Set in an afterlife waystation where souls have one week to choose where they will spend eternity, Eternity follows Joan (Elizabeth Olsen), who suddenly finds herself standing between two great loves of her life. Larry (Miles Teller), the man she built 67 years of life, marriage, memories and quiet devotion with… and Luke (Callum Turner), her first love, the beautiful spark of her youth, who died young and has waited decades for her to return to him. I

Director David Freyne and screenwriter Pat Cunnane take what could have been a quirky afterlife rom-com and turn it into something soul-stirring. They twist the genre, yes; but they do it gently, with deep affection for the characters, and with a sincerity that hits you right in the heart. When Joan and Larry arrive in the afterlife, reborn into the ages they felt most themselves, they’re told to choose their Eternity: a personal haven where they’ll spend forever. It’s whimsical and surreal, but beneath the fantasy lies something beautifully human. And then Joan sees Luke again.

In that moment, Eternity blooms into something far more delicate and profound. The film becomes a meditation on long love versus young love; on memory, identity, resilience, sacrifice, and how we love differently at different stages of our lives. Joan must choose between the intoxicating, blissful romance of youth that she shared with Turner’s bright-eyed Luke… or the steady, ordinary, deeply rooted love she shared with Larry over a lifetime.

The beauty of the film lies in its compassion. It never judges Joan. It never favours one love as more “correct” than the other. It simply presents love in all its forms, raw, messy, joyful, imperfect, and trusts the audience to feel their way through it.

Elizabeth Olsen is extraordinary here, delivering a performance full of warmth, longing, confusion and emotional grace. Miles Teller brings a quiet, lived-in affection to Larry; he is the comfort of a well-worn sweater, familiar and flawed but sincere. Callum Turner is the glow of first love, all hope and promise. Together, the trio creates a romantic dynamic filled with fragile honesty, vulnerability and genuine affection. Their chemistry elevates the film’s tension in the gentlest way, not dramatic fireworks, but something far more intimate: the ache of choosing between two truths.

Adding even more heart is Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Anna, Larry’s afterlife coordinator. Her scenes are warm, soulful and full of grounded wisdom. She becomes the emotional compass of the film, offering the characters and the audience moments of clarity and connection. Her presence enriches the film’s heartfelt themes with a soft touch that lingers long after the credits roll.

With its tender message, whimsical world, emotional depth and a perfect blend of humour and quiet sincerity, Eternity feels like a warm embrace. It’s the kind of film that sneaks up on you, settles into your chest and stays there. A love story about what we carry with us, what we let go of, and how we honour the people who shaped our hearts, Eternity asks big questions, but answers them with softness.

If you’re searching for something warm, meaningful, and deeply human this holiday season, Eternity is a beautiful place to start.

Image: A24 Films

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Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen) is a quiet housewife who, overnight, decides to have an affair with her neighbour. But the relationship soon spirals out of control when her lover’s wife is found dead and all suspicion falls on her.

In the quiet town of Wylie, Texas in early 1980 a shocking murder occurred with the killing of Betty Gore in a sensational and brutal axe murderer. It was a crime that stunned the American population, and the sensational trial that followed, which focused on the cheerful and much beloved local resident Candy Montgomery gripped the nation, and the resulting verdict would make an infamy of the case. It’s this sordid tale that series creator David E. Kelley brings to the small screen in Love & Death. And audiences will be completely taken by surprise by this series.

Love & Death is a narrative that works in the most systematic way and piece by piece we see the events that lead up to the shocking murder of Betty Gore, and the sensational criminal trial that followed. While audiences may be used to the true crime genre, Love & Death moves in a different direction and this is a series with its own unique sense of tact. Love & Death delivers a mood that I would best describe as ‘sinister sweetness’ and as the series begins to move at pace towards an unholy outcome, its narrative worms its way under the audience’s skin.

As she is prone to do Elizabeth Olsen once again stuns with her performance as the demure, chipper and seemingly perfect middle-American housewife Candy Montgomery. Pretty, prim and oh-so-proper, on the outside Candy is the perfect portrait of what it means to be a wife and mother in middle America during the early 1980s. But she’s not content with her easy-going life, and this bland existence soon leads her to look for other thrills and this leads her into a wanton affair with her neighbour Allan Gore (Jesse Plemmons). What begins as an almost cheeky-business-like arrangement, soon becomes much more explicit and naughty, and Candy’s actions lead to one hell of a frightening exchange with Gore’s wife Betty (Lily Rabe).

