The Walking Dead: Save The Last One (spoilers)

The Walking Dead found its mojo last week with Bloodletting therefore anticipation was ridiculously high that the show could keep the momentum going for Save The Last One

PLOT:  This week’s episode starts off with a flash-forward of Shane (Jon Bernthal) shaving his head.  We then cut to Shane and Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince) running through the school with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) reminiscing through the medium of voice over about Shane’s hell raising days at school. 

Back in the permanently stationary RV Daryl (Norman Reedus) cannot handle Carol’s (Melissa McBride) crying and heads off for a midnight stroll with Andrea (Laurie Holden) in order to pick up the search for the permanently missing Sophia (Madison Lintz).  There they stumble upon a hanging walker and Daryl begrudgingly wastes an arrow putting the miserable bastard (and by that I do not mean Andrea) out of his misery.

The most solemn duo in tv Glenn (Steven Yeun) and T-Dog (Irone Singleton) arrive at Hershel’s (Scott Wilson) farm where T-Dog is again reminded that Daryl saved his life.  T-Dog must be reminded of this fact at least once per episode.

Rick, weak with blood loss, is now reminiscing about how he was looking at Carl who was looking at the deer who is looking right back at Carl. 

Shane arrives back at the farm with the equipment for Carl's surgery and emotionally tells us how Otis got killed whilst providing fire cover for Shane. 

In a flashback we are shown that Shane shot Otis in the leg and then beat the shit out him.  Otis  retaliated by pulling Shane’s hair before being gruesomely eaten alive.  The episode ends with Psycho Shane staring at himself in the mirror.  END PLOT

As predicted the scenes which took place in the school were very action heavy and there were some very good Walker scares such as the Walker who appeared at the window as Shane was making his descent.  

The events which took place at the school are extremely important for the development of Shane.  On the face of it Shane sacrificed Otis as they were both trapped in the school and it was the only way he could ensure that Hershel received the necessary supplies to save Carl.

I can buy into that – I think Shane would have done exactly the same thing regardless of who was with him in order to save Carl.  The problem is he done it in such a bastardly way by shooting Otis in the leg, fighting with him in order to get his backpack and then proceeding to beat the shit out of him whilst Otis begged for his life.  This is all before we mention the fact that he lied to Rick about what had actually happened. Shane made no attempt whatsoever to make it quick and painless for Otis although we can argue about heat of the moment until the end of time.

If Shane remained vague about his actions then I would have given him the benefit of the doubt but he had the foresight to make up and tell a lie even though he knew he would never get caught out.  You can’t fault Jon Bernthal’s ability to stare in a crazy manner but the fact that he is now playing PSycho Shane rather than Sympathetic Shane means that he lost the sympathy gained last episode. It is going to be a fun to see what Shane does next.  

This episode completely justifies keeping Shane alive longer than his comic counterpart and I think it was a great call on the writers part to do this despite the inevitable fan-boy backlash.

Hershel is becoming an important character and in this episode we saw that he is able to see the bigger picture as he went out of his way to make sure that Patricia was not told about her husband’s death until after she helped Hershel to operate on Carl.

Carl got a few lines this week before having a seizure in another uncomfortable moment of child peril.  As stressful as it is to watch it is also bloody engrossing.

Lori and Rick had some nice moments together in deciding on whether or not they should let Carl die.  I am relieved that Lori became a lot more rational this episode and I was able to feel for her in every scene.  Sarah Wayne Callies and Andrew Lincoln are absolutely fantastic together.  Their acting was fine in season one but the strength of their performances so far in season two have blown me away.    

Andrea and Daryl had a nice little evening of bonding as the hunt for Sophia continues.  They make quite a good team and although I previously had a notion that they would have an affair I would like to see them become a team.  I am siding with those who want to save Daryl for Michonne.

The fact that the hunt for Sophia is going into it’s forth episode and the realisation that Daryl hasn’t stopped looking up for her since the moment she disappeared is making me think that this it laying the grounds for something bigger involving Daryl.  It may appear like filler compared to the main drama in the episode which is taking place around the farm but I think there is more going on with the hunt for Sophia than meets the eye. I hope there is a decent pay off coming. *cough* Merle *cough*

Speaking of filler it is perhaps unfortunate the anticipated Glenn and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) scenes this week are nothing more than filler.  Their bonding moment did not create the same levels of interest at Daryl and Andrea.

We are now three episodes into season two and it is clear that the pacing of The Walking Dead is going to be very slow.  This isn’t a complaint as having episodes take place during a period of half an evening can work provided the writing and acting are strong enough to justify the lack of progression. 

This episode of The Walking Dead worked on every level although there was a flat spot during the Glenn and Maggie scenes.  If they had left their bonding until next week it would have been a better use of their screen time as it broke up the flow of the drama in this episode.

I gave Bloodletting a 9/10 and hailed it as my favourite episode to date. Save The Last One kept the momentum going and raised the bar again as the tension, acting and the action were second to none.  Save The Last One also gets a 9/10.  This season appears to be a lot more consistent in all the right ways compared to season one and I see no reason why it wont continue to impress.

