FILM: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (6/10)

Why did I watch it?
It's not so long ago that I watched the original Wall Street for the first time so it made sense to see how Oliver Stone took the story of Gordon Gecko forward.

What's it all about?
Gordon Gecko (Michael Douglas) is released from prison and attempts to make amends with his estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan). Winnie is dating young Wall Street trader Jacob Moore (Shia LaBeouf), whose company loses it's value resulting in the suicide of his mentor. Moore seeks out Gecko to uncover the source of the toxic debt rumour that sunk his company in trade for acting as go between for Gecko and Winnie.







The Good:

• I thought Douglas and LaBeouf were solid. Douglas brought his Gecko skulduggery and LaBeouf his typical energy. Carey Mulligan was a bit disappointing after some of the film's I've seen her in of late.
• Frank Langella as Moore's mentor Louis Zabel

The Bad:

• The soundtrack is truly bizarre
• Oliver Stone's visual gimmicks, slow motion, split screens, editing styles
• The script is written with such accuracy it will bamboozle most viewers, myself included, with it's heavy city jargon. J.C. Chandor's Margin Call did a much better job.
• Clichéd motorbike race where Moore and Bretton James try to out-macho each other 

Favourite line:

'Stop telling lies about me and I'll stop telling the truth about you' - Gordon Gecko

Stand-out moment:

When the penny drops for Winnie and Moore....

Like the film? Watch: Wall Street, Margin Call

What my wife would say: Watched it, 'Good but not as good as the original'.

What the world thinks:

Rotten Tomatoes - 55%

Metacritic - 59/100

LAMB Score - 2.81

Twitter -

Sorry sir but we simply cannot accept you to Harvard Business School if you can't relate the basic plot of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps
— PartyRockAnthem (@PartyRockAnthe1) February 23, 2012

TV: The Tunnel (S1) (9/10)

Why did I watch it?
I watched this because I read that the Danish series it is based on, The Bridge, was well received. A little shamefully I opted for the British production rather than doing any legwork to watch the original.

What's it all about?
A body is discovered laid across the half-way point of the Channel Tunnel, bringing both UK (Stephen Dillane) and French (Clemence Poesy) detectives together to investigate an anarchistic serial killer working on both sides of the channel.

The Good:

• The Anglo-French clash of cultures and banter between Elise and Karl
• Elise's matter of fact attitude
• Slow build-up, steadily peeling layers off the plot as the crimes continue, similar to The Killing
• The Seven style climactic end to the finale
• The performances of the two leads Dilane and Poesy

The Bad:

• At times, especially towards the end the plot became a little convoluted. I'm thinking of the Peleton angle that didn't seem to be explored in any depth.

Favourite line:

'[To a parent]..It will be alright' - Karl

'We can't say that, we don't have any leads on your daughter's current whereabouts' - Elise

Stand-out moment:
The stand-off between Karl, Elise and TT back at the Channel Tunnel

Like the show? Watch: The Bridge, The Killing

What my wife would say: Watched it. Really doesn't like subtitled bits because she can't play on Candy Crush at the same time.

What the world thinks:

IMDB - 4/5

Twitter -

Wow, #TheTunnel perhaps the best drama I've seen all year, great finale but need to see Karl & Elise working together again
— Kevin F (@dashdotat) December 18, 2013

FILM: Gravity (10/10)

Why did I watch it?
I loved the trailers for this film and I read so much about the technical production decisions Cuarõn and his son made that I couldn't wait to see it. Still it took me some time after it was released.

What's it all about?
Servicing the Hubble telescope, first timer Sandra Bullock and experienced George Clooney are caught in an orbiting storm of debris from a defunct Russian satellite and are cut adrift from their tethers into outer space with only each other for company.










The Good:

• Visually stunning. One of, if not the most impressive looking films made to date. Befits the use of 3D as well. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki deserves an Oscar for his work.
• The film's sound production. The combination of no sound effects to reflect the true out of space nature along with Stephen Price's score is brilliant and it's so bizarre to watch debris smashing everywhere with no sound effects.
• Cuarõn gets a fantastic performance from Sandra Bullock and George Clooney isn't too shabby either as the cocksure astronaut jet packing about.
• Excellent decision to cast Ed Harris as the voice of Houston Mission Control
• The first shot, 15 minutes from opening to the debris collision

The Bad:

• After Bullock spins away following the collision, the shot spins with her for what seems ages with space/Earth/space/Earth and I felt pretty dizzy

The worst time for a fumble in the dark

Favourite line:

'Clear skies with a chance of satellite debris' - Ryan Stone

Stand-out moment:

The initial debris hit and subsequent chaos.

