CMF Phone 2 Pro

The new CMF phone is all the buzz at the moment, mainly because of the staggeringly good value-for-money. Here in the UK, it's £219 for the base model (or even £188 at AmazonUK if you also factor in a pair of, admittedly, last generation, Buds 2). Significant improvements have been made since the CMF Phone 1, though also a couple of odd changes to the modular approach.

I was quite surprised to discover that there was no Nothing app to switch from one Nothing/CMF phone to another. I guess that's something for down the line somewhere. Instead, they rely on the 'standard' Android 'setup' procedure which can be done via the 'setup my new device' option in the Google app wirelessly or with a cable. Coming from the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus, I thought it would be slicker and in-house. Not that there's anything wrong with Google's procedure at this stage - it's pretty polished.

First things first though and the cute-looking box it comes in. I got the orange one though there's also black, white and light green. In the box, there's no power brick of course, but there is a USB-C to USB-C cable, a colour-matched SIM Tray pokey-tool and a beautifully fitting clear and soft TPU case. Love it! And this is no eBay-special from China that just never quite feels like it was designed right - this fits like a glove. Probably only cost them a quid, but made such a difference to me. Well done indeed!

It's slimmer and lighter than last year's model, giving a great feel in the hand - 164 x 78 x 7.8mm and 185g. It's also got an IP rating of 5/4 so certainly better than last year's model which had none, but not up there with the leading pack (outside of this price range). The corners are squared off more than the (2a)'s and it's certainly a big phone, but all the better for seeing, I guess! The footprint reminds me somehow of the Nokia 7 Plus from back in 2018, the first thing that struck me. On the right side, below the power button, is an Essential Key (which I'll come to later). On the left is the volume rocker (which I'm starting to appreciate now over the Android usual position on the right), microphone up top and USB-C port, speaker and microphone down the bottom.

On the back, we have (in the orange colour), a two-tone split (a bit like Pixel phones used to have) with a lighter orange on the top half and darker, below. It feels at first like there's a texture difference between the plastic of the two halves but on closer inspection, I think now not. Like the first phone, there are screws around the back which can be removed and an optional backplate can be added which houses a magnet, MagSafe style. This can be used to clack to MagSafe/Qi2 accessories, some of which CMF are selling. Like the fold-out wallet/stand. I don't have any of these to hand to test so will have to check, along with you, YouTube videos from people who do. And actually, they look pretty good. You can put 2 or 3 credit cards into the folding wallet, then fold it out to provide a desk stand to prop the phone up in portrait.

This whole back cover screw-off thing is different to the first generation, on which you could actually remove the back completely and replace it with other colours. But they didn't have magnets inside. Consequently, with the new phone, if you put a back cover on it, you lose the advantage of thinness and it becomes then thicker than the original. But you do get the benefit of the magnets. But before you get too excited, the phone doesn't have Qi charging - so Qi2/MagSafe charging won't happen! The benefits of the magnets, but not the charging. Oh well. At least you'll be able to mount it to a car dash easily.

It's also got a similar large screw on/off button thingie, bottom right, which can be replaced with a lanyard if desired, to hang the phone around one's neck. Or on a tree! And there's the phone stand which will screw in there too, then fold out for portrait or landscape propping on a desk. You can also buy a power brick from CMF from £39 upwards, depending on which power version you fancy. So yes, to some degree modular still, just different in some ways to the first phone - which seems to be dividing opinion.

Lastly on the tour is the camera cluster, top-right (in landscape), which by design, makes the phone look, along with those screws, kind of industrial - but stylish. And I think that's what they were going for. Style and design. Another couple of accessories are available too for the cameras - but you need to put one of the additional backs on first to use them. When you've done that, there is a fisheye lens and a macro lens which press into place over the additional back, in line with the camera lenses. It's difficult to get hold of these just now, so again, we can only go by those YouTubers who have been sent them for review and the word is that the macro one does indeed get good close-up results, but the fisheye/wide-angle one is not really that much better/different than the wide-angle camera already built-in. Maybe we'll see a telephoto one at some point too.

The phone does look very nicely designed, especially without the additional back on it, fits in my (big) hand very nicely and has a real feeling of something different and classy - but also fun'n'funky - about it!

On firing up the device, it was armed with NothingOS v3 and immediately looks to change that to v3.2 (which I'll come to) with a near-5GB download. Out of the box it has March 2025 Android Security and July 2024 Play System onboard. The latter quickly updated to April 2025 (as most Android phones now seem to have done) and April '25 Security too. The copy/restore (as mentioned above) worked worked beautifully well using the (2a) and a cable, retaining all the settings, layout and apps, Always on Display (which I'll come to), many auto-signed-in (my trust in Google paying off), leaving me to fiddle with the financials!