Performance of the week:  Sarah Wayne Callies

(two weeks in a row for Callies)

Annoying character of the week:  Glenn

Zombie kill of the week: Shane

(showing he too can pull of impressive head shots)  

Daryl line of the week:  “Look at him. Hanging up there like a big piñata”

Daryl picture of the week:

A slightly blurry picture this week but I think my blog has been written before the tumblr pictures have surfaced but thank you to the lovely lady who found it for me :-)

The Walking Dead: Bloodletting (spoilers)

After last weeks slightly uneven What Lies Ahead I was still ridiculously hopeful and excited for episode two – Bloodletting.  I am also ridiculously hopeful that this review will be written a lot better than last weeks. 

PLOT:  Bloodletting opens with a flashback involving Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) bitching that Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is pushing her buttons by being reasonable and refusing to call her a bitch.  

Rick carries an injured Carl (Chandler Riggs) to Hershel’s farm whilst Shane (Jon Bernthal) gets the more difficult job of carrying Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince). 

Hershel (Scott Wilson) sets to work on trying to fix up Carl whilst Rick falls apart.

Andrea (Laurie Holden) and Carol (Melissa McBride) bond over their respective losses which leads Carol to pray that Sophia doesn’t end up like Amy.  Daryl (Norman Reedus) has no time for chick flick moments and leads the procession back to the RV.

Maggie (Lauren Cohen) rides in on a horse like Zorro to collect Lori and deliver her to the farm.

T-Dog (Irone Singleton) is struggling with an infection which leads him to have a Meta moment of self-awareness as he realises that the black guy dies first.  Luckily for T-Dog, Merle got the clap on occasion and Daryl saves his life again by being able to tell the difference between meth and kick-ass antibiotics. 

Daryl and Andrea agree to stay behind to look for Sophia (Madison Lintz) whilst the others take an ailing T-Dog to Hershel’s farm. 

Otis and Shane head to the school to find the medical supplies needed to save Carl and they end up getting trapped until next week….. Uh oh.  END PLOT

The pacing of Bloodletting flows a lot better than last weeks What Lies Ahead which hopefully means that the show has settled back into its groove after Darabont’s departure.  I have to admit that I was surprised that they didn’t find Sophia in this episode – they need to bring this arc to its conclusion relatively quickly.  I know that time moves slowly in The Walking Dead universe but this must not drag on like the “finding Able” arc in the Sons of Anarchy.

The episode was chock full of drama, tension and was genuinely stressful to watch.  The scenes involving Hershel trying to remove bullet fragments from a fully conscious and crying Carl is probably the most upsetting moment in the entire show thus far.  I was thoroughly relieved when Carl lost consciousness as it made my viewing experience easier.

It is rare that children are put in any real danger let alone have them take centre stage in a moment like this so kudos to the show for having the guts to try it and also to Chandler Riggs for pulling it off.  It is important to note that this entire arc is completely Walker free showing that The Walking Dead does not need a Walker on every corner to ramp up the drama.  I have always said that the best moments in The Walking Dead are when the focus is on the drama created by people rather than the Walkers.

The Walkers came later on during the school scenes and we know from the ending of Bloodletting that next week’s episode is likely to have some Walker heavy action.  I don’t mind the wait for a big action moment as if they tried to squeeze more Walker/School drama on to the end of Bloodletting it would have overshadowed the performance heavy episode.    

I cannot fault the acting of Sarah Wayne Callies but Lori is still throwing out irrational demands and coupled with her bitchy treatment of Hershel she is still making it hard for me to give her the empathy she deserves.  The hurt and despair which Lori is going through is there to see but I do not understand why she is being written so unpleasantly.    

Lori does redeem herself in this episode by growing a spine and telling Rick he is not going on the school run and that his place is on the farm with her and Carl.  I like this stronger and more vocal side of Lori as in the comics she had very little influence over Rick in this regard.    

A major plot revelation in this episode is that T-Dog’s real name is Theodore Douglas and some comic fans may breathe a sigh of relief that the T does not stand for Tyrese.  The survival of Shane and the popularity of Daryl makes the introduction of Tyrese unnecessary.  I would rather take the unknown journey with Shane, Daryl and even T-Dog than have Tyrese as his character will offer me, a comic reader, nothing new and those fans who haven't read the comic wont know any different. 

It was good to see Irone Singleton getting some more screen time.  T-Dog has already defied expectations by surviving two episodes into season two.  It’s very good that The Walking Dead haven’t resorted to quick kills of the characters whether they be main or supporting as it gives a sense of continuity.  The cast cull will come but it is likely to come towards the end of their stay at Hershel’s farm.  This will allow time to develop the characters so when the deaths come the audience will actually care.

Steven Yeun as Glenn again got very little to do but now we have arrived at the farm and Maggie (Lauren Cohen) has been introduced his screen time will start to increase.

