July 2018 Blog Posts

Roxy meets Rachel from Friends

30th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Shane Lynch from Boyzone gave Ben a shout out in front of 30,000 racegoers on Saturday and he said it’s the best moment of his life!

Roxy once met Jennifer Aniston on a staircase and couldn’t speak so just bowed and nodded…

One of our 3 things…Men have 3 secret crushes on friends and colleagues.

Yorkshire Day Challenge – Text Minster and Yorkshire to 81222 and we could call you on Wednesday morning and if you answer with Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire you will win a family pass to York Maze.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are doing 80s movie lines from what we think is the golden age of cinema…Today’s line was “Don’t call me Shirley”

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning tickets to see the Proms at Castle Howard on Saturday August 18th.
Today it was Bandety Blank and Martin won the Proms tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Graham couldn’t name 5 Harry Potter book titles.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 9:46am

Shane Lynch on the show

27th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Shane Lynch from Boyzone has credited Ben with getting them to come to York and play at the racecourse, listen again to the interview at minsterfm.com.

Yorkshire Vet Julian Norton was on the show giving advice on keeping your dog safe in the heat.

Our House Band were These Jaded Streets and you can watch their performance on our Facebook page.

On Monday we set a Yorkshire Day challenge with York Maze.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are doing 80s movie lines from what we think is the golden age of cinema…Today’s line was “Wax on and wax off” from The Karate Kid.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning tickets to see UB40 with Ali, Mickey and Astro at Castle Howard on Sunday August 18th.
Today it was the Singalong Song and 8 year old Aiden was our winner.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Stacey couldn’t name 5 Bruce Willis movies.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 12:20pm

Shorts at work blog!

26th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Ben went to the Mansion House with our boss for tea with the Lord Mayor and got an amazing pic from the roof which is on our Facebook page.

Are you allowed to wear shorts at work, Roxy is sick of seeing Ben’s pasty legs?

Is Bedale’s Hot Dog themed football kit the worst in history? See the foot-long kit on minsterfm.com

On Friday we speak to Yorkshire Vet Julian Norton and Shane Lynch from Boyzone.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are doing 80s movie lines from what we think is the golden age of cinema…Today’s line was from Highlander and Chris in Thirsk won the click pen.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning tickets to see UB40 with Ali, Mickey and Astro at Castle Howard on Sunday August 18th.
Today it was Cats Keys and Alice White won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Emma named 5 pantos and won!

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 11:03am

On air blog July 25th

25th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
It’s the Samaritans Big Listen today and York Samaritans will be at York station through the day.

Ben hates integrated appliances as you can never get them out if they break…why are you hiding your fridge, why is your fridge such a dirty little secret!

Roxy once went to Rod Stewarts house and had to take borrow a dog to get in!

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are doing 80s movie lines from what we think is the golden age of cinema…Today’s line was from Rocky IV

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning tickets to see UB40 with Ali, Mickey and Astro at Castle Howard on Sunday August 18th.
Today it was the 3 Second Soundtrack and the answer was Jungle Book and Jade Barnes

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Steve couldn’t name 5 Saved By The Bell characters.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 12:05pm

On air blog July 24th

24th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Roxy was back on air and thanked everyone for their support and praised the emergency services for all their help.

Ben mentioned that his little boy Nicholas was concerned about Roxy but did want to know if her wrist splints shot our webs like Spider-Man?

Cat revealed that her Dad brought Pringles to Europe and we praised him as a hero, Carlo Soave your nation is grateful.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are doing 80s movie lines from what we think is the golden age of cinema…Today’s line was “No one calls me chicken” from Back To The Future and

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning tickets to see UB40 with Ali, Mickey and Astro at Castle Howard on Sunday August 18th.
Today it was The Baffler and Fiona Stock won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Mary from Pickering couldn’t name 5 Michael Jackson songs from the 80s.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 11:45am

