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CINEMA REVIEW: DANGEROUS ANIMALS (2025)

Dangerous Animals is a 2025, is a survival horror flick and a co-production between the USA & Australia.

Certainly the most gripping film I've seen for a long time, it has pace, suspense and a sea-salty menace spraying the cinema stalls. Also a big burger plus, a one night stand / romance played without a side order of cheese!

Beef-burly "Tucker" (Jai Courtney) seeks out "drifter" females to take on board his rusting vessel under the pretence of a "swimming with sharks" along the Gold Coast, but outside of their safe?! cages this overbearing and over bearded sailor picks off young women like dangling fish before going overboard, cataloguing each gruesomely slow death on old videotape.

So, will his latest victim, Zephr (a surfer and camper-van dweller played by Hassie Harrison) , escape, or be forever part of this sick, re-record not fade away?

Rating: 9.5/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 12 June, 2025)

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CD REVIEW: THE MISSION: Neverland 30th Anniversary (2025)

Recently out (30 May, 2025) as a two CD package as well as being available on red & yellow vinyl for Record Store Day, NEVERLAND celebrates its 30th anniversary, thanks to DEMON RECORDS.

It's release mirrors leader of the (goth) band, Wayne Hussey's May birthday (26 May) - The Mission front man and Sisters Of Mercy guitarist is now 67. Hussey - Bristol-born and an early dissenter from the established church, Wayne and his "mindbenders" have been giving God a taste of his own medicine since 1986.

The original NEVERLAND was studio album number five, and spawned two minor but effective singles, 'Raising Cain' (UK, No.92) & 'Swoon' (No.73) although the album itself did a bit better, reaching No.58 on the UK charts.

This NEVERLAND comes spirited and sprightly into the new world of 2025, complete with a gatefold entrance, extra / bonus material, and is sealed splendidly ...with a serpents kiss.

Rating: 8.5/10

The Mission: Neverland 30th Anniversary (2CD) | Demon Music Group

Mark Watkins, 12 June, 2025.

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CINEMA REVIEW: THE SURFER (2025)

When a man returns to his beach side hometown in Australia, he clashes with a local group of surfers.

Whilst, the action is more on land than sea, nonetheless THE SURFER is a fascinating curve-ball of cinema entertainment!

The set shimmers, the heat waves, "the eponymous Surfer" foams-at-the-mouth as he realises he has much to lose before he gains, whether that be his phone, his father's watch, his Lexus or his childhood home - which he sets out to repurchase.

"The Surfer" also wishes to ride the riptide once more (showing off, in effect to his kid) but soon runs into trouble with a weird surfing-cult who do not like outsiders like him, and so the cult dominates the beautiful beach area by intimidation and bullying.

Will "The Surfer" - pushed to limits of human endurance - brilliantly played by Nicholas Cage - pass the test?

THE SURFER is 100 minutes of male malevolence...and, as a physiological thriller with a crazy end, a wave worth catching!

Rating: 910

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 12 May, 2025)

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CINEMA REVIEW: DROP (2025)

First dates are nerve-wracking enough. Going on a first date while an unnamed, unseen troll pings you personal memes that escalate from annoying to homicidal?

DROP - there's quite enough gripping moments, providing you can dispel "your" (early) disbelief (mainly at the multiple phone checking's & constant leaving the table - although both are necessary for the plot) and the climax is most thrilling and very exciting - although perhaps one "final" twist too many...

In essence, a pleasant, balanced mix of gentle acting, appealing graphics / sets, sweet romance coupled with nervous / flirtatious humour. So, eye-candy until the action is dragged screaming away from the high-rise restaurant table made for two.

The best scene comes late on, between Meghann Fahy (as widowed & abused, Violet Gates) and Reed Diamond (as diner, Richard). Also, Gabrielle Ryan as Cara, the bartender is played brilliantly with just the right amount of calm-dazzle.

Don't be put off by any average reviews, DROP is a stylish 90 minutes well spent. A good enough (American) thriller.

Rating: 7/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 2 May, 2025)

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EFL ONE MATCH REPORT: Reading (0) 0 Lincoln City (0) 1

Date: Good Friday, 18 April, 2025.