Olsen showcases a range of characteristics as Candy and her performance is almost two-faced in the role. She’s the sweet-minded and thoughtful mom and choir woman one moment, and then a chilling, psychologically flawed murderess the next. It’s a complicated performance and she handles this character in the most excellent way and audiences won’t be able to look away. Olsen’s performance is what leads this series to be addicting and episode by episode this narrative gets more intriguing.

Top marks also need to be directed to Olsen’s male co-stars who include the likes of Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore, the man who Candy engages in an affair with and who is played with a sense of downbeat normalcy by Plemmons; Patrick Fugit as Candy’s loveless husband Pat, whose lack of attention leads Candy into her affair with Allan and Tom Pelphrey as the loud mouth and brazen lawyer Don Crowder, who takes on Candy’s case and is determined to win by any means necessary. Pelphrey has a real presence in the series as Crowder and he makes a hell of an impression on audiences as the bombastic Don, while Plemmons makes for a considerable sleazeball as the quiet and mousey Alan and makes him out as a very unsettling character.

There’s plenty of psychological edge to keep audiences keyed into Love & Death, and this series delivers one hell of a final punch at the very end. It’s an addictive watch that will keep you guessing step by step and is an incredible performance on behalf of Elizabeth Olsen.

Image: SKY TV

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Following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and Loki, Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of both old and new mystical allies, travels into the multiverse to face a mysterious new adversary.

Climbing into the director’s chair and taking the reigns of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is noted filmmaker Sam Raimi. An artist whose career has spanned decades across multiple genres and who approaches every film with a fresh eye and unmatched creativity, Raimi makes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness his own. And long time fans will be thrilled with how he goes to work with this one. Some filmmakers, including the likes of James Gunn and Taika Waititi, have their unique style that blends itself into the MCU seamlessly and that is exactly what we see here in Raimi’s work. Fans who are familiar with his work will note his kinetic action style and seamless mix of good old-fashioned action and quippy dialogue, along with his use of classic crash zooms and whip pans, marks this film as uniquely his.

Raimi’s stance as a horror filmmaker also comes into play in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in a big way, and audiences are up for a serious fright in this latest chapter of the MCU. While I don’t want to jump too directly into the realm of spoilers, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a serious horror film and crosses its dimension-hopping science-fiction elements with utter dark magic, and the horror elements are off the chart. With classic callbacks to the likes of Carrie, The Exorcist, and his classic Evil Dead films, Raimi goes to work on bringing out the horror of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and there are some jump scares that will make you leap out of your seat. This presence of the horror genre in a Marvel Studios film is something completely new and different, and this exploration of an underlying dark supernatural edge is a key component of the film’s intriguing narrative.

The presence of the Multiverse itself also brings about a wonderful place for exploration on Raimi’s behalf and the sheer visual presence of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is striking to look upon. Raimi, along with cinematographer John Mathieson and production designer Charles Wood use up every piece of the screen’s canvas to bring this story to life and the possibility of a seemingly unending series of universes is rife for creative expression. The laws of physics and reality are pulled to extremes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and it’s a very wild show. One of my favourite moments of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a presentation of these different universes and it’s an utterly visual marvel to look upon, your eyes will be wide with excitement and the visuals that we see on the big screen are a key part to the excitement of this epic film.

Benedict Cumberbatch once again returns to wear the cloak and command the vast magic of the Multiverse as Dr. Stephen Strange and we find him in a brand new place in his life. Having saved the world at great cost due to the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, he’s now a man who is looking for a new path to travel in his life. Until he is pulled directly into the fight for the very existence of the Multiverse itself. As always, Cumberbatch is completely at ease with the action and heroics of Doctor Strange and Raimi’s presence as a director allows the actor to bring out more of his comedic side and there’s a great witty sense of banter that is infused with his performance this time around. The presence of the Multiverse also allows for different sides of Cumberbatch’s Dr. Stephan Strange to be seen on screen and the actor has a grand time getting to portray these different versions of himself which include the heroic ‘Defender Strange’ and the corrupted ‘Sinister Strange’. And audiences had better watch out for these new Strange entities.