Rob Ryan Movie Reviews - Mamma Mia 2

23rd July 2018

As a fan of film as an artform, one of the phrases that gets tossed around a lot in the community especially in regards to recent summer blockbusters is "why would they make a sequel/reboot/remake to this great film and make it terrible". Very rarely do you see the complete opposite. A film that takes all the bad elements of its predecessor and makes them work. Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again is that complete polar opposite, a film that takes that cringe fest that the film and the play was and turn it into something wonderful, hopeful, joyful and even manages to both compelling and emotional. You already can tell from my previous sentence that I'm not a fan of Mamma Mia both the play and the film from 2008. I have just stabbed a bunch of family members in the back by saying those words but I can't lie to myself. The biggest problem for me is that it felt like a series of big, elaborate musical numbers randomly shoved for no rhyme or reason loosely connected by a story that is both dumb and nonsensical. The only reason I can gather for why people love its so much is the soundtrack and nothing else. Not that I have anything against ABBA as I have been exposed to their music for most of my life after my family's love for them and have a strong admiration for them because of it but the songs used in Mamma Mia! don't tell us much about the characters, what they're feeling, or push the story forward. They feel too out of place, shoved into a story where they don't belong. This is one of the many things Here We Go Again does so much better then the former. The musical numbers work well to guide the viewer through each emotional beat and story point. They help match the mood of each scene and what the characters are thinking and feeling. Whereas Mamma Mia! was random with its use of ABBA songs. Here We Go Again uses them to its fullest potential.

But it's not just its use of ABBA songs that separates it perfectly from the play and the film. Writer and director Ol Parker who previous credits include writing the two Best Exotic Marigold Hotel films is able to add more substance and depth towards the characters than the play and the 2008 ever could. As well as being a whimsical jukebox musical, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again manages to be a story of grief and how to turn that sadness into happiness. As we follow young Donna (perfectly played by Lily James) we are given brief glimpses of her sad upbringing. Having been abandoned by her mother and having no farther figure to guide her, we see the many ways where she tries to see the good and the positive in everything, particularly through song. A good example is when the Mamma Mia number shows up. At this point in the story, Donna feels a ton of betrayal and heartbreak. The song even starts quiet and almost sad like, but as it progresses the song allows her to express her true feelings while at the same time turning them into something euphoric simply because Donna no matter what situation she's in is able to feel so much, both bad and good. That theme also applies to Sophie's arc. As she's currently grieving over her mother's death, she is hoping to turn that into something positive by reopening her hotel which is named after her. But because she has spent her entire life in her mother's company we also see her trying to handle everything without her mothers help and guidance. Just like how Donna never had any help or guidance to raise Sophie. The final scene of the film perfectly highlights this story arc while also adding the right amount of closure to the story and characters, making everything feel complete.

Both storylines presented help separate Here We Go Again from being your bland and cheesy rom-com. Unlike Mamma Mia! 1, I'm given a reason to care for these characters. Because the themes presented can easily resonate with anyone who has parent figure that they love or anyone who has faced some form of hardships in life, as a result, the audience can project themselves and onto the characters and identify with them. I can't remember the last time I felt this good when walking out of the cinema. I can go on all day about why this film works and why its predecessor doesn't. The performances, the chemistry between characters, the excellent choreography and even better singing then the former. But why would you want to read a bunch of words on a page highlighting all of these things when you can see all of these things visually at your local multiplex? As someone who hates Mamma Mia! both the play and the film and is indifferent when it comes to ABBA, See this on the biggest screen as it’s the most fun and the most joyous you will feel in a cinema all year. You will laugh, you will cheer, you will sing and occasionally maybe a few tears.

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Ben Fry at 11:45am

On air blog July 23rd

23rd July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Roxy was on Good Morning Britain this morning after her accident and will be back on air with us in the morning.

Ben has been suitcase shopping and test drove them all and had to put clothes off the shelves in to give it a true rolling experience, Ben thinks you need 4 double wheels for a smooth suitcase experience.

Google Dog that sounds like Britney Spears and you will not be disappointed!

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was the no.1 on our list “I don’t believe it” from One Foot In The Grave.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning tickets to see UB40 with Ali, Mickey and Astro at Castle Howard on Sunday August 18th.
Today it was the 3 Second Soundtrack and Spencer in Pickering won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Sarah from Northallerton couldn’t name 5 Boyzone songs.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 11:43am

On air blog July 20th

20th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Roxy on the mend and should be back early next week.

Today’s House Band were The Bootleggers from Thirsk and they were amazing, if you want to be a future House Band email ben.fry@minsterfm.com.

