Jim Yung (Derek Ting) is a soldier sent with his troop on a mission when his entire crew get infected by an alien dust that inhabits their bodies and turns them against him. Thankfully though, the side effects of the dust give Jim incredible powers which only heighten his military skills and he’s taken in by a special forces team.
The team is financed by Alastair (Michael Dorn) who has been aware of the alien presence for quite some time and has put it upon himself to work against the alien forces which aim to take over the human race after they turned on him over twenty years ago.
They’ve also managed to capture one of Jim’s combat buddies, John (Terrance Christopher Jones) and as his body is a vessel for an alien entity, they enlist Jim to get through to the human inside. However, with Jim questioning his new found abilities and the alien presence growing ever stronger, the team may not be able to pull it together in time.
Agent Revelation is a science fiction movie written, directed by and starring Derek Ting and sequel to his original movie, Agent. Obviously being influenced by science fiction shows from the Nineties, Agent Revelation picks up with just what Ting expects the audience to enjoy, perhaps much like he would himself.
The trouble is that this and probably the first movie puts him front and centre as he plays out his fantasy of being a superhuman with the world depending on him. It would have been fine if Ting had given Jim or in fact any of the cast any personality, because the setup is solid and has been the staple of many superhero movie or science fiction TV show.
However, Agent 2 ends up coming across like an extended pilot for a generic science fiction TV show.
Fans of Michael Dorn may be delighted to see him in a large role as Jim’s mentor, but there are only so many training montages that one film can take before the audience starts to wonder why we should care about anyone. Although we do get a brief glimpse of some Mok’bara.
Lola: Review – Ruby and Paul are a young couple experiencing a rift in their relationship. A lack of communication brings on Ruby’s growing suspicions about Paul and his constant whereabouts. One day she decides to follow him in an attempt to get some truth and ease her own anxieties.
Director Alexander Vlahos drops us right into their situation from the outset, a predicament which unfolds over the course of few initial scenes, never giving too much away at any one time. This is made all the more intriguing for there being no verbal conversation, the only presence of language being in the form of mobile phone text messages.
The decision to keep the film completely free of dialogue is a bold choice, one which pays off, elevating it from what could have been a much less interesting, predictable story. Instead it makes it compelling, continually making you want to learn more as the narrative progresses.
Another benefit of having no spoken word is that it eradicates the danger of ending up with clunky and overwritten dialogue, a pitfall of many first time or less experienced directors. It is therefore essential to be able to show, rather than just tell, a story. Vlahos manages to achieve this, his confidence ensures that it feels natural and not gimmicky.
Good casting also helps enormously. Ruby (Anna Brewster) holds the film together, being the character whose journey we follow. She has a captivating presence, emoting everything from confusion and frustration, to affection and wilfulness, through a range of facial expressions as well as body language.
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Her reaction to the big revelation towards the end, where she finally solves and understands the mystery, is a superb example of a person undergoing a barrage of internal emotions, outwardly expressed with simple honesty though a single close-up. It communicates her empathy, compassion and openheartedness at that moment perfectly.
It would be a mistake to underestimate Lola solely on the basis of its familiar, well-trodden premise. Vlahos constructs a concise and comprehensive story, simple but accomplished. He recognises and understands the practical and, essentially, unspoken elements of visual storytelling, qualities which raise the film well above average; that and a particularly fine performance from Brewster.
Jill Biden Edition: Bits & Pieces – Using brain-implant technology, Vos takes control of other people’s bodies to execute high profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her. Possessor features a stellar cast including Christopher Abbott (It Comes at Night, The Sinner), Rossif Sutherland (Guest of Honour), Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey), Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) and Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight).
Take a trip and break out of your shell with Barb and Star. From the gals who brought you Bridesmaids (co-stars and co-writers Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo) comes BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR. Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time…ever. Romance, friendship and a villain’s evil plot…Hold onto your culottes, BARB & STAR is coming soon to the UK!
Justin McConnell’s captivating ode to independent filmmaking, CLAPBOARD JUNGLE, named one of 2000’s best documentaries from outlets including Unseen Films and DirectorsNotes, is available on digital January 19 in the U.S (via Gravitas Ventures/Kamikaze Dogfight) and Canada (Indiecan Entertainment).
Dragon Ridertells the story of Firedrake (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), who wants to show the older generation he is a real dragon, not the naïve fledgling they see him as. When he discovers that humans are about to destroy the forest where the dragons reside, he sets off on a daring crusade with his best friend Sorrel (Felicity Jones) in search for a mythical safe haven hidden in the Himalayas where dragons can live in peace.
Julian Kim and Peter S. Lee’s acclaimed drama Happy Cleaners will play theaters and be released on digital this February. A beautiful story of acceptance and reconciliation, the film tells the story of a Korean American family and their fight to save their dry cleaning business in Flushing, Queens NY.
