TV: Homeland (S2) (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

I really enjoyed the first season of Homeland although I did have some doubts as to how long the show could keep up the cat and mouse action between Carrie and Brody.

What's it all about?

Brody, a marine recently returned from eight years of captivity by al-Qaeda, is now a US Congressman approached by Vice President Walden to be his running mate for the forthcoming presidential election. Following her humiliation at the end of the last season, Carrie's health is returning and no longer working for the CIA, her life is beginning to return to normal until evidence appears proving her theories regarding Brody's true intentions.

Should you watch it?
Homeland is one of the stronger shows on TV at the moment. The second season takes a few episodes to finds its groove again and suffers throughout from instances of Carrie's hotheadedness and inability to follow orders. I really struggle to believe that such a liability would be employed by the CIA, but hey it's just TV.

The events of the first episode The Smile are just about as contrived as possible to bring Carrie, who finished the previous season having electroshock therapy, back into the fold at the Langley. Once Carrie is back, the momentum of the show shifts hugely, one of two shifts in this season, as evidence comes to light that Brody is a terrorist and more importantly that Carrie's theories were correct. Considering the events of the first season and also Carrie's flirtation with suicide in State of Independence, this is a pretty major change in direction for the show as Carrie is no longer alone and frustrated and receives the support (and apologies) of Saul and Estes. The second change in momentum is perhaps even greater and brings Brody into the CIA operation to target Abu Nazir. These shifts keep the show fresh and intriguing and both are delivered in true dramatic Homeland style. The episode Q&A features some great scenes between Carrie and Brody, delivered with great intensity by Claire Danes and Damien Lewis. Even following Brody's switch, the writers manage to retain a sense of distrust and ambiguity over Brody's actions to drive the show forward. He clearly gets away with one act of terrorism during the final episodes but is he responsible for another?

"Tell us a bit about yourself"

Carrie's health demons play less of a role this time around, instead her relationship with Brody picks up a few gears and there are certainly shades of Romeo and Juliet, as two star crossed lovers who can never truly be together. Mandy Patinkin's understated Saul is one of my most favourite characters on TV.

Steering into 24 territory (unsurprising considering the show's writers), the season ends with a big bang in the fantastic finale The Choice with major consequences for all the major characters.

BOOK: Patriot Games, Tom Clancy (7/10)

Why did I read it?

The continuation of my Tom Clancy odyssey. Book two of the Jack Ryan universe.

What's it all about?
Set prior to the events of The Hunt for Red October, Professor Jack Ryan, a former marine, interrupts a terrorist attack on the Prince of Wales and his family outside Buckingham Palace. Following the attack, Ryan and his family find themselves the target of a revengeful member of the fictional ULA, a small violent, splinter group of the Provisional IRA. Ryan assists the CIA and their British counterparts as they attempt to stop the terrorists from striking again.

Should you read it?
Fans of the film or of the Jack Ryan character will enjoy this book. A shorter and easier read compared to Red Storm Rising. It differs from the previous two Tom Clancy books, in that the level of military detail is missing, replaced with far greater emphasis on both the personal nature of the story and also the intelligence community. Fresh from two books dealing with US/Soviet relations, Clancy turns to the world of the terrorist in Patriot Games, selecting the troubles between Ireland and Britain, a relationship which has always held interest on the other side of the Atlantic.

Worth looking out for the different ending to the book from the 1992 film. Clancy disowned the film adaptation after the ending was changed to give the audience more of an emotional pay-off.

FILM: The Expendables (5/10)

Why did I watch it?

Borrowed the DVD from my brother. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

What's it all about?

Sylvester Stallone leads a team of mercenaries including Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture up against rogue CIA operative Eric Roberts who is using the national army to enforce a brutal dictatorship on a South American island. 

Should you watch it?

Yes, it probably is the 'most awesome action cast ever assembled' but unsurprisingly it's far from the most awesome action film. Many years have past since some of these guys were at their peak and they certainly haven't spent that time in acting classes. Dolph Lundgren wins my vote for the worst performance, just don't tell him I said that.

I haven't seen all that many 80's action films that The Expendables may be a throwback tribute to so perhaps I'm not amongst the audience likely to enjoy this film. A large part of the film is shot in the dark, and it does makes it a little difficult to work out which beefcake action star is talking trash or more likely shooting at an other. The plot is simple, no problems with that. Statham's girlfriend issue brings no value to the film or character and is a see-through attempt to add some 'character development' somewhere, anywhere. When Jean Claude van Damme turns down a role citing lack of substance to a character you know you are in trouble.

"One, two, three.....give me your tough faces"

There are some nice touches in the film, the short scene with Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis being worth watching the film for. Schwarzenegger commenting that Stallone 'loves playing around in the jungle' certainly made me chuckle. Also, wrestling stars Stone Cold and Randy Couture going head to head at the end was a treat for sports fans.

The Expendables is what it is, an over the top action film, definitely nothing more and probably even a little less.

TV: Girls (S1) (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

Remember mentioning this to my other half, who is a massive Sex and the City fan, that Girls was supposed to be a modern, more offbeat take on the lives of New York's young women. And that was enough. Oh and Judd Apatow's name was attached to it.