Tomorrow is Black Saturday with more accidents on the road than any other time of year as people head of on summer holidays with 2.30pm the most likely time for an accident.

Tadcaster Carnival is this Sunday and I will be in the parade from 12pm from Lawton’s of Tadcaster.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “Yeah but no but yeah” from Little Britain.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a family ticket to Wilberfest on Aug 4th and 5th.
Today it was the Cast List and Rich Peacock won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Andy couldn’t name 5 Brad Pitt movies.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:45am

On air blog July 18th

18th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Win tickets to a VIP screening of Mamma Mia at Everyman York as we play the Roxalong at 8.30am with Roxy singing Abba songs.

Greatest Place…York city centre came to Roxy’s aid after 1 min 14 during her Shambles Market meltdown and you can see the tears on our Facebook page. Where should we go next week?

39% of first memories are made up according to scientists, and we can’t form memories till we are 4, Elaine called and said she remembers being born and flopping out!

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “D’oh” and the answer was The Simpsons.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a family ticket to Wilberfest on Aug 4th and 5th.
Today it was Bandety Blank and the answer was Oasis and Colin at Mulberry court won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Sarah couldn’t name 5 Dawson’s Creek characters.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:10am

On air July 16th 2018

16th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Roxy was off ill today and like that poorly phone call to work, she sent 4 texts explaining her ailments!

Ben spent Friday at the races with the Lord Mayor of York and he was chatting to Ben and stopped him putting a bet on a 16/1 tip that then went and won…

Watch us racing at North Yorkshire Water Park in the Wipeout challenge on minsterfm.com, it’s a close race with just a bum between us!

Ben doesn’t understand why people go to gigs and throw pints they paid £6 for and where do they get the hot pints to throw????

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “I’m a laydee” from Little Britain.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a family ticket to Wilberfest on Aug 4th and 5th.
Today it was Cats Keys and Spencer in Pickering won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Dave & Ash couldn’t name 5 countries beginning with P.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:41am

On air blog July 12th

12th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Today we played an hour of songs to make us feel proud about England’s efforts, it didn’t work…Ben is still crying!

Last chance to get involved in our Marriott York give away at 7.10am with the Room Number Game.

Tomorrow we get ready to find out what this years York Maze design is and Roxy will be going up in a helicopter.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “Here’s one I made earlier” and the answer was Blue Peter.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to UB40 at Castle Howard on Sunday Aug 19th.
Today it was Bandety Blank and Jill Marr won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Cheryl couldn’t name 5 Robbie Williams songs.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 11:14am

On air blog July 11th

11th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Ben renamed the radio station as It’s Coming Home FM.

Ben joined in with Waistcoat Wednesday but his gold ensemble made him look like the fat controller! Photo on our Facebook page.

We are searching for the kindest place in our area and it took 2mins 18 secs for someone to come to Roxy’s aid as she had a meltdown in Pocklington…Facebook Live video is brill!

We are giving away a one night stay at the York Marriott with our Room Number Game, play at 7.10am.

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “Suits You Sir” from The Fast Show.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to UB40 at Castle Howard on Sunday Aug 19th.
Today it was The Baffler and DC Tyres won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Chris couldn’t name 5 countries that have hosted the World Cup since 1990.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 1:40pm

On air blog July 9th

9th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
We were going to break a Hula Hooping World Record after Roxy’s mad skills at Bloom last week, sadly we both forgot to bring in a Hula Hoop!

We are giving away a one night stay at the Marriott York this week with our Room Number Game, just tune in at 7.10am.

Where is the Greatest Place in the Minster FM area? The search starts tomorrow, let us know where we should go first as we look for kindness?

BBQ’s are twice as dirty as toilet seats and only get cleaned twice a year! How was that burger yesterday???

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “Just Like That” and it was Tommy Cooper.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to B-Fest at the Barbican with Beer, Blues and Fol on Fri 17th and Sat 18th August.
Today it was our impressions game Who Do You Do? And Roxy did a terrible Miss Piggy impression and Dionne and Logan won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Jo couldn’t name 5 countries where you can spend Euro’s.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:46am

On air blog July 6th

6th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
Well done Pocklington Carpets for closing tomorrow at 2.30pm so staff can go home and see the game.

