Ahsoka (S1) (2023)
For as dejected and burned-out on Star Wars as so many have become (even if the reasons for that can certainly fluctuate in validity), the value of a well-timed nostalgia wave seems to be a driving force in making most of this come together. So midway through Ahsoka, when Hayden Christensen returns as the ghost of Anakin Skywalker to confront the titular character, the ripple of a sea change could certainly be felt from them on. It’s also where the series felt as though it really hit its stride, evolving from just another piecemeal Star Wars show into something a bit meatier. Yes, it very much a live-action continuation of Rebels in every way, but that was another one that came surprisingly dense with its own mythology and character development by the end. It certainly helps having Lars Mikkelsen return as big-bad Thrawn, not just as a collectedly sinister vocal presence but also a wonderful physical portrayal, but the live-action incarnations of these fan-favourite characters generally slot into place well. Rosario Dawson is well-suited to playing the titular character by now, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo, while not wowing as Sabine, captures the right energy throughout. The tacit standout, thought, might be Eman Esfandi as Ezra, who despite not showing up until the final episodes, has such a warmth and charisma that—given his particular fate in the finale—it’d be great to see more of. There’s also the late Ray Stevenson as new villain Baylan Skoll, a character who sadly gets a bit sidelined at a handful of junctures, but brings a wonderful presence every time he’s on screen. Compared to the up-and-down nature of a lot of Star Wars recently, Ahsoka clicking into place so fervently is really nice to see, and with a final episode that teases genuine consequences that feel compelling to see how they’ll play out (presumably in yet another spinoff, because of course), the anticipation around it largely sticks the landing. • LN
Killers Of The Flower Moon (2023)
Dir. by Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese surely has the longest stretch of being at the top of his game in cinema history, his latest epic Killers Of The Flower Moon, centred on the horrific Osage murders of the 1920s, reaffirming that beyond belief. It made headlines for its mammoth three-and-a-half hour runtime and it certainly feels its length, but that’s not to say that the runtime drags at all. It’s the very definition of a slow burn, the Native American setting and their relationships with white fortune-chasers twisting into murder on a shockingly mass scale, undetected for far too long. The three central performances are beyond fantastic – Robert De Niro plays friendly-faced but deeply villainous mastermind William Hale perfectly, viewers able to see the profound bitterness and hunger for wealth and power, but it’s so calculated that it’s easy to see why someone kept in the dark would fall for his charms. Hale’s pathetically dim-witted nephew Ernest Burkhart is the most oafish Leonardo DiCaprio character of his career, but he never lets such qualities (that would probably be played for laughs in other films) overshadow the depraved actions committed against his Osage wife, her family and her people for his own gain. Wonderful as those are though, Lily Gladstone is surely a Supporting Actress Oscar shoo-in for her turn as Mollie Burkhart. She’s instantly commanding, but the nuances in her performance communicate distrust and cogs moving that her verbal performance don’t. Killers Of The Flower Moon builds and builds and builds before settling in a final scene so powerful and told straight from director Scorsese’s mouth, making the audience process everything they’ve just taken in through a radio show (very similar to the condensed, playing-to-the-audience true crime podcast a story like this would probably be told through now) before slowly panning over the Osage people of today dancing. It’s a necessary glimmer of optimism, and a lovely touch alongside the tragedy and food for thought anyone watching this film will carry with them from now on. • GJ
Only Murders In The Building (S3) (2023)
There’s a general state of recognition that Only Murders In The Building has gone from strength to strength, season on season. It’s a genuine hit now, not just reaching a third season—which, let’s face it, a lot of shows fail to do—but now drafting in Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep in the recurring cast. Sure, the central premise of the core trio of amateur sleuths attempting to solve a twisty-turny murder remains intact, but the characters are really what keeps that bar high. Obviously the core three of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez are an airtight ensemble that are a consistent joy, but the show’s greatest strength is supercharging even its most minor of bit-players with personality and charisma, to where the story built from them is rarely predictable or uneven. It’s been true since the beginning and is yet to change, even in what might be the highest volume of new players that are all handled with the utmost care. Fittingly for the central conceit of this season, it’s a lot like a play in how interactions will play out and characters will ebb and flow into place; there’s a theatrical broadness at play, but never at the expense of a biting moment or a tangible interaction. It’s why it’s one of the best shows around at the minute—there’s an intelligence to how everything is packed and organised, never dipping and never petering out even slightly. • LN
M3GAN (2023)
Dir. by Gerard Johnstone
