Kamen Rider Black Sun (2022)

Kamen Rider Black Sun (2022)

Dir: Kazuya Shiraishi | Script: Izumi Takahashi | 10 episodes, approx 44 mins each.

Until viewing Black Sun, the most recent Kamen Rider series that I'd watched in its entirety was the fruit-themed Gaim (2013-14), so if there's been a natural progression in how the franchise does things in the intervening years, from a production standpoint, specifically, I'm not aware of it.

Timed to coincide with Rider's 50th anniversary, Black Sun feels different because it's aimed toward an adult audience. The bright 'toy line' colours that usually adorn a Rider's suit are absent, replaced with nondescript shades of black.

Besides the longer running time per episode, there's also scenes of drug use and an elevated level of violence, including immolation, decapitation, severed limbs, etc, some of which is even perpetrated by and against children.

Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord (1986)

Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord (1986)

Dirs. Various (see below) | 14 episodes, approx 25 mins each.

'The twenty-third season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, known collectively as The Trial of a Time Lord, aired in weekly episodes from 6th September to 6th December 1986.

It contained four adventures: The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp, Terror of the Vervoids, and The Ultimate Foe; the season also marked the final regular appearance of Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor.'

The paragraph above is copied from Wikipedia, with just a few minor grammar changes on my part. The passage had much of the info that I was seeking, so it seemed pointless to write anything new. I'll add only that it marked the end of an eighteen month 'hiatus' for the show, so expectation levels among fans at the time was understandably high. Thoughts on the actual production are below the cut.

Animal Farm (1954)

Animal Farm (1954)

Dirs. John Halas + Joy Batchelor

Mr. Jones is abusive towards his animals, causing them to revolt and take over the running of Manor Farm. The animals agree that they must work together in order to prosper, but deep down not all of them believe in the 'Animalism' ideal. The political allegory, satire and hard-hitting subtext are easy to pick out, but they each keep their place, allowing Aristotle's ingredients for persuasion as evoked by some of the animals to really stand out when needed.

The animation and voices are excellent; the latter performed entirely by Maurice Denham. Also, the music by Mátyás Seiber does its job perfectly, upfront and powerful, and at times even becoming the primary narrative voice.

All in all, even if it was secretly part-funded by the CIA in the hopes of helping to promote their secret Cold War agenda — unbeknownst to the film's directors — the animated adaptation of George Orwell's novella still manages to do its source proud, for creatures great and small.

James Bond: Timothy Dalton (1987-89)

The Living Daylights (1987)

Dir. John Glen

In all probability this'll be the last James Bond movie post that I make, unless it comes down to the only Christopher Lee film I've not written about is the Bond one that he co-starred in. But that's damned unlikely, considering he's got 278 credits on IMDB and I'd sooner watch the 277 in which he doesn't have a supernumerary nipple.

I digress; I'm here to talk about Timothy Dalton. I mean no disrespect when I say that Dalton's Bond doesn't have the same level of sex appeal as Sean Connery's. Very few men do. On the plus side he doesn't have the same kind of 'charm' as Moore's. No, instead Dalton brings a moodiness to the role, and a sense of daring that the others had less of.

There's a feeling that he's worked hard to earn his 007 Licence, whereas for the others it came easy.