Like the film? Watch: Cast Away

Like the director? Watch: Children of Men

What my wife would say: 'Real good', oh and she cried.

What the world thinks:

Rotten Tomatoes - 97%

Metacritic - 96/100

LAMB Score - 4.71
Twitter -

Joined the hype and saw Gravity today. Bloody fantastic.
— Rich Laverty (@JournoRich) December 4, 2013

FILM: Silver Linings Playbook (8/10)

Why did I watch it?
Due to the hype, nominations and awards I always meant to catch this film but it never appealed to me as much as some of the other films out at the time like Lincoln, Life of Pi etc. Anyway, the Mrs was keen to watch it (a film with Bradley Cooper and dancing!) so we did.

What's it all about?
Recently released from a mental hospital, bi-polar Pat (Bradley Cooper) moves back in with his parents and focuses everything on getting back together with his estranged wife, despite the fact she took out a restraining order against him. Back in town he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), recently widowed and with her own problems, who needs a dancing partner.







The Good:

• A different take on the old romantic comedy story
• Interesting story that combines American football, mental illness and dancing.
• Great cast and absorbing performances all around, personally I thought Bradley Cooper's was slightly superior to Jennifer Lawrence's. It wasn't interesting to see Cooper use some of mannerisms from this film again in The Place Beyond the Pines.
• Features the Philadelphia Eagles, my favourite NFL team.

The Bad:

• Cooper's intense portrayal of his character can take a little getting used to at the offset.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Eagle's jersey

Favourite line:

'You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things.' - Tiffany

Stand-out moment:

Either the dancing competition (not as off-beat as the one from Little Miss Sunshine but it does have bi-polar tendencies) or Pat waking his parents in the middle of the night to rant about the Ernest Hemingway book he is reading having an unhappy ending. 

Like the film? Watch: Little Miss Sunshine

Like the director? Watch: The Fighter, upcoming American Hustle (starring Cooper and Lawrence again).

What my wife said: Disappointed, 'the only reason to watch this film is because it has Bradley Cooper in'.

What the world thinks:

Rotten Tomatoes - 92%

Metacritic - 81/100

LAMB Score - 4.26/5

Twitter -

I can't remember the last time I liked a movie as much as "Silver Linings Playbook." The art direction and soundtrack were ACHINGLY good.
— Rainbow Rowell (@rainbowrowell) September 12, 2013

FILM: Captain Phillips (9/10)

Why did I watch it?
I liked the look of this film from the moment I caught the first trailer. It looked exciting, intense and a film that could give Tom Hanks a platform for another great performance.

What's it all about?
In 2009 the Maersk Alabama was boarded by Somalian pirates off the coast of East Africa. Captain Phillips recounts the events that took place that day, the ordeal of the ship's crew and of the US rescue mission to save Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks).










The Good:

• Tom Hanks' fantastic performance as Captain Phillips. The level of emotion he displays in the scenes at the end of the film need to be seen to be believed.
• The performance of the Somali actors, in particular Barkhad Abdi as Muse and Faysal Ahmed as Najee.
• Change in dynamic from the crew of the Alabama versus the hijackers to the US Navy versus the hijackers on smaller scale keeps things fresh
• Paul Greengrass' direction keeps the tension up throughout. I loved the decision to instantly stop the music playing of the dramatic chase scenes as the hijackers ladder fixed to the side of the ship.

The Bad:

• There's no denying that the final third played out like an advert for the US Navy. They were awesome! I would be more likely to sign up after seeing that than watching Battleship but if those are the events that transpired then what could the screenwriters do if they wanted to be faithful to the story?

Pirates in a Hollywood film with no guy-liner in sight. Take note Jack Sparrow.

Favourite line:

'I'm the captain now.' - Muse

Stand-out moment:

The pursuit of the Alabama by the pirates' skiff is thrilling to watch and brilliantly directed.

Like the cast? Watch: Castaway, The Green Mile

Like the director? Watch: United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum

What my wife would say: Saw it and she was crying by the end.

What the world thinks:

Rotten Tomatoes - 94%

Metacritic - 83/100

LAMB Score - 4.31/5

Twitter -

Hanks in the last five minutes of Captain Phillips. #whyillnevergiveuptryingtobeabetteractor
— Patrick J Adams (@halfadams) November 14, 2013

FILM: Flight (8/10)

Why did I watch it?
Not only does Flight star everybody's favourite Denzel but it received two Oscar nominations, for original screenplay and for Denzel himself.

