Lima

Sly's scripted assurance that old geezers are still better than young inexperienced kids is actually enough to make me happy. I could have done without the gender emancipation element in the form of an invincible warrior in a skirt (the director should have explained to her that a perpetually scowling face would not make her a tough brawler), but on the other hand, Banderas was pleasantly delightful in his self-deprecating role delivered like a ferret on speed. The fact that the young ones lack any charisma at all is actually good, it makes the personality of the old action stars stand out all the more. And the final action-packed 20-minute set-piece finally brought it up to a very close 4*. I have to laugh at some of the criticisms here (as well as like-minded reviews on news sites) to the effect that the Expendables 3 "is all about shooting". What else did you expect from a pure action franchise scripted by a man named Sylvester Stallone? A Kantian reflection on the meaning of existence and the universe?

The plot rides on the wave of traditional comic book clichés, there’s the die-hard bad guy who wants to wipe out the galaxy and a bunch of oddballs trying to stop him. But the ubiquitous self-deprecating humour takes this tale up a level of fun, as do a bunch of likeable characters who have each picked up an extra bucket of charisma and whose fates keep you interested. James Gunn has capitalized well on his Troma beginnings, and he handles the wisecracking bizarre characters with aplomb and with humor that doesn't feel awkward or hammy. And tell me, is it possible not to love a film in which the protagonist is willing to put his life on the line to save his beloved prehistoric Walkman? I myself once, many years ago, as a poor student, bought my first Walkman with the last money I had saved and was happy as a pig in shit, so I understand Chris Pratt's feelings :o) And it wasn't even  a gift from my mother.

Except for the last twenty minutes or so, not exactly a stupid dystopia. But there’s a strong sense of the female element from the source material, so in places it has the spirit of magazines like 'Bravo Girl', or whatever the young girls of today are into (I’ve no idea). As long as they are just testing, it has an original atmosphere, but when they start shooting at the end and try to make an action spectacle, it rides the wave of films that are great material for parodies. And the ending simply killed the carefully constructed – and quite interesting – atmosphere. The comparisons with other contemporary popular sagas by female authors are warranted. Not the Twilight crap, but for example Hunger Games, which benefits from shameless rip-offs of other dystopian works (especially Battle Royale), entertained me a bit more and I didn't feel like banging my head against the wall, as I did with the overly dull conclusion of Divergence.

First and foremost, fantastic casting. The creators were right to bet on unfamiliar faces (I don't count Gabriel Byrne, he's not in the lead) and you simply believe all those scruffy, dirty, bearded, Nordic-looking types wielding massive axes. This series won't win you over right from the start, but as the episodes go on, you'll be hooked and by about halfway through you'll be happy to ride the wave of paganism and blood. I like the fact that you form an ambivalent relationship with the protagonists – you see that they are no saints and that they slit the throats of Christians as if they were little children, but you still root for them and their devout faith in pagan idols and stolen gold. The production design is generous by TV standards, the Nordic atmosphere is captivating and I'm already looking forward to the 2nd season. Edit after the 2nd season: probably the best series today. The fate of Ragnar Lothbrok, a true historical figure who accomplished more in his lifetime than comparable figures of his time, is so meaty and dense that the creators really have a lot to draw from and so all episodes are watched in one breath. All of this, of course, supported by a big-film "look" that towers above most of productions of other TV stations. The climax of season 2 is breathtaking and I definitely have a new favourite in the field of TV entertainment. I can’t wait for the next season!!

This is what happens when a filmmaker succumbs to delusions of his own exceptionalism. Delusions, it must be said, fueled by the ecstatic cheers of his devoted fans.

Gareth Evans is an incredible talent. His ability to compose shots in calm passages with pedantic precision reminded me of the first Kill Bill, where Tarantino also fondled every image. On the other hand, he always manages to spice up action scenes with some unexpected visual flourish and breathtaking vivacity, with choreography that is unrivalled today. Indonesian boys, hats off to you! It's a pity that the film as a whole is a mere wait for each excellent action sequence and the plot in between is nothing but necessary filler that fails to engage the viewer (at least in my case). Still, I applaud Evans and I can't imagine what this guy will throw at us in the future. Hell, he's not even thirty yet! It’s truly admirable how much skill he has despite his youth.

A film as ridiculous as Schwarzenegger's acting and feigned toughness. Otherwise, nothing against Arnold, I like him in his older and time-tested films where he isn't limited by his narrow acting range, but he doesn't have the acting chops for a complex character haunted by demons and the frustration of his beloved wife's death. Moreover, with his fading physiognomy, he looks like a fist in the eye among those young, horny wolves (and one very wild "bitch" played by – unusual for her – Mireille Enos). The B-movie script, which makes less and less sense as it goes on, doesn't help things either. The result is a kind of sweaty play on a raw thriller, with a lot of plot filler and deaf spots, where even the wannabe badass lines feel forced and the violence is gratuitous.

The first season was a struggle. There’s so much empty dialogue, scheming that goes nowhere and raw fucking that it makes you tired. But as the episodes and seasons progress, you begin to marvel at the thoughtful interconnectedness of the individual fates, how everything fits together with surgical precision, how G.R.R. Martin, or rather the showrunners, are not afraid to shock and allow themselves the least predictable (and yet logical) twists that make your jaw drop, your back shiver, and all you can do is utter an involuntary "Bugger me!". The manner in which the fates of Arya, Sansa, Tyrion (and I could go on) unfold in the least predictable ways brings joy to the hearts of viewers who enjoy rich stories. A real viewer's delight that builds to a fantastic fourth season, and I really have no idea what they're going to top it with in the upcoming one. And the fact that the series has an unprecedented, by TV standards, large-scale set design, sets and atmosphere, where every thoughtfully invested dollar of the generous budget is evident, only confirms the quality of this exceptional achievement.

Good for kids, they won't think much about the pervasive dumbness of the whole concept.....

An oddity. Everything in this series is so... unnatural. You seem to get the impression that everyone else around you, including your innocent-looking and loving grandmother, is a potential sadistic murderer who kills using the most bizarre and bestial techniques. If you thought that growing mushrooms on the half-dead bodies of the victims, depicted in the first season, was a bit "over the top", in the second one they go even further, until I'm afraid of what they will come up with next in the coming seasons (here even my imagination is not enough, unlike the showrunners’). Everyone in this series is so awfully serious that it would make you – in the words of Amadeus – shit a marble, they declaim so slowly and the plot twists pile up as if from the realm of the creepiest sc-fi that it gradually kills you and throws you into lethargy. The only thing that keeps it afloat is the seductively bleak cinematography and the charisma of Dancy and Mikkelsen. After completing two seasons, I'll gladly pass on the rest of this calculated and thoughtfully played-for-effect bizarre fodder. And I don't blame the originally cast David Bowie for not getting caught up in this.