Little Demon: First Season Overview

Summary

The Anti-Christ is a teenage girl, voiced by Lucy DeVito, who meets her dad the Devil, voiced by Danny DeVito for the first time after a life on the run.

I really enjoyed this show, this as the title will explain is a full season review of Little Demon. I thought that not only was it funny, and at times also quite deep and thoughtful but I also really enjoyed how far it took things and pushed both the medium as well as what it can get away with.

In terms of the comedy of the show and the feel of it, there are definitely some Disenchantment and Paradise PD vibes running through this show which personally I enjoyed but I know it won’t be a lot of people’s cup of tea.

I think the real hidden treasure of this show is Aubrey Plaza voicing Laura the Anti-Christ’s Satan hating mum. Plaza does a terrific job here and really makes Laura into a well rounded character that can be funny, rad and also sympathetic all at the same time.

Overall, I had a lot of fun watching this series and think fans of certain types of adult animation will really enjoy it.

4/5

Pros.

It is funny

It is also surprisingly deep

The voice cast is terrific

The story is engaging throughout

Cons.

People who don’t like edgy adult animation will find little to like here

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The Last Of Us: Endure And Survive

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, and Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, try to escape from Kansas City whilst making some new friends along the way.

Man, the show really played with me. Despite playing the game and knowing this story I really felt the death of Sam, played by Keivonn Montreal Woodard, and Henry, played by Lamar Johnson, it hit like a ton of bricks. There was a small part of me that was ignoring what I knew would happen and was hoping just for a minute that this time around they might survive.

To change the subject, I think this episode may have been the most action packed yet. The sniping scene towards the end of the episode was straight out of the game and watching the horde of infected decimate all of the bandits was both horrifying and also oddly cathartic. I think this large amount of action and tension helped this episode to be one of the most riveting to watch of the whole season.

I think my one issue with the episode, and it is I will admit only a small detail, is the way Ellie reacts to seeing Sam and Henry dead. After seeing them die Ellie doesn’t cry, and whilst I can understand that she has been surviving in this world for some time and will be to a degree desensitised to death, I don’t think she is at that part of her journey where she could just shut out her emotions and carry on like this. I know later on in the story she will get to that place, but where this falls on the timeline I just thought she would be a little more upset.

Overall, another incredibly good episode. Yes, Ellie’s response to the death of Sam and Henry bugged me a bit but it was an incredibly small and insignificant thing in the context of the wider episode.

4/5

Pros.

The action

The sniping scene is straight out of the game

The death of Sam and Henry hits hard

The pacing is superb

Cons.

Ellie’s muted emotional response to the death of Sam and Henry

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The Last Of Us: Please Hold My Hand

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, and Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, continue their cross country road trip until they run into some bandits that force them off the road.

I enjoyed this episode for the most part, but I will admit that the stuff with the bandits at the end of the episode has me a little trepidatious as I worry that we might see another Woodbury situation, which for those unaware was when in the Walking Dead the whole pace of the show slowed to a near halt and a relatively minor event in the comics ended up stretching into multiple seasons. I want Joel and Ellie to be done with the bandits and away at least by the end of the next episode and not have this drag out and start to feel like network TV.

The scenes with Joel and Ellie together in the car driving and bonding were really well done and felt straight out of the game so it gets points from me there. Ramsey has fully grown into Ellie to such a point wherein I couldn’t see anyone else play her, I also thought the inclusion of the joke book was a stroke of sheer genius.

Seeing Ellie shoot someone for the first time, even though she didn’t kill them, felt like the momentous occasion it should have been and I enjoyed how the show had Joel deal with it, sending her into another room in a futile attempt to preserve her innocence. The show is really excelling in implementing the proper weight and emotion to these scenes and having them feel important and meaningful rather than just going through a check list of events from the game that need to happen in the show and checking one or two off per episode.

Overall, another good episode but the stuff with the bandits at the end has me nervous as I have been hurt in that regard before.

4/5

Pros.

Joel and Ellie bonding

The acting across the board

The significance the show gives to Ellie’s first time shooting someone

The joke book

Cons.

The bandits seem to be getting a lot of focus

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Wolf Pack: From A Spark To A Flame

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A new YA TV series is born, with some supernatural hijinks and Buffy’s small screen comeback.

I barely made it through this first episode, I did in the end over the course of about 6 tries stopping and starting and having to take breaks from it as its awfulness was truly overwhelming.

