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‘Legion’ Season 2: What lurks in the shadows

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Welcome back to the most chaotic, surrealistic, psychotic, visually-impressive if not severely depressive, show currently on the FX channel.

Despite technically being a part of the X-Men universe, Legion is in a league all its own, in terms of storytelling, visual entertainment, and the ability to slam a lasting legacy all its own into your over-geeked head.

The show is so surreal, in fact, it’s often hard to tell truly what the show is trying to present, and how we’re supposed to react. (Which is, I think, the whole point.) This season has a tendency to try and show things from the villain POV, and just listen to how reasonable they sound, how convincing they are. Even the Shadow King, that guy that everyone started off hunting and eventually many wound up helping, bizarrely somehow, he sounds perfectly logical when he lays it out, even often in several different languages at a time.

And what is the Shadow King whispering poison into the ears of the good guys? David Haller (Dan Stevens) is the new villain in all this, a David of the future where he rules the post-apocalyptic world of his own making as a King, an Emperor even, the Bringer of Chaos and Destruction. It doesn’t help that a version of Syd (Rachel Keller) from said future has shown herself to David, missing an arm and full of dire prophecy about her future, determined to stop whatever catastrophe happened in her own future. It’s kind of exhausting.

Division 3, that shadowy organization from the Season 1, has had shakeups and re-arranged many of the game pieces, but the general murky objective of controlling the possibly world-killing mutants remains the same. The alliance with the basket-wearing Japanese guy and his lady mustache robots made little sense to me, but whatever. The battle lines of Season Two are so crossed and convoluted at this point, what with the constant flux of future, present and even past colliding.

Much to-do is made about finding the Shadow King’s body, that which was hidden among the many other secrets by the Summerland residents and a whole bunch of others, the body of the man known as Amahl Farouk (Navid Negahban). Dear old Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) got recruited from the prison she was hanging out in with Oliver (Jemaine Clement), who was also conscripted to help find Farouk’s body, but since Lenny kind of needed a body of her own to occupy, a decision was made for her that has disastrous results from David. Most of the latter episodes of Season 2 were preoccupied with the hunt for the Shadow King’s real body, and this bit of information has serious ripple repercussions inside the show.

We know from spoilers of the first season that David Haller is, in fact, the son of Charles Xavier, which makes this an X-Men jaunt. The Shadow King in his Amahl Farouk face confronted Xavier some time ago, leading him to form the X-Men. If you concur with the theory that Legion takes place after the events of Logan, another movie that can arguably said to be in the X-Men universe, then the Shadow King is attempting to incite a literal world-changing event in David. In the comics, poor David is known as Legion for several truly frightening reasons, but we’ll just end the spoilers and speculations there.

The subtle and sometimes very blatant evil expressed through amazing CGI and Narrator voice-overs in between the near-constant mental battles of all the ‘Legion’ characters are gorgeous and devastating, especially the concept of the egg birth of a delusion. Fans may not have any clue what’s going on inside a given episode of ‘Legion’ Season Two, but the cataclysmic visuals the show offers us are like a beautiful-looking but strange puzzle we the audience have to decipher for ourselves, through our own biases and explanations and delusions too. And with the events of the final episode, the likelihood of a ‘Legion’ Season 3 is very good, but who the villains and good guys will be, is anyone’s guess.

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Review of “Good Bad Ugly”

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Director: Adhik Ravichandran 

Starring: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Das, Trisha, Simran

Genre: Action / Crime Drama

Rating: 4.5/5


“Good Bad Ugly” centers on Red Dragon (Ajith Kumar), a notorious gangster who chooses to surrender himself in the hopes of turning over a new leaf and reuniting with his estranged son. However, when unforeseen threats emerge, Red Dragon is forced to step back into the dangerous underworld to protect the only family he has left.

“Good Bad Ugly” plays to the strengths of Ajith Kumar, delivering a fan-pleasing portrayal of both his vintage villainy and his matured emotional depth. Ajith’s powerful screen presence, coupled with his iconic voice, shines against Arjun Das’s brooding and intense new-age antagonist, creating an electric old-school versus new-school dynamic. The nostalgic return of Simran is a clever nod to longtime fans, bringing heart and familiarity. Trisha brings a strong, grounded performance as the moral compass in Red Dragon’s life, helping move the emotional threads of the story. The film smartly balances action, comedy, and sentimental fan-service moments.

While the film delivers on fan expectations, its narrative could have benefited from tighter pacing and deeper character development for its supporting cast. Some plot conveniences and an overreliance on nostalgia may limit broader audience appeal beyond the fanbase. Certain dramatic beats felt rushed, leaving little time for emotional resonance to fully land.

The ambition to blend high-octane action with heavy emotional stakes sometimes leads to tonal inconsistencies. At moments, the shift from gritty underworld drama to lighter fan moments feels abrupt. Additionally, though Ajith Kumar’s effort to showcase his dancing skills is commendable and welcomed by fans, it slightly disrupts the otherwise darker tone the film establishes.

“Good Bad Ugly” is a tribute to Ajith Kumar’s enduring legacy, offering vintage thrills while teasing new dimensions to his craft. It’s a solid entertainer that successfully taps into fan nostalgia while hinting at an exciting evolution for AK. While not without its flaws, the film’s heart, energy, and performances make it a must-watch for fans and a compelling action-drama for broader audiences.