CMF have done the decent-enough thing here which Motorola could learn from with budget devices, offering 3 Android OS updates (so up Android 18) but more importantly probably, 6 years of Security Patching. So, new in May 2025, this gets users safely supported through to spring 2031. For a £200 phone - that's impressive.

The recurring theme running through my thoughts here is very likely often going to come back to the stock phrase for the price. No more likely than in relation to the screen - the incredibly price-defying 6.77", 1080p, 388ppi, 20:9 ratio, 120Hz AMOLED with 3000 nits of brightness at peak/auto. It's super bright and colourful - not quite up with what Motorola are doing with their screens, but not far off and I can't imagine anyone could complain - even outside in bright conditions. The Achilles Heel might be that it's only Panda Glass and not Gorilla, but CMF have added a factory-fitted screen protector and to be honest, usually the first to rip these things off, I've not even noticed it until now. So maybe I won't, given that it's Panda Glass.

The phone is a 5G one of course and users can choose between two physical nanoSIM slots (though no eSIM support) or use the flip-side for a microSD Card! Hurrah! This is important with the £219 128GB version for sure (which this one is), maybe not so much for the £249 256GB one. If the latter had been available for £30 more, I would likely have paid the extra, but it wasn't. So armed with my 1TB card (and up to 2TB for those who fancy it) I've got 1.128TB (and 256GB buyers, 1.256GB, obviously)! It seems that the vast majority of people are happy to use cloud services these days, not file-manage and carry data like us old farts hoarding our own media, so will be happy with 128GB anyway (and probably not even realise their phone has the slot, let alone even own a microSD Card)! With 128kbps versions of my .mp3 files (instead of the 320kbps versions), some key .mp4 files and a pared-down list of audiobooks, I'm peaking out at about half the 128GB personally. And the rest, along with full-fat versions can, of course, all go on the microSD Card (which it seems to read/write to fast enough for no latency on video tested) with its oodles of space! Copying files from my PC to the phone with a cable to the USB-C port worked fine, as it usually does with Android these days, though as one might expect, not as lightning fast as phones with faster and more powerful chipsets. Oh well - doesn't need doing often here and I'm not in a rush!

The 8GB RAM incidentally, is common to both models and tests so far are showing this to be perfectly adequate, not closing stuff down aggressively in the background and working well with the Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Pro (4nm) chipset. The 'Pro' is an upgrade from last year's non-Pro and CMF are claiming incremental improvements all-round over last year's phone. There seems to be wise money on the new Pro version equating to a SnapDragon 7s Gen 2, used successfully in some of the Motorola Edge, Realme, Poco and Redmi models. The Dimensity feels like it's doing a perfectly good enough job to me - even with some car-racing and certainly 'lighter' games. There's very little impact on speed around the UI, thus proving, again, for everyday use for most people, saving huge amounts of money not buying expensive flagships has little-to-no impact on their use of phones.

Now onto speakers - or in this case, speaker! Yes, there's one, so without head/earphones or peripheral speakers there's no stereo. There's no 3.5mm audio-out socket either (of course) so it's a good job that the Bluetooth v5.3 works beautifully - and indeed wired USB-C earphones, a couple of which I have here to use (without adapter/dongles). Bluetooth is staggeringly good these days even without the higher-level codecs for audio like LDAC (though apparently you can get that if you buy CMF's Buds Pro 2 which I don't have here to test unfortunately, only the non-Pro version). I do have my Sony WH-1000XM4 (Amazon Affiliate Link) headphones, however, which smartly sorts out LDAC for the user and, of course, it reduces all latency and sounds fantastic.

The speaker's output is quite loud but as soon as a finger lingers over the grille at the bottom, it's pretty much all gone! Pushed to 100% though and it's a distorted, tinny mess I'm afraid. Made even worse by the Ultra Volume option! A bit like the one found on the HMD Skyline - both of which really need to be left well alone. CMF's version claims to boost the volume by 50% but it's simply unusable. Maybe for spoken word it could be of use in a large room, but with music it's a disaster! Laying that aside and dropping the regular (non-Ultra option) down to about 80% and it's much more usable for music. If ever there was a case for the use of Wavelet though, this is it. Set on the app's 'Dark' EQ setting it's much, much better - and can, in a pinch, be pushed to 100% - but still not Ultra!

Next is the battery and it's a 5,000mAh one, for which the phone offers 33W wired charging. Seems to do what it says it should, for those of us armed with an appropriately-powered charger, with a full charge in just over an hour and a half. CMF claim "...a day's power in 20 minutes" which in real-world use is subjective as everyone's day is different, but it seems that 20 minutes with a 33W charger should take it from zero up to about a third full in my tests here, so a few hours power anyway. There's no Qi Wireless charging on offer but there is 5W Reverse-Wired, which means that you can think of the phone as a powerbank, plug another device into the USB-C port and expect it to charge the other device's battery. Slowly!

