Jae Calcutt
Bio
Jae is a writer, student and general nerd, currently living in Manchester, UK.
Stories (5/0)
Fantastic Men and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was not a perfect film, for me the script seemed unfocused as it jumped between the children's picture book-esque hunt for the escaped magic animals and the more serious (or should that be Sirius?) tale around Credence Barebone. Twenty years from now the film won't be as fondly remembered as the original Harry Potter series, but that's not to say there isn't anything groundbreaking about this film. What this film should be more lauded for is how it portrays Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), the introverted carer who struggles with human relationships.
By Jae Calcutt6 years ago in Geeks
The Inescapable Imbalance
Spider-Man was a fun film. I mentioned in my review of it however that there is a flatness, a not-quite-there-ness about the whole affair. Wrapped in the hype of the Marvel Cinematic Universe I wondered if this was to do with studio pressures and the lack of true surprises holding back the film; but there is also a much bigger problem, overlooked by virtually all reviewers. Homecoming illustrates a problem in blockbuster filmmaking: the lack of parts of value for women. Such roles that would ideally be independent and not subservient to any male characters around them.
By Jae Calcutt6 years ago in Geeks
Why Spider-Man is the Youthful Comic Book Film of the Summer
Spider-Man: Homecoming was a joy. Right from the start, you could tell that this film was something different, not just with the opening callback to Captain America: Civil War, but also with the dealing of Spider-Man’s—in a single line at the top of a scene to sum it all up: “The spider’s now dead.” Rebooting (or side-booting?) the character into the nine-year-old MCU (or Marvel Cinematic Universe for those needing to fill up a word count) gives us a fresh take on the character unlike that seen on screen before; here, Peter Parker’s idols and inspirations are superheroes. In a world where being an Avenger is the near-impossible goal, in the same league as chart-topping pop stars, Peter sees joining Tony Stark’s crew as his way out from the disaster that is the American education system. It’s an agency akin to Tony’s from Iron Man 2, but handled far more prominently and successfully. Like Tony back then, Peter has to grow up first.
By Jae Calcutt6 years ago in Geeks
The Narrative Problem with The Walking Dead
The first season of The Walking Dead was a masterpiece in television drama, full of ideas both in front of the camera and behind it that created six episodes of high-quality entertainment. With fantastic in-camera prosthetics and visual effects, the original team behind the show even thought to shoot on the more expensive film, rather than with digital cameras, as film footage would be much more likely to survive an apocalypse. The team clearly cared about the details.
By Jae Calcutt6 years ago in Geeks
Classic Doctor Who in 30 Episodes
Doctor Who ran for 26 years in the twentieth century, before it was relaunched by Christopher Eccleston in 2005. With Peter Capaldi hanging up his eyebrows and stepping down from the role at Christmas, this summer is the perfect time to find yourself a darkened room and experience some of the show's past. Throughout the first 26 years, the show went through multiple production teams, along with seven doctors, each bringing new ideas and styles to the program. And so, here’s a handy guide to experiencing the breadth of 26 years of Doctor Who within the space of a single day. This list comprises a look at the different styles of the show, from the original historicals and science fiction stories to the more complicated ideas of the show’s later years, via some classic monsters, villains, and moments along the way. There’s no need to watch these in chronological order either, feel free to dip in and out as you fancy.
By Jae Calcutt6 years ago in Geeks
