Lucifer TV Series Review

Currently as of this posting we are 2 episodes into the new TV series adaption of the comic book Lucifer and although we've barely scratched the surface of this fresh new series, we'll find out if it is devilishly good, or a sin to television?

Starting this review I'll state that I've never read the Lucifer comic books because it was never really something that seemed too interesting to me. So I come into the TV series being completely untouched by the whole backstory. As such, you can expect me to know literally nothing on the series, cast or characters aside from the obvious.

So Lucifer is literally the tale of God's son Lucifer Morningstar, getting bored with ruling hell and taking a vacation on Earth with us mortal folk for a bit of entertainment. This premise alone gives the series a real kick that leaves me personally wanting more. Starring as the titular Lucifer, Tom Ellis is likeable and charming with just enough cheesy acting to give the character a comedic tone that doesn't overshadow the overall style of the series.

Of the two episodes that have aired so far, I can say that the camera work is nicely done and the series doesn't come across as looking cheap. There's clearly a nice budget behind this series and it shows. The soundtrack is a double-edged sword for me, with all the typical devil-related songs, mildly erotic sounding beats and a cool theme tune. All in all Lucifer is visually pleasing and not cheap or tacky.

The acting is oft times shaky at best, with Tom Ellis giving a reasonable tongue-in-cheek performance, but the surrounding cast doesn't stack up so well. Lauren German plays the role of Chloe Dancer with all the seriousness of a Law & Order episode but it doesn't work so well when she tries to come across as jokey, sarcastic or intrigued as she uses 'classic' cliché acting expressions such as overly obvious eye rolls and tuts. Perhaps it's just a personal issue but it throws me off when I see it and I notice it every time.

On the whole Lucifer has the makings of a good series and with 13 completed episodes ready to air so far I can see myself sitting through every episode weekly and getting hooked. However this could be a trap and like Constantine before it, which also had a great deal of potential and got decent viewers. Lucifer could see itself getting cancelled by season 2 if the station doesn't see it as successful. This isn't a huge issue, but fans of Constantine and previously cancelled series' may not actually invest their time in Lucifer if the fear of it being cancelled looms over it. Which is a vicious circle. Unfortunately, Lucifer has received average reviews from the more well-known critics an this could be its downfall.

Lucifer gets a Witless Reviews Rating of: GOOD

Top 10 Must Watch Movies.

Welcome to my personal Top 10. This list consists of the 10 films that in my opinion are 10 of the best films of all time. Short and sweet. So let's get on with it:

TOP 10 MUST WATCH MOVIES

10) THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)

Without a doubt one of the greatest Sci-Fi films of all time. The Day The Earth Stood Still in my personal opinion is one of those cherished films that can be enjoyed at any time or any mood. With beautifully classic effects and acting, and a story that teeters on being cheesy but is held together but a genuine feeling that 'this could happen one day'. I love this film and have since I was a child. 

9) ROCKY

Stallone's breakout film that shows the struggles of the kind-hearted Rocky Balboa as he trains for the greatest fight of his life against the world boxing champion, Apollo Creed. I first saw Rocky when I was about 5 and as a child that loved Wrestling and boxing, I bonded with it straight away. Stallone shows that he is so much more than an action hero in this incredible film. With Burgess Meredith stealing the show as Rocky's trainer, Mickey. The only film I can think of that rivals Rocky is The Wrestler. Give it a watch if you ever need a boost of motivation.

8) JAWS

I have a paralyzing fear of sharks. not just great white's, but ALL sharks. No joke. In the same way that you may be terrified of heights or spiders, and you get that numb feeling of fear. I get that with sharks, Even pictures of them scare me. And that fear comes from this film. When I saw this as a young lad I was terrified and had to hide behind a cushion. So why is it one of my favorites? well because I love horror films, I love getting scared and that adrenaline one gets from a good jump scare or creepy movie, and to tie that with a killer shark is the perfect blend of terror and suspense. Also the Theme tune is legendary for it's simplicity and terror-inducing beat.

7) LITTLE BIG SOLDIER

Fans of foreign film will understand why Little Big Soldier takes a spot on this list. Set in feudal China, Little Big Soldier features Jackie Chan in what I personally consider his greatest movie role. It is both serious and comedic in equal parts. While never taking away from the overall story. The plot is solid and is quite an old one (Two enemies go on the road together to return home) There're so many memorable moments from this film, that features a touching ending that leaves the viewer thinking 'Wow, that was a film!'. Give it a watch.