Also playing a key role inside the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch. And she’s in a very dark place this time around. Following on from the tragic events of WandaVision and the loss of her children, Olsen’s Wanda is now overcome by grief, loss and obsession. And it’s these emotions that compel her actions throughout the film’s narrative. Not wanting to run into spoilers, the best way to describe Wanda’s presence within the film is that of a literal ‘force’ and Raimi gives Olsen room to move in a brand new direction. And she utterly excels in it. Olsen’s performance in the film was one of my most enjoyable parts of watching this film, and I liked how dynamic and intriguing her character was. She did something completely and utterly different with the role and this makes a big impression on-screen.

Those audience members seeking a rush of action with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be well rewarded for their presence with this film and Raimi fills the screen with full-on magical combat. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an utter fight as the forces of evil battle the balance of light, and aspects of dark magic and sorcery are brought forth and Raimi’s unique cinematic style aids in bringing his own certain blockbuster feeling to the big screen. The film’s drive towards the horror genre also has a big impact on the storytelling that we see here in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and it’s edgy at times to watch. And while I can’t dive into it, the introduction of the Illuminati is a pure WOW factor moment and audiences will be spellbound.

As a long time fan and viewer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I have found that my tastes for its stories lend more toward the fantastical. Films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vo. 2, Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Thor: Ragnarok and the original Doctor Strange are films that have made the biggest impact on me and I love the mixture of fantasy, science fiction and just the pure escapism that is a central core of these films. This is exactly what Sam Raimi gives us in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness a film of utter grand wonder and visual splendour and there’s so much to be excited by with this film. And in a post-script, make sure you stay till the end credits, as some terrific post-credit scenes tease at the possibilities to come.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an utter rush from beginning to end, and long time MCU fans who are looking for excitement and some solid and edgy thrills will be rewarded greatly by this experience. With its scope and vision, this is a film that needs to be viewed on the biggest screen possible and you’ll truly feel the marvel with this genuine blockbuster.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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The battle lines are drawn, and a face-off is imminent as Wanda Maximoff (Elizbeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), have to face off against the powers of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and White Vision, in order to save their family and their home of Westview.

Right from the start ‘Episode 9’ of WandaVision, ‘The Series Finale’ starts with a BANG, and the action mounts up quickly as Wanda and Vision have to face off in a full-on fight with both Agatha Harkness and White Vision. While director Matt Shankman has teased out his ability for filming action throughout the series, he really goes for it here as a director, and the result is a full-on magical, witch-android battle that fills up the screen with plenty of heavy hits. Shankman keeps the energy exciting, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun to see that the chain has been taken off of Wanda and Vision, two of the Avenger’s most powerful characters, and their powers lead to some pretty exhilarating moments within ‘The Series Finale’.

Stepping up to the line and putting her guard up is Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, and this episode is a very big moment for her. Over the events of the previous eight episodes, and a multitude of story arcs that have been seen in decades of past television sitcoms, Wanda has come a long way as a character. Whether it be as a wife, a mother and now in ‘The Series Finale’ a witch and sorcerer, we’ve seen considerable growth in her character, and her rising above the pain, anger and depression that have trapped her for so long. Her actions in ‘The Series Finale’ are those of a woman accepting her destiny and her power, and it’s exciting to see her unleash the magnitude of her powers.

While there’s considerable action that Wanda takes part in during ‘The Series Finale’, including a no-holds-barred witch fight between Wanda and Agatha, it’s Olsen’s performance when connected to the growth of her character that really grabs the audience’s attention. That growth can be surmised as Olsen moving from the character of Wanda Maximoff into that of The Scarlet Witch, a fabled magical deity with powers that trump those of the Sorcerer Supreme himself. And this transformation for Olsen really shakes up the future possibilities of the MCU. Throughout this series, Olsen has brought considerable depth to Wanda Maximoff, and we’ve grown to love her as a character even more as an audience, and in ‘The Series Finale’ we find her at both her most powerful and her most human. And this expression of her character is an absolute tribute to Olsen’s performance.

Alongside Olsen’s performance in ‘The Series Finale’, actor Paul Bettany also has a considerable presence in the episode in what can only be described as ‘a meeting of The Visions’. Facing off against his ‘new self’, the duel between Vision and White Vision, is intense, calculating and philosophical in nature, and leads to some very interesting insights for fans of the character, alongside just where he sits inside the MCU. Like Olsen, Bettany has gone through a lot in this series as this character, and he’s brought his A-game to every single episode of the series to date. In ‘The Series Finale’ we find out what the events of this series have ultimately meant to Vision, and it’s an eye-opening revelation for audiences.