What's it all about?

Four twenty-something girls, Hannah, Marnie, Jessa and Shoshanna deal with a variety of everyday issues individually and collectively as they each look to make their way in the Big Apple.

Should you watch it?

Remember the four Manhattan based women on Sex and the City? Splashing the cash to keep up with the fashion and attending NY's most glamorous parties? Forget them. Four girls in New York is where the similarities end. These girls live in Brooklyn, struggle to pay rent and are more likely to attend parties in warehouses.

Based on some of her own experiences, Lena Durham (who plays lead character Hannah) created and wrote the show, as well as directing five of the ten episodes. She deserves credit for writing such a fresh take on the 'girls story'. The girls in question are not always at their glamorous best, crude, promiscuous and are supported by a witty and often hilarious script. Their day to day issues are largely trivial, Hannah's parents cut her off financially, Marnie's boyfriend is too perfect, Shoshanna is a virgin and Jessa returns from travelling unhappy at adapting to the real world. Despite this, the script makes these trivial storylines more than amusing and the pure oddness of the supporting characters, mainly Adam (Adam Driver), really helps. One guy decides not have to have sex with Shoshanna when he discovers she's a virgin because "virgins get attached. Or they bleed.". To which she replies, "I'm a totally unattached bleeder". Chris O'Dowd makes a hilarious cameo in a later episode as a wealthy businessman who gets agonisingly close to having a ménage a trois with Jessa and Marnie, only for it to fall apart before his eyes and actually be more annoyed that the girls spilt wine onto his expensive rug.

FILM: Skyfall (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

It's James Bond. It's the 50th anniversary of the first Bond film.

What's it all about?

Without giving too much away, Bond returns from a period of  absence to investigate an attack on MI6 and protect M (Judi Dench) from former MI6 agent Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem).

Should you watch it?

Skyfall is the best Bond of the Daniel Craig era, just nudging past Casino Royale. The film begins with a deeply troubled Bond, warts and all, something Craig pulls off with much greater success than Brosnan (in Die Another Day) and ends with him staunchly defending M from her pursuers.

Skyfall's writers took a different approach to the story in comparison with Bond films over the years. Rather than have Bond flung to all corners of the globe chasing a terrorist threatening world peace, the majority of the Skyfall, especially the important scenes, take place in the UK with 007 on the defensive, back to the wall running out of safe places to protect M. Also, for the first time in the history of MI6, the question of the relevance of MI6 and its traditional network of agents and spies is being asked. In the day of the modern terrorist, is Bond still relevant?

The film is full of nods to past Bond films but while paying tribute to the franchise, director Sam Mendes ensures the tributes are made in the style of the new Craig-era Bond. The best example of this is Bond having a medical before returning to active service. Mendes cuts to the heart monitor screen and Bond's head can be seen moving back and forward out of focus at the edge of the shot. My first thought was that Bond was giving the doctor a good seeing to as Brosnan once did but Mendes reveals Bond is actually running on a treadmill and giving the medical his all. 

Javier Bardem meets expectations as the film's villain, creepily camp, psychotically jovial and deranged. The traditional Bond girls are kept to a minimum, as the focus is kept on Bond and M but I enjoyed Berenice Marlohe's turn as Silva's Macau casino presence.

TV: Boardwalk Empire (S3) (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

I watched the previous two seasons, and although it isn't my favourite show on TV, the show is close to being great and considering the involvement of certain characters can only be expanded on, in particular Lucky Luciano and Al Capone, its potential is in reach.

What's it all about?

Fresh from cleaning out his own house at the end of season two, Nucky cements his relationship with Arnold Rothstein by announcing their exclusive business partnership. This angers new character Gyp Rosetti (Bobby Carnavale), a Sicilian bootlegger so hot headed he could rival Joe Pesci's Tommy in Goodfellas, leading to battle lines being drawn around Atlantic City. This forms the central storyline of the season as Nucky scrambles for support from his allies in New York, Washington and Chicago. Meanwhile, Eli returns from prison, Al Capone's influence in Chicago grows and Margaret and Owen's dangerous affair is rekindled. 

Should you watch it?

Starting with the positives, Boardwalk Empire's third season is it's greatest so far. In a similar manner to the previous seasons, it builds slowly from the start but accelerates to top gear by the fourth episode and while there are some slight dips in between, the momentum is largely maintained, sometime single handedly by Rosetti, to the final four episodes, from which point on the season is outstanding.

Season three probably featured more of Rothstein, Luciano, Lansky (at a cost to Chalky White and van Alden) and Capone than before, and with the additions of Rosetti and NY boss Joe Masseria, meant the season had a truly mob feel to it. In my eyes this was greatly needed as Nucky and his Atlantic City team of politicians and bootleggers just don't have the cool factor and threat of the Italian Americans. In part this is down to Steve Buscemi, after three seasons you would think I would have made my mind up about his casting as the Atlantic City crime boss but I still can't quite decide. The tagline of the season is 'You Can't Be Half A Gangster' but it still feels like Nucky is just that, especially in comparison with the representatives of New York and Chicago. The dips in momentum during the season are usually due to Nucky's relationship with his new mistress, actress Billie, or his political scheming. These distractions serve a purpose, in the first instance to Nucky's mindset after the attempt on his life at Bebette's, and in the second in giving Nucky options other than violence but they don't half leave you craving for a scene where someone upsets Rosetti.

