Ripper Street - Tournament of Shadows

 

After the emotional roller coaster that was The Weight of One Man’s Heart episode six of Ripper Street had a tough act to follow.

As per usual I declare right from the start that there may be anachronistic errors scattered throughout the episode but if I can't see them for myself then I honestly don’t care about them.

There are spoilers within – consider this your one and only back away now warning.

PLOT:  After a suspected Jewish radical Joshua Bloom is killed in an explosion Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) and Drake (Jerome Flynn) discover that his death was caused by a former Russian spy who is leading a protest down at the docks.  Reid forces a reluctant Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) to go undercover and unearth the Russian’s true purpose.  Once undercover Jackson discovers that the trio have stumbled upon a Special Branch investigation in which the leading officer Constantine (Derek Riddell) cannot be trusted.  END PLOT

At the heart of the episode is the investigation into the murder of Bloom however the fantastically named Tournament of Shadows branches out into an almost confusing tail of espionage and corruption within the police force. 

There is always a high level of social context with the workers and their protest for higher wages being the key theme for this episode.  Reid sympathises with the workers’ plight but it is Jackson who appears to support their cause the most.  Their argument over Jackson’s role in the investigation being one of the highlights of the episode.  This exchange was fast paced with Macfadyen and Rothenberg really striking up a rapport with one another.

The strike itself was led by Peter Morris (Peter Ferdinando) who had some of the episodes best quotes with gems like “Revolution begins with decapitation of the state - who wants to carve the pig?” and “freedom is not given it is taken”.

Episode six has the most complex plotting of the series so far and plays out like a political thriller with the scenes between Reid and Commissioner Monroe (Michael McElhatton) and Constantine and Jackson being filled with tension.

Tournament of Shadows is very plot driven but it is also the episode when we finally learn of Reid’s past and his daughter Matilda.

After a frosty exchange with Emily (Amanda Hale) Reid tries and fails to clear out their daughter’s room.  It is only when he meets the wonderful Mrs Goren (Lucy Cohu) at the orphanage does he open up about his past.  This is an emotional scene which is brought to a close with Reid and Mrs Goren sharing a kiss.  The kiss was not unexpected but it still came as a shock. 

We hear the story from Reid however Constantine had much to say about the subject in later scenes with Reid.  There is still plenty of this arc left to be revealed and Reid’s line to Mrs Goren “It was my fault and they knew…. they knew” only makes the matter more intriguing.

Jackson’s past has always been a mystery but his ability under pressure to spin a yarn and think on his feet is impressive.  Jackson told Reid and Morris the same story about his time in Chicago from opposing points of view with both stories being equally convincing.  Adam Rothenberg had more screen time than usual and he made the most of it – Tournament of Shadows was a great episode for Jackson who got several of the big dramatic scenes and as per usual the darkly comedic ones.

Jerome Flynn was very much side-lined in this episode to allow Reid and Jackson to take centre stage.  Flynn had some good moments with Jackson and his background interaction with the children at the orphanage added more depth to Drake.  It’s little character moments like this that makes Ripper Street such a strong show.

Mrs Goren is the episodes lead female character and has quickly turned into another of my favourites.  The scene between Reid and Mrs Goren is one of the few times that Reid gets to show a bit of humour - “we intend to riot all the way down Leman Street”.

Tournament of Shadows covers a lot of ground in a sixty minute running time but it never feels rushed.  The episode is very fast paced and gets the balance between case of the week and the main story arcs almost perfect. 

At the minute Ripper Streets only downfall is that the episodes never seem to deal with the three main characters on an even basis.  Tournament of Shadows gets a 9/10. 

Lines of the week:

Reid:  “I need you, could you consider that just once before your shelter and your church” (Reid to Emily).  It was an emotional episode for Reid topped off by the fact that his wife has now moved on from wearing her mourning clothes.  Emily almost comes off as harsh in this scene by not offering comfort to Reid but we know it isn’t that simple.

 

Drake:  “I know this must be a difficult time for you and Mrs Reid.  I know a year does not begin to ease the pain of losing her”  (Drake to Reid)  Drake tries to offer Reid comfort but does so rather awkwardly.  Drake's reaction to Reid kissing Mrs Goren later on in the episode was a great moment.

Jackson:  “My names Homer Jackson and I am all flesh and blood” (Jackson to Constantine).  Quick witted, cocky and at times downright bitchy Jackson usually gets the best one-liners.  He gets a full on movie style moment of badassery in Tournament of Shadows with this line. 