Kick-off: 3pm

Almost a year to the day, both sides shared a 1-1 last season, and before today's Good Friday kick-off the EFL One League table listed Reading 6th, and Lincoln 12th. So an interesting return to the SCLS was in prospect, play-offs versus mid-table, in dull but occasionally bright weather conditions as the match got under way.

Wickens in the Imps goal was acrobatically called into action twice in the first 10 minutes and he continued to do the business when called on throughout the game, including a confident catch at a corner 2nd half, but Royals threats were rare ones. On the back of such a confident goalkeeping display, Lincoln grew into the game and gave the bumper Easter crowd the first of many one-twos and give & goes which eventually Reading copied, like them, to move passages of play further up the field. By then, even that tactical mirroring came too late finding Lincoln's defence mobile and well- marshalled, turning defence into attack. No flash over the bar - by Wing - late on ever looked like changing that. Lincoln City were the better side today.

For Lincoln, the No.32 Gardner looked lively throughout, especially first-half as the Imps won the battle of the wings.

Bindon became noticeable second-half, I hadn't noticed him at all first-half but maybe his mind has wandered - understandably with so few league games to go - onto playing with Nottingham Forest next season.

With the Final Whistle, the rain suddenly came but as they left the stadium, Reading fan's spirits had already been dampened by that quickfire Collins goal on 65 minutes.

RDG MOTM: None (a poor team performance)

LINCOLN MOTM: Wickens (a safe pair of hands)

Attendance: 16,388

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 6/10

Mark Watkins, 18 April, 2025.

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CD x 7 BOX SET: GILLAN 1978-1982 (2025)

Back in the 1970s and before Robert Maxwell and the Thames Valley Royals Oxford/Reading merger football fiasco (1983) "local resident" Ian Gillan (then with Deep Purple) was rumoured to be interested in buying Reading FC, and as I write this review it looks like Reading have been bought and saved yet again! (£25 million pounds is being quoted in the media).

The good news is that in 2025 you won't need to save up quite so much money to buy this superb box set of 7 CDs containing all of Gillan's great rock albums from 1978 to 1982, including various bits & bobs, all contained in a nice cardboard slipcase showing off the seven albums' artwork to magnificent effect.

Albums in order: THE JAPANESE ALBUM, Mr. UNIVERSE (UK No.11/1979), GLORY ROAD (UK No.3/1980), FUTURE SHOCK (UK No.2/1981), DOUBLE TROUBLE (UK No.12/1981), DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE & MAGIC (UK No.17/1982). UK Hit singles include, (the tongue-in-cheek) No Laughing In Heaven, New Orleans, Restless, Nightmare, Living For The City and (the wonderfully dreamy b-side) Fiji.

In (t)his time, "football crazy" Ian wasn't afraid of mixing covers with original material. He also got his kicks playing at the Reading Rock Festival '79-'81.

Colleague Bernie Tormie's "screaming guitar" helped switch a Prog Rock effort into the mainstream field of Heavy Metal and so both he and others in the band, and other British heavy rock bands came of age in the MTV era, becoming of the important, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement, championed by Radio 1's Tommy Vance, Sounds and Kerrang music magazines - in particular.

Glory Days indeed and a terrific collection from Demon!

Rating: 10/10

Gillan: 1978-1982 (7CD) | Demon Music Group

Mark Watkins - 13 April, 2025

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CINEMA REVIEW: DEATH OF A UNICORN (2025)

Father-Daughter duo, Riley and Elliot, hit a unicorn with their car and bring it to the wilderness retreat of a mega-wealthy pharmaceutical CEO.

DEATH OF A UNICORN with a runtime of 1 hr 47 minutes definitely has the vibes of a recent comedy/horror/animal movie, 2023's Cocaine Bear.

Here, Alex Scharfman and his production team deserve much credit for magically achieving the "on-screen" impossible - getting discerning audiences to believe in - as fact - unicorns co-existing with humans.

Here, the humans are weird version of The Partridge Family, without the singing - thankfully!- but with all the goofball comedy. Of course, completely different - the horror, which is of the swift-surprise-gore variety, mostly in the second half of the picture.

Special mentions for: Richard E. Grant, whose eccentric boss character, Odell Leopold, borrows well from Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed in last year's, Heretic; Odell's strange wife, Belinda (Tea Leoni) and as for the father-daughter duo, actress Jenna Ortega is fantastic (but not her dad, played by Paul Rudd. Why? He really is unlovable, even the final scenes don't redeem just how many times he has let down or ignored her needs, but maybe that's a sign of Rudd's great acting skills?!).