Melissa McBride is still doing a great job as Carol, Norman Reedus is still ridiculously bad ass as Daryl and Jeffrey DeMunn is becoming the grown up voice of rational and reason.  The fact that there is no weak link in the ever growing cast is an impressive achievement. 

Overall Bloodletting is a much stronger episode than What Lies Ahead.  The pacing and plotting are better and the cast are already upping their game.  All doubts over the quality of the show should now be quelled as The Walking Dead is back on track.  Bloodletting is now my favourite episode of the shows entire run and gets an impressive 9/10.  Bring on the next episode!

Performance of the week:  Sarah Wayne Callies

Annoying character of the week:  Lori

Zombie kill of the week: Daryl.   

(He is too bad ass to bother to break stride and aim his crossbow properly at kneeling Walker)

Daryl line of the week:  “Climb down outa my asshole man” 

(spoken in typical bitchiness to Dale who accused Daryl of letting Lori go off with a complete stranger.  I didn’t want to go for the already classic “Zen” line)

Daryl picture of the week:

Ides of March

The latter half of 2011 has given us quite a lot of Ryan Gosling and I am quite surprised just how little he was on my radar prior to September of this year.  October sees yet another Gosling release with Ides of March.

PLOT:  Stephen (Ryan Gosling) is an idealistic young political consultant working on the campaign of Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) in a bid to have him become the Democratic nominee for the presidency.  Stephen agrees to meet with Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti) the campaign manager of Morris’ opponent and from there a series of events snowballs which leads to Stephen being fired from the campaign.  Stephen must decide whether or not he is prepared to stick to his morals or get immersed in the dirty world of politics and get the man he once admired into the White House.  END PLOT

The film is written and directed by George Clooney and whilst the plot is purposefully slow it still manages to be very engaging.  The problem is the script wasn’t written by Aaron Sorkin, who is no stranger to political dialogue, and therefore it lacked the punch it needed to really lift the film.

Ryan Gosling is quickly becoming one of those actors who say very little but can portray so much with a look.  If Gosling chooses his next couple of roles wisely he is suddenly going to find himself having a very respectable career indeed.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was very good as Stephen’s campaign manager Paul however Paul Giamatti stole the show as Tom Duffy.  The way that Tom played, outsmarted and defeated Stephen was very devious and Giamatti does play an intelligent villain very well.

George Clooney is George Clooney in an over extended cameo.  This is not a compliment. 

Although Clooney’s script wasn’t as strong as the film’s tone required he didn’t fare too badly on the directing front.  There were two exceptionally well put together shots the first being between Governor Morris and Paul. 

This particular conversation takes place inside a car and although the audience already knows the outcome of the discussion the camera stays outside and we do not hear or see what is being said.  I found myself trying to peer in through heavily tinted windows to get a glimpse of what was going on – there was no music at this stage so the tension was very high.

The second would be the final shot which ended with a voiceover from Morris speaking about integrity and honesty, the main themes of the film, with Stephen staring straight down the camera lens at the audience.  I absolutely loved this moment.

Ides of March is such a slow paced film with all the drama taking place in a hushed manner that I fear people will either love it or hate it - I absolutely loved it and the film gets a very strong 8/10.   That being said I do not think that Ides of March is strong enough for any Oscar nominations although with stronger scripting it may have stood a chance.  If anything Ides of March solidifies the acting talent of those involved and by those involved I mean anyone who is not George Clooney.

The Walking Dead: What Lies Ahead (spoilers)

It’s been a few weeks since episode one of season two of The Walking Dead aired but I'm stuck for a “season” to write about for the foreseeable future so this will at keep me occupied for thirteen weeks.  I have never reviewed a tv show before so please bear with me until I find my groove. 

Anticipation was high for the new season of The Walking Dead and the Comic Con trailer only served to cement the fact that all excitement was justified – then it all seemed to go wrong with budget cuts and Darabont’s sacking. 

Frank Darabont’s departure came completely out of the blue to the average internet browser but it is obvious a lot more went on behind the scenes than we have all be made aware of.  Time will tell if an “unknown source” feels the need to share the secret of the sacking in juicier detail than we have been given.  The only effect Darabont’s departure had on me was that it gave me another reason to surf the internet during working hours.  It is fair to say that Daryl looked for Merle longer than I grieved for Frank.