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Presence: A Horror Movie For People That Don’t Like Horror Movies

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In these uncertain times, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned horror movie. Unfortunately, Presence is not an old-fashioned horror movie. Yet, as I discovered, this is a good thing!

When I heard about the premise of this movie, I was intrigued. The stylishly subtle trailer was, appropriately, haunting.  And was that Lucy Liu? A haunted house movie from the perspective of the ghost? As a seasoned horror movie buff, I was all in!

Like the majority of people I missed the films brief theatrical release. Luckily I was able to catch it on streaming. Visually the film is easy to enjoy from your own home, as it’s rather cosy looking. I never thought I’d be describing a horror movie as ‘cosy’ looking but it’s true! This is not a James Wan type creepy, dusty, decrepit house harbouring a haunting. No, this is a 100 year old jewel toned, oak finished colonial style home. 

Despite this the story follows the beats we are all familiar with: troubled family of four move into a new house. The big deviation from the trope is we, the audience, are seeing events unfold from the POV of the ghost or presence. 

Director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) chose to film the entire piece using a small (14mm) hand-held digital camera. Soderbergh himself acted as the ‘presence’ following the actors around. From the audiences perspective it is like watching the family through a barrier or pane of glass. Cleverly, windows and mirrors are hugely prominent and integral throughout.

The presence mainly follows and tries to interact with the daughter of the family, Chloe (Callina Liang), who has recently suffered the trauma of her best friend dying suddenly. Through Soderbergh’s experimental filming, we feel the dysphoria and frustration the ‘ghost’ is feeling at trying to affect the world around it, particularly during the anxiety-inducing final scene!

However, in what could be yet another mismarketing of a film, the trailer promised to be the ‘scariest movie you will see this year’ and ‘terrifying’; instead, they delivered this subversive, character-driven, family drama. If you are expecting jump scares and dramatic music stings, this is not your movie. I could understand if someone was disappointed that the only seemingly scary thing is the mother’s and son’s relationship, right up until the gut-punch of the final scene. 

Presence is definitely a slow burn, tension building until the final scene, and the unveiling of the ‘presence’ giving us a new understanding of the whole story. The ending is disturbing and stays with you as you re-analyse earlier scenes. 

My one complaint is that the character Ryan (West Mulholland) with his Chesney Hawkes hair, perhaps needed more subtlety. The rest of the cast was completely solid and believable as a family with so many unspoken issues. 

I wouldn’t recommend this film for everybody but maybe be as so bold to say it’s a horror movie for people that don’t like horror movies. It’s well-lit and cerebral with realistically flawed characters.

Presence is available to stream.

Three and a half stars.

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Anime Review: Fog Hill of the Five Elements (Wu Shan Wu Xing)

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Genre: Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Historical
Runtime: Each episode runs approximately 20-30 minutes
Director: Lin Hun (also the Creator)
Studio: Samsara Animation Studio
Main Voice Actors (Chinese Cast):Liu Zhi Shi as Wen Ren Yu Xuan Zhou Qi as Shen Nong Fang Yuan as Xuan


Overview

Fog Hill of the Five Elements is a breathtaking Chinese anime (donghua) that merges traditional Chinese ink-painting aesthetics with high-intensity martial arts action. Created and directed by Lin Hun, this series delivers a spellbinding visual experience that rivals, and in many ways surpasses, mainstream Japanese anime. Produced by Samsara Animation Studio, the anime is a labor of love, known for its hand-drawn animation and meticulous detail.

Set in a mythological world where elemental beasts roam free, the series follows the Five Elemental Envoys tasked with protecting humanity. The story focuses on Wen Ren Yu Xuan, the Fire Envoy, whose actions set off a chain of events threatening the delicate balance between humans and beasts. The tale is steeped in Chinese folklore and myth, weaving a complex narrative of duty, power, and sacrifice.

Without question, Fog Hill of the Five Elements is one of the most visually stunning animated series in recent memory. The blend of traditional Chinese ink wash painting with modern dynamic action scenes is masterful. Every frame looks like a moving scroll painting, with fluid character movements and kinetic fight choreography that puts many mainstream series to shame.

The characters are deeply tied to traditional archetypes found in Chinese legends but are fleshed out with emotional depth and conflict. Voice acting by Liu Zhi Shi, Zhou Qi, and Fang Yuan brings authenticity and gravitas to their respective roles. The dialogue is steeped in poetic language, enhancing the mythic feel of the story.

The soundtrack complements the epic visuals with traditional Chinese instrumentation mixed with modern elements. The sound design heightens the impact of every battle and emotional moment.


Rating: 9/10

Fog Hill of the Five Elements earns a 9 out of 10 for its groundbreaking animation style, deep mythological storytelling, and heart-pounding action. The only downside is its limited number of episodes and slow release schedule, which leaves fans craving more.


Pros

  • Unparalleled hand-drawn animation
  • Unique art direction inspired by traditional Chinese painting
  • Rich mythological lore
  • Epic fight choreography

Cons

  • Sparse episode release
  • Story pacing can be uneven at times

Final Verdict 9/10

If you’re an anime enthusiast or a fan of animation artistry, Fog Hill of the Five Elements is a must-watch. Its fusion of stunning visuals, martial arts action, and mythological storytelling makes it one of the standout titles in modern animation. Whether you’re into Japanese anime or Chinese donghua, this series deserves a spot on your watchlist.

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