Mama

 

Guillermo del Toro has been my favourite director for years.  Anything the man touches, even if it is only as “Guillermo del Toro Presents”, is met with hyperventilating levels of excitement.

Mama was no different although the casting of Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau did place what was essentially a 12A horror film onto a high and potentially shaky pedestal.

PLOT:  Five years after the disappearance of his brother and young nieces Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) discovers that the girls, Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lily, (Isabelle Nelisse) are living in a rundown cabin.   Lucas and his partner Annabel (Jessica Chastain) agree to care for the children but after Lucas is injured and left hospitalised it falls to a reluctant Annabel to raise them on her own.  Once alone in the house with the children Annabel notices that their actions are being heavily influenced by their mysterious “Mama”.  END PLOT

On paper Mama looks like generic horror fare with its creepy children, spooky happenings and secluded house however the film turned out to be of higher quality than expected.

There were times when the plotting felt familiar but it did make an effort to include some psychology and the feral nature of the children was very unsettling especially in the younger child Lily. 

The scares were mostly cheap with the “silence vs loud bang” combination creating most of the jumps.  Despite the lack of scares Mama was an able to create genuine tension and there were a few occasions when the film became downright stressful.  It almost felt like I was watching a psychological thriller rather than a horror film.

When Mama finally made her appearance she was purely CGI and although she was definitely on the cheaper end of the scale the way that Mama moved and the noises she made meant that I couldn’t take my eyes of her.

Given that Mama had a modest budget of $15million (IMDB) the effects, set pieces and the overall cinematography was excellent.   

Andres Muschietti should consider himself fortunate that del Toro spied his original Mama short and encouraged him to adapt it into a feature film.  The fact that Mushietti has struck gold with his cast means that he has been truly blessed by the Cinema Gods.

Jessica Chastain, a favourite of mine, is excellent as Annabel who evolves from being relieved that a pregnancy scare proved to be false to risking her life to save the children that she has grown to love.   Chastain is the lead but she is not burdened by carrying the film on her own as the supporting cast is ridiculously strong.

Unfortunately Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s screen time was limited and it also became a bit disjointed in the final arc due to some dodgy editing.  When it was required his easy charm was always a welcome addition to the proceedings.  He is also really, really, ridiculously, good looking.

As the story focuses heavily on the children it was important that the kids who played Victoria and Lily were up to the task.  Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse were just as strong as their adult counterparts and it is their troubled characters that will play on my mind rather than Mama herself.

I can understand the argument that due to the lack of scares Mama could be considered watered down 12A horror but I completely disagree.  The scares are few and far between but the psychological aspect of the film will linger long after the credits role.  Mama gets a 7.5/10 – if the final act had tighter editing it would have scored much higher.

Ripper Street - The Weight of One Man's Heart

 

After several episodes of having very little to do The Weight of One Man’s Heart finally gives Drake his own episode.

I have no idea whether or not love birds should be separated so I will give Ripper Street the benefit of the doubt as I do with every episode.

There are spoilers within.  Consider yourselves warned!

PLOT:  Reid (Matthew Macfadyen), Drake (Jerome Flynn) and Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) investigate a series of stage coach robberies.  Drake’s mind is focused on his courtship of Rose (Charlene McKenna) until his former Colonel, Madoc Faulkner, (Iain Glen) returns to London and offers Drake a chance for a new life outside of the law.  END PLOT

Episode five marks a slight change in format for Ripper Street as it is the first episode which doesn’t focus its attentions on a murder.  Save for a horse the lack of death allows the urgency of the investigation to ease up slightly and for Bennett Drake's character development to take centre stage.

As with every episode there is a heavy element of social context bubbling underneath the main storyline.  The Weight of One Man’s Heart is no different and this episode makes some uneasy parallels with soldiers returning from war.  They are shown as living on the streets or resorting to crime to survive.  Their plight is made all the more sympathetic by Faulkner’s passionate speeches. 

The tension between Reid and Faulkner could be cut with a knife.  Faulkner makes it clear that he has little respect for Reid with “I have little clemency for men behind desks in high places with low honour”.  The conversation between Faulkner and Reid is one of the best written and acted scenes in the episode.

Faulkner is the most complex guest character we have had so far.  The fact that he is played with such grandiose by Iain Glen is an added bonus. 

