Book, Film & TV Reviews
Created by Jon Favreau and released on Disney+, The Mandalorian is the first live-action series in the Star Wars franchise. Set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi and 25 years prior to the events of The Force Awakens, it follows the title character, a Mandalorian bounty hunter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), and his exploits beyond the reaches of the New Republic.
Continue reading “TV Review: The Mandalorian (Disney+) – Season One”
Directed by Jon Favreau and a photorealistic live-action remake of the classic 1994 Disney film, The Lion King follows the story of a young lion, Simba (voiced by Donald Glover), who must embrace his role as the rightful king of his native African land following the murder of his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones), at the hands of his uncle, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor). With the help of his friends – Nala (Beyoncé), Zazu (John Oliver), Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) – Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Far From Home is the sequel to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and the twenty-third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film sees Tom Holland return as the web-slinging Peter Parker as he decides to join his best friends – Ned (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), and Betty (Angourie Rice) – on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks that are creating havoc across the continent.
The second Spider-Man film reboot and the sixteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Spider-Man: Homecoming, directed by Jon Watts, sees Tom Holland take the lead as a young Peter Parker who begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging superhero. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home to Queens, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). He tries to fall back into his normal daily routine, until the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain.
Based on Rudyard Kipling‘s classic collection of stories, and a re-imagining of the 1967 Disney animation, directed by Jon Favreau, The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli (Neel Sethi), an orphaned human living in the remote jungle of India. Guided by his guardians – Raksha the wolf (Lupita Nyong’o), Baloo the bear (Bill Murray), and Bagheera the black panther (Ben Kingsley) – Mowgli sets out on a journey of self-discovery, meeting monsters of the jungle – including Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) and King Louie (Christopher Walken) – while evading the threatening Shere Khan (Idris Elba).
“The reason the beasts give among themselves is that Man is the weakest and most defenceless of all living things.”
Based on Rudyard Kipling‘s classic collection of stories and a re-imagining of the 1967 Disney animation, directed by Jon Favreau, The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli (Neel Sethi), an orphaned human living in the remote jungle of India. Guided by his guardians – Raksha the wolf (Lupita Nyong’o), Baloo the bear (Bill Murray), and Bagheera the black panther (Ben Kingsley) – Mowgli sets out on a journey of self-discovery, meeting monsters of the jungle – including Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) and King Louie (Christopher Walken) – while evading the threatening Shere Khan (Idris Elba).
(Written for Filmoria)
The film industry has gone a little mad with their live-action remakes of classic Disney films at the minute. We’ve seen Cinderella, Maleficent, Alice In Wonderland, two Snow White adaptations, Jack The Giant Slayer, Hansel and Gretel, and even 101 Dalmatians (many years ago!), and there are many which are still yet to be released, including Beauty and The Beast, The Sword In The Stone, Pinocchio, and The Little Mermaid.
I think that’s them all so far, anyway…
Continue reading “First Beautiful Poster for ‘The Jungle Book’”
(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Jon Favreau earlier this month where the producer and director gave a couple of hints about the upcoming third instalment to Marvel’s Iron Man films.
To be directed by Shane Black with Favreau serving as producer, Iron Man 3 stars Robert Downey Jnr. in the lead role as The Avengers’ metal wearing superhero Iron Man.
(Read this in my publication In Retrospect – Issue 1)
Based on the graphic novel of the same name created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg in 2006, Cowboys & Aliens is a Western sci-fi directed by Jon Favreau.
Set in Arizona in 1873, Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up in the middle of a desert with no recollection of who he is or what has happened to him. With a cut in his chest and a mysterious metallic object attached around his wrist, Jake stumbles into the town of Absolution where he is recognised as a wanted outlaw. When trying to escape, Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde) knocks him out and is asked for by Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), a rich and influential cattleman who Jake has supposedly stolen some gold from.
Directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man 2 follows on from its predecessor as billionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) announces his dual life as the armoured superhero, Iron Man, to the rest of the world. As news bulletins repeat in the background of family homes, the setting focuses in on the dull streets of Russia as a powerful enemy, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), watches with an evil glare, adding the final touches to his own weaponed suit. Meanwhile, Tony Stark is facing pressure from the government to share his technology with the military. Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) are growing tired of Tony’s unwillingness to cooperate, leaving Tony isolated with his own problems.
The first instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man follows billionaire industrialist and genius inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armour and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armour and vows to protect the world as Iron Man.
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