Roxy is facing a Fox The Rox forfeit and has to hold a Come On Sweeden banner on the A1079 for 5 minutes!

Our house band were Sister Madly who are playing Greenfest at Clifton Green Primary tomorrow with Russ hosting, if you want to be a future House Band get in touch!

We discovered at Bloom York that Roxy has amazing Hula Hoop skills and next week we are going to try and set a Hula Hoop World Record…

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen and tickets to B-Fest at the Barbican if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “I want that one” from Little Britain.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to The Principal York Outdoor Cinema in August which is showing Grease, Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Moulin Rouge.
Today it was Cats Keys and Wendy Wooton from Dringhouses won the tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Graham couldn’t name 5 cities beginning with S.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:13am

On air blog July 5th

5th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
We can finally confirm that Roxy will be on Channel 4 show The Island with Bear Grylls but she still can’t give any details but the show does feature Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet and we are all swooning!

Oh Yeah for Channel 4 who sent a tweet plugging Location, Location, Location on Saturday at 3.50pm and then tweeted ‘oh why bother #WorldCup2018’.

Roxy is wearing a floral frock for the launch of Bloom in York and we are visiting The Curious Realm of Floribunda in Coney Street, Facebook live at 12pm.

Do you do night shopping? 45% of items bought after 10pm get returned! Ben’s wife bought a hammock at midnight and Roxy bought a saxophone…

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen and tickets to B-Fest at the Barbican if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “I have a cunning plan” and the answer was Blackadder.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to The Principal York Outdoor Cinema in August which is showing Grease, Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Moulin Rouge.
Today it was Bandety Blank and Trisha won the cinema tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Steve couldn’t name 5 Tom Jones songs.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 11:08am

On air blog July 4th

4th July 2018

Things we talked about today…
We celebrated Minster FM’s birthday from a hot-tub at Rocklands Lodges and you can win your won stay by watching our video.

We played a new game called Hot Tub Time Machine and turns out Roxy doesn’t know her history or when things happened in her life! When did England win the World Cup?? Her answer was 1996.

On today’s What’s Hot and What’s Not…Roxy decided the World Cup was NOT hot as she is sick of the anxiety and then did a 180 when she realised she had England in the work sweepstake!

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen and tickets to B-Fest at the Barbican if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “Is that your final answer” from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to The Principal York Outdoor Cinema in August which is showing Grease, Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Moulin Rouge.
Today it was Ben’s Big Jumble and Holly won the outdoor cinema tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Rob named 5 players who played for England last night.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 12:28pm

Sicario 2 review with Rob Ryan

3rd July 2018

Admittedly it was not until last Monday when I finally sat down and watched the first Sicario for the first time as I missed it during its theatrical run and just never got around to watching it on DVD. But as the sequel was coming out it only made sense to find out what was so special about it that it would warrant a second film and to my surprise the first Sicario is a really good action thriller that’s slow, tense and very rewarding but also very insightful to the dark and depressing war between the US and the Mexican drug cartels, but what surprised me the most about the first Sicario is that its one of the most morally grey films I have ever seen, which made me a little worried about following these characters for the sequel given the amounts of unethical acts they commit in the first film. There where also concerns of director Denis Villeneuve and world famous cinematographer Roger Deakins not returning to helm the second instalment in the franchise as the paring of those two was the reason responsible for the films slick and nuanced direction and cinematography.

Fortunately I’m happy to report that Sicario 2 Soldado while not as good as the first is a very solid sequel that does a good job replicating the slick style and bleak tone of the first film while also delivering an intense action thriller. As the stakes are raised a little in comparison to the first film there is a little bit more action involved but one of the most impressive things about the first film and this second instalment is that the action and the dialogue conversations don’t undercut each other, compared to a lesser film of its sort where the action would be constant, not letting room for character development or quieter character interactions to breathe. The Sicario films treat the audience with a little bit more respect and there is no action unless if its integral to the development of the plot. In some instances the audience is left to try and fill in the blanks of character growth and especially are left to discuss the themes political messages without the film beating you over the head through exposition dialogue. The action when it comes is exceptionally shot and directed and you feel every bullet that comes at the character’s faces and even when the action isn’t present the characters and performances keep things going. Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin remain in top form in their roles and both have excellent chemistry. Speaking of the characters Sicario 2 gives them more growth like a good sequel should. Where in some cases you see them in a different light compared to the first film and go through some kind of transition that affects them in effective way’s. With Brolin’s Sense of authority and matter of fact attitude towards the characters still being the highlight of each scene he’s in and then there’s Del Toro’s Alejandro. The amount of what is going on behind his eyes and all that silence is enough to send shivers down your spine.

