Jesse Eisenberg Cast as Lex Luthor

So it's just been announced that Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Superman's arch nemesis Lex Luthor for the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, so I thought I would let you know my opinion on this casting.

Jesse Eisenberg is a good actor if not a little monotone for my liking. He was awesome in The Social Network but would he be as good as Lex Luthor? I don't think so. First of all he's too young in my eyes even though he is 30, but he does not look it! I want someone who looks like an intelligent but also quite menacing businessman and also someone a bit older then Superman. Although I could buy him as some young hot shot, he doesn't come across as the type of person who could stand up to the likes of Batman and Superman. I can't see Eisenberg stealing every scene as well as Heath Ledger did! It's an odd casting which has me interested to see how he plays him but I am not entirely happy that he has been given the chance in the first place. Warner Brothers have been casting people for the film that so far haven't been all too pleasing. The least they could do would be to give us someone like Bryan Cranston or Joaquin Phoenix to keep us looking forward to the now 2016 release date. I can take Batfleck and I can take Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman but Eisenberg as Luthor, I don't know, it's going to take way more convincing!

In addition to Lex, we also get to see Alfred again, this time played by Jeremy Irons. Apart from his stupid comments on gay marriage which he has now apologised for, I don't mind him playing Bruce Wayne's butler. Can anyone see him doing a better job than Michael Caine did though?

There is now way I won't see this film, but they really do need to release something pleasing like a picture of this supposedly awesome Bat suit to keep my interests up. I don't mind the odd controversial casting but has Warner Brothers taken it too far this time?

What are your thoughts on the latest casting additions to the Batman Vs Superman film? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Quick Reviews #6

Oscar season is upon us and over in the UK we are finally getting to see some of the contenders which have been out in the USA for a month now. Taking advantage of this, over a period of 24 hours I went to see The Wolf of Wall Street and 12 Years a Slave. Below are my reviews for both films.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Scorsese is my favourite director, I look up to the man, he is a big inspiration so therefore I couldn't wait for his latest film with the super talented Leonardo DiCaprio. The film is a masterpiece and very reminiscent of Scorsese's best film Goodfellas. The film is adapted from the autobiography of Jordan Belfort, a sly banker with a addiction to money, sex and drugs. The film is crazy from the beginning and never runs out of steam. Every scene in its three hour running time is fast paced, funny and beautifully shot. How this film isn't up for a best editing Oscar is beyond me! Scorsese has a great eye for pacing among other things and the story is just so well told. Although not technically a comedy, I actually laughed more at this film then I did when I saw Anchorman 2 the other week. One stand out scene that involved Belfort on drugs (although there are many) had me in stitches! The acting is great with Leonardo DiCaprio giving a brilliantly enigmatic performance that will undeservedly be snubbed at the Oscars yet again. Everybody else is also brilliant including Jonah Hill who is becoming a force to reckon with. The film has been criticised for 'glorifying' what these bankers were doing, but by the time the films ends I did not want to be in any of their shoes. Apart from being slightly long there aren't really any flaws plus, I don't care about watching three hours worth of footage from the best director around today. Scorsese just doesn't get lazy, with this being one of the last few films we will see from him, he still puts many younger directors to shame, he takes risks and he isn't afraid to move the camera around as much as possible. I am rating the film a 5/5. On another note, don't watch this with your Mum!

12 Years a Slave 

A bit more serious than The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave is also based on a true story, this time one about Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped and spent 12 horrible years as a slave. The film is no doubt going to win big at the Oscars not only due to it's delicate subject matter, but also because of it's great cinematography and heartbreaking tale. Compared to Steve McQueen's previous work, this film is a little bit more safe, going for more of a linear narrative rather than his more experimental style, however this film still has a lot of powerful imagery that is really well used to provoke a wide range of emotions whilst viewing. It was nice to see a change of pace, with McQueen adding many long shots letting us observe certain moments that drag on (in a good way) to try and fully engage us with the troubles and hardships of the characters. Each character was so well written with plenty of layers that make none of them stereotypical. The film is quite tough to watch at times, with a lot of violence shown at it's most graphic, it was nice to be reminded that I wasn't fully desensitised to it. The film was educational, it showed things that happened during this period of time that I was unaware about. Similarly to films about the holocaust, it makes you feel guilty knowing the capabilities of the human race and ultimately Solomon becomes our eyes and ears of the era as he witnesses terrible events which have all been drawn from reality. It's a sad and heartbreaking tale and you don't come out of the cinema fully happy knowing that this period in time happened and racism still exists today. It's also very well acted with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender giving some of their best performances in this film.  It's an enlightening film that captures the incredible story of Solomon Northup in a very powerful way, I am giving the film a rating of 5/5.

Two excellent but very different films, both up for a lot of Oscars. The competition is big this year! What did you think of the films? Did you enjoy them as much as I did? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Terrorcotta - Over

Last year I was given the task from my flatmate to create a music video for his new band Terrorcotta. So during December I had to film, edit and produce it for their deadline which was today. The song is called 'Over' and it is very upbeat and enjoyable. The idea from the start was to create a homage to 70's Cop B-movies. It was a lot of fun to make and was the most fun on set I have had yet! You can watch the full music video here:




I filmed the music video of Canon 5D's Mark 2. I was used to the camera but I have never had to edit such a fast paced story to music. This was my first challenge. The next was using After Effects, a software I have little knowledge of but was happy at the outcome of the overall cinematography and gun shots. Watch out for more Cranston Rigby!

Here is the press release for the band:

Terrorcotta – More than just a colour

Just as people thought rock was hiding away in the shadows, here is a new band that is trying to bring rock back. With in the last couple of years, there has been a distinct lack of rock music in the charts and as the ever-ticking hand of life reaches yet anther cycle, a new band are about to step forth to conquer commercial rock. 

This enticing band, called Terrocotta, is made up of members: Ryan Rogers, Alex Matthews, Alistair Wilson and John Logan. They are about to release a song called “Over”. It’s riddled with memorable riffs and lyrical melodies, which means this band is not just for rock or indie lovers, but also branches out to a wider audience. 

The band met while studying Popular Music at Falmouth University and initially performed in bands based around lighter genres of music, such as: Electro Pop and Reverb Indie. After their taste for a grittier sound emerged, band began writing and recording under the name of Terrorcotta.

The band is based in Falmouth, Cornwall and will be releasing their debut single, “Over”, on Tuesday 7th January 2014. This is a band that is one to watch. 


www.soundcloud.com/terrorcottaband
www.facebook.com/terrorcottaband
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmwYM7p6ohY
www.twitter.com/TerrorcottaBand

Email: terrorcottaband@gmail.com

Thanks for reading!