Such are the abundance of great characters in the show that it isn't until you stop and think about it that you realise how much Michael Williams' Chalky White and Michael Shannon's van Alden are underused and marginalised respectively. Thankfully both appear likely to continue into the next season, following changes for both in season three. The writers pen some fantastic lines, with Al Capone being given the line of the season when he turns up in Atlantic City, "I've been on the road for 18 hours. I need a bath, some chow, and then you and me sit down, and we talk about who dies."

Gyp Rosetti - "Everything of mine is bigger than Nucky's"

Season three really gets going in episode four, Blue Bell Boy, an episode which reminded me of The Soprano's episode Pine Barrens where Paulie and Chris end up lost in the woods (an episode written by Boardwalk creator Terence Winter and regular director Tim van Patten and directed by Steve Buscemi). Nucky and Owen are trapped in a cellar for the entire episode and Nucky's discomfort and jealousy in Owen's role in his operation becomes uncomfortably apparent. While trapped and out of the decision making process, Mickey delivers a shipment straight into Rosetti's ambush, Joe Masseria is introduced and Al Capone takes out his anger  over his deaf son's bullying on a local rival.   

The final four episodes deal with alternated attempts on the lives of various characters, culminating in a Goodfellas style montage of a full scale gang war in Atlantic City at the beginning of the fantastic final episode Margate Sands.

BOOK: Red Storm Rising, Tom Clancy (5/10)

Why did I read it?

After finishing The Hunt for Red October, I decided to begin a Tom Clancy odyssey starting with his next book Red Storm Rising.

What's it all about?

Islamic terrorists destroy a major Soviet oil production facility. Soviet oil production rates are severely damaged and anticipating that the US may take the opportunity to apply pressure with the Soviet military under supplied, the Soviets plan to invade the Persian Gulf to seize oil. First, the KGB frames Germany for a terrorist attack on the Kremlin to permit an invasion of West Germany and war with NATO. The story of what in reality becomes the Third World War is told from both sides across Europe and the North Atlantic.   

Should you read it?

Reading Red Storm Rising is like reading an account of a 20th century game of Risk taking place across Europe on land, in the air and on the seas. Tank divisions meet in West Germany, Iceland is fought over for control of the Atlantic as US convoys try to cross it to support the NATO cause. Unfortunately, once Clancy has narrated the war's outset, beginning with the Soviet KGB operation and culminating with US intelligence realising a Soviet offensive is coming, the story becomes less of a thriller and more of detailed story of modern day warfare seriously lacking in intrigue. Over 800 pages long in some editions, to be honest it became a bit of a chore towards the end. Only at the end does the story really return from the battlefield and become more interesting, even if I did find the ending slightly unfulfilling. 

FILM: District 9 (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

Heard good things about this after its release on DVD so felt the need to jump aboard the bandwagon. Also, its about aliens...one of my favourite topics.

What's it all about?

Thirty years prior to the action a gigantic spaceship stopped above Johannesburg. No-one knew why. The aliens, referred to as 'prawns', were removed from the ship and placed in impoverished immigration holding camps by the South African government and private military contractor MNU. Crime is high, the locals are angry, and the day comes where the aliens are to be relocated to another camp outside of Johannesburg. The film follows Wikus van de Merwe, an Afrikaner MNU employee, charged with leading the deportation. 

Should you watch it?

District 9 can be broken down into two halves, the situation and characters are introduced through a combination of documentary style interviews, both present and retrospective, and news reports. This approach serves first time director Neill Blomklamp well, as not only is it intriguing and different, but its a fairly cheap method (the films budget was only $30 million and it took in over seven times this at the box office). Following the introductory first half, the action switches to following Wikus as his troubles begin to increase.

 

Just sign here Mr Prawn



The social commentary (calling it an undertone would be to pretend it is discreet) of the film is evident and could be transferred to any group of 'outsider's in any population. The issue has been covered by many reviewers far better than I could attempt to do so I'll just leave it at that.



Blomkamp deserves credit for his unique take on the alien's arrival to Earth. So often potrayed as violent, destructive and more importantly, the dominant species, Blomkamp's aliens are food deprived, malnourished and although restless, they are successfully policed by the humans and treated as a species (or race, there goes that social commentary aspect again) with basic human rights. Consider Ridley Scott and James Cameron's Aliens being politely asked to sign a deportation order for relocation to another camp.



Keep out



The main protagonist Wikus is played by little known South African actor Sharlto Copley. Copley's performance and transformation of Wikus from a vain and smug executive to hunted, desperate and sacrificing fugitive are tremendous and he deserves the recognition for his role as actor and also producer of the short film Alive in Joburg upon which District 9 is based. I found the final act of the film, culimanting in the final scene, genuiely emotional, which considering that the previous twenty minutes had become a bit of a gunfest is credit again to Blomkamp.