So what holds Soldado back from helming a light to the first Sicario? Well for one is that while the film follows the tone of the original film it doesn’t really have the subtlety that Villeneuve was able to pull of. This is evident in the musical score. The late Johan Johansson who scored the first Sicario is of course not back for this project and while the score to Soldado fits the tone of the first much like the direction and cinematography the music gets a little overbearing in a lot of instances. Unlike the first film where music was minimal but effective when used, the score to Soldado gets a little too intrusive that it made me miss the more silent moments of the characters driving across where the chances of being shot was imminent. Another thing that holds this film back is the ending. This is where things get hard because I can’t give away my problems with the film without spoiling what happens in the third act. But what I will say is that there is an event in this film that would have worked more effectively as the ending but then the film keeps going just so it can set up the third one. Which is a shame because if it had ended at the point where it should have ended it would have been a lot more poignant and powerful but the film ruins it by going on for another 10 minutes by subverting what you saw earlier. While I love subversion in storytelling here it was used very poorly that ruined the film for me.

Sicario 2 is solid sequel that works as a compelling follow up that amps up the stakes as well as the action and while the ending left a bad taste in my mouth, I’m still somewhat curious about what they do if they make a third one. Although I’m not going to put my hopes too high.

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:09am

On air blog July 3rd

3rd July 2018

Things we talked about today…

What’s Hot and What’s Not with Roxy…HOT Pick Your Own Strawberries…NOT The crumpet crisis due to a lack of CO2

Ben bought a new 65” TV against his wife’s wishes and it blocks all natural light in the room which is great for watching movies, but it also makes one sofa redundant as it’s like being on the front row of the cinema…

We did a Columbiquiz for Rox to predict the England score and our prediction is a 3-2 England win!

We are playing Roxy’s Bonus all week to win a meet and greet with Ben Haenow at Tadcaster Carnival on July 22nd…Todays question was how many tattoos does Roxy have? Roxy said 5 but it turned out its 6

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen and tickets to B-Fest at the Barbican if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “You plonker” from Only Fools & Horses.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to The Principal York Outdoor Cinema in August which is showing Grease, Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Moulin Rouge.
Today it was Cast List and Sam Woodcock won the outdoor cinema tickets.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Julia named 5 Paw Patrol characters and won the cash and racing badges.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:05am

On air blog July 2nd

2nd July 2018

Things we talked about today…

Waistcoat sales have gone through the roof as men want to look like England manager Gareth Southgate.

The warm weather is causing havoc and we might face a crisp crisis…NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!

This week you can win a chance to meet and greet Ben Haenow at Tadcaster Final on July 22n as we play Roxy’ Bonus Round after 8.30am.

Lingerie sales are up 38% since the start of the World Cup…make your own mind up why!

Chances to win on air with Ben and Roxy…

SCREEN STARS (6:20)
Win a new Minster FM clicky pen and tickets to B-Fest at the Barbican if you can work out the movie or TV show that is acted out by 6 time nominated Soap Award actress Roxanne Pallett.
We are counting down the top 50 TV catchphrases of all time and this morning the quote was “You are the BLANKEST link, goodbye” from The Weakest Link.

GAME WHEEL (7.30)
This week you could be winning a pair of tickets to The Principal York Outdoor Cinema in August which is showing Grease, Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Moulin Rouge.
Today it was our impressions game Who Do You Do and Roxy did an amazing Jedward impression.

PANIC with York Racecourse (8:15)
You can win £25, county stand racing badges to York Races and a panic button if you can hold your nerve.
Today Lisa couldn’t name 5 Sandra Bullock movies.

Ben and Roxy on air weekdays from 6am.

Posted by Ben Fry at 10:15am