What's it all about?
Following his normal routine Captain 'Whip' Whitaker takes off in his passenger jet drunk and high from the previous night. However on this doomed flight a mechanical failure leads him to take unorthodox emergency action resulting in an investigation into the circumstances of the flight.

The Good:

• The terrifying flight sequence
• Denzel's intense performance - deserved the Oscar nomination (ultimately beaten by Daniel Day Lewis' Lincoln
• Gripping character drama
• Whip taking a toke of oxygen from the emergency supply before taking off!

The Bad:

• Errmm.....doesn't make you want to get on a plane for a while?

Trouble at 30,000 ft and not a snake in sight

Favourite line:

'Death demands responsibility' - Hugh Lang

Stand-out moment:

The flight sequence

Like the cast? Watch: Training Day, The Bone Collector

Like the director? Watch: Cast Away, Forrest Gump

What my wife would say: Watched it, 'glad he did the right thing in the end'.

What the world thinks:

Rotten Tomatoes - 78%

Metacritic - 76/100

LAMB Score - 4.06/5

Twitter -

Denzel Washington is actually incredible in Flight
— Jake Rosenberg (@theREALjrosey) November 10, 2013

FILM: Argo (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

Argo has been high up on my list of films to see following the hype and awards it received on its release. I liked both of Ben Affleck's previous directorial efforts Gone Baby Gone and The Town.

What's it all about?

Based on a true story, Ben Affleck plays a CIA ex-filtration specialist Tony Mendez, tasked with getting a group of American embassy staff out of Iran in the months following the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979. Mendez turns to Hollywood, with support from film producers Alan Arkin and John Goodman, to create cover for the operation.

The Good:

• Sharp, funny script
• Affleck builds up the tension almost from the off and it rarely lets up anytime the action returns to Tehran
• The cynical Hollywood angle - Alan Arkin and John Goodman
• Bryan Cranston - just because
• Balanced introductory montage setting the scene for the Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis

The Bad:

• I got nothing, maybe the Mendez family angle which didn't add much value for me

Passport please, Mr Bat. Man

Favourite line:

'If I'm doing a fake movie, it's gonna be a fake hit!' - Lester Siegel

Stand-out moment:

The build-up to and storming of the American embassy in Tehran told from the viewpoint of the embassy officials

Like the film? Watch: Munich, The Americans (TV show)

Like the director? Watch: Gone Baby Gone, The Town

What my wife would say: Watched it and enjoyed it.

What the world thinks:

Rotten Tomatoes - 96%

Metacritic - 86/100

LAMB Score - 4.33/5
Twitter - 

Argo never fails to give me anxiety attacks even though I know the ending
— Maggie Genske (@maggie_genske) November 2, 2013

TV: Ray Donovan (S1) (9/10)

Why did I watch it?

Purely based on the intriguing trailers and admittedly more on the 'fixer' to the stars angle that the show was marketed under.

What's it all about?
Working as a shady 'fixer' for a L.A. law firm representing Hollywood's finest, things have been good for Ray Donovan (Liev Schreiber) after he and his brothers, Terry (Eddie Marsan) and Bunchy (Dash Mihok), left Boston and a scarred past behind them to move out West. Unfortunately for Ray, things all change when his estranged father Mickey (Jon Voight), the source of much of the family's drama, is released early from prison and heads to L.A bringing the FBI in tow. 

Should you watch it?
Ray Donovan is definitely my favourite new show of 2013. Combining Hollywood and the less privileged areas of L.A. alike with a fantastic cast and taking more than a passing inspiration from Tony Soprano's family problems the show ratchets up the drama throughout the twelve episodes and delivers a gripping second half to it's first season.

Boasting the likes of Schreiber, Voight, James Woods and Elliott Gould, the acting is first class. Special mentions for Eddie Marsan, excellent as Terry, the boxing trainer suffering from Parkinsons and Jon Voight, who must be in contention for an award for his portrayal of equally crazed and happy go lucky Donovan patriarch Mickey. Voight attacks the role with relish and doesn't look anything close to his seventy-four years of age as he asks a woman he chats up at a spa 'Do you know how to twerk?'.  

After the second episode it became apparent that the show was going down the family drama path relying on Ray's fixer career as a background narrative and I was unsure about this but the characters on offer are so strong that the show definitely benefits from being a character driven drama and ultimately excels at this.

FILM: Bullitt (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

Always wanted to see 'the' car chase in this film and going to San Francisco recently gave me more of an excuse to check out Steve McQueen tearing up the hilly streets.

What's it all about?

Famously set in San Francisco, Steve McQueen stars as Frank Bullitt, a SFPD Lieutenant charged by self-serving politician (Robert Vaughn) to protect a Chicago mob informant for three days before delivering him to give evidence. After the mob track down the safehouse Bullitt decides to turn the tables and go after them.