No one who’s been online in the year 2023 could have avoided M3GAN’s release in January. Yes, it’s a month notoriously dry when it comes to big blockbusters anyway, but the lack of ridiculousness amongst the winter’s straight-faced Oscar competitors makes the time of year the perfect canvas for a character like M3gan, marketing teams taking a page out of the Child’s Play book to make M3gan a horror icon in her own right. Her extensive wardrobe, cold but incredibly sassy putdowns and her instant dancefloor darling status (with her much-memed moves and inspired choice of David Guetta as her go-to lullaby) has resonated with millions around the world. The physical design of M3gan is fascinating and creepy as hell—it’s impossible to tear your eyes away from her whenever she’s in a scene, whether she’s intended to be the focal point or whether she’s sat in the background dormant. When her personality truly starts to come out, there’s a giddiness on the part of the viewer anticipating what she’ll do next. Past 2023’s number-one breakout star M3gan, is there much that’s groundbreaking here? Not really—the story is much-tread ground and there aren’t too many performances that stand out very much (horror’s go-to child star Violet McGraw is definitely serviceable as M3gan’s forever pal and Ronny Chieng a dickhead tech-bro boss maybe too well, but they’re far from the best thing here). But the doll herself has transcended her film and is living rent-free in the brains of many—a M3gan franchise being in the works definitely wouldn’t be surprising. • GJ
Doom Patrol (Vol. 6) (2016-2018)
Written by Gerard Way; art by Nick Derington
Bit of context for this one—in 2016, Gerard Way was given his own imprint at DC, Young Animal, in which create and relaunch characters with a more experimental, adult-focused tone. And so it’s no surprise that Doom Patrol was one of them, seeing how a team of weirdos existing in a world where nothing really makes sense feels like a potted summary for his own The Umbrella Academy. Obviously there’s big shoes to fill when Grant Morrison’s ‘80s and ‘90s run basically laid the groundwork for what these characters would be, but Way’s interpretation is…generally okay. There’s a sense that, particularly in the first issue, the weird headiness is a crutch rather than a significant storytelling device, but that tends to iron itself out rather quickly. Though from there, the fact that there’s only 12 issues means that a bulging cast doesn’t get a lot to do. New character Casey Brinke naturally has the most, but even then, her personality is anchored to broadly hopeful, superhero-ish archetypes. When there are more interesting characters waiting in the wings, like Robotman or Negative Man or Flex Mentallo, you wish there’d be a bit more for them to do than just go along with the ensemble. At least the art is strong, in clean linework with a lot of vibrant colours that you really need for Doom Patrol’s more surreal leanings. It’s a big part of where this run’s enjoyability comes from, given that a mile-a-second pacing to try and cram everything in really tires you out by the end. But then again, that’s often been the case with Doom Patrol, sometimes even at its best. If Way deserves credit for anything, it’s nailing that aspect that’s so often held this series in place. • LN
The Chemical Brothers
For That Beautiful Feeling tour
Two number one hits in the 1990s and a number of iconic dance tracks have kept The Chemical Brothers atop festival bills and on arena stages ever since. New albums of theirs are always appreciated, but news of a new release lets minds stray to the live performances that will come alongside it, this year’s For That Beautiful Feeling no exception. From a musical standpoint, this tour covers all bases when it comes to playing things fans want to hear. Songs like Block Rockin’ Beats and Galvanize still pack the punch they did more than 20 years ago, while newer inductees into the classic sect like Got To Keep On or Wide Open feel comforting and familiar, like they’ve been in your life much longer than they actually have. All of their studio albums are represented in this setlist through medleys and full-length songs, the live experience enhancing every song, immersing every audience member fully. The bass in Saturate and Escape Velocity in particular is cranked all the way up—it’s brain-rattling and fully addictive, leaving you hanging on the duo’s every move. The most interesting thing about the experience though, is how intrinsically linked the stage’s visuals are to the music. Of course, this is often the case with dance music, but often DJs are personally ringleading the action, commanding the attention of the crowd themselves. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons themselves are barely spotlighted, for the most part shrouded in smoke and lit only by the huge screens above them. It’s a total audiovisual experience, the images meticulously timed to match the ebbs and flows of The Chemical Brothers’ tracks. Fans know what to expect at certain points in the set—the unnervingly-faced, crown-wearing MAH man who shoots strobe lights out of his fingers and the classic wiry dancing silhouettes for Galvanize and Hey Boy Hey Girl are two highlights—and artists Marcus Lyall and Adam Smith perfectly toe the line between showcasing auteur through-lines and differentiating between different album aesthetics. They even reference themselves sometimes – the warmth of Wide Open from Born In The Echoes fits perfectly with the aesthetics from the Further record that play alongside it. After all of the energy and artsy technicolour, they end on The Private Psychedelic Reel, shifting to a darker palette and more religious art style. It’s a jarring shift and a much more sombre tone to end the night with than expected, but a statement of how The Chemical Brothers always put their art first, something that’s been clear throughout this entire show. • GJ
Words by Luke Nuttall (LN) and Georgia Jackson (GJ)