Bliss is a mind-bending love story following Greg (Owen Wilson) who, after recently being divorced and then fired, meets the mysterious Isabel (Salma Hayek), a woman living on the streets and convinced that the polluted, broken world around them is nothing but a computer simulation. Doubtful at first, Greg eventually discovers there may be some truth to Isabel’s wild conspiracy.
“Cherry” follows the wild journey of a disenfranchised young man from Ohio who meets the love of his life, only to risk losing her through a series of bad decisions and challenging life circumstances. Inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name, “Cherry” features Tom Holland in the title role as an unhinged character who drifts from dropping out of college to serving in Iraq as an Army medic and is only anchored by his one true love, Emily (Ciara Bravo). When Cherry returns home a war hero, he battles the demons of undiagnosed PTSD and spirals into drug addiction, surrounding himself with a menagerie of depraved misfits. Draining his finances, Cherry turns to bank robbing to fund his addiction, shattering his relationship with Emily along the way. Brought to the screen in bold, gritty fashion by visionary directors Anthony and Joe Russo, “Cherry” is a darkly humorous, unflinching coming-of-age story of a man on a universal quest for purpose and human connection.
Eureka Entertainment to release VIY [Вий], the ground-breaking gothic folktale made in Russia during the Soviet era, presented as a Limited Two-Disc Blu-ray Edition (3000 Copies Only) as a part of The Masters of Cinema Series from15 March 2021. The Limited-Edition will feature a Bonus Disc containing A Holy Place (1990, dir. Djordje Kadijevic) and an exclusive O-Card Slipcase.
From the makers of Hunt for the Wilderpeople and The Breaker Upperers, BABY DONE is a hilarious new heartfelt comedy. Produced by Morgan Waru, and executive produced by Oscar-winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) and Carthew Neal (Jojo Rabbit,Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Tickled), BABY DONE is the latest New Zealand comedy smash to be hitting UK and Irish shores.
Long-awaited sequel Bill & Ted Face The Music climbs to Number 1 on the Official Film Chart thanks to digital downloads only.
The third instalment of the much-loved pairing of Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves debuted at Number 3 before rising to the top of the chart this week, fighting off competition from recent Number 1s Tenet (2) and last week’s chart topper, The New Mutants which is pushed to Number 3.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is back in the Top 5, rising two places to Number 4, while Roald Dahl’s The Witches is down one to Number 5. Bad Boys For Life continues to climb, landing at Number 6, while The Greatest Showman jumps three to Number 7. Jumanji: The Next Level (8) and Little Women (9) switch places on this week’s chart.
Finally, Le Mans ’66 speeds up seven places to rebound to Number 10. The film – based on the true story of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race – last featured in the Official Film Chart Top 10 in August 2020.
This week’s Official Film Chart online show features animal spy caper Cats and Dogs 3: Paws Unite! The latest sequel of the family friendly series, which first debuted in 2001, is available to Download & Keep from January 25.
Now, as well as OfficialCharts.com, the Official Film Chart can also be found on FindAnyFilm.com – the ultimate site for Film and TV fans to discover all the legal ways to buy the entertainment they want on disc and digital formats.
The Official Film Chart Top 10 – 20th January 2021
Serial killer (amongst other labels) Richard Ramirez AKA the Nightstalker has been portrayed on the big and little screen many times over the years. However, for a case so complicated and so foul, it was high time the serial killer’s story got the in-depth docuseries treatment.
Tiller Russell’s Nightstalker: The Hunt For Serial Killer is a focused look at the full case history of the crimes committed by Ramirez, including first-hand accounts from detectives, witnesses and news reporters. The series itself incorporates archive clips, photo evidence and first hand accounts to weave a thriller-esque experience out of a documentary.
The American style of the documentary can sometimes feel a little over the top (when there’s voice over with a cut to the interviewee doing something that was obviously in between takes but fits the dramatic narrative), and some of the graphics lent themselves more to a computer game than crime scene renderings.
The general graphics and music at times also felt counterproductive to the general tone. However, the series is thorough, and not only shows an in-depth analysis of the case, but also shows the intricacies of detective work and the power of community.
Tiller did an incredible job of assembling family members of victims and survivors of Ramirez ,which humanised the victims, lifting them above the crime photos and remembering them as people, celebrating their lives (difficult to assemble that many I’m sure with such a high victim rate).
If you’re looking for a Netflix binge, then I do not recommend this series. Each episode needs to be digested and reflected on before the next. They are intense, and I’m sure bring up a lot of memories and emotions for people who remember the case.
If you’re looking for an in-depth analysis of true crime and the frustrations of catching a killer, this is for you.