Drake is given the vast majority of the screen time and Jerome Flynn does not waste a second of it.  The episode opens with Drake getting ready for his date with Rose and closes just as Drake’s heart has been broken which brings the episode full circle.  The final shot of Drake releasing the expensive love birds was a clever shot to end on as it packed a greater emotional punch than any scene with dialogue could.

Aside from the brilliant scenes with Iain Glen, Matthew Macfadyen takes a back seat however the episode does not suffer for it.  As all the sympathy is being given to Drake there are times when Reid comes across as unnecessarily harsh towards him.  This is not really the case but Reid’s mishandling of Drake’s request for a pay rise did make for some wonderfully awkward moments between the characters. 

Jackson doesn’t get much to do but as per usual Adam Rothenberg steals the few scenes he is in with some cracking one liners and his usual dark humour.  Jackson’s attempts to bond with Drake appear genuine but in typical Jackson fashion his inability to stop talking leads to him getting his ass kicked….again.  Jackson admits to being in the same position that Drake is in with Rose.  His belief that it will all end badly and that “no man’s heart aches forever” means we have inadvertently found out more about Jackson’s past in this episode than in any other. 

Charlene McKenna takes centre stage as the episodes leading lady.  Rose is ridiculously sweet and even when breaking Drake’s heart you could tell she was trying to do it gently - even though her efforts didn’t quite work.  Rose's sweetness is emphasised with Susan (MyAnna Buring) appearing in a few short scenes in full bitch mode.  It has been a while since we have had any Susan/Jackson scenes and they are missed.

As per the norm the cinematography is stunning with Drake’s grainy flashbacks being seamlessly interwoven with his fight scenes and in less capable hands the closing scene with the birds would have been cheesy.

There is nothing about the episode that can be faulted.  Ripper Street has always been a polished production but the writing and the cast have never been stronger.  The Weight of One Man's Heart gets 10/10.

Lines of the week:

Reid: “I have no reason to doubt the candour of the man’s confession” (Reid to Drake).  Reid shows that his sense of loyalty is just as strong as Drakes and doesn’t acknowledge that Drake may have gone over to the dark side.  Reid also respectfully gives Faulkner back his scarab necklace as he says this line.

Drake: “What I cannot offer you in wealth and luxury Miss Rose, I offer you my whole heart for always, for when I look upon you I feel a mercy I felt lost in me and I will work as hard as any man is able to provide every day for your happiness and to be a better man, if you, that is to say, that if you might consider of doing me the utmost honour of being by my side” (Drake to Rose).  Drake’s beautiful proposal was turned down by Rose.  *sob*

Jackson: “They see in each other the burns that other people don’t” (Jackson to Drake).  It was tempting to go for “isn’t this the most honest face you have ever sat on” but that would have been too obvious!  Jackson is the humour of the show but he has just as much depth as Reid and Drake.

A Good Day to Die Hard

 

A Good Day to Die Hard (Die Hard 5) is another instalment of the Die Hard franchise that no one wants, yet everyone will see and thereafter complain that it isn’t as good as the original.  I think this is the Circle of Life that Elton John once sang about.

Thanks to an anti-Valentine’s Day advertising campaign which I enjoyed and a convincing trailer I cared not that the word of mouth was poor.

PLOT:  After learning that his estranged son Jack (Jai Courtney) has been arrested in Russia John McClane (Bruce Willis) heads off on a very much emphasised vacation to save the day.  John discovers that Jack is working undercover for the CIA and the newly formed father/son team set out to stop a terrorist from stealing weapons grade uranium which has been left lying around in a Chernobyl safe since the disaster.  END PLOT

A Good Day to Die Hard adheres religiously to a strict protect the McGuffin formula.  This isn’t a complaint and is probably one of the easiest things to forgive in an action film provided it makes up for generic storytelling in other areas.

The action isn’t clever but is also bizarrely careless.  John McClane almost single handily causes chaos on the streets of Russia.  It would (almost) be interesting to go back and assess the damage and death toll caused by his road rage.  At this stage of the film it is important to note that John was unaware that Jack was working for the CIA and partook in the chase purely because he pissed off that his son was not pleased to see him.  The Russian authorities appear to take no issue with the carnage and are absent from the entire film.

Some of the other set pieces included Jack running up a never ending staircase and a helicopter crashing itself into a building.  Lots of bullets were fired from the opposing sides but with Storm Trooper levels of accuracy.

