In Austria 1938, Captain Georg Von Trapp, a widower, runs his home like the ship he once commanded although, that changes when Maria arrives from the abbey to be his seven children's new governess. She is surprised to learn she's the latest in a long line of governesses seen off by the children, but Maria soon finds that all they need is a little love to change their attitudes. She helps reintroduce them to singing, and through her, music is brought back into the hearts and home of the Trapp family. The Sound of Music is undoubtedly one of the most significant musicals of all time and the most beloved. It has not only firmly remained a classic after all these years but still looks phenomenal now. Its visuals are breathtaking with a superb direction that brings us countless beautiful shots. Whether it be the sweeping shots of the luscious mountain landscapes or even the mere stills of such grandiose locations as the villa and festival stage, this film is inundated with stunning imagery worthy of a theatrical presence. Further shaping the movie are those in the foreground, Maria and the Von Trapp family. We follow Maria who leaves her life in the abbey as a nun to aid the family of Captain Von Trapp. I adored these characters whose interactions and moments together were extremely captivating and brought to such life by their respective actors/actresses. Julie Andrews (Maria) has such a magnificent singing voice that elevates every scene to peak delight which, only blossoms greater when combined with the children, Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl. There are a plethora of songs throughout in which to hear their exquisite voices with so many memorable classics from 'My Favourite Things', 'The Sound of Music', 'Do-Re-Mi', 'The Lonely Goatherd', 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen', 'So Long, Farewell' and more. The songs have even surpassed the movie becoming so universally known that people who haven't even seen it likely know them. Plus, there are plenty more songs featured like those from the Nuns and Mother Abbess with 'Maria' and 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain'. However, the ones I was most captivated and surprised by were from that of Christopher Plummer (The Captain). He has such a voice I was simply blown away by his performance and subsequent songs, with my favourite being the somewhat emotional 'Edelweiss'. As well as being so captivating in terms of the music, each was equally so in the story. Now, the movie is based upon the real story of the Von Trapp family singers, however, naturally, there have been alterations to the cinematic telling, which comes in at a pretty lengthy timestamp. Although, when I watched it again recently I hardly noticed. There wasn't any feeling of it dragging or taking too long. So it comes as no surprise when I say I loved the story. I most enjoyed watching Maria attempt to connect with the children who make the matter difficult as they try scaring her off like previous governesses as they hope to gain their father's attention. However, she finally gets through to them rejuvenating that sense of joy as they come to share an unbreakable bond that also befalls the Captain, who had suffered the worst from the incident. However, the Captain is now engaged to the Baroness, which causes some conflict inside Maria who, without meaning to, has grown a liking to him also. One of the most noteworthy aspects of this movie is its setting. Anyone who noticed the year would immediately make the troublesome connection. Underlying a constant background feeling of dread with the imminent takeover by the Nazis looming. There are hints of this change throughout with it being a topic brought up gradually until it consumes the picture leaving the family to make a difficult decision. Overall, The Sound of Music is a production I and many others consider to be flawless. It manages to convey countless emotions through varying elements like its songs, acting and story, which is tremendously visceral. It is a feature perfect for the whole family certain to captivate you, make you sing and warm your heart. An integral movie to the world of cinema, everyone should experience.
Archaeologist Indiana Jones is hurtled into a mysterious globetrotting adventure when one of his artefacts is stolen, which may have held more significance than previously observed. As he follows the thief he is drawn into yet another entanglement with the Nazis, who now seek to harness a power connected to the Great Circle. This title has to be one of the best video games I have played in recent memory, particularly for the year. I was pleasantly surprised by this project, which managed to do the impossible: create an authentic Indiana Jones adventure whilst emulating the style and aesthetic of the original trilogy. Set in 1937, between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The Last Crusade (1989), we are treated to a new glimpse of the classic Indiana Jones during his prime, hot off the heels from his last adventure with Marion in securing the Ark. Being a video game allowed for the possibility of seeing a younger Indy again, which the later two films were unable to achieve to this standard and boy was it awesome to have him back. The most surprising element of this product was the voicing of Indy. Despite not using Harrison Ford, substitute Troy Baker, surpasses all expectations delivering a performance practically mistakable for the real thing. From the get-go, I was instantly sold on it being Indiana Jones merely from his outstanding voice acting. One of the more controversial aspects was the choice of a forced first-person perspective, with many (including myself, initially) wanting third-person like in the Uncharted series. However, having finished the game, I stand with the choice for first-person as it quite literally makes you feel like Indy, putting you in his shoes, showing a perspective never before experienced by fans, through his eyes. It further gives this game a unique style that vastly differentiates itself from other adventure games. Plus during traversal and cutscenes, you get to see Indy from those other perspectives. The combat has to be the most fun mechanic in the game. You will never find a more satisfying experience than cracking the whip, which is fitted with its iconic sound, as you battle Nazis equally equipped with your trusty gun and fists. It is unbelievably entertaining to just beat down Nazis by the dozen in a plethora of ways with pickupable items all around to aid your fight. The whip not only helps in combat but also with traversal and puzzles, which there are plenty to uncover and solve throughout. The story sees Indy thrown into an unexpected journey where he must reacquire an artefact from his exhibition, which spirals into travelling to a wide array of locations. From exploring the Vatican City, scouting dig sites in Gizeh to navigating the waters of Thailand, there are plenty of luscious locations to lose yourself in. Whilst being a linear narrative story we are still treated to semi-open world areas fully explorable with lots of collectables. My favourite, however, is one of the smaller locations, the Himalayas, which offered a superb spectacle segment in the story. Each location was full of outstanding graphics that just blew me away, which are present throughout the game. It's a visually breathtaking masterpiece. On this adventure, Indy meets many friends who guide him in his quest and each holds some brilliant interactions and feels like they have always belonged in this world. He is mainly accompanied by Gina, an Italian investigative reporter who gets more than she bargained for in search of her story. She has some great chemistry with Indy, filling the role of potential love interest perfectly. Gina is searching for her lost sister whose disappearance, she believes to be connected to Voss, a Nazi archaeologist who is the main antagonist. Voss equally fits this world, standing out alongside older villains. He is a worthy match for Jones' intellect and uses his skills of psychological manipulation against his enemies. Indy has his work cut out for him, but can he come out on top? Overall, I adored The Great Circle. I simply couldn't put it down and didn't want to. I was utterly engrossed in its story, characters and gameplay that, to me, made it a perfect classic Indy experience for fans that we never knew we were missing.
Platforms: PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X/S / Windows