FILM: The Abyss (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

Recorded this some time ago but having read The Hunt for Red October and watched some of the TV show Last Resort of late, I'm a little subsea crazy at the moment so the timing seemed perfect.

What's it all about?

A US submarine crashes in mysterious circumstances near the Cayman trench and a nearby prototype deep sea drilling platform is commandeered by US Navy SEAL team to investigate. Upon finding the stricken sub, the platform workers and SEALs come across an alien lifeform in the extreme depths.

Should you watch it?

The plot of James Cameron's fourth film shares many similarities with his third film, Aliens. Teams of armed forces with ultimately ulterior motives sent in to claustrophobic and isolated environments to investigate missing groups. Oh and those environments are occupied by aliens.

Here Alien, Alien, Alien....

Three-quarters of The Abyss are great as the ever-present dangers of deep sea isolation coupled with Michael Biehn's stir crazy SEAL ratchet up the tension to a decompression sickness-causing level . As the mission begins to fall apart, the greater fear factor is provided by the underwater drama, cut off from the surface in a damaged platform with decreasing oxygen levels rather than the alien presence. This is a little disappointing considering the film followed Aliens, in which there was no doubt what was responsible for the suspense. Cameron obviously felt like giving the Abyss aliens a more mysterious rather than menacing persona. 
This leads to a slightly disappointing finale as the alien presence is gradually revealed and all threat along with it. It all becomes a little unnecessarily enchanting.

Ed Harris leads the cast and gives an another excellent performance. Has this guy ever turned in a dud one? Mary Elisabeth Mastrantonio gives an equally assured performance as Harris' estranged wife and platform designer. The rekindling affection between the two is key to the film's success and the scene following Harris' return to the platform with Mastrantonio's body is genuinely emotional and fantastically performed by Harris.

For it's age, The Abyss still looks great and remains a good to great sci-fi thriller.

The Cancellation Epidemic

Last week ABC announced that they would not be ordering additional episodes of Last Resort following the initial thirteen planned episodes. That this decision came after only seven episodes of the military drama had aired in the US and three in the UK epitomises the increasingly cut-throat nature of the TV industry these days. I'm not going to pretend to know the inner dealings of US TV networks but over the past few years it seems that shows are cancelled ever earlier and for shorter failings despite record budgets being invested in pilot episodes.

Are TV networks holding out for their own The Wire or The Sopranos? Surely the network bosses realise that these kind of shows don't come along too often. Obviously ratings are king and rarely increase once they begin to slide but what level warrants the chop? Such is the economic climate perhaps the rate of diminishing returns is becoming higher and higher. Maybe the level competition of has become too great, maybe it's evolution and a survival of the fittest until only HBO shows remain.

From a writers point of view it must be difficult to plan the story arcs for a first season without having the security of a fixed run. Imagine being a writer, do you load your pilot with the beginning of as many story arcs and cliched characters as possible in the hope this attracts viewers at the start or do you pace long story arcs and cliffhangers for later in the season and run the risk that viewers fall away before this point? Imagine being told your show is being axed knowing that you have some killer story lines just around the corner. The answer to the previous question is neither. Obviously, you write the perfect plot, recruit the perfect actors, get scheduled in the perfect slot and market the show perfectly. Answer me this, in this day of extreme competition and demand for immediate success would slow burning shows like The Wire have survived?

One issue I have with TV networks is the scheduling of 22 episodes. Look at successful shows like The Wire, The Sopranos, The Shield, Homeland, The Walking Dead and Mad Men, what do they all have in common? Seasons of between 10 and 13 episodes (granted some have episodes an hour in length). Not only do I believe it is much easier for viewers to commit to watching shorter seasons, (who wants to watch anything for 22 weeks? It's exhausting.) but it produces higher quality, more cohesive and less diluted story telling.

Lately, news of a show's cancellation has tended to spark brief twitter movements among the deceased show's fans and the past has proved that shows can be saved, see Firefly/Serenity or Southland. For fans of axed shows it is insanely frustrating that end of season cliffhangers are left unresolved and stories are left incomplete. At least in the case of Last Resort ABC gave the producers enough notice for the writers to amend the plot for the final episodes yet to be filmed and give viewers some closure.

Truthfully, the reasoning for this article comes from the fact that I am one of the aforementioned frustrated fans, several times over. Within the last few years, I've witnessed FlashForward and Alcatraz canned after first seasons had aired, leaving unconcluded stories and also Terra Nova and Last Resort axed mid-season in the UK, not to mention HBO's Luck being cancelled mid-season for entirely different reasons. Granted some of those shows weren't too great but were they THAT bad? Mid-season cancellation bad?

What is for certain is that it's a difficult time to be a first season TV show and that shows are certainly having to work harder than ever before to reach the promised land of second season renewal.

BOOK: The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy (8/10)

Why did I read it?