6) PSYCHO

When a 50+ year old horror film is still able to scare you and make you jump out of your seat, you know it's a solid horror. What can I say about this film. From the shocking death of the protagonist early in the film's run time, the twists and turns that for it's time were utterly unheard of, and even now have been copied but never bested. Psycho shows that a horror film can be scary while also not relying on cheap tricks. 

5) GODZILLA - 2014

What, a new film on this list?! Yeah, Godzilla from 2014 takes my #5 spot on this list because in my opinion, it is the best western giant monster movie ever made. "But Witless, what about Toho's previous films?" Well dear readers, While I do love the original series of Godzilla films and watched them as a youngster, When it comes to a serious interpretation of a giant monster, it is extremely difficult to pull it off without being cheap and laughable, and as great as the Toho versions are. They are unabashedly cheesy. But when talking about a truly GREAT movie. The 2014 version of Godzilla combines the human element, perfectly with the monster horror. and what's more, you don't see too much of Godzilla to get bored of him. 

4) TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY

If you want a perfectly made Sci-Fi movie, Take a look at Terminator 2. If you want a perfect Sci-Fi series, Take a look at Terminator 1-4. Terminator 2 took everything that made the original great and upped it in every way. Schwarzenegger plays the role of the terminator so perfectly that I cannot picture anyone else in the role. EXCEPT for Robert Patrick as the T-1000. With Special effects that hold up today as still being impressive (Think about that for a second. a 24 year old movie's effects rivals today's) T2 is a killer film. 

3) PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

Like horror films. Comedies rarely qualify as being truly great movies. relying on old tricks, stock gags, and references that become dated soon after viewing. However, what makes Planes, Trains and Automobiles different is that it uses very few of these. Perfectly combining Steve Martin's dry wit, with John Candy's humble light comedy. It's difficult not to both laugh and cry at this film. With an ending that will touch you and a plot that is as old as cinema and yet still fresh and funny. PTA stands as one of the late-Candy's greatest films. 

2) V FOR VENDETTA

A Superhero film steeped in social commentary and political drama. Blending thought-provoking ideology with high pace action and based off of Graphic Novel by arguably the greatest comic writer of all time. V for Vendetta had such an impact on audience members who saw something wrong with society's upper class favoring systems that the Internet group Anonymous adopted the Guy Fawkes mask as their personal image. With John Hurt playing the role of an Iron-fisted dictator, it's up to V to put an end to the way things are. I should also mention that the acting here is perfect, the effects simple and great. the plot is well thought out and the action is both clear and precise.

1) AMISTAD

It isn't the highest-rated film on this list. and it's not the most exciting. but by god is it powerful and moving. I love the history of Black rights in America and learning of the struggles that slaves endured solidifies my views on the history of black rights. Be prepared for one hell of a movie when you start watching. With a speech from Anthony Hopkins that echoes through time and will leave you believing in the American dream, Amistad in my opinion stands head and shoulders above the rest as the greatest film in cinema. 

I hope you've enjoyed this Top 10 list. please check in next time where I will cover the Top 10 WORST MOVIES.

Thanks for reading. Have a great rest of day. 

WR

The Fine Bros REACT. My view

Let me start this short blog post by stating that I sometimes watch the Fine Bros REACT videos depending on the content. I've never subscribed to them, But I'm not an immediate hater of their stuff.

With that being said. I think it is utterly ridiculous to have such arrogance that anyone - YouTuber, Celebrity, Musician, Whatever - would feel entitled to claim to be the originator of anything without a hint of sarcasm. 

Now I know that I am just a small YouTube content creator with a handful of subscribers. But I genuinely feel that if I were in their position. It wouldn't be out of the question for someone to take me aside and say "You're getting a real ego and acting like a royal d--k". 