Bruce Willis spends the first half of the film trying not to yawn as John McClane constantly reminds us that he is supposed to be on vacation.  Luckily Willis gets little bursts of energy each time he apologetically mumbles “fuck”.  I counted this to be on four occasions.

Jai Courtney is in such a constant stage of upper-arm-muscle-flex I thought his arms were giving birth to veins.  This exertion saps all his acting capabilities.  The father/son chemistry needed to be strong in order to elevate the film but even when the banter was at its laziest they couldn’t pull it off.

The villains were copied and pasted from the Big Book of European Bad Guys although in fairness to Sebastian Koch he was at the stronger end of the scale.

It is 2013 and getting anything other than a 12A rating for a mainstream action film is nearly impossible – this is just how it is.  The problem is A Good Day to Die Hard isn’t hampered by its rating.  The frantic editing, the lazy script and Bruce Willis not giving a fuck, Yipee Ki-Yay or otherwise meant that it managed to be shit all by itself.

A Good Day to Die Hard gets 4/10. 

Beautiful Creatures

 

I am not a huge fan of teen franchises.  The train to Hogwarts had already left the station several years before I showed up to catch it and the notion of sparkling vampires both terrifies and amuses me. 

If it wasn’t for a decent trailer Beautiful Creatures would have passed me by.  I don’t care that I haven't read the book.

PLOT:  After Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich) falls for Lena, (Alice Englert) the new girl at school he discovers that she is a “caster” and on her approaching sixteenth birthday she will be claimed to either serve the dark or light for all eternity. Will the star crossed lovers live happily ever after and more importantly will I give a shit by the closing credits?  END PLOT

Forbidden love, family secrets, supernatural powers and homework – Beautiful Creatures has all of the key attributes expected from a teen fiction adaptation.  The plot isn’t ground breaking but the history of casters is given a local feel within the town of Gatlin which gives the mythology more depth than expected.

With a running time of just over two hours Beautiful Creatures takes its time getting to final showdown but unfortunately it couldn't build up any real tension.  The finale was essentially two women standing in a field shouting at each other on a blustery afternoon.

Beautiful Creatures does attempt to be different by telling the story from Ethan’s point of view rather than Lenas.  This works out very well thanks to the ridiculously charming performance of Alden Ehrenreich 

Ehrenreich and Englert have decent chemistry and with support provided by Viola Davis, Emma Thompson and Jeremy Irons the quality of the acting is very fine indeed.  Thompson is clearly enjoying herself which is always fun to watch.

There are a couple of set pieces but they don’t rate above average.  The effects, such as spinning tables, shattering glass and angry lightening have all been done before.  The smaller moments, such as the writing appearing on the walls and books, were handled much better.

I feel sorry for Beautiful Creatures as it will constantly be compared to Twilight.  The comparisons are to be expected but are completely unfounded as the actors in Beautiful Creatures are not charmless droids devoid of any personality – it is the actors who save this film.

Beautiful Creatures is certainly not in the running for the best film of the year and for those who have no interest in reading the books I would probably advise you to stay away.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be is the strongest compliment I can give.

Watchable. Enjoyable. Forgettable.  Beautiful Creatures gets 5.5/10

Ripper Street - The Good of This City

 

The Good of This City marks the halfway point in season1 of Ripper Street.  I refuse to acknowledge that there are now only four episodes left.  Season2 is a very long way away!

I have never taken a journey on the London Underground let alone know anything about its construction so I am willing to give Ripper Street the benefit of the doubt once more with the historical aspect of the show.

There are spoilers within – consider yourself warned.

PLOT:  Hobbs (Jonathan Barnwell) finds a young woman walking along Leman Street covered in blood which leads to Reid (Matthew Macfadyen), Drake (Jerome Flynn) and Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) investing a double murder in a slum known as Dogsneck.  Reid learns that the murders are connected to politician Stanley Bone (Paul McCann) and his construction of a new underground railway however as the investigation progresses it appears that Susan (MyAnna Buring) knows more about the young woman Lucy (Emma Rigby) than she is letting on.  END PLOT

Ripper Street is very good at giving each episode historical context.  The Good of This City manages to deal with society’s attitude towards woman and the construction of the London Underground.  There is a great line about the Underground having “the chill of eternity” which I thought was a nice touch.