Remembered enjoying the film a while back and thought the book would be worth a read for a bit more detail.

What's it all about?

For those that haven't seen the film, Red October is a Russian submarine captained by respected submariner Marko Ramius. Taking place during the Cold War, Ramius and his officers aim to defect to the US taking their brand new submarine with them. Independently, the US and Russsians get wind of the attempted defection and without alerting each other to their true intentions both sides race against time to locate the submarine. CIA analyst Jack Ryan gets thrown into the action as the CIA contact to the US military's mission following his theory that Ramius was attempting to defect and not launch missiles at the US.

Should you read it?

The Hunt for Red October is a really gripping pressure-cooker thriller and probably one of the best cold war thrillers out there. In comparison with the film adaptation, Clancy's original story includes a few extra sub-plots and twists as well as additional characters (US President and Russian ambassador). I never realised quite how boiled down the film version was. Clancy's additional detail and demonstrated research into the operation of submarines may put off some readers and perhaps understandably so, but I found it both interesting and complimentary to the plot.    

FILM: Cowboys & Aliens (6/10)

Why did I watch it?

No particular reason, it just came along and looked a pretty harmless action adventure film.

What's it all about?

Daniel Craig stars as a cowboy who wakes up with no memory and a strange futuristic bracelet on his wrist. Apparently an outlaw, he is captured and taken to the local sheriff where he gets caught in an alien attack on the town, learning he capabilities of his bracelet in the process. The alien planes capture a few residents including local cattle baron Harrison Ford's son. Craig and Ford lead a rescue mission to retrieve the captives.

Should you watch it?

Based on a recent graphic novel of the same name, the concept of cowboys battling aliens is certainly a novel one but it doesn't really work for me. I expected more intrigue from a screenwriting team including Damon Lindelof. 

What you get if you cross a John Wayne film with Independence Day

I'm not sure if Jon Favreau and Universal Studios were trying to pitch this as a new Indiana Jones but Daniel Craig is not nearly likeable enough with his stereotypically surly cowboy. Ford is suitably gritty as the veteran gun-slinger finding his softer side. Granted there are some exciting scenes but overall it falls pretty flat in merging the two polar genres. One scene where Craig carries Olivia Wilde in his arms until he collapses in exhaustion simply made me want to watch True Grit instead. 

FILM: The Tree of Life (6/10)

Why did I watch it?

Came across this one after seeing it mentioned in Sight & Sounds 2012 greatest film poll. Although it didn't make the final list, 16 critics voted it in their top 10 greatest films of all time. That coupled with the fact that I enjoyed another of director Terence Malick's films, The Thin Red Line, made this worth investigating.

What's it all about?

Simply put, the film largely chronicles the childhood memories of a middle-aged man Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn). Growing up in Waco, Texas, Jack is the oldest of three boys, sons of parents Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain with contrasting views on life. Pitt is frustrated with his achievements in life and raises his sons with a firm hand, in particular Jack, as he attempts to impress upon them that life is a cruel game that must be conquered through hard work and desire. In Chastain, the boys have a mother with a carefree spirit, happy to simply be alive amongst the wonders of God. In between the present day and the retold memories, the viewer is told at the film's offset that one of the younger boys died as a young adult in military service.

Should you watch it?

The Tree of Life is without doubt the most difficult film I have ever watched. I'll admit to watching this in two sessions as I stepped away from it after the first twenty minutes or so, frustrated with the lack of narrative and religious whispering behind scenes of light flickering in the dark.

Thankfully, I returned to it later although I almost gave up again during the twenty minute sequence covering the creation of Earth and life upon it. This was like watching a nature documentary and culminating with CGI dinosaurs, I still question the necessity for this sequence. To me it felt completely detached from the 'the tree of life' that was the telling of the life of Jack.

"Do not speak unless you have something significant to say"

The film is edited to within an inch of it's life as some fantastically beautiful shots and imagery are interspersed between the scenes of the family's relationship. I believe the only person who will truly appreciate and understand the intricacy of the film's editing and imagery is Malick himself.

A corner is turned once the philosophy of evolution is put to one side and the narrative (although still unconventional) begins. Pitt, Chastain and Hunter McCracken (young Jack) give truly excellent performances. As the oldest of three brothers myself, I related to the boys innocently running amok in the neighbourhood, usually going too far in their youthful exuberance and daring (and usually the younger brother paying the price!). I really enjoyed this section of the story, as Jack became troublesome and his relationship with his father began to breakdown to the point of him considering dropping a car on his head. Disappointingly though, for me the ending was as unrewarding as the film's start leaving my enjoyment of The Tree of Life a real quandary.

FILM: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

I am a massive fan of Steig Larsson's series of books so I was keen to see Hollywood's take on the story. I've haven't seen the original Swedish versions of the films yet.

What's it all about?

Based on the book of the same name and set in Sweden, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo tells the story of disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and extrovert freelance researcher Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) investigate the disappearance of teenager Harriet Vanger decades earlier. As the pair attempt to hunt down the murderer they become entangled in an estranged family with shady history.