In the round, the pace of the film ensures that you stay for the cosmic ride, making DEATH OF A UNICORN a surprise (but modest) hit; so well worth seeing if you can believe in this unusual fairy-tale concept.

Rating: 7.5/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 9 April, 2025)

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DVD REVIEW: LEAD BELLY ~ THE MAN WHO INVENTED ROCK & ROLL (2025)

Although he’s never been on the cover of The Rolling Stone, this man, being way ahead of his time, predates that great American billboard monthly edited by co-founder Jann Wenner: indeed, he predates modern rock as we know it.

We’re talking of course of LEAD BELLY, ‘The Man Who Invented Rock And Roll’.

DVD being released 31 March, 2025 (Wienerworld) this is the official authorised full-length documentary (rare footage & live performance in-the-mix) clocking in at 80 minutes worth of entertainment.

His legacy, his importance and his influence on others are voiced in long interviews by luminaries such as B.B King, Joan Baez, Odetta, Paul McCartney and Van Morrison. 

Even 80s/90s US rock band Nirvana got the blues bug from hearing this great man's music.

LEAD BELLY (real name, Huddie William Ledbetter) was born January 1888 and passed on, December 1949 aged 61. In his lifetime, becoming - through hard work, adversity and by sheer talent - a pioneering producer of blues, folk and gospel greats.

'Easy Rider' (1940 & 1946), 'Rock Island Line' (1945), 'Irene' (1948) to name only a handful of the platters issued, his last album, Midnight Special, was released in 1947 and featured Woody Guthrie and Cisco Huston. John and Alan Lomax’s (Alan's on the DVD) early sound recordings of LEAD BELLY are now safely housed in The Library Of Congress for posterity, and with the new Bob Dylan film - A Complete Unknown - only recently out in cinemas, this DVD release is a timely echo of what went before, and that is blues, folk, gospel…AND rock & roll!    

Rating: 10/10

Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll – Proper Music

Wienerworld

Mark Watkins - 5 April, 2025

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CINEMA REVIEW: MICKEY 17 (2025)

The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment.

Mickey (Robert Patterson) gets to escape his debts for a new life, but unfortunately in this new life, on a new planet, he is expendable! His fault, he signed the papers, and so gets to be rested, tested, revived back alive some 17, no... 18 times.

Imagine a computer scanner being as large as a human body and then being able to duplicate a person over and over again only for them to die horrible deaths and endlessly repeat this life / death experience. This is the unusual and original concept of the movie, MICKEY 17, based on the novel, MICKEY 7.

Like all sci-fi there's those aliens to contend with; these "creepers" look very much like giant slugs... but the biggest slug is failed politician, Kenneth Marshall, played effectively by Mark Ruffalo (complete with Trump mannerisms) and so it is "Mark" not Mickey Barnes that steals the show, together with his devious, attractive, politician's wife (Ylfa) Toni Collette.

Overall, weird & entertaining & LOL moments among the snow and stars although the 2 hours 15 mins could have easily lost 15 minutes and improved the quality, especially towards the end when Mickey's strong-security-guard-love-interest (played by Naomi Ackie) started to go soft and so come out of character.

Rating: 8/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 24 March, 2025)

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CD BOX SET: DAVID HEPWORTH MORE DEEP 70s (2025)

Cue, MORE DEEP 70s - and what a loud player!

Four CDs, thoughtfully themed, continuing on this bright orange jacketed series from hard-working and knowledgeable music journalist, TV / radio broadcaster & podcaster, David Hepworth - Q, Mojo, The Word (magazines) in particular should ding-dong bells.

The first CD, (RE-MAKE / RE-MODEL), contains 21 attractions and are unusual cover versions, with South Carolina-born Don Covay's, 'Memphis', a pleasant surprise, - and let's face it, it's probably been a long time since we heard Nina cover Randy on the shivering, 'Baltimore'.

Cheap Trick's, 'Surrender', delivers like a spinning top of teenage angst and Squeeze sticks out with, 'Up The Junction' - a youthful situation easily avoided if only they had listened to their parents, eh? - although as Joe Jackson notes (also on CD 2, SKINNY TIE MUSIC), 'It's Different For Girls'.