Once the phone is charged, in tests here, the battery performs superbly well. The efficient chipset sipping away at it makes it seem to go on and on. With my average use, it's certainly good for a day and a half - and on a light-use day, two of them! Doing my usual 10% Reading Test I am getting about 2 hours, which is not great compared to many and feels like it's not right really - but repeated tests are about the same, wherever I execute them within the battery percentage scale. I shall do more testing on this as it doesn't really seem consistent with the all-day use.

The firm, like everyone else, are going OTT on claims for their camera system (like it's the most important feature on any phone) and highlighting how it's better than last year's model. And to fair, it is. The main camera is much the same - a 50MP f1.9 unit, but they've added a second 50MP f1.9 unit which has 2x optical zoom capability and third 8MP f2.2 unit for wide-angle, dropping the last generation's 2MP f2.4 Depth one. The camera interface is pretty simple, pretty Apple-like, with swipe-across menu highlighting Night, Portrait, Photo, Video and More. Under More there's Slo-Mo, Time Lapse, Panoramic and Expert (Pro). With the latter you can control EV, ISO, Shutter Speed, White Balance and Focus in the usual way. On the main interface you can switch between the three lenses with a swipe - wide-angle ("0.6"), regular ("1") and 2x optical ("2"). Head for the settings and there's  a bunch more controls including forcing 50MP shots (with big file sizes), filters (with my favourite artsy Lenticular!), HDR, Motion Photo, Grid, etc. Nothing new here much if you're used to fiddling with cameras in phones. Oh, and the Selfie is the same 16MP f2 unit as last year.

As for the performance and output of the camera - I really don't understand digital photography. (Bring back film!) Even the cheapest phone's camera seems to make perfectly good-enough pictures to me, for any use I might put them to online. So yes, I shall shuffle you off once again to our friends at GSMArena who drill down, pixel-peep and give their verdict, presumably for those who really want to blow a photo up to A3 and put it on the wall! Their coverage is here and I continue to appreciate them filling the gap for me. The most notable 'miss' on the camera seems to be the lack of OIS anywhere, so it's tripod time! While you're there you can read their review of this phone too.

The Essential Key is a notable addition on the right side of the device, a button under the power button - which, incidentally, is lovely and 'clicky'. This is a (kind of) AI method taking a lead from the Pixel Screenshot app offering the user a quick-snapshot method to press-to-save whatever’s on the screen, add notes and long-press to record voice notes to each for later reference. And it certainly seems to do what it says on the tin - and for the right person, this will be very useful as a (kind of) scrapbook. My problem with it is, much like many Samsung tools, it doesn't integrate out and/or talk to anything outside of the phone. Even a simple webpage support would be nice - and to be fair, even Google doesn't have that (yet) for their Screenshot app. It's designed (at this stage) therefore to be an on-device function for users to then use, on-device. It doesn't even save anything to a cloud anywhere so even if you swap to a new phone, you just have to start again. 

In order to use it, you long-press the button in order to screenshot whatever is on your screen and whilst holding the button, dictate a voice memo to go with it. Or press once to take the screenshot the same but type a message to go with it. Double-press the button to get to the Essential Space where all your saved stuff is kept. You can listen back to any audio notes you've made, get a transcription of them, and even view summaries that the AI has put together in order to organise tasks, events or whatever data it's scooped up - including words from inside images. Screenshot a calendar page and it gives you a rundown of upcoming stuff which you can then add to a Task List or mark as done. You can then organise your clippings and data into Collections if you want to. There's a lot to unpack here and it needs some using, ongoingly, to make the most of it. Maybe with the upcoming launch of the Nothing Phone 3 they will open it up a bit, not have it locked down to the device.

Nothing OS 3.2 (over 3.0/1) launches with the new hardware (though it will come to the older soon - well, apart from the Essential Key stuff presumably)! They’ve added Essential Space Widgets, allowing users to see the content (or rather some of it, presumably) on the lockscreen and AoD (if selected). In other changes, they’ve added some camera presets, made the Macro and Portrait Modes better (more bokeh) and added AI-powered face and scene classification to their Gallery app, smoother animations, Adaptive Brightness tweaks to make it better, improved colour accuracy, clarity and detail in the camera/video, the 'proper' AoD as mentioned, more icon styles, pre-installed Nothing X App for audio products and more. Discovery ongoing!