While the action and special effects of ‘The Series Finale’ are impressive and certainly grab your attention as a viewer, its essentially the series love story that fully wraps you up in the events presented. All along WandaVision has been about the love story of a woman and the android she turned into a man. Throughout this series, we’ve seen these two characters grow together through marriage, the creation of a home and the making of a family, and the joy it has given them, and this episode is really focused on the love that is shared between these two characters. There’s a lot of emotion on display in ‘The Series Finale’, and the most heartfelt moments come from those shared by Wanda and Vision in this episode.

In relation to Wanda’s appearance as the Scarlet Witch, it is hard to say anything, without running the risk of spoilers. But we will say that Wanda’s transformation into this legendary Marvel character will take the audiences’ breathe away. Design, performance and special effects are all rendered perfectly in the translation of the Scarlet Witch from the pages of Marvel comics to the fully actualised presence of the MCU, and your heart will race a whole lot faster after you see her powers brought to life. Added to this is the punk-rock, goth edge that Olsen also brings to the character and the Scarlet Witch is definitely going to be an unpredictable presence within the MCU. Added to this are a few Easter Eggs placed throughout the episode, and well, let’s just say things are about to get interesting for the MCU going forward.

‘The Series Finale’ brings a complete conclusion to WandaVision….but there are some very bittersweet moments to this ending. Mostly this lies with the emotions of Wanda letting go of her past self and the life she built for herself inside of Westview, and the acceptance of her new life as the Scarlet Witch. The emotions get heavy, and the closing moments of this episode nearly had us in tears due to the conviction of Olsen and Bettany’s performances. The final moments of this episode were ultimately the right way to bring this narrative to a conclusion and you felt the power of this story upon its completion. Plus it also wouldn’t be Marvel without a post-credit scene….and on this, all we’ll say is BRING ON THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.

WandaVision has shaken up the MCU right from the start, and it leaves it in a very exciting place going forward. While the events of our own reality have made things difficult over the past year, a show like WandaVision offered the perfect escape and the resulting presentation is a tribute to everyone involved in bringing this fantastic series to life. Where we go next is anyone’s guess, but things are about to get even more exciting within the MCU…and Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch will be there to take us along for the ride.

WandaVision is available to stream on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Shaken by the sudden appearance of Agatha Harkness (Hahn), and her dangerous witchcraft powers, Wanda is forced to relive her past in order to find the root of her magical abilities and just how she came to craft the Westview Anamoly. And for Wanda, these are some very hard and devastating truths that she has come face to face with.

While WandaVision, for the most part, has been a bubbly, happy-go-lucky, decade hopping sitcom with plenty of comedy, and a few thrilling surprises here and there, director Matt Shankman takes a darker turn in ‘Previously On’. With the arrival of a new big bad in Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness, Shankman gets to explore a different side of the MCU’s magical realm, in the form of the dark and grimy practice of witchcraft. And he takes the audience directly into the horror genre in ‘Previously On’. It’s a stark contrast to what has come before, and this horror-tinged element gives the series a serious edge, and you never know what’s coming around the corner as Wanda has to re-live her past.

Pulled away from the fantasy of her sitcom life, Wanda Maximoff is back to her usual Sokovian self, including her thick European accent, and we get to see the events that shaped her as a woman and as a hero. There was a beautiful childhood, marred by death and destruction at the whims of unexpected collateral damage, her exposure to the Mind Stone and its effects upon her, alongside her first romantic moments with The Vision (Paul Bettany), and her actions following the blip. All of it is a very heavy toll for her to grapple with, and the emotions come heavy and fast in ‘Previously On’.

Two of the episode’s key moments include her original romantic meetings with The Vision, and her final interaction with his corpse, following her return after the blip. In these moments we see Wanda at her most vulnerable, and Shankman showcases how the love that was built between Wanda and Vision is the result of their isolation and loneliness, and that together they were able to find happiness in one another that truly gave their lives meaning. The episode’s most pivotal and heartbreaking scene is where Wanda visits the original Westview, a now broken, dilapidated town following the events of the blip and the site where she would have built a home with Vision. This moment is wrapped up in emotion and will have you in tears thanks to the power of Olsen’s performance and its significance for Wanda’s character.

