The Shawshank Redemption – stage adaptation Review

In this episode, Mark reviews the stage adaptation of his favourite film, The Shawshank Redemption, based on the 1982 novella “Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption” by Stephen King, which he saw at The Belgrade Threatre in Coventry on the 9th of March, 2023. The play stars Joe Absolom as Andy Defresne and Ben Onwukwe as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding. The play is adapted by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns and directed by David Esbjornson.
Advertisement

Top Gun: Maverick (2022 film), a review

In this episode Mark does a review of the 2022 American action drama film “Top Gun: Maverick” directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer, which is the sequel to the 1986 film “Top Gun”. Mark discusses why some sequels to successful films work and why some do not, and why some sequels deserve to be made while others are made for all the wrong reasons.

Episode #48: Dexter: New Blood – Episode 4: H is for Hero, a review

In this episode Mark talks about the latest episode of “Dexter: New Blood” – Episode 3: “H is for Hero”, which is also the 100th episode of the series “Dexter” overall – in which Dexter becomes concerned about his son, Harrison, following an attack at their high school.

TMHE – Episode #46: Dexter: New Blood – Episode 3: Smoke Signals, a review

In this episode Mark talks about the latest episode of “Dexter: New Blood” – Episode 3: “Smoke Signals” – in which Dexter finds himself still attempting to stay one step ahead of the investigation into the missing person’s case of the young man he killed, but he appears to be finding it harder to cover his tracks in Iron Lake, NY, than it was for him in Miami – mostly because his girlfriend, Angela Bishop (Julia Jones), is leading the investigation and is determined to assist Kurt Caldwell (Clancy Brown) in finding out what happened to his son. Also, Harrison enrols at the local high school and joins the wrestling team, and also gets closer to Angela’s daughter, Audrey Bishop (Johnny Sequoyah).

TMHE – Episode #44: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004 film)

In this episode Mark talks about the 2004 American romantic science fiction film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry. The story of the film follows an estranged couple, John Barrish (Jim Carrey) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet), who choose to have their memories of each other erased – but who unknowingly find themselves drawn back to one another, and who rediscover who they were and how they were as a couple, and why they ultimately chose to erase one another from each others’ lives. The film also stars Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, and Tom Wilkinson.

TMHE – Episode #43: Parks and Recreation (TV series), a review

In this episode Mark talks about one of his favourite TV shows: the American political satire mockumentary sitcom television series”Parks and Recreation”, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Shur, which originally aired from April 9, 2009, to February 24, 2015, consisting of 125 episodes, over seven seasons. The series stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a perky, mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana, and along with an ensemble cast – including Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Audrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Jim O’Heir, and Retta – we follow the personal and professional ups and downs of the characters of the show as they interact with one another, live their lives, find their true calling, and follow their dreams.

TMHE – Episode #42: Dexter: New Blood – Episode 2: Storm of ****, a review

In this episode Mark talks about the latest episode of “Dexter: New Blood” – Episode #2: “Storm of ****” – in which Dexter/Jim Lindsay (played by Michael C. Hall) has to cover up from the events of last episode, during which his “Dark Passenger” resurfaced after 10 years of being dormant and which lead to the killing of a local young man.

TMHE – Episode #41: Avengers: Infinity War (2018 film)

In this episode Mark talks about one of his favourite films: the 2018 American superhero film “Avengers: Infinity War” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The 19th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe features an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldaña, Josh Brolin, and sees the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy attempt to prevent Thanos from collecting the six all-powerful Infinity Stones as part of his quest to eliminate half the life in the universe.