X-Men ‘97, s1 (2024)

(****+ / *****): A few stumbles in the early middle aside (the Rogue / Magneto stuff, especially, was pretty eh), this is how you do a revival: faithful yet fearless, unafraid to royally shake things up – but never for the sake of just doing it – and amplifying everything that made the original as special as it was into all that it could be today. Can’t wait for season two.

Can't shake the feeling that, after far too long, I’m finally letting go of the last relics of my previous creative iterations.

BAD CITY (Kensuke Sonomura, 2022)

(***+ / *****): Deliciously pulpy Yakuza flick rife with excellent characters – each member of the Special Division crew, especially, stood out and had a unique story – anchored by Hitoshi Ozawa channeling a perfect Eastwoodian fury. That being said, the film could’ve done with more imaginative direction: felt like it wanted to be more throughout – but you could do a lot worse on a Saturday night.

MEGALOPOLIS (teaser)

At last, the wine is put to good use.

Started in earnest on the second Fiction release and, as a way to open things up, riffled through my ideas folder and found precisely fuckall that felt right: amazing how everything I jotted down back in the days of yore has no bearing whatsoever on where I am now, mentally and/or creatively – if it doesn't get used in the moment, it seems, it won't be used at all. Probably a wise decision, then, to focus solely on writing short monthly releases instead of big, long-term projects, especially given (what passes for) my process.

Still in the midst of recovery from the last week and the resultant drama so, other than daily attendance cards, expect only intermittent updates this week. Saying this to myself as much as to the three of you that read these castings into the ether.