Should you watch it?
More than just the famous car chase, which obviously stands out as it's centrepiece and still looks great, Bullitt is a well-paced cop thriller that I enjoyed watching throughout. Director Peter Yates had plenty to work with with old hands Steve McQueen and Robert Vaughn heading the cast. The scenes with the two at odds over Bullitt's approach are great to watch, more so with Bullitt's uncompromising attitude to being told what to do by some suit.

Slightly cooler than Herbie

The film's twist, if you can call it that, seemed to be unnecessarily contrived and following the car chase the story seemed to lose the tautness it had beforehand and definitely stutters at this point, not because of the chase but due to the revelation relating to the mob defectors true identity. Thankfully it regains it's momentum once Bullitt races to the airport in time for the film's climax. 

FILM: Blue Valentine (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

Blue Valentine has been on my radar for a while after seeing lots of positive reviews for the film. I enjoyed the style of director Derek Cianfrance's next effort The Place Beyond the Pines and as luck would have it Blue Valentine appeared on TV shortly afterwards.

What's it all about?

Blue Valentine tells the story of Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams) and is told across two spells in their relationship, the initial courtship with the pair full of passion for each other and the present day several years later as their marriage finally falls apart.

Should you watch it?

I watched this a long time ago so I'm going to keep this review short and sharp. 

Not a film for Valentine's Day

There's no denying that watching Blue Valentine, a film that tells the story of the complete breakdown of a couple's marriage is not an easy watch (especially for someone just married!) and is certainly an intense, claustrophobic experience, as the audience never really gets a break from the two characters but honestly I was slightly disappointed that the film didn't turn out to be quite the emotional heart-breaker I was expecting. Perhaps in anticipation I had turned my heart to it's complete stone setting. That's not to take anything away from the film's leads who gave brilliantly sincere and convincing performances as the troubled couple. Special comment for the 'Future Room' which with it's tacky futuristic decor and lighting must have been director Derek Cianfrance's ideal shooting location!

FILM: J. Edgar (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

J. Edgar Hoover is a historical figure I've always wanted to know more about. I enjoy American crime-based history and after reading James Ellroys's fantastic Underworld USA trilogy, which although fictional certainly suggested that Hoover was a very interesting character in American crime fighting.

What's it all about?

A biopic of John Edgar Hoover, the FBI's first Director, Clint Eastwood's film finds Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) recounting his career for his memoirs and reliving his beginnings at the Department of Justice before becoming Director of the department's Bureau of Investigation. The film touches on his war against communism, interest in scientific investigation, the G-men era and his relationship with close friend Clyde Tolson (Armies Hammer).

Should you watch it?
J. Edgar is a strange film. While I wouldn't go as far as saying I really enjoyed sitting through it's two hours plus running time, I found the subject matter incredibly interesting and DiCaprio's powerhouse performance as Hoover kept me glued to the screen. The film is certainly not lacking for strong performances as DiCaprio is well supported by Armie Hammer and Naomi Watts.

I think writer Dustin Black struggled to balance the elements of character study with the events taking place around Hoover. The film is definitely at it's most interesting when Hoover is leading the FBI through the pursuit of Dillinger, investigating the Lindbergh kidnapping and plotting against Martin Luther King. When the film remembers it's a biopic it turns to Hoover's personal life and time is spent analysing his relationships with close friend Clyde and his mother, played by Judi Dench. This narrative, from various times in Hoover's past, both professional and private life, to the current day, does jump around without too much coherence but I didn't find it as troubling as many critics seem too have.

J. Edgar will not appeal to those with no interest in American history yet for those keen to understand Hoover's dogged role in the creation of the FBI and some of the major political events of the twentieth century, and willing to forgive it it's flaws, it offers a fascinating look at the achievements and legacy of the man while touching on his character, all told through the great performances.


Oh and yes, some of the make-up and prosthetics used on DiCaprio and Hammer during the later years are distractingly laughable.

TV: Mad Men (S6) (8/10)

Why did I watch it?

One of my favourites. Must watch TV.

What's it all about?

Season 6 (of 7) revolves around Don's steady descent towards self-destruction and the damage it causes to his relationship with wife Megan, daughter Sally and his company. Another merger is on the cards for SCDP and new character Bob Benson causes a whole heap of questions.

Should you watch it?
Another consistent season, from one of TVs landmark shows for quality. Well written, directed and acted once more. However, despite keeping up with its own level of excellence, this was not my favourite season of Mad Men. Themes are revisited, a new mistress for Don, another drug-fuelled episode, trips to the West Coast, Pete loses a parent and the season doesn't feel quite as fresh as others have.