She used to be such a nice girl

Should you watch it?
TGWTDT is essentially a cold case whodunit but what sets the story apart is not the complexity of the wealthy Vanger family and their whereabouts on that day but the characters investigating the mystery. Blomkvist is fresh from losing a libel lawsuit and accepts the case as a sabbatical from work while Lisbeth Salander is now probably one of the most iconic female characters of recent times. A gifted researcher and computer hacker under state guardianship due to a chequered adolescence, Salander only enters the story in its main sense half way through. The first half introduces her character's issues, her initiative and resolve in the face of difficulty. Despite being a whodunit, as the title suggests, the story is really about Salander.

I enjoyed the US film version and thought David Fincher managed to do the book justice squeezing just enough detail from the book into the two and half hours without compromising some of the more extreme scenes.  I was concerned that some of the complexity of the various generations of the Vanger family would be lost in the translation from book to film but Fincher managed to explain this carefully enough with visual aids for it to get across to the audience.

The faults with the film are similar to the book in that the postscript ending seems just as tagged onto the end but this is a small gripe and it rests with Larsson's decision to set up the next instalment here. 

Rooney Mara is excellent as Salander, and the production team did a great job designing her appearance true to the story.

FILM: Crazy, Stupid, Love. (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

Another Mrs Northerner special this one while we were on holiday. I hadn't even heard of this film before watching it.

What's it all about?

A romantic comedy that weaves together the romantic entanglements of several interlinked characters. To refer to Crazy Stupid Love as a love triangle would be simplifying it grossly. A love triangle dangerously perched on top of a love pyramid would be more accurate. Steve Carell is the soon to be divorced middle-aged guy with no interest in finding another fish in the sea. He meets successful ladies man Ryan Gosling who offers to help reinvent him as a ladies man himself. Meanwhile Gosling meets a girl and begins to question his own lifestyle of fast women while Carrell's young son ambitiously pines after his babysitter, who herself has eyes on a guy herself. Amongst all this, Carrell's wife Julianne Moore continues to date Kevin Bacon, the cause of the divorce.

Chat-up lines Dad-style

Should you watch it?

As rom-coms go, Crazy Stupid Love is definitely worth a watch. Steve Carell is pretty funny as always and the same can be said for the plot machinations which culminate in a hilarious farcical scene as the love triangle/pyramid collapses. It also features a pretty large A-list cast which certainly helps things along.

FILM: The Rock (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

This is one of those films that I should have seen but for no particular reason I haven't. Instead I've managed to see Con Air probably half a dozen times. 

What's it all about?

Ed Harris plays disillusioned US general Frank Hummel, who leads his rogue team of Marines to seize control of Alcatraz, taking 81 hostages in the process. Armed with biological VX missiles aimed at San Francisco, Hummel demands funds for the families of those marines who have died in deniable operations. The US governments teams up FBI chemical specialist Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) with former SAS operative and Alcatraz inmate John Mason (Sean Connery) to save the day.

Should you watch it?

The Rock is a straight forward action film with no regrets. Bang for your buck director Michael Bay's second film delivers gun fights, car chases, explosions a plenty, all tethered to a pretty zany plot. He finds time to squeeze in some instantly recognisable shots, namely the slow motion shots of Cage getting to his feet a la Will Smith in Bad Boys.

The three leads play there characters well. Harris plays Hummel dead straight and manages to give him several dimensions. Cage is his fairly usual character, the goofy, funny, out of place hero. Connery brings some extra class to the film although he does have a few cheesy lines that would make a Bond script look Shakespearian. Producers Bruckheimer and Simpson gave soundtrack duties to Hans Zimmer, who delivers another fantastic Zimmer special.

As 1990's action films go, The Rock is up with the best of them.

FILM: The Proposal (5/10)

Why did I watch it?

Mrs Northerner suggested we watch this as it was on TV while we were away. I think this may be at least strike #2 for her being allowed to suggest films to watch.

What's it all about?

Ok, Sandra Bullock is the bitchy editor-in-chief and Ryan Reynolds is her personal assistant. Bullock's visa (she's Canadian) expires and in order to protect her job she reveals to her employers that her and Reynolds are engaged and soon to be married. Obviously they aren't but Reynolds reluctantly agrees providing he is made editor and his book is published. Cue fun and games as Bullock meets Reynolds family and the couple try to avoid prison by tricking an inquisitive immigration agent.

Should you watch it?

The happy couple

It was sadly predictable how predictable the plot turned out to be. I don't think I'm giving anything away by saying that spoiler alert they don't get on, then get on, then fall out at the last minute before making up. The only unknown is knowing how close to the end the last minute falling out occurs. I've had more unpredictable trips to the bathroom.

Despite the plot, Reynolds and Bullock do have a genuine chemistry, are capable comedic performers and turn in decent performances within the constrains of the plot. The script's immense sarcasm and the pair's forced affection for each other, despite their contempt, can actually be pretty funny to watch.

FILM: The Wrestler (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

Recorded this one a while ago as well, following its high praise on release. Oh and I used to like wrestling.

What's it all about?