The only reason I gave this show a try was because it was from Jeff Davis, the guy who brought you Teen Wolf and as some of you know I was a massive fan of that show, but in many respects this show is a large step back from the goofy charm of Teen Wolf and tries to take itself far too seriously.

I think the crux of the issue with this show is that it is a YA program long after they have stopped being popular. As this is a review of the first episode I can’t say how the rest of the show will pan out as I won’t be watching it and can’t see into the future but one thing I can say is that in this first episode all of the well known hallmarks of YA fiction were there and they haven’t got any less cringe.

Overall, this show will likely get cancelled after one season.

1/5

Pros.

It reminds you how much of a better show Teen Wolf is

Cons.

YA is long past its best as a genre

It feels trope heavy and poorly written

The performances are awful

It is incredibly forgettable

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The Last Of Us: Long, Long Time

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, brings Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, to the home of his friend Bill, played by Nick Offerman, only to discover a horrifying truth.

I thought this episode was easily the best yet. Though it deviated from the game in several major ways, I thought the beautiful yet tragic love story of Bill and Frank, played by Murray Bartlett, easily deserved to be told and I personally dare you to watch it and not feel anything. As it came time for the two loves to say goodbye to one another I was wiping away tears, the performances from both Offerman and Bartlett are both so open and raw and truly there are a lot of layers there. I think this will probably be remembered when the season ends as its best episode, I think this will be the episode to win awards and I think that is rightly so.

Furthermore, I also really liked how this episode showed Joel morn for his friends and for Tess and really have a moment to breakdown. I think the whole scene with the letter really shows how much of a pro Pascal is and his real power as a dramatic actor. In addition, much like with last week’s episode this one had me again warming a lot to Ramsey’s Ellie to the point wherein now I do believe she was well cast in the role. I thought the final scene of them in the car together really felt like the game and reminded me why there dynamic worked so well in it. Although I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how the final scene in the car did feel an awful lot like Din and Baby Yoda, but hey I didn’t mind that.

Overall, one of the best episodes of TV I have seen in a long, long time.

4.5/5

Pros.

Bill and Frank’s love story

Joel’s breakdown

The final car scene between Joel and Ellie

Terrific performances all round

An emotional roller-coaster

Cons.

You will need to prepare yourself for just how sad this episode is

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The Last Of Us: Infected

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The journey to get Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, to the Fireflies goes horribly awry.

I thought this second episode was better than the first for several key reasons. Firstly, we got to see the infected up close and personal which was good, the show has really put a lot of money into making them looking both terrifying and also very true to the game. The make-up work on the clickers and other infected really does deserve your praise. Secondly, we get further insight into Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, and Tess, played by Anna Torv, and see more indicators of their relationship, which was eluded to but never fully confirmed in the game. I think Torv’s performance in the horde scene is incredibly striking, and the emotional impact of her death and the effect it has on Joel is incredibly powerful and effecting viewing. Thirdly and finally, I really enjoyed the prologue of the episode wherein it showed the early days of the outbreak in Indonesia, I think it added a lot to the world and the wider lore of the series.

It has to be noted that in many last review I was not keen on Ramsey’s performance as Ellie, I thought she was badly miscast, but I have to say here she is a lot better and her take on the character is starting to grow on me quite a bit.

Overall, a strong episode that is held up by well-acted performances and well-constructed emotional manipulation.

4/5

Pros.

Joel and Tess’ relationship

The Indonesian outbreak

Ramsey

Tess’s death and sacrifice

Cons.

Slightly too short, and as a result the pacing doesn’t leave enough time for processing

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Teen Wolf The Movie: TV Magic Cannot Hold Up When Compared To The Cinematic

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Teen Wolf is resurrected.

I will preface this review by saying when it was airing I was a massive Teen Wolf fan, the first few series were terrific and yes it did fall off quite a bit by the end but it still had its moments and I thought that the ending it had was fitting and meaningful. When I saw this film announced I was trepidatious, I didn’t think it needed to exist but then they said they were bringing back Alison, played by Crystal Reed, and my romantic heart was excited that her and Scott, played by Tyler Posey, could finally get their happy ending. Little did I know I was right on both accounts.

Fundamentally, the issue with this film is that it doesn’t need to and probably shouldn’t exist. It adds very little to the ending of the series, bar a tease at the end for a new series with younger characters. In many ways the film feels like it is bringing back everyone it can from the series and just throwing them at you to be like, remember this character how about this character, they even do this with the villain. It is a boon for the film that it brings back the best villain the show ever had and that does score it some points in my opinion, but again it doesn’t really do anything with them it just does it for the nostalgia.

