game itself and the life that they have beyond it. I was hesitant to watch the show but after all of the buzz that it garnered (including seven Emmy wins for its first season!) I reluctantly hit play…

And I am so glad that I did.

Those who have yet to tune in can be forgiven for believing that this is a show all about football, but it is much more than that

Originating as a character in an NBC sports ad in 2013, Ted Lasso debuted as an Apple TV+ show in 2020. It tells the story of the titular character (played by Jason Sudeikis), an American football coach hired to be the new coach of AFC Richmond in the UK. The catch? He knows nothing about football. We follow Ted, the team and all those involved with the club as they navigate the game itself and the life that they have beyond it. I was hesitant to watch the show but after all of the buzz that it garnered (including seven Emmy wins for its first season!) I reluctantly hit play.

And I am so glad that I did.

As Ted Lasso wrapped up its third and supposed final season in May, I have begun to realise how impactful this show has been for me. Those who have yet to tune in can be forgiven for believing that this is a show all about football, but it is far much more than that. As Ted tells the journalist and writer Trent Crimm (James Lance), in response to his book about Richmond FC, “It’s not about me. It never was.”

Ted Lasso is ultimately about people, and the beauty in the everyday. Throughout the show we go on a journey with all of its characters, watching them grow, develop, learn and make mistakes; it is a show in which there is genuine, impactful development between each episode and season.

Ted processes his anxiety and father’s passing, Jamie Tart (Phil Dunster) turns from a self-centred celebrity into a considerate, self-aware human being, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) moves from wanting to burn Richmond FC to the ground to loving it wholeheartedly and selling it to the fans. Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed) goes through an entire villain origin story, realising that actions have consequences before finally beginning to realise his own self-worth. Keely (Juno Temple) tackles the dark side of fame whilst becoming a powerful business and media mogul whilst Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) slowly tackles his built-up exterior. We also see Richmond team member, Colin Hughes (Billy Harris) grapple with his sexuality, in a refreshing take on what it means to be LGBTQ+ in professional sport, which is vitally needed for so many across the globe.

Ted Lasso deals with an excessive amount of content, which is one of its main criticisms. One could argue that its rather saccharine, positive mindset pushes social issues upon the audience. But isn’t this what we need right now? In a TV landscape full of sex, violence and drama, it is rather refreshing to see a show that deftly balances the difficult moments that many face in life with the affirming message that things can truly get better. It is also satisfying to witness the true demise of a villain, seen here with the owner of West Ham United, Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head).

It is fair to say that the show’s third season suffers from being slightly bloated with long run times to accommodate one too many plot points. None of that really matters, however, as the show manages to offer a send-off to its vast array of characters that reflect the huge global audience that adore football, characters that I have grown to love.

football isn’t just about the game, it’s about the people it brings together

In genuinely caring for these characters whilst watching the show, I began to see how important and incredible football can be. In perhaps my favourite moment of the series, Rebecca delivers a rousing speech to club owners, chastising them for trying to further monetise football and take it away from the hands of those who love the game: the people. Rebecca says she doesn’t want to be “part of something that could possibly destroy this beautiful game”, as a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Spiegel im Spiegel can be heard in the background. I shed tears when watching this. Tears for a game that I usually hate. Through the lives of the characters, that I came to deeply care for, I finally realised that football isn’t just about the game, it’s about the people it brings together, the feelings that it can rouse and the communities, friendships and relationships that it can forge.

Now, I may not be heading to a football match anytime soon, but I will forever be grateful for Ted Lasso for teaching me the beauty of ‘The Beautiful Game’.

The post Ted Lasso: The Beautiful Game – Review first appeared on The Life of Riley.