Mickey Rourke is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, an American wrestler popular in the late 80's, desperately clinging to his days of glory in the present day and scraping a living in doing so. Robinson puts his tired and worn body through the ringer against younger athletes in local independent matches  fought in front of small crowds. As he struggles to pay his rent, he manages to save funds for dances from his favourite dancer Marisa Tomei at his local strip joint and makes efforts to reconcile with his estranged daughter.

Should you watch it?

The Wrestler is a brilliant character piece from director Darren Aronofsky. Rourke is fantastic as the battered and troubled veteran unable to call time on his career. His Oscar nomination was fully deserved and on the back of that performance I feel sorry he didn't come out as winner (note - I haven't seen Sean Penn in Milk). Marisa Tomei is also brilliant as the similarly troubled stripper Robinson finds solace with.

Randy 'The Ram 'Robinson

The film is similar to Aronofsky's follow-up Black Swan, both being deep character studies of troubled leads. The film is heavy in shots from behind Rourke as he walks down corridors towards the ring or towards the deli counter at work and as well resembling the coverage of a boxer or rock band approaching the arena it gives the film the feeling of a documentary. You can almost imagine Louis Theroux providing some narration. Robinson's longing for the good times is complimented by the 80's guitar heavy score (Slash played the guitar for the score).

The Wrestler  is the emotional ride of veteran who doesn't know how live for anything else and ultimately the ending doesn't matter as he climbs the turn-buckle for his 'finisher' as he has found peace back in the ring again.

FILM: American History X (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

Recorded this one a while ago while it was on as it's always been one of those films I've wanted to watch, purely based on its controversy, but somehow never got around to.

What's it all about?

Norton beefed up for the role 

A story of two LA neo-nazi brothers, American History X stars Edward Norton and Edward Furlong as Derek and Danny Vinyard. Angry with perceived injustices against the white population of Venice Beach and the nation as a whole on top of the murder of their father by a black drug dealer, the pair embrace the teachings of a local supremist. The film alternates between the present day and flashbacks chronicling the relationship of the pair as the older brother, Derek (Norton), gets drawn into trouble with the gang and later tries to prevent his younger brother from making the same mistakes as him.

Should you watch it?

Violent, powerful and controversial, American History X is a hard-hitting drama dealing with a difficult but realistic subject and at times can be hard to watch. Obviously bearing in mind the subject matter, the script is unpleasant at times but the decision to give both characters a high degree of intelligence was a smart one as it at least allows them to put forward their argument in a reasonably articulate manner.
Edward Norton is absolutely excellent as the older brother before and after his run in with the law and totally deserved his Oscar nomination. Furlong also deserves credit for his performance and it's disappointing that he didn't go on to better things from this. The black and white older footage, when Norton is at his angriest, adds to the powerful nature of the film and was a masterstroke. Norton's angry, shaven-headed, white and Nazi-tattoo clad torso in black and white is, from a cinematic perspective, a pretty powerful and controversial image.

FILM: Moonrise Kingdom (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

I've never seen a Wes Anderson film before. There, I said it. The trailers for Moonrise Kingdom made it look like a quirky, fun film with a great cast and worth a look.

What's it all about?

Set on a peacefully quiet island off the coast of New England, two children, having only met once, set their pen-mail devised plan to runaway together into action. This leads to the islands eccentric inhabitants launching their own search and rescue mission to track down the wayward pair before a storm closes in.   

Should you watch it?

Quite simply, yes. Moonrise Kingdom is beautifully shot, Anderson uses rich warm colours throughout and the film has such a retro feel to go with the 60s setting. The opening credits sequence was spellbinding and the film rarely lets go from there onwards. The cast is fantastic,  the two young leads give performances that belies their youth and are supported by a brilliantly deadpan Bruce Willis character, Edward Norton, Billy Murray, Tilda Swinton and cameos from Jason Schwartzmann and Harvey Keitel.

The budding runaways

The screenplay is charming yet not without some serious undertones, in particular each child's motives for leaving but the film's offbeat humour (Swinton plays a character literally called 'Social Services') never lets the mood fall away from any other than pure adventure. Make no doubt that the children's naivety and innocence are the highlight of the film. The moment they meet up, Sam orders an inventory their equipment which includes an air rifle, a cat and six books before handing over some flowers to his young love. He later warns Suzy that he may wet the bed inside their tent. I'm reluctant to say anything further so as not to spoil the film for others.

Kingdom is supported by a score of classical music that fits perfectly with the eccentric nature of most characters and the old feel of the film.

A must see, and not just for Wes Anderson fans (as I mentioned I hadn't seen any of his films beforehand).

FILM: Rendition (6/10)

Why did I watch it?

I remember thinking that this film looked worth watching when it came out at the cinema. I was interested in the concept of extraordinary rendition and how it could happen. Anyway, five years later I finally got around to watching it.

What's it all about?

As the title suggests, its all about the controversial CIA practice of moving terror suspects to countries other than the US for interrogation purposes. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a CIA analyst caught up in the rendition of an Egyptian American chemical engineer (same profession as me!) Anwar to a North African country and the hands of the local police chief. At the same time Reese Witherspoon plays the suspects wife, desperately trying to track down her husbands whereabouts after he seemingly disappears during a flight home. Meryl Streep turns up as Gyllenhaal's boss.