As per the norm this episode juggles several plot threads and which are all tied up nicely by the end of the episode.  The main story arcs take a backseat but we are reminded that Jackson and Susan are on the run and we see that Emily Reid (Amanda Hale) has now opened her shelter for troubled woman. 

Reid promised that he would open up to his wife in the last episode. This does not occur and Emily only makes a minimal appearance but interestingly her character is not missed.

Macfadyen makes playing Inspector Reid look easy with Reid and Jackson’s argument being full of tension despite some awful dialogue in the form of “a man who holds secrets is a secretive man”.  Obvious comment is obvious.  Macfadyen and Rothenberg work well together and long may their edgy alliance continue.

Rothenberg’s screen time is significantly cut this week however the few scenes that he takes part in are the most memorable.  Jackson jumps from shady/genius/comedic relief as a when required but it is always great fun to watch. 

The Good of This City gives Susan (MyAnna Buring) more screen time which is not a bad thing.  Susan is the strongest female character and Buring gets an opportunity to show us Susan at her bitchy best.  Macfadyen once again displays great chemistry with his co-stars in the excellent interview scenes with Buring. 

Unfortunately with a densely plotted episode Jerome Flynn’s Drake is almost completely forgotten about.  Another sweet little scene with Rose should keep the Drake fans happy but I am now ready the very capable Flynn to get his moment to shine.

There have been a few continuity errors but the production of Ripper Street has been top notch.  The Good of This City gives us a couple of gorgeous day-to-night shots over the river and outside the whorehouse.  The shots added a nice cinematic touch to the episode.

The episode is by no means perfect as the editing was unusually choppy – when Jackson was threatening to shoot Hobbs and Artherton (David Wilmot) there should have been a reaction shot of Susan who was still locked in the cell beside the desk.  It made no sense for her not to acknowledge Jackson’s behaviour given their relationship.

Similarly, Jackson disappears after telling Reid about the amphetamines.  It is likely that Jackson was in the carriage with Reid and Drake but this shot was cut from the episode.  I found that parts of this episode were not well edited.  It had no effect on the storytelling but it was noticeable.

Despite a few dud lines and choppy editing The Good of This City is still a great episode as it allowed Macfadyen, Rothenberg and Buring an opportunity to show off their acting skills.  Emma Rigby also deserves a mention and has been the most memorable guest star so far.  Episode4 is the first time that we see the characters really testing one another and it made for brilliant viewing.  The Good of This City gets 8.5/10.

Lines of the week:

Reid:  “The greater the number of homeless we send to the wider world the faster our measure of crime falls”.  Reid is not against progress but he is aware that it will be the people of Whitechapel who are left to suffer.  No matter the situation Reid is always thinking about how it effects the residents of his square mile.

Drake: “I hope he has not left you out of pocket!” (Drake to Rose).  Drake causes Rose to lose a client and then worries about her loss of income.  Drake’s jealously towards Roses paying customer has been noted.

Jackson:   “It….is…….Amphetamine!” (Jackson to Reid).  Jackson has had some sharp one liners scattered through each episode but when Rothenberg gets an opportunity to play straight out comedy he proves to be very skilled at it!

Hitchcock

 

 

I’ve always had great plans to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s back catalogue but this never materialises into anything more than good intentions.

The Trailer for Hitchcock was very appealing however the light-hearted tone suggested that this would not be a hard hitting biopic.

PLOT:  Searching for something different to direct after the success of North by Northwest Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) stumbles upon the horror novel Psycho and decides it will be his next project.  Hitchcock self-finances the film and gets to work without any studio backing.  After watching her husband get close to his leading lady Janet Leigh, (Scarlett Johansson) Hitchcock’s wife Alma (Helen Mirren) sneaks off to the beach to write a screenplay with Whitfield Cook (Danny Houston).  With his marriage breaking down and his film failing Hitchcock desperately tries to make Psycho a success.  END PLOT

The plot skims over the production difficulties of Psycho, Alfred and Alma’s marriage problems, Alma’s almost affair and Hitchcock’s relationships with his leading ladies Janet Leigh and Vera Miles (Jessica Biel).  Despite having a wealth of material Hitchcock refuses to deal with the darker side of Alfred’s personality in any great depth.  This leaves the audience watching a film that is too scared to develop its own main character for fear of what it may discover.

The film barely scrapes the surface of Alfred Hitchcock but the casting makes up for the average storytelling.  I  could watch Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren all day as the bickering Alfred and Alma – Hitchcock was at its strongest whenever these two were on screen together.