PLOT:  The episode opens straight after season one finishes and/or right after the last scene Frank Darabont worked on.  Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his group find themselves stranded on a highway and/or graveyard after the troublesome RV breaks down again. Andrea (Laurie Holden) wants a gun. Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn), despite being the roof of the RV and aided by powerful binoculars, fails to see a herd of Walkers shambling towards the group at an alarmingly slow rate of knots.  Andrea wants a gun.  T-Dog (IronE Singleton) injures himself and Daryl (Norman Reedus) saves him. Andrea wants a gun. Sophia  (Madison Lintz) fails to keep the sun on her left shoulder and gets lost in the woods.  Andrea wants Lori’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) gun.  Andrea doesn’t want Lori’s gun.  Rick discourages Shane (Jon Bernthal) from shooting a deer and encourages Carl (Chandler Riggs) to make friends with it.  Carl gets shot (not by the deer).  END PLOT

Quite frankly the writing and pacing of the What Lies Ahead is choppy at best.  You only need watch the trailer to see that quite a number of scenes, which more than likely involved the Vatos, had been cut.  This is a shame as one would have assumed that the retirement home would be the logical safe base for the Rick et al to regroup after the CDC explosion.   The entire episode felt like filler before the shooting of Carl and the expected introduction of Hershel’s farm in the following episode.  The flow wasn't there and although the episode was very watchable it felt as though the makers were just winging it and hoping that they would make it to the end of the extended running time with enough material.

The Walker action is limited to a non attacking herd, two Walkers in the wood and a couple of Walkers casually sitting in church.  The Walking Dead has always got the Walker balance correct and I am a firm believer in less is more.  If the characters successfully evade hordes in every single episode then the show will lose the tension and the ever present sense of danger will be come redundant.

The key element of The Walking Dead has always been mankind's desperation to survive and the extremes they will go to in order to ensure their survival.  The dark side of human nature is more terrifying than any Walker and the show needs to keep true to this concept.

The most interesting aspect of What Lies Ahead is that we got a decent look at the characters themselves.

Between the CDC explosion and the highway breakdown Daryl has become more muscular, tanned and badass. Right from the squirrel tossing introduction of the non-comic book character he has become the fan favourite and he deserves this accolade as the show would be very quiet without him.  The introduction of Daryl has lessened Glenn's screen time but at this moment in time the hunter  trumps the scavenger.

I know that some people are unhappy that Glenn has taken a back seat in the opening episode but I think it is a good idea as Glenn is very young and is considered a kid of the group.  His character will grow up and toughen up as the show progresses – his time will come and we will get to witness it.

I always sympathised with Lori in the comic as even when she was heavily pregnant Rick would leave her and Carl to go off and save someone else.  I understood her desire to put her own families safely first.   We know that she legitimately believed her husband to be dead before she stopped, dropped and rolled in the foliage with another man.  The fact that she was cold banging her recently deceased husband's best friend Shane in the woods before he was cold his grave matters not as at that time she was a widow. 

The problem with Lori is that she should be the victim in the Lori vs Shane battle but in this episode her various conflicting demands have suddenly caused all sympathy to lie with Rapey Shane.  I am not sure which demand annoyed me more – the "how dare you try to rape me/why are you ignoring me" complaint or the even less amusing "stay the hell away from my son/why the hell are you ignoring my son" encore.

The mixture of Lori’s irrational bitching, unconditioned hair and huge bug eyes pissed me off.

Speaking of pissed off, it transpires that Andrea is displeased at being alive and she does not shy away from informing us at every available opportunity.  I may also have picked up on a few hints that she was unhappy about not having a firearm at her disposal.  I think that Laurie Holden is doing a great job with Andrea although the sooner we get to see a bit more of comic book Andrea the better.  I realise that only a few days have passed since Amy's death but this is one character development arc that really needs to motor on at a more reliable speed than the RV.

Despite my new found dislike of several of the characters none of the cast members can be faulted for their performances in this episode.  Melissa McBride got more screen time in What Lies Ahead than the entire first season but without any shadow of a doubt she deserves performance of the week for her portrayal of Carol. I hope we see more of Carol in season two and she gets her status upgraded to regular.

What Lies Ahead gets a 7/10.  It was by no means a let down and it was definitely a stronger episode than TS-19 of which I am not a fan.  The episode suffered greatly from all the Darabont upheaval but as that saga is now over and done with the show should settle down.  The potential is there for this season to be absolutely epic and if J.C is taking requests hopefully he will make it happen.

Performance of the week:  Melissa McBride

Annoying character of the week:  Andrea

Zombie kill of the week: Rick and rock vs zombie

Daryl line of the week:  “that bastard had himself a woodchuck for lunch” 

(I like the word woodchuck!)

Daryl picture of the week:

Paranormal Activity 3 (spoilers)

I still class Paranormal Activity as one of the best cinema experiences I have ever had however after the disappointment of Paranormal Activity 2 I paid absolutely no attention whatsoever to the announcement that they were making a third. 

I watched the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3 and although it looked to be more of the same it was pretty damn convincing.  I hate that!

PLOT:  It’s 1988 and Katie and Kristi are young girls living with their mother Julie and stepfather Dennis.  The family are hunted by creaking doors, floating bed covers and Kristi’s imaginary friend Toby appears to be the culprit.  Man has video camera therefore man must film.    END PLOT

The plot PA3 is essentially an origin story but unfortunately it failed make any sense or attempt to fit in with the first two films.  The family being hunted by a demon was passable however PA3 tried to strengthen the mythology by introducing creepy symbols and Granny and her evil coven but it failed miserably.

