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Black Mirror (7th season)

Black mirror is a British television series created by Charlie Brooker. It explores various genres, with most episodes set in near-future dystopias containing sci-fi technology. There are various themes such as the ones of technology and media to comment on contemporary social issues. The first season was released in 2011, but I will only deal with the three first episodes of the 7th season which was released at the beginning of the month of April. Those episodes are raising issues on the evolution of technology in our lives and how it can both appear pleasant and dangerous. I would not recommend it to young people under 16, as it is clearly mentioned by the production of the series. Indeed, main genres are sci-fi, horror and thriller and can frighten the youngest.

The plots are really different but to make a quick recap of them, I would start by saying the first episode is dealing with a high-tech device that keeps a woman alive and how it impacts the life of the couple, the second one is dealing with paranoia, finally, the third one takes a woman to a film from another time to replace the original actor. The cast is really good, I completely believe at the stories and actors !! The quality of image was enjoyable. All episodes are independent and that allows to follow several adventures. The message passed through them is that technology has its limits and it is preferable to know them.

For those three first episodes, I would rate the beginning of this 7th season with a 4.5/5 because I remain on my guard and I want to wait the other episodes to give a clear mark.

I strongly recommend you to see those three first episodes because it is an intriguing mix of horror, emotion, science-fiction and it allows you to think after watching those.

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Dune

If you haven’t watched any sci-fi movie, you may want to start with a classic from Denis Villeneuve : DUNE. DUNE is the first movie of a three-part adaptation (the third is currently in making) from the eponymous book made in 2021. The story is set in the distant future showcasing a war between great houses for the control of a stranded inhospitable planet and its resources, Arrakis. This is actually the third adaptation of the book, though the first two are quite old and didn’t benefit from Hollywood money. For two and a half hours, we follow the story of Paul Atreides, from the great House Atreides. Fearful of the rising power of House Atreides, the Emperor instructs Leto, Paul’s father, to seize the control of Arrakis, a desert-covered planet but the sole where we harvest the very coveted spice. Spices are the only means of interstellar travel, thus strategically decisive. This gift is actually a trap as the Harkonnen, another great house, plans to retake Arrakis with the help of the Emperor’s elite troops. However, Leto searches for the help of the indigenous population, the Fremen, a people used to living in the desert and able to avoid and even control its biggest danger : the giant sand worms. In this political turmoil, Paul must face many challenges as he learns to use “the Voice”, a rare power able to control people’s minds. Dune’s cast really enhances the whole movie. The two headliners, namely Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, already proved their talent before their appearance in Dune. By playing respectively the roles of Paul Atréides and Chani, both of them are charming in their roles. The rest of the cast is also very talented, including Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac and Jason Momoa. The visual aspect of the entire movie is stunning and really well elaborated. When watching the film, you are absorbed by the powerful use of the colours and the lights, especially during desert scenes. The special effects are notably riveting : the appearance of sand worms is beautifully incorporated in the desert plans and with the actors. In addition to it, the sound warning of their coming makes them look real. In general, the sound effects and the music, realised by Hans Zimmer, suit perfectly with the atmosphere of the movie. The costumes also immerse us in the specific atmosphere of the movie, starting from the beginning of the film on Caladan, the Atreides’s originary planet. This good mix of sound and visual, added to a good plot that has the right amount of magic and supernatural elements, result in a dazzling movie.

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Gladiator

Hello there, it is Mathis and Renaud!

Last week we watched “Gladiator” by Ridley Scott. An R rated film released in 2000, considered as a classic which received many awards. Here is our review of this peplum movie often described as a masterpiece!

"Gladiator" shows the history of a war general of the Roman Empire named Maximus. His courage and his moral value lead him to be loved by Marcus Aurelius, the old Emperor. The Emperor's son, Commodus, is absolutely jealous of their relationship. To ensure advantageous transfer of power, Commodus betrays his father and Maximus, destroying their lives. Maximus will then dedicate his life to get his revenge. Thanks to his fighting skills, he reaches Rome and approaches Commodus, the new Emperor, as a famous and fascinating gladiator. Does he get his revenge? Let's watch the movie to discover!

Maximus and Commodus, the two main characters, are respectively played by Russel Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Throughout the film, Crowe maintains a really high level of acting and is very persuasive as the superman of the Colosseum. Phoenix’s acting is so powerful that we understand in the first seconds of the film that he is evil and will wreak havoc on those around him.

Of all the powerful scenes of the movie, the one in which both Maximus and Commodus are in the arena of the Colosseum is dazzling. It raises a sharp contrast between the vile Emperor challenged by a charismatic slave, loved for his bravery. This scene highlights the fact that Maximus, embodying the crowd that supports him, is much more powerful than the hated and greedy Emperor.

This masterpiece wouldn’t be the same without its music. The soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer is epic and striking. It fits the movie so well that if you ever hear that theme again, you will instantly see Maximum in the Colosseum fighting for his freedom.

Overall, we definitely understand why it is considered a classic. Indeed, the acting, the music, the sets or costumes are all absorbing. Even if we found the plot slightly predictable on some points, we truly recommend this movie, definitely a must-see film!

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The Dig

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Constantine

The movie takes place in a modern world where angels and demons from the Bible (called hybrids) coexist with humans, who are not aware of their existence. It is classified as fantasy as well as horror even though it is not very scary. Its rating is -12 which seems appropriate to the level of violence and stress felt through the movie. The hybrids are supposed to maintain a balance between God and the Devil, but as expected the demons want to make Earth a second Hell. The main character, John Constantine, has always been able to see the hybrids, which led him to attempt suicide, but he was rescued and survived. As suicide is forbidden in Catholicism, he is bound to go to hell when he will die…unless he somehow gets forgiven. John Constantine is interpreted by Keanu Reeves, but there are other famous actors in this movie such as Tilda Swinton who plays angel Gabriel. I thought they were both very good in their roles, being able to share the right facial expressions in critical moments to help the spectator understand their real intentions. I really liked this movie because of how thought provoking it was, even though it was sometimes a bit brutal because it was necessary to explain the horror of the situation. The movie questions divine intervention upon the human world, as well as divine intentions - from God as well as the Devil. I would recommend this movie to people who enjoy fantasy universes and enjoy following complex histories, the plot is a bit predictable but still pleasant in the end.

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Titanic

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire“ is the fourth out of eight films that compose the Harry Potter saga based on the books by British author J.K. Rowling. In this saga, wizards live among normal human beings in the real world. It recounts the adventures of a young wizard called Harry Potter and his friends who all attend a wizarding school called Hogwarts. It’s recommended for an audience of over 12 years old. In this film, the Triwizard tournament is organised by Hogwarts, and each school needs to select one student to participate in the three tasks that compose the tourna ment. Fleur Delacour, Cédric Diggory and Victor Krum get selected, and Harry Potter is the fourth one to get selected, which is quite surprising because he is not old enough and did not put his name on the paper to try to get chosen. These are the same main actors as in the previous film. Indeed Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson respectively play the role of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. This cast is still appreciated by the viewers for their talents and some other brilliant actors have joined the team, for example Clémence Poesy who plays the role of Fleur Delacour. This film deserves a rating of 8.5/10. It’s a timeless film because even though the film was released almost 20 years ago, the special effects are still enjoyable and the content is really intriguing and full of unexpected developments which means that it’s never trite.