Connectivity seems pretty good on all-counts really, WiFi 6 is fine, three routers tested, GPS seems good for locking-on and keeping tracking, 5G cellular, similarly, seems good as I test in various places in North Wales - data reliable and voice reported well on both ends of calls - and the new one over last year's model, NFC. Hurrah! So it can hook up with other NFC-enabled gear and (probably) more importantly for most, pay for your grub at Tesco! It was a gap in the last model which thankfully, even keeping the price down, they've fixed.

Security features work very well - fingerprint, under-display, optical, seems to work first time, every time and Face Unlock was fast to register and then quick in execution, working out glasses on or off by itself. Other security arrangements are all under Google's umbrella (so no fancy Samsung Knox or Moto ThinkShield alike) but I guess that's then as secure as any Pixel out there!

It's a terrific phone for the price - quite staggering really - and would suit 95% of the non-geeky/nerd, undemanding population. The screen is great, the accessories/magnets are fun, there's a microSD Card slot and Dual SIM, the chipset is perfectly adequate as is the RAM, decent amount of update support going forward, excellent battery (apart from my 10% test - more tests ongoing as I can't see that it's right) and decent-enough cable charging speed, And similarly, for the price, apparently the cameras too - for the 95% of people again.

Of course, I'd like a better speaker (or even two of them) and Qi Wireless charging, but really those are my only two gripes. Certainly, once again, for the price. You can get 7 of these for the price of the newly-announced Sony Xperia 1 Mk.VII - and although you get a very specialist premium tool for that cash, it's worth lingering for a moment on the fact. I maintain in closing that my 95% would be very happy to use this and enjoy the fun, quirky approach to the often-stuffy design of smartphones out there. Here's my affiliate link in case you want to buy one at Amazon, for which I thank you. Highly recommended.

The Snow Walker (2003)

I think this has to be one of the most moving films I've ever seen. It's a story of survival, growth, the human spirit, love, friendship and inter-dependency. Nothing much here not to like, nor the way it has been produced, shot and performed.

Barry Pepper (The Green Mile, True Grit) and Annabella Piugattuk carry the film as the two leads and are both totally engaging and absorbing to watch. The story is set in 1953 and starts out introducing us to Charlie, the ex-WWII pilot who lives up in the north of Canada somewhere and is employed to carry goods around to various isolated communities in the arctic's snow and ice in his amphibious seaplane. He rattles around local bars, drinking, womanising - the cocky jack-the-lad around town, over-confident and generally not an attractive character.

He goes to work one day, late as usual, and sets off to carry some barrels of something to an isolated Inuit community. He flies alone and clearly has a schedule of drops. When he turns up to drop off the barrels, two of the men in the community ask him, mostly by gestures and broken English, if they would take a 20-year-old girl from their group to a hospital as she is coughing up blood, suspected TB. At first he refuses, as he's on a schedule, but they offer him some ivory which is worth a lot of cash, so he changes his mind, realising their value.

The girl barely says a word to Charlie on the journey which ends abruptly and tragically as something goes wrong with his plane and they have to crash-land in the middle of nowhere. The radio is broken, the plane irreparable, and nobody knows where they are as he's gone off track in another direction, towards a hospital and not reported it. Presumably as he didn't want his employer to know he's on the make!

The girl doesn't speak hardly any English but he does find out that she is called Kanaalaq. They start to take stock, gather resources, he ranting like a spoiled brat most of the time, she quiet, reflective and thoughtful (most likely wondering how it is that people outside of her culture can't exercise control)! After a few days and resources dwindling, he decided that he will leave her by the plane (as she's sick) and walk off for help/rescue, telling her that he'd then send a plane for her.

A few days pass, his command of survival skills go from bad to worse, eventually ending up being attacked by mosquitos en masse and passing out on the ground. Up pops Kanaalaq to the rescue. She'd clearly been following him, suspecting that he would make a mess of things! So she, the sick one, nurses him back to something approaching health using all her cultural methods and knowledge, resourceful living from nature and the earth. When he's well again, they start walking together and face adventures along the way.

Adventure is not really what the tale is about though. It's about cultural crossover, learning and compassion as they fight to survive, eventually relying heavily on each other as she helps him get stronger whilst declining herself - really in need of that hospital. But she holds up as they lean on each other, bond forming between them, companionship and closeness born from their plight. The story is slow at times, but always gripping and suspenseful as we see the cock-sure, egocentric man change into a generous, thoughtful and kind person.

Director Charles Martin Smith (who has been an actor in The Untouchables and American Graffiti amongst many more) ensures that it's never soppy and sentimental, but rather touching and intelligent. This is helped by the incredibly powerful performance by Annabella Piugattuk in the lead, but also Barry Pepper as Charlie. The pair work well together and have much of the screen time. There are a couple of side-stories going on regarding the search mission, but they really weren't needed.