The fact that the Granny was evil and allowed Dennis to set up cameras in her home was daft enough but then she clearly kept the tapes as Katie had them when she was an adult.  This is just an example of the ridiculous plot holes which are cropping up in the franchise.

Paranormal Activity was a brilliantly clever film as it allowed itself to be simple – it was one camera in a bedroom and it allowed the scares to build relatively slowly.  Law dictates that sequels have to be bigger in order to be better therefore the scares and situations have to become much more extreme but in PA3 they were just silly and peaked at ghostly bedlinen and hair pulling.

There is a fine line between comedy and scary but PA3 didn’t get the balance right at all as there were more unintentional laughs than scares – the sudden introduction of the evil granny cult threw the film even more off kilter.  

The only (relatively) scary moment was the Bloody Mary set piece which took place with Katie and Randy, a family friend, rather than Katie and Kristi as shown in the trailer. I know that some scenes in the trailer never make the final cut but there were a lot more differences between trailer and film than there normally would be.  

Aside from the Bloody Mary section there were next to no scares in Paranormal Activity 3 at all – even the ending became a non event and fell completely flat.  

It is hard to fault the performances of adult and child members of the cast but there was nothing remarkable or memorable about them which is in keeping with film.

I will admit that the camera angles were impressive and I did find myself trying to look around corners and dark hallways in order to see what was coming.  The film did look good and the potential for scares in the dark were there but unfortunately they never materialised.

The one thing that Paranormal Activity 3 got correct was the damn trailer as it was very persuasive and the most enjoyable part of the entire PA3 experience.  Paranormal Activity 3 gets a 4/10 and will be forgotten about until the trailer for Paranormal Activity 4 rocks up with another convincing trailer and the wheel of repetitive hell will keep on turning. I hate that!

Real Steel

 

Summer Season has been and gone so perhaps it was a strategic decision to release Real Steel in a cold and damp October spot and avoid the summer mêlée.

PLOT:  Charlie (Hugh Jackman) is a down and out robot fighter who inherits his estranged eleven year old son Max (Dakota Goyo) after the child's mother dies.  Charlie and Max don’t get along or care about one another until they stumble upon an old robot named Atom.  Father and son fix and fight the robot on the underground scene until they hit the big league and ultimately challenge the undefeated world champion Zeus.   END PLOT

The plot of Real Steel is not original in any way, shape or form as there is not a cliché left unused or a single surprise in the entire film.  It has everything from father/son drama, training montages and a good old fashioned underdog story……saying that even though the film was completely lacking in originality it was very well executed.

Hugh Jackman didn’t stretch himself too far and although Charlie was pretty unlikeable for early part of the film his charm and charisma saw him through and in he same vein Dakota Goyo didn’t stray into annoying child actor territory.  Jackman and Goyo had good chemistry as the father/son team.

The supporting cast were made up of Evangeline Lily, Kevin Duran and Anthony Mackie and all were fine with what little they were given to do.  Anthony Mackie is clearly just waiting for that one big role to boost his career and bring him into the spotlight and I hope it comes sooner rather than later.

I know nothing about boxing but recently I have seen my fair sharing of boxing movies and without fail I become totally invested in them and Real Steal was no different.  The robot fights, although slightly silly in its premise, were all very well staged with a good mix of special effects and real robots.

A lot of effort was spent giving the robots individual personalities and with Atom, like Bumblebee, it was through his eyes and facial movements that I fell in love with him.

Real Steel is a clever film in that doesn’t attempt to rewrite the rulebook but has instead decided to strictly adhere to it from cover to cover and the final product turned out to be a very solid film.

The kids I took to see Real Steel (8 and 11) hailed it as the best film ever! I cannot give the film this accolade but Real Steel was a very enjoyable cinema experience and it gets a strong 8/10.  In terms of longevity it wont end up in my dvd collection but if the kids are staying and want to put their copy on I wont be too upset.

Jonah Hex

Michael Fassbender Season came to a close today however I can’t say that it went out on a particular high as the final film to be viewed was Jonah Hex.

PLOT:  Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is a bounty hunter with the supernatural power to converse with the dead.  Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich) kills Jonah’s family and fakes his own death.  Jonah is enlisted in the army to help catch Turnbull who has been discovered alive and plotting a villainous plot.  There are many dream sequences which I can’t keep up with.  Megan Fox digs deep in order to play a whore.  END PLOT

The plot of Jonah Hex is very weak which is a shame as given its comic book origins there should have been enough material floating around to at least give us a basic and coherent story. 

Josh Brolin is fine as Jonah Hex and he growls his way through the film without humour or awareness that the final result will not be worth his efforts.

John Malkovich is as bad as ever and becoming more of a caricature with each long overacted performance.

This film was watched solely for Michael Fassbender who was at least having fun as a crazy Irishman causing havoc in the middle of the Old West. For the duration of the enjoyable eight minutes he was on screen I couldn’t help but think that he would be a great choice if Christopher Nolan ever needed to cast The Riddler.