Scarlett Johansson is very sweet as Janet Leigh and this is the first time that I have watched Jessica Biel without hating her with a fiery passion.  Biel perhaps needs to stop trying to convince the world that she is an action star and try roles where she doesn’t need to overexert herself with her usual failed attempts at being badass..

Hitchcock is a gorgeous film – it is a throwback to the period with the costumes and sets all generously covered with a Hollywood Gloss. 

Unfortunately for a film which tells the story of the making of one of the world’s most well-known films it is very much style over substance.  Hitchcock is enjoyable but it just leaves you wanting to know what really went on behind the scenes.  It gets a 6.5/10.

Wreck-It Ralph

After all the hard hitting dramas being released for Oscar Season it was refreshing to have an animation thrown in for some lighter viewing.

You should all be aware by now of my usual disclaimer that I have not read the book of whatever adaptation I happen to be watching.  It will not come as a shock when I announce that I have not played the vast majority of the computer games featured in Wreck-It Ralph.  I have no idea what I do with my ample amounts of free time.

PLOT:  After thirty years of being the villain Wreck-It Ralph (John C.Reilly) decides it is time to stop being the bad guy.  Ralph learns that by winning a medal he will become a hero and be accepted by the residents of his game Fix-It Felix Jnr.  Ralph travels to Hero’s Duty and Sugar Rush in search of the coveted medal.  END PLOT

Wreck-It Ralph follows the traditional beats of every single “road to self-acceptance” film ever created and uses the novelty of computer game characters in an attempt to disguise that it offers the audience nothing new.

Despite the endless scope for introducing different worlds the vast majority of the film takes place in Sugar Rush where no amount of candy related puns can hide the fact that the grand finale is so predictable it is offensive.

In the first act of the film there are plenty of brief appearances from familiar characters and the villains’ support group is genuinely amusing but these cameos add nothing to the main body of the plot and are there for nostalgic purposes only. 

John C. Reilly is perfect as Ralph however the rest of cast were incredibly irritating.

The sound of nails on a chalkboard is more appealing that listening to Sarah Silverman.   Silverman’s Vanellope was supposed to be childishly grating but not for the duration of the 108min running time.  I absolutely hated everything about the character and that is all down to Silverman.

Disney recycled the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland and turned him into Wreck-It Ralph’s main villain King Candy.   Alan Tudyk’s voice work was passable but the character did not work and was nothing more than a lazy rehash.

Just as I was considering praying for deafness that walking sexually-transmitted-disease -with-a-voice-box Rhianna started playing over a fucking montage.  It was at this moment any chance of me enjoying Wreck-It Ralph died.

The one thing I can’t complain about is the visuals which were truly stunning.  I watched Wreck-It Ralph in 2D but there were plenty of opportunities within the Sugar Rush world for some decent 3D especially during the racing scenes.

Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph felt distinctly run of the mill when compared to the storytelling of Pixar and even Dreamworks more recent offerings and it gets 3/10.  I have never been this disappointed by Disney and see the film as nothing other than a wasted opportunity.

Warm Bodies

 

The success of Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland prove that when in a capable pair of hands zombie comedies can work very well.

As my attentions have been focused on this year’s Oscar baiting offerings it feels like Warm Bodies has sneaked into the cinema under the radar.

Warm Bodies is of course based upon a novel which my uneducated mind has not read.

PLOT:  The zombie apocalypse has been and gone leaving in its wake hoards of shuffling zombies.  Zombie R (Nicholas Hoult) stumbles upon a group of survivors and surprises himself by having feelings for Julie (Teresa Palmer).  R saves Julie from being eaten and the two hide out in R’s aeroplane home.  As the two bond, R slowly starts to return to his human form however the violent “Bonies” and Julie’s father (John Malkovich) have other ideas about their friendship.  END PLOT

What immediately sets Warm Bodies apart from regular zombie films is that the story is told from the point of view of the zombie.  This turns out to be more entertaining than expected thanks to the narration by Nicholas Hoult.

The love story between R and Julie manages to be sweet without, for want of a better description, straying into unbelievable territory.

­Nicholas Hoult is excellent as R and makes for a very capable lead.  Hoult cannot use R’s dead and unblinking eyes but manages to convey human emotion through facial twitches which makes it impossible not to route for him.