As a brief aside, I wondered why Annabella Piugattuk's career in acting flatlined, pretty much after this and I discovered that it was because she was so actively involved in her Inuit community that she wanted to focus her time doing that, working in broadcasting within the community, but with little interest for a big Hollywood career.

If you can't find it anywhere else, someone has uploaded it onto YouTube at the time of writing and I'd strongly recommend it.

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

I saw this film years ago, based on a Stephen King novel, but had completely forgotten much about it, so DVD staring at me, I thought I'd give it another shot - and I'm pleased I did. There's a slightly dated feel about it but in some ways that adds to the atmosphere, leaping back and forward in the timeline as we do here with some interesting cinematic colour-shifts to denote the eras.

We start off in the present with Dolores Claiborne struggling with her elderly and infirm employer at the top of the stairs in her house in Maine, where she's live-in carer and has been for over 20 years. Vera Donovan is the employer and she ends up tumbling down the stairs. Next, we see Dolores raking through the implements in the kitchen to apparently find something to cosh her with and finish her off. In comes the mailman and catches Dolores, over the body, rolling-pin in hand, about to deliver the final blow. She doesn't. The viewer knows. But the old woman dies right there, anyway, from her injuries.

Dolores is a known local character in this small town where everyone has lived forever and know each other well. The exception to the rule of people staying in the town is Dolores' daughter, Selina, who we now join in her office in New York working as a journalist/writer. She receives a fax (told you it was dated) telling her that her mother, who she's had nothing to do with for 15 years, has been taken to the police station, suspected of murdering her employer. Selina races to the scene, hooks up with mother, who the local police release to go (to her unlived-in, neglected) home with daughter while they process the 'crime' scene and build their case.

Both of these women are clearly hardened by the knocks of challenging lives and this comes across from both of them as they deal with anyone around them. Selina with more caution and social awareness than Dolores, but it's clear that they are both life-damaged in various ways, which come out later in our story. Which brings us to various flashbacks as we find out about the situation earlier in life when Selina was 13 and her dad was still alive, living in the house, and generally being verbally and physically abusive (watch out for the first one as it's shocking) to Dolores at every irritated opportunity - whilst apparently sharing warmth and kindness to Selina.

Dolores is pushed too far one day and returns some of the abuse, putting him in his place. He's also a bit of a drunk, which makes matters worse for the others. As we skip back to the present, it becomes clear that dad had died back in the day and Dolores was suspected of killing him, which most of the townsfolk remember. Although she was cleared of charges, the incident declared an accident, they keep a distance because of the suspicions, making her even more reclusive and bitter. Selina storms off around this time, not to be seen until the present. It's clear that there's unresolved issues between mother and daughter which are eventually shared with us, along with details of the incidents.

Jennifer Jason Leigh (Single White Female, Fargo) and Kathy Bates (Diabolique, Titanic) play the two roles perfectly. I think that Bates is wonderful in Misery (1990) but this stretches her further and she plays it beautifully. I loved Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight (2015) but again, this role stretches her in a different way and she responds admirably. Director Taylor Hackford brings out the best in both of them turning this unusual Stephen King story (not supernatural but focusing on the stuff people do to each other), whilst creating chills and thrills in different ways, including smart use of camerawork, colours and focus throughout.

In amongst all this we have Christopher Plummer playing the local copper, determined to prove that Dolores has done the deed, still angry that she 'got away with' blame for the death of her husband years ago. He felt he 'missed out' on a conviction back then, maring his perfect record of 85 other closures. He believed, and still does, that she did it, can't prove it, but is out to make amends. He plays it very nicely, too - a far cry from Captain Von Trapp! Judy Parfitt (Girl with a Pearl Earring) is horribly annoying as Vera the monied, stuck-up employer (mostly via flashbacks) and David Strathairn (L.A. Confidential, Lincoln), chilling and sinister as Dolores' husband. These are the main roles, but the rest of the cast add to the great storytelling and dark, grizzled atmosphere, as it unfolds.

It's also a story about how men in positions of power, particularly in small-town America back in the day, had been free to exercise destruction over women, who end up feeling powerless to change the imbalance. This is highlighted clearly in a scene at the bank and the attitudes of the police officer in charge. It's sad, shocking and moving in equal measure as the viewer gets more absorbed and behind the truth of what's happened. It's beautifully shot and produced, so highly recommended.

End Times (2023)

End Times, the 2023 low-budget post-apocalyptic film, offers a viewing experience that, while flawed, manages to be surprisingly engaging. Despite its shortcomings the film possesses a certain charm that kept me invested until its final moments.

The initial scene involving sexual violence is undoubtedly jarring and potentially off-putting. However, it does serve as a brutal catalyst for the protagonist's hardening in a world devoid of societal norms. This early exposure to the harsh realities of the apocalypse does contribute to the development of a thick-skin necessary for survival, shaping her journey throughout the narrative.