The action was extremely cartoonish which didn’t blend with Brolin’s over serious performance.  The director Jimmy Hayward’s career had been based in animation up until this point so it shows that the transition between animation (albeit at the top level) and live action may not be for everyone.

One thing the film’s favour was that its version of the Old West looked great.  It had a similar look to Cowboys and Aliens but unfortunately the everything else was every bit as crap.

Jonah Hex gets 3/10 - on another day, with a different director, different script and altered cast it had potential.  This is a prime example of a failed attempt at a franchise launch. 

The Bender Wagon has rolled to an upsetting halt until it's next pick up in 2012 - Oscar Season. 

Fish Tank

Michael Fassbender Season is coming to an end and as I watched the dvds in the order the good Royal Mail delivered them 2009’s Fish Tank is one of the last to be viewed:

PLOT:  Mia (Katie Jarvis) is a very streetwise fifteen year old girl who lives with her drunken mother Joanne (Kierston Wareing) and younger sister Tyler (Rebecca Griffiths) in a run down Essex Council Estate.  The family have a volatile relationship until Joanne starts to date charming Irishman Connor (Michael Fassbender).  Mia and Connor form an awkward friendship in which Connor encourages Mia to open up to him and to carry out her dream of becoming a dancer.  As the family begin to grow closer Mia discovers that all is not what it seems with Connor which causes her to grow up quickly and in the harshest of circumstances.  END PLOT

The plot of Fish Tank is very strong and the broken family’s interactions with one another are all too real and at times devastatingly sad.  The dialogue free moment with Mia, her mother and sister making their peace with one another by dancing together was surprisingly emotional. 

The character of Mia was very well written as there were many layers to the angry teen act.  Mia’s dance arc was very much kept as a side story and the main focus remained on her turbulent relationship with her family - Fish Tank did not turn into a grittier version of Step Up.

Katie Jarvis was literally picked off the Essex streets to play Mia and for someone with no acting experience she gave a very genuine performance. 

Michael Fassbender is easily charming as Connor although he does have some dark moments.  The scene with Mia dancing for Connor as he stares intently at her is very unsettling.  I found myself seeing where that scene was heading and willing it to take another turn.  It didn’t.

The supporting cast all gave very strong performances but Fish Tank is Jarvis’ film and she carried it exceptionally well.

There are some lighter moments and the humour mostly comes from Tyler, her foul mouth and some cracking one liners.  The fact that Tyler is so young makes the humour bitter-sweet as this is a child who will have no option but to grow up into another version of Mia and thereafter her mother causing this version of a council estate upbringing to continue all over again. 

If I were to pick a flaw in Fish Tank it would be the length as the film is just over two hours long.  There was a section in the middle which did drag slightly so I think tighter editing was needed to keep the fast paced film flowing evenly.   

Fish Tank is a very strong and very British coming of age drama which doesn’t shy away from the fact that not all teens get a happy ending.  It gets a very decent 8.5/10.

Hunger

My interest in Hunger had increased due to the positive press surrounding the latest Steve McQueen/Michael Fassbender collaboration but it is a film I had been putting off viewing due to its content but today I finally sat down at watched it.

PLOT:  Hunger follows the story of Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) an inmate of the Maze Prison who leads a group of Republican prisoners on a hunger strike in 1981.  END PLOT

Hunger is set during a very dangerous political time however politics are not the key issue and once Bobby Sands makes his appearance about 20mins into the film the focus is placed solely on him.  The plot although steeped in history is very basic however Hunger never claims to be plot heavy and confidently allows itself to be a performance piece.  

The film, for the most part, is paced very slowly and clocks in at just over 90mins.  There are several quiet shots of long empty corridors and extended scenes of cells being cleaned which help the deliberately slow pacing. 

Hunger is very light on dialogue however just before Sands begins his hunger strike there is an uncut fifteen minute scene between Sands and Father Moran (Liam Cunningham).  In this scene the banter flows quickly and easily until talk of the strikes begins and we get an honest glimpse of Sands' logic and beliefs.  If there were every any doubts about the quality of Michael Fassbender they are quelled by this section of the film. 

Once the hunger strike begins Sands doesn’t speak and Fassbender’s portrayal of a man slowly dying is as engrossing as it is horrific.  We are shown in graphic detail Sands shrinking frame, ribs and bedsores with Sands' pain and suffering shown through Fassbender's silent performance. 

McQueen doesn’t hold back when showing life inside the prison during the blanket and no wash protests but manages to keep a relatively balanced view of a very dark time in Northern Irish history.  Everything about Hunger is real and gritty and the fact that these events happened only thirty years ago about 20mins up the road made the entire film downright unsettling.

Hunger is a brutally raw and uncomfortable watch but I am hard pressed to find any faults.  10/10. 

Inglourious Basterds

Centurion has already gotten another watch since my (harsh) review so I had high hopes that the rest of the Bender Wagon’s offerings would be a joy to behold.  I then remembered that Inglourious Basterds was next on the list.  This displeased me.  I didn’t like the film first time around but with the aid of my rose tinted Fassbender Spectacles I did allow myself a glimmer of hope.