Add AMERICANA and BASING STREET BLUES and you have an excellent and entertaining compilation of 73 "undiscovered jewels".

MORE DEEP... gives "Sounds Of The 70's" fans plenty of reasons to be cheerful, part 2, although, whispering and Ian Dury, are not included!

Rating: 9/10

David Hepworth: More Deep 70s (SIGNED EDITION) | Demon Music Group

Mark Watkins - 19 March, 2025

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When the glittering Las Vegas revue she has headlined for decades announces it will soon close, glamorous showgirl Shelly must reconcile with the decisions she's made.

THE LAST SHOWGIRL is entirely built around the acting ability and personal presence of Pamela Anderson. It is she, as "Razzle Dazzle" dancer, Shelly, that stands as upright as a twinkling "Statute Of Liberty" in a changing profession that is becoming more sex than art, more dirty than clean, ...more grinding-hers.

It's surprisingly an absorbing film, despite the poor dialogue and basic plot. Shot like a long version of Lana Del Rey's No.1 single, ' Video Games' it takes a little while to get to used to the differing picture qualities, colours and camera angles which demonstrates to me that indeed it was Pam, a fading Baywatch-beauty, that did it again.

Remove "Shelly's" drama from the screen and you are left with the nothingness she and other showgirls obviously feel at trying to make a dime on the LA strip. Jamie Lee Curtis role can seem superfluous although she's better in this than the last one I saw of hers (Halloween Ends): her drunken table top dancing to Pat Benatar's, 'Shadows Of The Night,' is far from casino-royale, but playing Annette, a former showgirl now cocktail waitress, is important to the overall story.

As the credits rolled to 'Beautiful That Way' by Miley Cyrus, I reflected back on a sorry tale, a enigmatic Pam but - actually - a lack of actual dancing. There's more of the "kitchen cabinet meetings" and "back stage gossip" than any high-kicking.

So, THE LAST SHOWGIRL is a strange mix but there's enough touching elements in there to keep you in your seat.

Rating: 7/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 13 March, 2025)

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BOOK REVIEW: JUNK, AMERICA IN RUINS by Danny Lyon (2025)

JUNK is a funky new hardback of 120 glossy pages featuring scrapped automobiles in their (last) places of rest; 86 interesting angles showing (an) AMERICA IN RUINS.

Broken screens, windows that no longer wipe, wheel-less, however, all these retro-bangers are not so soul-less as they lie in state(s). While Danny Lyon's cars no longer da-do-ron-RUN, these heaps of "beauty & sadness" combined have more chevy-to-the-levy to give, if only in photographs.

That's my petrol emotion having read this Spring released from top art book publishers, DAMIANI.

Rating: 10/10

JUNK. America in Ruins – Damiani Books

Mark Watkins, 1 March, 2025.

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CINEMA REVIEW: THE MONKEY (2025)

When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart.

THE MONKEY is very much a Stephen King movie, being a film version of his short-story, so King's dabs are everywhere, even on the closing song, 'Let The Good Times Roll', one of Stephen's rock & roll favourites by Shirley & Lee.

Acting-wise, the twins as adults works far better than the twins as kids, and whilst you can mostly see the next killing coming around the corner (especially as there are so many!) there is a good mix of suspense, horror & humour to make the 98 minutes entertaining.

Top performances from Theo James (as the adult twins) and Tatianna Maslany (as the melancholy mother) in this 18 rated goofball of unpleasantness (mainly for the victims!)

Oh, and never wind-up a MONKEY!

Rating: 8/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 27 February, 2025)

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CINEMA REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 5 (2025)

"September 5" unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today.

Fast moving, edge of the seat stuff as the tension builds to the climax of the 1972 massacre at Munich.

Real time footage is re-mixed into present day acting - all of which is first class, from supporting to main to lead.

The interplay between the triangle of ALPHA power at ABC Sports (actors: Peter Sarsgaard; John Magaro and Ben Chaplin) is engrossing, with the German translator (played by Leonie Benesch - who calmly & professionally deals with rampant 1970s sexism) equalling those three star characterisations.

The world held its breath 5/6 September, 1972 and SBC Sports to decide what NEWS to show on screen as well as what SPORTS. Their news coverage proved to be the scoop of the day.