It is good to have Reed back as Alison, but the issue here is that she doesn’t come back until a good ways into the film, and when she does she doesn’t do much at all. Again I question whether her return was more nostalgia baiting to try and lure fans back.

I do think the film is a lot worse off for not having Dylan O’Brien and Arden Cho return there absence is felt and in a sense the script for the film seems to be constantly bringing it up and being almost remorseful for their absence, it too wishing they were here.

Overall, in the end Scott and Alison did get their happy ending, but did we really need it? This film does nothing to move the franchise forward from where the series ended and instead feels like a highlights reel of all your favourite characters and monsters with some glaring omissions.

2.5/5

Pros.

I am torn on how they ended things with Derek, I both like it but also don’t

It is nice to see almost everyone again

It has some good moments

Cons.

The pace is awful

It doesn’t justify its existence

The TV esque effects really don’t work when things are supposed to be cinematic

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Unwelcome: Outdoor Liver At Sundown

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A young couple move to Ireland and run into the strange local legend of the Redcaps.

This film was depressing, clearly it was designed to be a comedy horror but like many that have come before it and many that will come after the film cannot marry its two tones well. For the most part I found this film to be incredibly grim and depressing, it made both London and Ireland look like absolute hellholes populated by thugs and pervs, this was then off set by the comical Redcaps which feel like the evil gremlins, from the film of the same name, turned up to just slightly more sinister.

The Redcaps themselves are what saved this film for me, as otherwise I would have given it even lower. I liked that they seemed to be puppets and were not CGI monstrosities, moreover I enjoyed how they interacted with the characters and the battle scene featuring them had some great moments.

In terms of the human characters other than Hannah John-Kamen’s lead everyone else was unlikeable in the max. Douglas Booth, who played John-Kamen’s boyfriend, is toxic in the extreme and is also pretty pathetic, he flies off the handle into a rage constantly and when he is actually faced with a dangerous situation he abandons his wife and starts to cry rather than defend her. Honestly Booth’s character was incredibly off putting.

Overall, fun little creatures and I am glad they weren’t CGI, but the film as a whole doesn’t get its tone right and is manically depressing and the lead male character is repulsive in many ways so much so that his scenes are hard to watch.

2/5

Pros.

The Redcaps

It is watchable

Cons.

It is manically depressing

Booth’s character is awful

The tone is all over the place

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The Lair: Like Something Paul W.S Anderson Would Have Made Years Ago, But Worse.

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

After being shot down a pilot, played by Charlotte Kirk, must contend with an army of alien human hybrids.

In many senses this film feels like a videogame movie, that is not a knock on videogame movies as I actually like more of them than most, however, it also highlights the obvious short comings of this film but unlike videogame films it doesn’t have the premade excuses those films have or the charm of their associated IP.

We have all seen films like this before wherein a group of soldiers have to hold off wave after wave of monsters as they are picked off one by one. In this sense this film isn’t anything particularly interesting, but is watchable.

Charlotte Kirk is not a good lead here at all, she is much better in Marshall’s other recent work The Reckoning, she barely emotes at all and her dialogue is paper thin at best. What’s worse is that a lot of her action scenes don’t come across as either believable or well-choreographed and can even be described at times as laughably bad.

Overall, whilst this is watchable it is nothing new and the acting, dialogue and action are all lacking.

2.5/5

Pros.

It is watchable

It is unintentionally hilarious

It is well paced

Cons.

The dialogue is awful

Kirk gives a terrible performance

It feels like a bad videogame film

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Slash/Back: Aliens Are Always Popping Up Where You Least Expect Them

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A group of Inuit teens do battle with aliens.

I thought this was a really quite fresh feeling horror film, both for exploring the mythology of a group of people that most of the world isn’t familiar with, and also for depicting aliens in a way that differs quite strongly from the little green men or humanoid figures we are so used to.

I really appreciated and liked the low-fi appeal of the monsters, I thought when the clearly dead animals were possessed and moving it was quite unsettling because in a sense you hadn’t, or certainly I hadn’t, seen something move like that before. I thought the skin suits later employed by the aliens were equally quite unnerving.

My one complaint of the film would be that it has a slow start, it feels like it is quite a while before we actually get into the alien business, and yes the film is setting up its world and characters in this time but it drags on.

Overall, a fun film that tries and mostly succeeds in doing something new.

4/5

Pros.

The look of the aliens both in animal and human form

The scares

Exploring Inuit mythology

The central teen cast are all likeable and do a good job for child actors

Cons.

A slow first act

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