Film: Thor: Ragnarok

I'm not quite sure when the MCU went from just two to three fixes per year, but it does seem like we've been waiting an age for this, the third in the Thor series of films. For some reason I anticipated Ragnarok to be an epic in its own right, the pivot on which the MCU turns to bigger and more darker things... so I was very surprised by what it actually turned out to be.

That's not to say Ragnarok was bad... just different. It was very aloof - perhaps a little too much - and seemed to follow on from the slapstick approach of the more recent MCU films like Guardians and Spider-man. How that suits the more serious character of Thor I'm still not sure, but the film did make me laugh out loud multiple times so there is that.

I think I'll sum up my thought by saying that Ragnarok is a better film on its own than as part of the MCU, something that does disappoint in the context of the wider franchise. But its still a good film and on its individual merit definitely worth a recommendation.

Food: Brioche Burger

I'll skip the bit about visiting yet another gourmet burger place - the drill is well known by now. Needless to say Brioche is decent, costly and fits in just about where you would expect it to these days.

BUT! Brioche also does some things very different and unique. From the HMC certificated Wagyu (I mean, what?) to the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich(alike) there was enough uniqueness here to raise it above the other good options the area has to offer.

Strangely enough the burgers didn't quite feel as though they hit the spot, resulting in a post-burger burger. Alas this has to be taken into account - the same doesn't usually happen in other places but it may have had something to do with my choice of the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich(alike).

The bill came to a whopping £20 per head for drinks, a shared side, and 1.5 burgers each. That really is enough to wreck Brioche as an option... except I really want to go back and try the (also pricey) Wagyu options at some point.

Recommended, but probably not a regular option.

Film: Blade Runner 2049

In many ways Blade Runner was a pretty straightforward film, despite its quite high level moralising. This paradoxically made it a bit inaccessible, and only really appreciated by those who already had a standing in science fiction (and perhaps philosophy), those who were able to navigate the glitz from the action from the plot. It remains a classic for sure, but I can see why some people wouldn't get it.

Blade Runner 2049 has been made for modern audiences, one that has already been exposed to technology, robots and AI (both in popular fiction and real life) and its this familiarity that has made for a much more accessible film. Yes, a fair few are watching just in case Gosling does another La La Land number (spoiler: he doesn't), but that would only have been a bad thing if, in anticipation, the film had been dumbed down for a wider audience. I'm glad to say that it hadn't, and as a result respects its audience even more.

2049 just about falls short of a terrific film; the length could be a point of contention, even though I didn't feel that it laboured too badly. The acting is top, as is the action and plot - there really isn't much to complain about here really.

So yes, recommended for both fans of the old and new.