Visually, the film frequently betrays its budgetary constraints. The makeup effects for the zombies, in particular, leave much to be desired and lack the convincing realism often found in more polished productions. Furthermore, the marketing might lead one to expect a more traditional zombie-centric narrative. In reality, End Times features a relatively limited number of actual zombie encounters.

Instead, the film gradually morphs into something akin to a modern-day western. The journey of the grizzled mercenary, played with a world-weary stoicism by Craig Stark, and the initially inexperienced young woman (Jamie Bernadette) across a desolate landscape evokes comparisons to classic westerns like Two Mules for Sister Sara. The dynamic between the two leads, with the older, more cynical figure reluctantly guiding the younger, more naive one, is a familiar trope, yet it provides a solid foundation for the unfolding events.

The narrative then shifts into a kibbutz stage, reminiscent of films where outsiders encounter seemingly utopian communities, such as Sirens. Here, the sanctuary offered appears inviting, but Stark's character, drawing on his harsh experiences, rightly suspects a darker undercurrent. This suspicion leads to a classic western trope of the hero returning to expose the truth and rescue the now-vulnerable woman.

The film's visual style, with its noticeable reliance on handheld camerawork alongside more traditional setups, likely reflects budgetary limitations. While the handheld approach occasionally adds a sense of immediacy, the imbalance can be somewhat distracting at times.

The performances of the two leads are commendable. Bernadette, in particular, delivers a powerful and transformative performance, culminating in a truly impressive display of acting in the film's final ten minutes. This late surge in her portrayal is a significant highlight and well worth waiting for. In contrast, the supporting cast's performances are less consistent.

It's interesting to note Craig Stark's prior, albeit smaller, roles in Quentin Tarantino films like The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained, which adds a touch of established talent to the low-budget affair. Additionally, the appearance of Dominique Swain, known for her controversial role in Lolita, as one of the camp inhabitants, provides a familiar face for cinephiles.

In conclusion, while End Times undoubtedly suffers from its low budget, particularly in its zombie makeup and occasional visual inconsistencies, it manages to deliver a reasonably compelling narrative. Its unexpected shift into a modern western with elements of social commentary, coupled with the strong performances of its leads – especially Bernadette's powerful final act – makes it an enjoyable watch despite its flaws. It's not a genre-defining masterpiece, but there's enough substance here to hold the viewer's attention and, as I found, to genuinely enjoy the experience. Available now on Tubi and other streaming services. This review penned in outline by me and tidied up by Gemini.

A Minecraft Movie (2025) - Guest Review by Chad Dixon

I've never played the iconic video game of the same name but from watching the odd game play demo in shops and online, I was aware what visuals I could expect. A Minecraft Movie (PG) is the latest of many recent big-screen adaptations of popular video games. In this case though, the aesthetic is everything. With the majority of the story taking place in the blocky CGI created world, I must say up front, the concepts have been fully imagined and are done very well.

Steve (played by a much chubbier Jack Black then of recent), is a quirky misfit of society who is obsessed with mining. Being constantly curious of a local gem mine since a youth, one day he finally gets past the crotchety old pit guardian and starts exploring. After a bit of digging, he finds a glowing blue cube. Later he comes across a glass-like white box that seems to be the perfect fit for the mysterious cube. Back at his house, curiosity gets the better of him and he places the artifacts together. Suddenly a shimmering gateway opens just outside and he investigates. Through the gate he finds himself in a fantastic world of box-like creatures.

Years later, washed up games designer Garrett Garrison (Jason Momoa) discovers the cube artifact in a lock-up sale. Later he teams up with Dawn (Danielle Brooks), a teaching assistant, and siblings, Natalie and Henry (Emma Myers & Sebastian Eugine). The latter discovers the white box amongst various odds and ends in Garrett's retro games shop.

Eventually, the artifacts reconnect and Garrett believes this is a sign that his fortunes are at a turning point. All four find themselves going through the portal where they discover Steve. He explains how he's been trapped there for many years but knows how they can all go back to the real world. An intrepid quest which involves travelling great distances and defeating an evil horde of warrior pigs!

I've no idea if this plot follows any lore of the game. There are a myriad of varied CGI characters and they are constantly on the move. The performances of the handful of real people in this wacky tale are all engaging - but when so much is going on, it needs a bit of concentration to keep up! Overall, I found this a fairly pleasant romp through a fantastical world whose visuals certainly popped off the screen - and with a sensible running time of 1h 41m, it doesn't overstay its welcome. You won't be surprised that it's set up for a sequel in the post credit scene!

