The Marvel universe is something quite special. It's a vibrant, lurid collection of worlds, all swollen with sharp humor, wicked thrills, and gulp-inducing tragedy. Over several decades, Marvel comics have inspired some of the greatest movie superheroes, villains and anti-heroes to zap themselves up onto the big screen - including Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, and Blade. Hollywood stars have scrambled for the roles in the rubber suits originally written in comic form, and it's a testament to the quality of these creations that the biggest names in film are desperate to jump into their skin.
There are a hell of a lot of movies out there which are essentially the same films with different faces. This familiarity can be exhausting, so when you see a movie that mixes things up a bit and has the audacity to put your brain in a blender, it can be a truly uplifting experience. It's nice to stretch your brain once in a while and take in something that's a little different.
Remakes and sequels. You could claim that that's Hollywood down to a tee. When you look at the endless amounts of recycled cinematic sludge that comes out year after year in theatres, it's tough to argue. Sequels and remakes now often make more money than originals, no matter how lazily assembled, sloppily made, and blatantly half-assed they are.
Obsession is a curious thing. It can be an admirable trait, as some of the greatest human beings to have graced the earth have been those who were overtly fascinated in a particular field. It can be a sickness, as some people have seen life fly by them as they remain engrossed in one particular facet. And it can also be terrifying, with some people channeling this particular behavior in wicked, wicked ways.
Sometimes, the best things can arrive in unlikely packages. Whilst it may be incredibly easy to write off a movie based on its crummy-looking poster or trailer, the fact is that you will never know unless you actually go and see the film for yourself. Sometimes you can find yourself pleasantly surprised. There's always a chance that you could emerge from the theatre with a smile on your face, no matter how dodgy the movie appeared on the face of it all.
Rightly or wrongly, British cinema is often thought of by the masses in two main contexts. The first is the period drama. Lofty accents, grand antique sets, rolling countrysides and costumes that appear tight enough to cut off the actors' air supply. You know the sort. The kind of movie where you can expect to see Kate Winslet breezing through grand rooms wearing a fancy, frilly dress at any given moment.
It would probably be fair to say that pretty much everyone got something out of the horror genre in 2014. For the film buffs and critics there was The Babadook and Willow Creek. For those loving slow-burning chillers there was Under the Skin and The Guest. For those seeking a slice of jet-black comedy with their main course of gore there was Life After Beth and Horns. And for those who harbored schlock Z-movie horror as a guilty pleasure – there was, er, Zombeavers.