Should you watch it?
Inevitably Rendition poses some questions about the justification of rendition and its breaching of human rights. The film doesn't really answer them either way, especially considering the ambiguous ending. If the screenplay was intending to make a specific point I think I missed it, although if it was being delivered by Gyllenhaal that is hardly surprising. His character is tepid, and that's being kind and seems pretty nonplussed with everything from the off so it was difficult to notice any change in his character after witnessing rendition first hand.
At the other end, Witherspoon fares slightly better with her performance as the desperate wife. Screeching aside, it was beneficial to see the impact of rendition and difficulties in finding information from the point of view of the family.
To give the screenplay some credit, the intertwining stories of the rendition and the local terrorist cell does create some tension which moves the film along.

A fairly run of the mill political thriller with some intriguing plotlines.

FILM: Prometheus (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

Being a big fan of the Alien franchise I was excited about seeing this film as soon as I heard it was being developed.

What's it all about?

Prometheus sees director Ridley Scott return to the universe of his sci-if phenomenon Alien in the form of a loose prequel. A team of scientists searching for the beginning of human life follow directions they believe are from their creators and funded by the Weyland Corp. head to a far away unknown planet. Here they find clues not only to the origins of human life but the origins of a familiar foe.

Should you watch it?

Prometheus is full of familiar characteristics from the Alien franchise, androids, stasis, mysterious eggs and corrosive blood. Although unoriginal, these facets are not unwelcome and made me feel right back at home within the Alien world.
The script deals with questions of creationism and occasions is a little pretentious and self-serving but this sets it apart from being a straight-up sci-fi horror. Speaking of questions, the script also leaves plenty unanswered at the end, either intentionally (and hopefully) for a sequel or through failings in the writing. I expected no less with one of the brains behind Lost involved in the writing. The acting is great, Michael Fassbender gives a dead pan cold peformance as he android David and others including Idris Elba, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron deliver as well.

Didn't they learn anything from Alien?

I have seen plenty of negative reviews for Prometheus and I disagree with the majority, although admitedly the unanswered questions are a bug I seem to bare more than others. I really enjoyed the film, lets just be happy we are seeing more of Ridley Scott's Alien mythology.

FILM: The Fifth Element (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

A friend gave me this to watch after I had watched Blade Runner and mentioned that having previously seen neither, I had always mixed the two up. Problem solved.

What's it all about?

Set in the future, Bruce Willis stars as a taxi driver (of the flying variety, naturally) accidentally caught up in an almost farcical battle to save the Earth from evil. Faced with a thousand year old prophecy coming true, Korben Dallas (Willis) helps scared and almost-nude alien Milla Jovovich defend Earth by racing evil magnate Gary Oldman in the search for four prophetical elements.

Should you watch it?
Don't let the premise put you off. Yes it's surreal and almost ridiculous but Luc Besson's near fantastical sci-fi adventure is an enjoyable ride with bags of style to spare. Production design was handled by a pair of French comic book creators and costumes were designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.

Willis and Jovovich are instantly likeable as the leads, Oldman plays the wonderfully over the top enemy and Chris Tucker injects another dose of craziness every time he appears as the extravagant motor-mouth radio host Ruby Rhod. Besson creates some great scenes, visually, Leeloo (Jovovich) going out onto a window ledge and giving the audience their first view of the futuristic city and musically, the Diva's opera edited together with an action sequence.

Enjoyable and amusing sci-fi romp with a great cast.

BOOK: Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies, Brian Coleman (7/10)

Why did I read it?

As more than a casual fan of hip-hop, especially of hip-hop from days gone by, this book was essential reading once I stumbled across it.

What's it all about?
Brian Coleman interviewed the artists responsible for some of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time. He presents the interviews as each artist discusses the creation of their work from the birth of the act through to the recording of the particular album. The list includes the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, De La Soul, The Beastie Boys and Too $hort. Coleman then presents a track by track breakdown of each particular album giving the artists the opportunity to explain the inspiration behind each track.  

Should you read it?

This book is not for casual readers, only interested music fans will enjoy the detailed descriptions of the recording processes and instruments used in producing these 'immortal rap albums'. I highlight this quote as every reader will have an opinion on the albums selected and I have to admit my interest waned during the chapters for artists I had very limited or no knowledge of. I understand that Coleman completed fifty interviews yet only thirty-six were included and I think the book would have been benefited from being a more definitive collection with these included. The albums selected predominantly range from the late 80s to the early 90s with a few exceptions. Again some would argue that this is the 'golden era' of hip-hop but there are many great albums from outside of that period, in particular from the West Coast.

Grumbles over the selection aside, the book gives a fascinating first hand insight into the creative side of these artists and their recording processes. What is interesting is how diverse the production of each album was at the time. The development of each album was unique from the recording of demos and earning of record deals through to the production and sampling processes used by the various artists and producers.