Thunderbolts* (2025) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

We start in Washington DC as Current CIA Director, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is being scrutinized in front of a joint committee headed by Congressman Gary, (Wendell Pierce). She is accused of carrying out too many rogue missions against the wishes of the current US administration. Replying with much sarcasm, she is defensive, to say the least. Also, now a Congressman, James "Bucky" Barnes, (Sebastian Stan) is separately trying to get to the bottom of what Valentina is really up to in her secret labs.

Meanwhile, the new Black Widow, Yelena Belova, (Florence Pugh) has been sent by Valentina to a remote mountaintop secret base to allegedly destroy some sensitive tech to help her boss evade being removed from her position. However, three other suited-up operatives suddenly appear also in the bunker. A super-fight immediately ensues that actually leads to one fatality. A pause in the fighting reveals a fifth person hiding amongst the tech, Bob, (Lewis Pullman) dressed in plain grey pyjamas, who seems to not know why he is there.

In the first half an hour of the 2h 6m running time, there seemed to be a lot unexpected humour, that threw me a bit as the inclusion of Julia L-D, so well known for her long running role as Elaine in Seinfeld (which by the way, ended in 1989 - and she has aged amazing well), I sort of also worked out what was going to happen later as she conversed after the hearing with her P.A. Mel, (Geraldine Viswanathan) about one particular project of human subject experimentation, codenamed SENTRY.

Now, as the story progressed I began to understand the actual message they were going for. A bunch of highly trained, though world/work-weary individuals, questioning what they are still doing and why? Yelena expresses this most vividly in a touching flashback scene with her estranged father Alexi 'Red Guardian', (David Harbour) which I found quite moving. Other characters also re-evaluate their roles as the realisation becomes clear that they have to put aside their individual woes and team up to defeat a new enemy.

THUNDERBOLTS* is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and I have seen almost all of them so far, so am quite invested in these particular superhero-based offerings. The nicely spaced-out action sequences are as good as we should expect by now from this studio but I definitely miss some of the specific traits of previous big names in this franchise. Upon reflection, the performances of this cast were on-the-money for the story portrayed - and as the next phase of the MCU progresses I'm looking forward to getting to know these guys and what's in store for them as a new high profile team.

You must stay for the second extensive post credit scene as it reveals what that asterisk '*' is all about!

How to Deal with Irritation!

I have been aware lately that I have become more easily annoyed at the actions of others and irritated at stuff that really shouldn’t matter to a balanced, healthy person. So I asked Gemini what I could do about it!

It's tough when annoyance just bubbles up. Here are a few ways you can try to talk yourself down from being annoyed...

1. Acknowledge and Validate the Feeling (Without Dwelling)
a) Simply say to yourself, "I'm feeling annoyed right now." Sometimes just acknowledging the emotion can take some of its power away.
b) It's okay to feel it. Remind yourself that it's a normal human emotion. You're not "bad" for feeling annoyed.

2. Shift Your Perspective (Cognitive Reappraisal)
a) Reframe the situation. Try to look at the situation from a different angle.
b) Is there another way to interpret what happened?
c) Maybe the person didn't intend to be annoying.
d) What's the bigger picture? Will this matter in an hour? A day? A year?
e) Could there be a positive in this situation - like learning to be patient?
f) Challenge your thoughts. Are your thoughts about the situation entirely accurate and helpful? Are you exaggerating or making assumptions?
g) Consider the other person's perspective. Why might they be acting this way? Trying to understand their motivations (even if you don't agree with them) can sometimes soften your annoyance.

3. Focus on What You Can Control
a) Your reaction. You can't always control what others do, but you can control how you respond. Choose a response that is calm and constructive, rather than reactive and escalating.
b) Your environment. If possible, can you step away from the situation for a moment? A change of scenery can sometimes help you reset.
c) Your thoughts. Gently redirect your attention to something else.

4. Practice Self-Soothing Techniques
a) Deep breathing. Take slow, deep breaths. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. This can help calm your nervous system.
b) Mindfulness. Bring your attention to the present moment. Notice your senses – what you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. This can help ground you and distract from the annoyance.
c) Relaxation techniques. Try progressive muscle relaxation, imagining a peaceful scene, or listening to calming music.
d) Engage your senses. Sometimes focusing on a pleasant sensory experience (like the smell of coffee or the feel of a soft blanket) can help shift your focus.

5. Employ Stoic Principles
a) Focus on virtue. Consider how you want to behave in this situation. Aim for patience, understanding and composure - even if you're feeling annoyed internally.
b) Recognise what's external. Remind yourself that the annoying thing is often external to you. Your internal peace is something you can protect.
c) Accept what you can't change. Sometimes, things are just annoying and there's nothing you can do to change them in that moment. Accepting this reality can reduce your resistance and, consequently, your annoyance.