PLOT:  Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his band of soldiers are deep in Nazi occupied France scaring the shit out of the Nazis.  After escaping execution from Colonel Landa (Christoph Waltz) cinema owner Shoshanna (Melanie Laurent) meets a young Nazi war hero whose crush on her means that the premier of his new film will take place in her cinema.  Everyone but Hitler decides to blow up the damn cinema. There are interweaving plot lines which play like an extended homage to Tarantino’s back catalogue.  There are characters which never meet.  There is a western theme soundtrack.  There are many deaths.  Samuel L Jackson leaves with the briefcase…….oh wait….no that’s not right.  END PLOT

The plot is typical Tarantino and has all the hallmarks of a Tarantino film.  This is an insult and not a compliment. 

I think my dislike of Inglourious Basterds is because I don’t understand what the film is supposed to be.  Whenever the Basterds are on screen the film plays like a very black comedy but the opening with Landa and LaPadite and all of Fassbender’s scenes play like a thriller.  The tone shifts again in the final section when they reach the cinema and it becomes a cheesy cartoon-like mess – even Waltz’s performance changes and Landa becomes a camp caricature of the Landa in the opening scene.

Christoph Waltz (up to a point) and Melanie Laurent put in very strong performances but aside from Brad Pitt acting through his chin the Basterds are the weakest and least interesting part of the entire film.  I think this is why the final section kills the film for me as it is very Basterd heavy.

German born and German speaking but Irish raised and accented Fassbender does very well in speaking fluent German with a posh English accent.  The reason he is getting his own season just as his career is taking off shows in the basement scene alone.

The soundtrack is typical Tarantino and has all the hallmarks of a Tarantino film.  This is an insult and not a compliment.

I need someone to sit me down and explain the reasons for all the hype which surrounds Tarantino and Inglourious Basterds.  I hate everything about Tarantino’s films as much as I love everything about del Toros.  If I am being truly honest I just hate the smug and self-aggrandising prick that is Tarantino.

Everything about Inglourious Basterds ebbed and flowed with this weird disjointed feel to it, much like this review, so I am just giving the damn film a 5/10.  It is unlikely that I will be having a Diane Kruger season any time soon so I will have no cause to watch or think about this film ever again.  This pleases me.  

Centurion

 

The Bender Wagon is trundling on at a decent speed and the next dvd to arrive is Centurion.

I am not a Roman historian or an expert on The 9^th Legion so I am quite happy to live with the knowledge that the historical inaccuracies will have passed me by.   In the great Romans in Britain time-line Centurion takes place as Hadrian’s Wall is being built.

PLOT:  After the decimation of The 9^th Legion a small band of Roman soldiers led by Quintus (Michael Fassbender) head behind enemy lines in order to rescue their General (Dominic West).  The group fail in their task and top off a bad day manage to kill the leader of the Pict’s young son.  This unsurprisingly angers Gorlacon, said leader, who sends his best Pictish warriors to kill the soldiers.  There is much running across the landscape.  The Picts hunt and kill several unmemorable members of the group.  The film stops at the midway point to introduce Arianne (Imogen Poots), a ridiculously manicured witch who lives in the most luxurious of shacks.  They ditch the love interest and we get on with the chase.  The Picts hunt the rest of the group and they fight to the death in a winner takes all battle.  The winner of this battle will not shock you.  The Roman Army cover up the fate of The 9^th Legion in an attempt to save face across the known world.  END PLOT

The plot is essentially Behind Enemy Lines for the Roman Era and none the expected beats such as obvious traitors, surprise attacks, misconstrued love interest, copious amounts of running and surprise traitors are left out.

Etain (Olga Kurylenko), the warrior charged with hunting down the Romans, is the only character with an extremely detailed and precise back story despite the fact that her character is mute and only joined the Pict army after her people were killed clearly proving that she is as skilled at charades as she is with a sword.

The only memorable performances are from Michael Fassbender and Dominic West who do the best they can with the little they are given.  The rest of the cast make up the numbers until they are killed.  It does have to be said that the accents of everyone involved are as unstable as the films version of history. 

The action and set pieces are surprisingly gory – heads are hacked off in this film rather than cleanly chopped.  The film is directed by Neil Marshall, who brought us the wonderful Dog Soldiers, and his horror routes come to the fore during the blood spurting fight scenes. 

Aside from the time spent at the Ikea version of a run down mud hut the film did look good - there were plenty of wide shots which captured the scenic and icy Scottish Highlands very well.  The entire cast spent the vast majority of the film looking extremely cold. 

Centurion is reasonably entertaining and it does fit into my beloved go to 90min category very nicely.  The problem is I already have a go to Roman Army in Britain film in the form of King Arthur.  The chances of Centurion usurping this film are slim and this is because King Arthur has one thing going for it that even Michael Fassbender cannot compete with – that Hans Zimmer score. 