A terrific film - back then, this breaking news broke the record for the highest number of viewers in broadcast history. This movie won't reach those heights, but in terms of telling a great story, director (and co-writer/co-producer) Tim Fehlbaum has given us an explosive 94 minutes.

Rating: 9/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 18 February, 2025)

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CINEMA REVIEW: COMPANION (2025)

Hey you. Tired of swiping? Sick of getting ghosted? Are you feeling like a part of you is missing? FindYourCompanion.com is guaranteed to find you a Companion who’s made for you.

This movie proves that switching a computer off / on again doesn't always work!

Sophie Thatcher (as Iris) is gorgeously amazing in COMPANION, which is about the misuse of "companion" robots by their human owners. These life-like robots - who cannot lie - are controlled by an app and gradually become self-aware with horrific consequences.

Josh as Iris's "boyfriend" (and a selfish jerk) is played by Jack Quaid, but is Iris as unique as she thinks herself to be? This question is answered as the credits roll.

Absorbing (dark comedy / horror) and 97 minutes of film well worth seeing.

Rating: 9/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 12 February, 2025)

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EFL ONE MATCH REPORT: Reading (0) 1 Bolton Wanderers (0) 0

Date: Saturday 1 February, 2025.

Kick-off: 3pm

Reading started brightly enough, moving the ball around nicely from back to front and this controlled football kept Bolton (in green shirts) at bay for the first 5-10 mins, at least. Once into the game, Wanderers peppered Reading's goal 3 or 4 times in a strong 15 minute spell, utilising their quick passing across midfield, then adding some sharp shooting from middle distances, usually fired in with some sting. However, at HT it remained 0-0 with 2 minutes of additional time played.

Referee, Backhouse, who had a reasonably good game up to that point started to flounder 2nd half, especially over deciding what was a genuine injury. Too late in the game some yellows were issued.

However, the away team's delaying tactics came back to bite them with only a minute of normal time remaining, needlessly handling in the box.

Cool as you like, and despite the encroachment (both teams), Knibbs slotted home the winner, and then Reading comfortably saw out the remaining 5 minutes of additional time, almost making it two in a scramble at the near post immediately after the penalty.

Bolton had more goal chances in the second period, even hitting the crossbar from a Sheehan free-kick, whilst Reading's best opportunity before the goal was seeing Bolton almost conspire to score an own goal.

New "Trotters" manager, Schumacher, will be scratching his head as to why Bolton didn't make the most of their plentiful chances in front of goal, as well as pondering why a few promising attacking moves broke down because a final pass fell short.

Adeboyejo tried his level best to keep bhis team's attacking vibe going, including making a wonderful solo run down the middle / wing demonstrating both strength & skill - so was unfortunate perhaps to be subbed for all his efforts. New man (signed from Cardiff City), Etete, remained seated until the 67th minute, before handling in the box.

RDG MOTM: Craig (neat & tidy passing / tackling - covered a lot of ground)

BOLTON MOTM: Adeboyejo (put a shift in)

Attendance: 11,508

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 7/10

Mark Watkins, 1 February, 2025.

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CINEMA REVIEW: A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2025)

Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician BOB DYLAN’s meteoric rise as a folk singer.

A colourful trip down folk memory lane with an electrifying ending, this Dylan biopic works really well in sound and vision, providing you set aside any personal queries on timelines.

You see, folk stories and folk facts sometimes merge in order to make A COMPLETE UNKNOWN a smooth ride, which it is, from start to finish.

Subtly done in falling stages, is to watch the transition of one type of Dylan into another type of Dylan (although he makes far less changes than David Bowie ever made to his persona) so we begin with an enquiring and upright teenager who is eager to learn (not only singing) lessons from Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) , Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) and Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), through to being stoned on success before dangerously disappearing off on his motorcycle, leaving behind at least two broken hearts (Joan and Sylvie - played by Ellie Fanning).

Whilst Timothee Chalamet captures the mannerisms, eccentricities and speaking/singing voices of Bob Dylan so brilliantly, by the end of the 2hrs 20 mins, I was far less sympathetic to this selfish upstart! Instead, I rather liked Pete Seeger more, a decent, family type consistently seeking compromise and peace throughout, played by Norton as a slightly more radical version of (singer) Pat Boone!

I really enjoyed the movie as it does roll like a stone!

Rating: 10/10

Mark Watkins (seen at Reading Vue, 29 January, 2025)