Teresa Palmer appears to be a hybrid of Amanda Seyfied and Kristen Stewart but this turns out not to be a bad thing.

The supporting cast of John Malkovich, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco and Analeigh Tipton provide adequate back up in their limited and under developed roles.

The zombie effects are basic but Warm Bodies is not aiming for the gritty realism of The Walking Dead.  It is almost unfortunate that the Bonies are cheap CGI but the action scenes towards the end were surprisingly tense so in the end it didn’t particularly matter.

There are plenty of giggles scattered throughout, some of which are courtesy of brilliant musical cues, but the overall tone is just so happy it is impossible to watch a second of the film without grinning like an idiot. 

Warm Bodies won’t be in the running for the best film of 2013 but it is a strong contender for the sweetest.  It gets 8/10.  Nicholas Hoult is a face we should all get used to as his career is beginning to pick up some momentum.

Ripper Street - The King Came Calling

 

We are now three episodes into Ripper Street and the fact that I am still watching and reviewing it despite my low attention span is a testament to just how good the show is.

My medical knowledge doesn’t run any deeper than the odd episode of Casualty so my scientifically challenged brain will not be able to question any potentially ridiculous medical jargon.

There are spoilers - consider yourselves warned.

PLOT:  The residents of Whitechapel are struck down with an illness bearing the likeness of cholera.  Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) and Drake (Jerome Flynn) join forces with Inspector Ressler (Patrick Baladi) in an attempt to prevent mass panic as the illness spreads into London City.  It is only after Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) finishes his autopsies do they realise that it isn’t cholera that is killing the victims – they have been poisoned.  The race against time to find the source of the poison and a cure becomes personal as Mrs Reid (Amanda Hale) starts to display symptoms of the illness.  END PLOT

In My Protection introduced us to the vigilantes that roamed the streets during Jack the Ripper’s murderous rampage  however the focus in The King Came Calling shifts to the poverty which runs throughout Whitechapel.

Reid is desperate to keep Whitechapel running as smoothly as possible and resists the urge to close the water pumps fearing that the residents will have no option but to turn to the river for their drinking water whereas Ressler’s main worry is losing out to New York if London’s trading is compromised.  The King Came Calling was a decent insight to the contrasting conditions and attitudes that the different areas of London had to contend with during this period.

The villain of the week, Claxon, (Simon Gregor) craves the fame and notoriety of Jack the Ripper and creates the poison with the sole purpose of getting his name in the papers.  Claxon's crime had absolutely nothing to do with Jack the Ripper but it showed that the Ripper's shadow hangs over everything that happens in Whitechapel.  Claxon's shrine to the Ripper was a chilling touch.

The relationship between Reid and Emily is developed further with Reid being inexplicably against Emily’s desire to open a refuge for troubled woman.  Amanda Hale gets a chance to show that there is more to Emily Reid than a grieving mother and has one of the episodes best lines - “I would do more with my life than sit by the fire in grief”.  It was initially unfortunate that Mrs Reid was reduced to a damsel in distress but by the end of the episode it had only strengthened her resolve to continue in her charity work. 

Matthew Macfadyen is as strong as ever whether he be sparring with Inspector Ressler or repressing his fears that Emily may die. 

Jerome Flynn is reduced to comic relief thanks to some slang phrases but is once again given very little to do - although Flynn has taken a back seat he isn't being overshadowed by the other cast members.  This shows just how good Flynn is.

Now that Jackson is well and truly part of the team we get to see him fully utilising the equipment of the Dead Room.  It is because of Jackson’s knowledge of the Marsh Test and other scientific methods that they realise what the poison is and how it is being spread by Claxon.  Adam Rothenberg gets some wonderful moments of dark comedy at the expense of young Hobbs during the autopsy of one of the larger victims.

We are three episodes in and I don’t think I have once mentioned Jonathan Barnwell who plays the young Constable Hobbs.  The main function of Barnwell’s character is to fetch and carry for the three leads but his innocence in such a dark setting would be greatly missed if he wasn’t there. 

The King Came Calling takes projectile vomiting to new levels.  It was uncomfortable to watch and I loved it!

 

There were unfortunately some glaringly obvious continuity errors with the scrapes on Ressler’s cheek switching from left to right several times during the third act of the episode.  This didn’t affect my enjoyment but from a show that is so well produced it isn’t acceptable. 