Part of what makes this episode so interesting is the way in which Shankman showcases how television, and therefore fantasy, has shaped Wanda’s life through the series that she consumed as both a child and a young woman. Shankman explores how the concept of narrative storytelling can be a cathartic, healing activity and how our nature to dive into stories allows us to escape from our everyday troubles. Shankman’s thematic exploration of the power of storytelling through media is incredibly interesting to watch, and it further gives us more insights into Wanda Maximoff as a character that long-time MCU fans will be incredibly interested in.

Stepping up in a big way in ‘Previously On’ is Kathryn Hahn as new big bad Agatha Harkness. A powerful witch practised in the dark arts, Agatha can trace her lineage back to Salem, Massachusetts, and her dark powers make her a compelling and dangerous new villain within the MCU. Hahn shows a completely different side to herself as Agatha, and she’s dangerous, spiteful and incredibly jealous of Wanda’s sudden power, and in her view ‘lack of claim’ to witchcraft. Vindictive and angered by Wanda’s abilities, Agatha revels in Wanda’s past trauma and Hahn gives her a menacing ‘narration’ that follows each past moment of Wanda’s life with sadistic glee. Hahn keeps audiences on their toes in ‘Previously On’, and Agatha is a villain who is sure to really shake up the MCU.

‘Previously On’ is a very big turn for WandaVision, and the growth of Wanda Maximoff within the MCU. Its closing moments will have you on edge thanks to the revelation about Wanda’s identity and we can firmly say that the Scarlet Witch is on her way. Where we go next in WandaVision is anyone’s guess, but the stage is set for a massive showdown, and you won’t want to look away for a second.

WandaVision streams every Friday night on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Following the shock ending of ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular’ where Wanda got a tad overwhelmed and the Westview Anomaly, better known as The Hex, went completely haywire, Wanda has been left exhausted….and is in need of a much-needed break. But while Wanda lounges around the house and tries to relax, Vision is now back to his regular self and is starting to piece back his past with some startling revelations.

We’ve entered the mid-2010’s now and director Matt Shankman shifts the tone of WandaVision to that of the mockumentary family-sitcom style of Modern Family, with Wanda coming to terms with the events of the last six episodes and here she begins to reflect on them. The style and comedy of the mockumentary family-sitcom plays well in Shankman’s hands and he has a lot of fun with a series of ‘new’ cast members who have entered the suburbia of Westview, and we get to see these characters in a brand new light. Shankman’s use of quirky comedy keeps things interesting and it’s great to see a modern flavour of TV comedy injected into WandaVision.

Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff has been through a lot over the course of WandaVision. Whether it was cementing her love for Vision, building a home, raising a family or reuniting with her beloved brother Pietro, she’s been at the forefront of the show and has had to deal with a lot. There’s also her stance and protection of her ‘dream life’ and this aggression and anger have taken a serious toll on her and we now find her exhausted and a little bit shook up.

The unique style and progression of ‘Breaking the Fourth Wall‘ allow Wanda to sit back and come to terms with who she now is, and for the first time we get to see her directly speak to her audience. Olsen does a terrific job of making Wanda vulnerable in ‘Breaking the Fourth Wall’ and there’s a real honesty to her performance in this episode. It’s also a refreshing point-of-view for the character as we see the toll of her powers on her and this has definitely left Westview on the fritz. Olsen really clarifies Wanda’s own perspective in this episode and audiences get an idea of what she’s really been going through which is something we haven’t seen before.

‘Breaking the Fourth Wall’ is also the first time that we haven’t seen Wanda and Vision together in an episode of WandaVision, and just as Wanda is dealing with her own issues, so is Paul Bettany’s Vision. Stuck together with a new friend, Vision undergoes a bit of a depth analysis to understand just where he came from and how he came to be here. The revelations make him sit-up and take notice, and Bettany strikes a terrific balance in the classic dramedy styling of the mockumentary family-sitcom style.

Also stepping up this episode is Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes, Wanda’s default best-friend and nosey neighbour who can’t stay out of her life. And there are some startling revelations for her here. Like Wanda, the audience gets to see Agnes point-of-view for the first time and it’s interesting to see a third party comment on the nature of Wanda’s life, especially someone from within the ‘series’ itself. Hahn gets to steal the show in ‘Breaking the Fourth Wall’ and fans will be wide eyed at the performance that she gives with this one.