6. Use Humour (Carefully)
a) If appropriate, and if it aligns with your personality, try to find a bit of humour in the situation. Lightheartedness can sometimes diffuse annoyance. However, be cautious not to use sarcasm or humour that could be hurtful or dismissive.

It's okay if these techniques don't work instantly or perfectly every time. Managing emotions is a skill that takes practice. Be patient with yourself, and keep trying different approaches to find what works best for you in different situations. If your annoyance is frequent or intense and significantly impacting your well-being, it might be helpful to explore these feelings with a therapist!

Some of it seems a bit hippy-ish, but for me, the most useful one of those is focusing on 2 (d) - where time will be the healer. I wonder if there are more easily-irritated, annoyed middle-aged bods out there apart from me!

Samsung Always on Display Brightness (OneUI7, May 2025)

Right, it's back now it seems and here's how you do it if, like me, you just can't see the dim AoD. Note that the S23 in testing was bright enough but the S23 Ultra and Fold5 were certainly not. YMMV. But here's the procedure. (I wish they'd stop hiding it, removing it, bringing it back!)

Thanks to Malcolm Bryant for help testing. Hope this helps other lost wanderers!

1. Open up LockStar in Good Lock
2. Tap on that blue bar ("LockStar")
3. Tap on the grey bar at the bottom of the LockStar menu that says "Always on Display"
4. Then tap on the black bar AOD Auto Brightness
5. Eventually you get to the AOD Auto Brightness toggle with slider underneath (the slider doesn't appear until you turn the toggle off)
6. Don't forget to tap "Done" at the end

PodHubUK Podcasts for the Month of April 2025

 ...a roundup of our month of podcasting. Links to the team, communities and podcast homes on the net at the foot, so scroll down!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast
Episode 848 - From Fixed Focus to Fantastic Fotos!

Sunday 6th April

Andy Moon is our guest this week, so Steve and I quiz him on the stuff he has, and has had, since last on. There are lots of wearables, folders and flagships. I try to turn my Xperia into a camera with SnapGrip and other tricks, while Steve's onto Astro Slide in his current Keyboard theme.

Projector Room

Episode 183 - Showgirl Strangers
Wednesday 9th April

Gareth, Allan and I are back again with our fortnightly roundup of all things film, cinema and TV. This time we're no Strangers to Cleaner Saints, introduce The Monkey to The Crow, chase The Last Showgirl all the way to Craggy Island and loads more besides.

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 849 - Bezel and QWERTY Fans Unite!

Sunday 13th April

Steve and I are joined this week by Jim Fowl again as we natter for an hour about all things phone. A Planet Computers Special, a Moto 'What's Coming' Special, a ShiftCam SnapGrip Special, battery tips from Steve, Minimal keyboard Phone (for the BlackBerry 2025 Experience), folding phones and Repebble from Jim - as well as whole bunch of other stuff.

Whatever Works

Episode 224 - Better Butter Honey Well!
Tuesday 15th April
Aidan and I are here again with another hour of dubious hand-warming action as we consider Whatever Works for us and you! This time it's travel pils and cheese graters, turntables and SW Radio, table lamps and wooden stuff - and even time to talk to Toweling Terry!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast
Episode 850 - Mobile Patents and Moto AI!

Saturday 19th April

Gary Smith joins Steve and I for the first time on PSC and the pair of them deep-dive into a world of physics, leaving me behind! See if you can keep up! All interesting stuff though, related to mobile tech. I do my own deep-dive on Moto AI and also tinkering with Sony again. As we wait for OneUI 7. Again. Still! Available in the usual places.

Projector Room

Episode 184 - Dead Mail, Black Bag
Thursday 24th April

Gareth, Allan and I are back again this week with another look at what we've all been watching, loving and hating in the wonderful world of film, cinema and TV. This time we get a Soldier Out of Sight, Live and Die in L.A. with the Bondsman, suffer with Contagion after Sex, Lies and Videotape and there's a Gladiator II very much Under Suspicion!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 851 - Trying to Stay Dry!

Saturday 26th April

Marek Pawlowski joins Steve and I this week as we get out onto the waters of Norfolk, cameras-in-phones to hand! We introduce the new bunch of Moto devices, tinker with TCL, sink into Sony and clamp a clamshell device and BlackBerry for good measure!

The Podcasts

PodHubUK - Phones Show Chat - The Phones Show - Whatever Works - Chewing Gum for the Ears - Projector Room - Tech Addicts

The MeWe Community Groups (follow the links to join up)
Phones Show Chat & The Phones Show - Whatever Works - Chewing Gum for the Ears - Projector Room - PSC Photos - PSC Videos - PSC Classifieds - Tech Addicts

The Team
Ted Salmon - Steve Litchfield - Aidan Bell - Gareth Myles - Allan Gildea