But without getting ahead of myself. let's just back up a little and look at the events. So generally this is what has occurred: 

1. 'Fine Bros entertainment' (FBE) create 'REACT' videos and get millions of views and subscribers.
2. FBE make A LOT of money and get it in their thick skulls that by copyrighting the phrase 'REACT' and the format of their 'show' they can make even more money. 
3. FBE uploads a video informing us lowly viewers that we too can be a part of this Revolution. by LEGALLY... LEGALLY purchasing licensing to use the FBE's ground breaking formula and making our own REACT videos. They also in the process declare that they'd never dream of taking down other REACT videos and that they just want a LEGAL community in which everyone makes FBE approved, licensed, LEGAL videos. 
4. CROWD GOES WILD! and not in a nice way. more in a, tearing the seats out and bricking the windows, kind of way. Because as it turns out, us utter morons that are granted the privilege to view the FBE videos aren't as dumb as we look. we see right past this paper thin charade and realize that what FBE want is to have anyone thinking of uploading any REACTION video to have to pay the FBE beforehand and share the profits with them. 
5. In response, these two idiots upload YET ANOTHER video in which they basically tell their viewers that they are clearly too stupid to understand what the Fine Bros actually meant and that we were silly to get so mad at them. 
6. CROWD GOES WILD AGAIN! there's no more seats to tear out so we're basically knocking walls down and razing the place to the ground. 
7. The Fine Bros call it quits on the whole event and just pretend like nothing happened.

and that ladies and gentlemen is what we on the internet call "A Nightmare for PR". Its also how FBE lost about a million subscribers almost overnight. 

My view on this whole thing is actually quite simple and is a lesson I think everyone needs to learn at some point. "Don't think you're bigger than you are!" This is also why I generally don't agree on principle with Patreon. Because from what I can see. it seems like a way for people getting paid to make videos, to get paid more for putting up videos. And yes I know that people get content early from their favorite YouTuber's for the fee of Patreon, But personally that just smells wrong to me. IF you already have content. Upload it. Don't hold off and treat people like you're giving them a gift by giving it to them sooner if they pay for it. And my opinion will stay that way until I see something good come from Patreon. 

But back to my view. I hate it. I hate YouTuber's that get so many subscribers that their egos take over and they lose touch with where they started. If you are a viewer or subscriber of the Fine Bros. Then please do yourself a favor and be aware that EVERY YouTube creator that makes money from videos is solely interested in the money. When all is said and done, Big YouTuber's do it for a living and aren't actually your friends, it is first and foremost a business. Please don't spend your money on something like Patreon because you want to help them. They're doing alright by ad revenue alone. Use your money and treat yourselves.

Thanks for reading, Have a great rest of day. 

WR.

Batman - Bad Blood Review

Hello and welcome to my latest blog post. Hope you're having a great day.

Let's get right into this review. WB/DC Animation recently released Batman - Bad Blood. the latest in a long line of animated Comic book movies. The plot revolves around Batman vanishing after an intense battle, and it being left to the 'Sidekicks' to jump in and save the day. Will they find Batman? Is he dead? We'll never know (Yes we will but not in this spoiler-free review)

So how does the movie stack up?
Well to be honest it isn't the best of the Batman Animated movies, with a story that, while decent, is slightly rushed and animation that goes from beautiful to basic and a bit messy at times. However, there's a real charm to this movie and it really shows off how the sidekicks can fare without the Bat around. 90% of the villains are forgettable and when thrown in together, you really start to see how weak most of them are such as Firefly and Mad Hatter barely doing anything of interest and instead being there to push the story forward.

Now I mentioned the animation. and with an animated movie, that's the deciding factor really, and for the most part it is gorgeous. the fight scenes are well done and look pretty visceral. but there were a few cases of what I can only assume were censorship. For instance, at one point someone gets stabbed and for the briefest second, blood appears at the wound as one would expect. yet when  the person moves his hand over said wound, like magic the blood is gone. I'm not sure if this was a matter of not wanting to show too much blood. but generally these animated films are aimed more towards the young adult and up demographic, and trust us Warner Bros We can handle a little bit of blood.

As you can see in the above image, this really is a full ensemble cast. from Damien Robin, Nightwing, Batwoman and so on. So if you're a Batwoman fan then this is the film for you. one sorely missed inclusion is James Gordon, who is in the film, albeit briefly.

All in all Batman - Bad Blood Stacks up nicely with the rest of the DC animated movies and is well worth a watch. By the by, Run time is about 1hr 12mins.

