PDF - The Acoustic Couch

26 | LEISURE
AT THE
CINEMA
Kim Taylor-Foster
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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, August 14, 2015
The acoustic couch
Upcoming music with Jody Mc
www.theacousticcouch.co.uk
Not fantastic, just fun
Fantastic Four (PG) 
Stars: Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, Michael B Jordan, Kate
Mara, Toby Kebbell and Reg E Cathey
I
T’S been 8 years since the demise of the last Fantastic Four
franchise, which ended with the second movie in the series,
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
With the spiralling success of all things Marvel, it’s not
surprising that studio execs saw fit to attempt a reboot and
though this treatment is quite different from what’s gone
before, the ghosts of Ioan Grufford, Michael Chiklis, Jessica
Alba and Chris Evans – who wore the capes of this quartet of
superheroes last time around – certainly haunt this picture.
This new version is an origins picture, telling how the
four meet and come to get their special powers. It begins
with schoolboy science geek Reed Richards who’s tinkering
around with a teleportation machine and brings keen
schoolmate Ben Grimm in on the experiment.
Fast forward seven years and the duo (now played by
Whiplash’s Miles Teller and Jamie Bell, respectively) are
still working together. They’re spotted
at a science fair and Reed is offered
a scholarship – and funding – to
make a fully operational machine.
Working with Dr Franklin Storm
(Reg E. Cathey); his children, Johnny
(Michael B Jordan) and Sue (Kate
Mara); and reclusive loner Victor
Von Doom (Toby Kebbell), a group
of them test it out as its first human
subjects.
Transported to an alternate dimension, the
friends run into serious trouble – making it back a man down
and with some incredible new abilities. While they struggle
to come to terms with their physical transformations, the
authorities figure out ways to exploit them – but it’s when
they decide to go back that the real problems start…
Fantastic Four has so far suffered at the hands of the
critics, who by and large love a Marvel adaptation. This one,
however, doesn’t fit the mould and consequently puts itself
firmly in the firing line.
Concentrating on the human cost through the acquisition
of these ‘special powers’ – or ‘conditions’ as Sue Storm puts
it – director Josh Trank is at pains to show how four normal
teenagers struggle to adapt to their new personas, at the
same time as conveying how vulnerable they’ve actually
become. No longer free to do as they wish, government
agencies want to harness their abilities for defence reasons,
and keep them locked in a facility while they work out what
to do with them.
The start is tinged with nostalgia, feeling like an 80s
kids’ movie, and captures the retro tone nicely. The film
generally also has hints of the 1970s Incredible Hulk series
in its storytelling and conflicted heroes; it also echoes a
watered-down Watchmen. The ending is arguably the most
problematic part, however. Not only does it feel tacked on, it
seems to come from nowhere. Added perhaps to satisfy the
big-budget fantasy special effects ‘requirements’, the film
might have fared better had it kept to a more thoughtful,
low-key approach.
When a film that’s as poorly conceived and executed
as Ant Man fails to get torn apart, it’s unfair that Fantastic
Four is suffering such a mauling. It’s not quite the stinker it’s
made out to be, and kids will love it.
Get ready for these stellar Cellar shows
Let’s hear it for the live
performances that mean so much.
JODY Mc looks ahead at a night
of great music coming up at South
Hill Park and explains why he’s
counting down to Christmas.
I
T FEELS there are fewer and fewer
establishments for the lesser-known musician
to play and showcase their art.
For this reason, on December 1,
theacousticcouch will open the doors on its first
venue.
We’ll tell you more about the plans closer to
the time, but it’s gonna be big and it’s gonna be
brilliant.
That’s not say though there aren’t any gems of
great music nights already out there.
Thursday evenings for example, from 6.30pm
on the outskirts of Bracknell town centre (a
15-minute drive from Wokingham town centre
and with superb parking facilities), and within the
stunning grounds of South Hill Park, you will find
the ‘acoustic atrium’.
Each week you are invited to relax with some
of the most talented, under the radar artists of
acoustic music.
It’s easily one of my favourite places to have
played myself in recent times.
If you’re looking for the perfect place to
unwind after a long day or week, the Atrium at
South Hill Park is a fantastic spot to find and
support unsigned music.
The best bit is it’s FREE!
Coming up next Thursday and entertaining the
crowd we have Next To Nothing and Irony.
Or, if you have energy to burn, the Acoustic
Atrium could be your Thursday night warm-up
before the main event being held in the cosy and
cool Cellar Bar.
The beautiful and talented Alexandra Legouix
and the Sunflowers are serving up a very visually
stunning and unique approach to pop with a
classy twist of Latin and jazz influence next
Thursday night.
Opening the stellar Cellar show and supporting
the Sunflowers will be the funky acoustic trio
Fitzgerald.
This will be a night to remember and you can
bet your bottom dollar that theacousticcouch will
be there.
The fun starts at 8pm next Thursday and entry
is only £8 per person in advance or £10 on the
door.
 For more details or to book tickets, log on to www.
southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on 01344
484123.
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