Michael Pena

News, Reviews & Features
  • Marvel's Cine-CHAT-ic Universe: Ant-Man (2015)

    Movie Feature | Ali Gray, Matt Looker, Becky Suter, Ed Williamson, Luke Whiston | 8th May 2019

    This is it. This is the one where the wheels finally came off. 11 movies deep into the Marvel's Cine-CHAT-ic Universe feature, Ant-Man marks the occasion where everyone has officially lost interest in the concept, due to us being five years and ten movies out of step with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We didn't spoil the Endgame, the Endgame spoiled us.

  • The LEGO Ninjago Movie

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 11th October 2017

    Following the world-building original and the Batman-fronted follow-up, the LEGO brand is now so well established in cinematic terms, the spin-offs don't need an additional brand in the title. The first movie in the seemingly boundless LEGO universe without a direct connection to the others, think of The LEGO Ninjago Movie as an expansion kit from the 2014's original pack. (*marketing voice*) The LEGO Ninjago Movie contains new and exciting characters and locations, including ninja weapons, robot mechs and limited edition dragon missile thrower! (Pathos and charm required from original LEGO Movie, not sold separately).

  • Fury

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 17th October 2014

    War movies. Huh. Good God. What are they good for? By now, it feels like every manoeuvre, every landing and every battle of the Second World War has been fought and won or lost on screen. Subsequently, each new WWII movie has to prove its worth before a single shell has been fired or bomb dropped. David Ayer's Fury doesn't even bother pretending it's based on a true story, jumping straight into action with an ambush, a dead Nazi and a knife through the eye socket - and it gets progressively more grim from then on in.

  • Gracepoint to be loads better than Broadchurch because America

    TV Video | Ed Williamson | 13th May 2014



    It will too, won't it? Even though this pilot looks to be literally identical to the ITV version save for the fact that Nick Nolte's wearing a hat to play the creepy old guy who runs the newsagent and everyone reckons is a paedo, the plan is apparently to take it in a different direction from here. And inevitably it'll be great and no one will be able to remember why they ever watched ITV in the first place. Could you remake Midsomer Murders next please, guys?

  • Everything Must Go

    Movie Review | Rob | 13th October 2011

    If Will Ferrell isn’t careful, people will start mistaking him for one of those proper actors. On his IMDb filmography, nestled between comedies inevitably starring John C. Reilly, you’ll find the likes of Melinda & Melinda and Stranger than Fiction. Proof, that when not running around in his pants screaming and shouting and generally being a bit much, the guy can do serious.

  • 30 Minutes Or Less

    Movie Review | Rob | 14th September 2011

    So back in 2003, a poor Pennsylvanian pizza guy was forced to rob a bank with a bomb strapped around his neck. Needless to say, the end result wasn't pretty... it's on YouTube if you're into that kinda thing.

  • 7 things I forgot to write about Battle Los Angeles last week

    Movie Review | Ali | 17th March 2011

    So I saw Battle Los Angeles (now correctly de-colonised, for all you punctuation pedants) last week but the ringing in my ears only just stopped. Guess I'd better do a blog post on it then.

  • My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done

    Movie Review | Oli | 20th September 2010

    Since biblical times, there has been talk of this partnership. Revelations 7:9 describes how cinema's foremost madmen will join together in order to create a film so utterly bonkers that the world will come to a halt; the four horsemen will collect tickets and sell popcorn.

  • Observe And Report

    Movie Review | Rob | 3rd May 2009

    Another month, another mall cop comedy. Or is it? The trailer does show current King of Comedy Seth Rogen sporting his shortest haircut ever, lusting over Anna Faris and kicking seven shades of shit out of pesky skateboarding yobs in quite the comical fashion. But look a little closer and Observe And Report is a disturbing study...

  • World Trade Center

    Movie Review | Ali | 4th October 2006

    Are we really ready to see a film about the fall of the Twin Towers? Earlier this year we had Paul Greengrass' United 93, which told the 'forgotten' 9/11 story of the hijacked passenger plane forced to crash land in Pennsylvania; the reason no review was written on this site is because this reviewer found it a thoroughly draini...