The King Came Calling is most definitely a filler episode as there is very little development of the three main characters.  It shows that even "villain of the week" episodes can be decent if they are well written.  The King Came Calling gets a 7.5/10.

Lines of the week:

Reid:  “If you will only come back to me I will tell you, I will tell you why I am the way I am and why I cannot mourn her like you do.  Please I will do anything”.  (Reid to Emily) Reid almost opens up to Emily and the audience but alas Reid breaking down over his daughter's apparent death will have to wait for another day.  Macfadyen is at his best when he emotionally tormented.

 

Drake:  “If you don’t know and I often don’t it's best not to ask” (Drake to Ressler).  Drake knows that he is not the brains of the team and isn’t ashamed to admit it.  There are quite a few moments when he can only stand and watch when Reid and Jackson talk forensics. 

Jackson: “I’d wager so brother” (Jackson to the dying Pimp George).  The exchange between Jackson and his dying patient is the best section of the episode with Jackson’s expression changing from compassion to anger when George begins confessing that he is a violent pimp.  It is almost cold that Jackson agrees that George is forsaken just as George takes his last breath.  Jackson lives in a whorehouse and has a casual attitude towards prostitution – his attitude to violence towards woman rang loud and clear.

Flight

The first time the trailer for Flight for flight played I knew I would watch the film.  The problem is since October the trailer has been played in the cinema at least once per week. 

I will never dislike any trailer as much the one for Flight.  It was so overplayed that I hated the sight of it by the time the film was released.  In the end I saw Flight was because there were no other options.

PLOT:  After a cocaine and alcohol laced evening Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) takes charge of a flight from Florida to Georgia.  Midway through the flight the plane malfunctions and starts to nosedive.  Whitaker manages to land the plane and save 96 of the 102 souls on board.  Whitaker's heroic status is short lived when alcohol is found in his bloodstream and his personal life is called into question by the authorities.  END PLOT

It is laughable that the preview I have been forced to sit through for four months is nothing like the final product. The plane crash and the investigation are heavily emphasised in the trailer but the film focuses more on Whitaker and his alcohol dependency.

I grew up with an alcoholic father (Irish cliché alert) so watching any film with alcoholism as a key theme always hits close to home.  Whitaker’s genuine and unrelenting denial to his addiction was both amazing and hard to watch as it was 100% accurate.  Daniel Day-Lewis will win the Oscar for his performance in Lincoln but everything about Washington's Whitaker felt real and it is a pity that he will get overlooked.

Washington is excellent and carries Flight with a character that deserves little sympathy for the vast majority of the film.  Washington pulled off a wide array of emotions with ease from his arrogance at the start of the film, his eventual public breakdown and his contentment during the final scene.  The closing exchange with his son was the first time that I felt any respect for Whitaker which was exactly how it was meant to be.

The reliable and underused Don Cheadle leads a capable supporting cast of John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood and Tamara Tunie.  Kelly Reilly’s recovering addicting provided a decent love interest for Whitaker however there is an argument that she was too young for the role.

Flight is very much a performance based film but it did not shy away from creating one of the most horrifying set pieces I have ever sat through.  The plane crash was tense and even though I knew the outcome it was a brilliantly stressful 15mins of cinematic action.  It is only February but it will take something special to knock the plane crash off the top spot for action moment of 2013.

The tone of the film is mostly serious with John Goodman’s Harling providing the occasional giggle although Goodman is skirting along the border of overacting.  There is a scene in a hotel room where Charlie (Bruce Greenwood), Hugh (Don Cheadle) and Harling (John Goodman) are trying to rouse Whitaker by giving him cocaine as a pick-me-up.  The scene is full of dark humour which I absolutely love.  The icing on the cake was that this scene cuts to the characters standing in a lift with a musac version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” playing in the background.  It was a clever moment.

Flight does have some flaws as there is too much emphasis on the crash being an “act of god” which as an argument has as much credence as “shit happens” and perhaps the ending is a tad cheesy.  Flight also boasts some unnecessary full frontal nudity.  I am not prudish - I will quite contentedly watch naked people slashing each other to bloody bits if it is part of the story and not forced in just for the sake of it.  It will take one hell of an argument to convince me that watching an attractive air stewardess take 10minutes to put on a thong is necessary…..

Despite my reluctance to see Flight Washington’s performance was enough to make me realise that skipping it would have been a big mistake.  It gets an 8/10 and deserves more accolades than it will receive.