Centurion gets a 6.5/10.  It is disappointing to admit it but the film can just scrapes into the decent category although knowing me it will probably get watched more often than it deserves.  

Eden Lake

 

The Bender Wagon was quite cruel this weekend as it rolled up with Eden Lake.  This film would have remained well and truly off my radar if not for Michael Fassbender purely for the fact that it had the potential to stray into full on gorno territory – a genre which is definitely not for me. 

My commitment to my new Season meant that I had to watch what I bought even after reading Empire’s review before the film started which is a rule I rarely break.  

PLOT:  Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and Steve (Michael Fassbender) head up to the North of England for a romantic camping weekend when they clash with a noisy group of teenagers.  After a spooky night of false scares (mostly created by Steve to wind up Jenny) they wake up to find their car keys gone and are thereafter stalked through the forest by the teens.  After a further confrontation things turns violent.  Jenny and Steve get lost in the forest and are hunted down by the local teens.  There is blood.  There is stress.  There is peer pressure and bullying.  There is more blood.   I have decided that the off screen ending was a happy one.   END PLOT

The plot of Eden Lake is made stronger by replacing familiar inbred hillbillies with teenagers.  This puts a very different spin on, let’s face it, what is a very tired and over used idea. 

The reactions of Steve and the teenagers, none of whom were over the age of 16, were real and in the end the crux of the movie boiled down to what people will do under pressure from others.   The fact that the teens were all coerced into taking their turn at torturing Steve was an uneasy watch and this was paralleled with an angry father and the other parents at the end of the film.

The cast were all fine in what were hard roles to play although Reilly did get lumbered with a couple of awkwardly clichéd horror film moments.  The most frustrating of these was whenever she had a free pass to leave the forest and get help but instead chose to inexplicably hide under a tree before walking straight into the teens. 

It is always shocking to watch a man get repeatedly stabbed but there were no blood spurting moments.  The tone of the violence was real which made it believable - it was kids with cheap blunt penknives not Michael Myers and a sharp shiny kitchen knife.

Eden Lake is not scary or unsettling because of the violence – it is terrifying because of who is committing the violence.    In terms of the gore, it is there and there is no denying that but I think that judging Eden Lake as a straight out gorno is completely wrong.  The film plays out more like a thriller; albeit a very gritty and worringly real one – it almost makes me wish it was inbred hillbillies. 

Eden Lake was written and directed by James Watkins who has just finished directing The Woman in Black which is one of my most anticipated films for 2012.  If Watkins can keep the tension and stress levels anywhere near what he was able to create in Eden Lake his next offering will be a bloody fantastic watch. 

Looking at Fassbender’s résumé this type of film did look out of place but after watching Eden Lake it is clear that he picked a film cleverer than its appearance made it out to be.

I didn't write my review immediately after the film finished as I wanted to think about it overnight.  I am glad as I would have written a very different review which in all likelihood would have missed the point of the film.

Eden Lake is a lot more than first meets the eye and it gets an 8.5/10 and in all probability would have scored higher if not for the fact that it did use a couple of clichés in a glaringly obvious manner.  The film was a very good watch and was, as Empire said, more endured than enjoyed but at sometime down the line if one of those teens gets a Season of their own I will watch it again.

The Debt

It felt as though the trailer for The Debt had been floating around the cinema for most of the year.  The film finally arrived as did the knowledge that despite having seen the trailer countless times I didn’t really know what the film was about.

PLOT:  It is 1997 and retired Israeli spies Rachel (Helen Mirran) and her ex-husband Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) attend their daughter’s book launch which chronicles their success in capturing and killing former Nazi war criminal Dr Vogel (Jesper Christensen).  All is not what it seems and we are told through a series of flashbacks with a younger Rachel (Jessica Chastain) Stephan (Marton Csokas) and their colleague David (Sam Worthingon) what really happened on their mission.  END PLOT

The plot of The Debt is fine right up until the last act when we leave the past completely and the focus is placed on the older Rachel and Stephan trying to get themselves out of their own mess.  Helen Mirran and Tom Wilkinson are more than capable of taking centre stage but with the story petering out and the tension all but gone there is nothing that even actors of their talent can do with such a watery ending.

The film comes to life whenever the three Jewish spies are holed up in the house with Dr Vogel who slowly but surely starts to get under their skin.  The best scene in the entire film is between Dr Vogel and David which was tense and downright unsettling.

It is actually quite frustrating that all the good work in the flashbacks was undone by such a poor ending.  The film was written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn who normally can’t be faulted with their scripts but they clearly lost interest at the end of this one and just plumped for the most clichéd and unsatisfying ending they could think of.

The cast can’t really be faulted with everyone, especially Chastain and Christensen all putting in decent performances. I felt sorry for Worthington as you could tell he was trying but his character's back story was poorly dealt with and in the end didn't really go anywhere which left David the weakest character in the entire film. 

The Debt is worth a look and gets a decent enough 7/10.  Unfortunately it loses its direction towards the end and essentially descends from a decent thriller into a couple of OAP's  fighting in a bathroom.