While I don’t want to slide into any kind of spoilers in this episode, I will say that ‘Breaking the Fourth Wall’ takes a shocking turn in its final moments and boils over with a dark and menacing tension. Everything has so far been a blissful escape for Wanda, but this surprise is about to flip the series on its head entirely. Something witchy is in the air, and in these final moments, we get to see what I can only surmise as the first moments of connectivity between WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. And this revelation is going to make things very interesting in the next episode.

We’re we go to next in WandaVision after such a dramatic turn in the events of ‘Breaking the Fourth Wall’ is anyone’s guess, but we’re now firmly on the edge of our seats with this one.

WandaVision streams every Friday night on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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It’s Halloween time in Westview and Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), their twin sons Tommy and Billy, along with newly arrived Uncle Pietro (Evan Peters), are ready to have some fun and partake in the enjoyment of costumes and candy….along with a few super-powered pranks courtesy of Uncle Pietro. But Vision’s curiosity has been getting the better of him lately, and while Wanda and Pietro reminisce about their childhood and upbringing in Sokovia, Vision strives to learn about the extent of Wanda’s control over Westview. And there are some dark truths that he uncovers here.

In ‘Episode 6’ ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular!’, director Matt Shankman takes audiences back to the early-2000s and this brings back plenty of nostalgia for audiences, particularly of my generation. Placing his audience back in the whimsy and outlandish fun of shows such as Malcolm in the Middle, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Maybe It’s Me is a real joy to watch and provides a slightly goofy-fun loving vibe to this week’s episode. As an audience member, it’s a hell of a lot of fun to see this decade of television interpreted through the filter of WandaVision and Shankman and his team do an amazing job of bringing this decade of TV back to life.

Family is very much the central focus of ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular!’, and after the shocking revelation, return and ‘re-casting’ of Pietro Maximoff (Evan Peters), this week’s episode dials it back to the brother-sister relationship that Pietro and Wanda shared together. While we always knew they were close, this episode really dissects Wanda’s current state-of-mind through Pietro’s history with her and there are some tantalizingly fun insights into their shared relationship and how their past lives, in a pre-Westview Anamoly world, shaped them into the characters we know. Both Elizabeth Olsen and the newly ‘re-cast’ Evan Peters work well together and you completely buy into their relationship as siblings here.

Speaking of Evan Peters, it is very fun to see him ‘re-cast’ as Pietro Maximoff, and jumping from one Marvel Universe to the next, in a move that I’m sure will have major effects for the rest of the MCU down the line (oh the possibilities!). Here in ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular!’ he’s your typical out-of-control man child, who riles up his sister and brother-in-law and becomes something of a personal hero to Tommy and Billy. What’s really interesting though is that Pietro understands just where he fits into the ‘narrative’ of this episode, and he gets a tad testy with Wanda, which she really doesn’t appreciate. As a fan, it’s fun to see Pietro back in action, and Peters leaves a solid mark on the MCU with his performance.

Also, key to ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular!’ are Wanda and Vision’s twin-boys Tommy and Billy, who also start to assert their powers in this episode as Speed and Wiccan. We’ve never seen kids in the MCU possess superpowers before, and these young roustabouts, with the aid of their uncle, get up to a lot of mischief, and this cements you into the Malcolm in the Middle-esque vibe that this episode is gunning for. But all fun aside, these two characters have a massive dramatic moment within the episode, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them to come in future instalments of the MCU.

While not wanting to run the risk of spoilers, we will walk around Paul Bettany’s appearance as Vision in this episode, except to say that he’s starting to figure things out, and he doesn’t like what he sees. While there is plenty of fun, laughter and light-heartedness in this episode on behalf of Shankman’s direction, and which keeps it in line with it’s early-2000s family sitcom style, there’s also a growing darkness too. From a very telling ‘advertisement’ to audiences travelling to previously unexplored areas of Westview, something is incredibly wrong here, and I feel like this is only going to intensify further in coming episodes.

From a visual standpoint there is so much to love in ‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular!’ and part of the fun of this episode is ‘comic accurate’ costumes. It’s Halloween after all and what’s better than dressing up as a superhero! While Wanda dresses up in a vintage ‘Scarlet Witch’ looks that makes her look like ‘old Red Riding Hood’ to Vision’s Lucha libre inspired green and yellow spandex and cape getup, to Pietro’s wildly impractical stand-up hair, it’s clear why some designs didn’t make it into the MCU until now. But it’s all in good fun, and seeing these characters in their vintage outfits is sure to put a smile on your face and I definitely got a kick out of it.