BATMAN - BAD BLOOD gets a WR rating of: GOOD

NAME: Batman - Bad Blood

RATING: Good

PRICE: £15 RRP

BUY FROM: Amazon - Click here to view

Godzilla Goodness

I flipping love Godzilla. I love the cheesy Toho films that have spanned the decades. and I love Gareth Edwards' version from 2014. Heck, I even loved the American 'Zilla starring Matthew Broderick (Although personally I consider it just a monster movie that shouldn't actually be called 'Godzilla')

So I am happy to say that I've taken some lovely new pictures of my latest Godzilla figure. and a video will be uploaded soon.

For reference, this is the 'Spitfire' Godzilla.

Mega Man Headphones

Check out these Mega Man-style headphones. Officially being released by CAPCOM soon.

Right now there aren't many details on the headphones but as you can see, they use a wired connection as opposed to Bluetooth, and from the box it's apparent that they are to be sold in a limited run, so expect the price of these headphones to be through the roof.

Now me personally I think these look amazing. they don't look too outlandish so they'd still look pretty stylin' out and about. However, I'd have like to see these headphones come with a chargeable battery and Bluetooth option so that you could flick a switch and two red LED's in the earpieces. that'd be a cool addition.

Can we hope for Proto Man-style Red headphones? That would be amazing.

Recording and technical

Firstly, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. We made it to 2016, I always knew we could. good on ya.

but now onto the matter at hand. I thought you guys may like to know the technical process that goes into recording, editing and uploading a Witless Review video. So with that in mind, let's get started shall we.

RECORDING

Recording an video for Witless Reviews is actually really simple. I use a wooden desktop setup where I record and keep close to a large window (Natural light will always trump artificial)



For the actual recording process, Up until 01/01/2016 I was using my phone to record every video. for reference, my phone is the NOKIA LUMIA 1020, and I can guarantee you that this phone is without a doubt, the best phone I've ever used and I love it. It has a massive 41MP camera and records in 1080p at 25fps which gives it an overall great quality. Even though the Lumis 1020 is an oldish phone, I would still recommend it to anyone curious about getting into pictures and recording. I also use Nokia's official camera grip, which Although pricey for what it is (Retailing for around £40), is incredibly useful when combined with a Camera Tripod mount to give a much more professional looking video and enabling much easier camera angles.

The official Lumia 1020 Camera grip attachment. By Nokia.

However. I now have a new recording device. that being the NIKON D3300. An entry-level DSLR camera that is widely considered one of the best Entry-Level DSLR's on the market. It's not cheap when compared to the average camera, but once I started using it I couldn't imagine going back to using my phone for anything but the average picture or video while outdoors. That's not to say that the Lumia 1020 is bad by any means. It's just that the amount of control one has over the functions and settings on a DSLR surpass anything that pretty much any phone is capable of. add onto that the interchangeable lenses and it just makes sense to only go up to a DSLR rather than moving down to any other device.

EDITING

Editing is actually the most time-consuming aspect of recording any video. When I first began recording, I stuck with Microsoft's own Movie-Maker. Now if you're thinking of making videos then by all means, try out Movie Maker before using premium expensive software. It's completely free and works pretty well for small editing jobs. The only issue I ever found with Movie Maker is that it can take a long time to import video clips. other than that, it works just fine. 

But I wanted a bit more control over the editing aspect so decided to try CYBERLINK POWER DIRECTOR. With patience and practice, PD is actually very easy to use and includes loads of features not covered in Movie Maker. Now it is about £30-£50, but is well worth the price tag. 

If you too are thinking of using Power Director then I would recommend saving every video you make in the highest quality that you can - usually MPEG-4 works a treat - possibly manage. 

UPLOADING 

Nice and simple really, tidy up the video title, make it something short enough to not bore your viewers. and upload straight to YouTube. Post the link onto my official Twitter page (@WitlessReviews) and hope to get some views. To be honest with you, the amount of views, however large or small, never really matter. I record videos because I like to chat about the things that interest me, and if someone decides they like to look at what I'm talking about, or just generally fancies browsing the net for things not often discussed, then I'm happy with single digit viewing figures. It's actually quite relaxing to go through the process of recording, editing, and uploading and gives me the chance to appreciate the things I'm into just that little bit more.

I hope this has been interesting for you to read through, and if you do record anything then please leave the link in the comments section of this blog so I can check it out. 

Have a great day.

WR.