‘All-New Halloween Spooktacular!’ is by far the best episode of WandaVision to date and I loved the nostalgia, visual layout and storytelling of this episode. WandaVision just keeps getting more interesting by the minute, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

WandaVision streams every Friday night on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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In ‘Episode 5’, ‘On A Very Special Episode…’, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) are now living the perfect 1980s suburban life with a beautiful young family, and life appears to be nothing but bliss in Westview. But outside the Westview Anomaly, nickname The Hex, Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) and Dr. Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) are trying everything they can to reach Wanda in order to avoid a catastrophe. But best-laid plans soon turn messy…

Since taking a breather with ‘Episode 4’, ‘We Interrupt This Program’, it’s fun to return to the streets of Westview in this episode of WandaVision, and both Wanda and Vision have to adapt to parenthood very quickly. Mostly due to the fact that their twin boys, Tommy and Billy, are on an out of control growth spurt, and even Wanda’s own magic can’t tame them. Director Matt Shankman brings together quintessential American 1980s values to ‘Episode 5’ and draws his inspiration from hit 1980s sitcom Family Ties in showcasing Wanda and Vision’s growing suburban family life.

But things are far from perfect in Westview and Wanda’s dream life, which has already been showing to start fraying at the edges, is now beginning to show some very sizeable cracks. Shankman illustrates this via the disruption of WandaVision’s broadcast’, and the breaks from ‘her show’s’ continuity as Westview residents, including nosey neighbour Agnes (Kathryn Hahn), have to redo their lines and start over from scratch. It’s a very interesting choice on behalf of Shankman to showcase the disruption of Wanda’s fantasy, and his direction of this episode keeps things interesting.

While we learnt in last week’s episode of WandaVision, ‘We Interrupt This Program’, that Wanda was firmly in control of this fantasy, in ‘On A Very Special Episode…’ she very much takes control of the situation and out and out confirms that this is HER fantasy and no one is going to interfere with it. Shankman spins audiences feelings for Wanda and teases out a darkness and madness that we’ve never seen in her before. This dark, aggressive side of Wanda is mirrored by her insistence on keeping her family together, and Shankman really plays with the emotions of his audience in ‘On A Very Special Episode…’.

While for the most part, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda has been the driving force behind WandaVision for the past four-episodes, Paul Bettany takes centre screen in this episode, and Vision is very aware that nothing makes sense in his and Wanda’s Westview life. Bettany’s Vision gets very serious in this episode, and the complexity of his sitcom life, which defies all logic, makes him incredibly unstable. ‘On A Very Special Episode…’ is the first time in WandaVision that we’ve seen some very real tension exist in this show and the first time that we’ve seen both Wanda and Vision clash. It’s evident that the fantasy of WandaVision is starting to take a toll on our characters and this is only likely to intensify as we move forward with the series.

While tensions mount and Wanda’s dream life starts to be questioned, ‘Episode 5′ ‘On A Very Special Episode…’ also features a shocking guest appearance in the episode’s closing moments which is sure to make audiences sit-up! While not wanting to go into spoilers for those who still haven’t seen it, this moment has plenty of dramatic tension not just for Wanda, but has turned the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe around in a single moment. Exciting and exhilarating possibilities now lie ahead, and the MCU is about to become a very different place going forward.

WandaVision ‘Episode 5’ ‘On A Very Special Episode…’ is a complete and utter game-changer and features the biggest single shocking moment since the reveal of Thanos in 2012’s The Avengers. Where we go to next is anyone’s guess, but one thing for sure is that everything has now changed.

WandaVision streams every Friday night on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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While Wanda Maximoff (Elizbeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) might be living the perfect American sitcom life inside the town of Westview, outside everything else is going slightly haywire and the sudden disappearance of an entire town and populace calls in the joint forces of both the FBI and clandestine secret service S.W.O.R.D looking for answers.

Having made her first appearance in ‘Episode 2’, ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’, the truth behind Teyonah Parris’ Geraldine is now made clear in that she is actually Captain Monica Rambeau, Agent of S.W.O.R.D or Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division, who is called upon to investigate the Westview anomaly. Audiences are introduced to Monica in the immediate aftermath of the reversal of ‘the blip’, and her sudden re-appearance captures the frightening urgency of this freakish phenomenon and it certainly makes you sit-up. Now living in a changing world, Monica is sent in to investigate the Westview anomaly and is soon drawn inside this strange phenomenon.

Alongside gaining a clearer look into Parris’ Rambeau, audiences are re-introduced to previous MCU characters, including FBI Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), and now Dr. Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), who since the events of Thor: The Dark World has now become a well-respected astrophysicist. Series director Matt Shankman uses these three characters to follow the events of WandaVision in real-time, and there are many call-backs to the three previous events of the series. And like the audience, the characters of Rambeau, Woo and Lewis all find themselves invested into the on-going narrative of WandaVision.

While questions of reality and illusion have bounced back and forth all through the previous three episodes of WandaVision, ‘Episode 4’, ‘We Interrupt This Program’, firmly establishes that this sitcom fantasy of WandaVision, is Wanda Maximoff’s creation….and she ain’t letting go of it. While Elizabeth Olsen really only makes a background appearance in this episode, it’s clear to audiences that she is in fact not the bubbly, happy-go-lucky mother and housemaker we’ve come to see, but a rather more damaged and psychologically conflicted character whose power are on the fritz, and who is now a very real dangerous entity.

‘We Interrupt This Program’ definitely raises the stakes for what comes next in WandaVision, and there’s a danger and uncertainness that we can feel building in the coming episodes. Brace yourselves because the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to be shaken up.

WandaVision streams every Friday night on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

The post ‘WandaVision’ – ‘We Interrupt This Program’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

After a surprising twist at the end of ‘Episode 2’, we now find Wanda and Vision in the fun, hip and colourful 1970s and baby fever is in the air as a very pregnant Wanda gets very into nesting and awaiting the arrival of her first child. But this happy event is not without its difficulties and the surreal nature of Wanda’s path to motherhood has the residents of Westview secretly wondering what is really going on…

In ‘Episode 3’, director Matt Shankman takes audiences back to the 1970s and the cheesy-chirpy family sitcom stylings of The Brady Bunch, and he really goes to town with the visuals in this episode. Embracing the decade’s flamboyant colours and style, ‘Episode 3’ of WandaVision is bright, joyous and completely chipper and those familiar with The Brady Bunch will find themselves fitting right at home. Featuring the classic bubblegum and Modernism design complete with wood finished floating staircase and orange Formica kitchen counters, audiences will be at home in this episode.

Shankman uses his audience’s knowledge and expectation of The Brady Bunch’s style to playout plenty of interesting comedy in ‘Episode 3’ of WandaVision and the shows surrealism takes an interesting turn thanks to the set design and psychedelia of the era. The way in which Shankman continues to build out the narrative, both in terms of dealing with Wanda’s impending pregnancy, and the series overall mythology, makes ‘Episode 3’ of WandaVision my favourite episode to date. I was very impressed how he used the decade’s stylistic comedy to play out the ongoing surrealism of the show, and it was very fun to see the creativity of Shankman and his team on display in this episode.

‘Episode 3’ is an event level episode for Wanda and there are considerable changes in store for her as she’s expecting and the joys of motherhood await. In an event that is played out for laughs, Wanda experiences the full 9-month miracle of pregnancy in a single day, and the result is full-blown hilarity. This is especially true when she hits the third trimester, and her labour pains send her powers into haywire, causing trouble not only for Vision and herself but also all the other residents of Westview. Elizabeth Olsen flourishes in the flower power decade of the 1970s and her free-flowing collection of psychedelic print dresses, in addition to her long-flowing hair, only add to the care-free state of mind of pure bliss that she’s currently enjoying as a mum to be.

But it wouldn’t be WandaVision without a few twists and turns and one of the most interesting comes in the form of Wanda’s good friend Geraldine, played by Teyonah Parris, who isn’t all she appears to be. While not wanting to run the risk of spoilers, we will say that Geraldine’s presence isn’t lost on any of the residents of Westview, and her appearance and actions in this episode are going to have larger ramifications for the series going forward.

‘Episode 3’ is my favourite episode of WandaVision to date, and Wanda and Vision’s journey through the groovy 1970s and the hilarity and mystery that they find themselves in is exciting to witness. I absolutely loved it and this episode certainly turns up the volume with the strange surrealism that is still yet to come.

WandaVision streams every Friday night on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures 

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