As always the show manages to amuse me greatly, with some smartly written exchanges between Harry and Pete, Pete and Bob, Roger and Bob and Pete and anyone else to be fair. Despite not featuring as prominently this season, Pete came unstuck and appears to be following Don's footsteps, only in a more amusing fashion.

Circumstances conspire to give Don a new bull to butt horns with in the form of Ted Chaough. His arrival brings an influx of characters that provides the writers an injection of new dynamics to play with that might have been needed as at times the main cast have started to become slightly predictable.

Despite featuring the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and MLK and the backdrop of riots in New York, season six was not as dark as the previous season, there was too much humour for that, but the show remains a complex, dark beast straddled by many unhappy characters and anti-heroes. For me the season culminated on the up as Don found a sense of terribly mis-placed honesty, following a moody descent into unhappiness that saw him lose his mojo at home and most shockingly at the office, that may just have been the end of the Draper dynasty at SCDP.

The beginning of the end?

Only one more season to go. How much will set in California? 

TV: The Good Wife (S4) (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

The Good Wife is one of the most unappreciated shows on TV.

What's it all about?

Julianna Marguiles plays Alicia Florrick, a Chicago defence lawyer who returned to work after her husband, the state attorney, was jailed following a sex and corruption scandal.

The plot of season four revolves around Peter's run for governor, Lockhart & Gardner's financial stewardship, the arrival of Kalinda's estranged husband and the distribution of new partnerships to some of the company associates.

Should you watch it?

With another 22 episodes, this time around I thought that the season lost it's direction mid-way through and I really started to wonder if the story is approaching it's natural conclusion. Peter's governor election campaign was similar to season two's campaign to take back his state's attorney seat. It was also mentioned this season that Eli has visions of leading Peter to state senator next. The drama of a political campaign has been played out well by The Good Wife through two seasons out of four now and it's time to focus on something else. Also, the Will and Alicia romance was only ever temporarily concluded in season three and it felt like re-treading old ground at times this season. The other major storyline of the season was Calinda's husband Nick arriving from her mysterious past. His thinly veiled hostility and desire to aggressively insert himself into Calinda's life was interesting to begin with, especially as Calinda's past has been a subject of interest, but it got old very quickly and brought a chunk of the season down.

Despite all the above, and maybe I'm being harsh because of the high regard I hold the show in,  the show still features excellent guest stars (Nathan Lane, Michael J Fox and Christina Ricci) and the episodes Battle of the Proxies, Red Team/Blue Team and the finale What's In The Box made brilliant viewing. Special mention also to the writing of the character David Lee (Zach Grenier), who gets some fantastically cruel and sarcastic lines as usual. The season ended on a big cliffhanger with huge consequences for the show's central storyline and I look forward to the show's return.

Overall, some stagnation and repetitive story lines made for weaker moments in comparison with previous seasons but The Good Wife remains a solild TV show a cut above the norm.

TV: Da Vinci's Demons (S1) (6/10)

Why did I watch it?
My interest in this new Starz show was three fold, one its historical, two it's set in Florence during the Renaissance and I enjoyed that setting when playing Assassin's Creed II and thirdly it was created and predominantly written by David. S. Goyer, a chief part of the writing brains behind The Dark Knight trilogy.

What's it all about?
Set in Florence, the show follows 25 year old Leonardo Da Vinci (Tom Riley) as he becomes embroiled in the political scheming between Florence and Rome all the while trying to uncover secrets of his heritage.

Should you watch it?
Ultimately I was disappointed with Demons considering it's creator. When the show was announced I wondered what 'demons' the title was referring to and it's these demons that for me detract from the narrative's stronger elements. The show is strongest when Da Vinci is caught up in the power struggle fought between the Medici's and the Pope through his sly nephew Count Riario. 

The 'demons' element weakens Da Vinci and has him fighting a repressed childhood memory while hunting for clues of his mother. He is contacted by the Son's of Mithras, who instruct him to access the Fountain of Memory to find the Vault of Heaven where he will find the Book of Leaves. Seriously, you couldn't make it up. The Book of Leaves will probably be followed by the Turd of Glory.


In terms of historical accuracy the show is tongue in cheek and pretty good fun. For me Da Vinci is a bearded old man, but here is he reinvented as a cool, fast talking, talented sword fighter. I wondered if Goyer would stay true to dialogue of the time but this was answered in the first ten seconds of the opening episode when Hugh Bonneville, in a cameo as the Duke of Milan, responds 'Balls!' to be told he was late! Tom Riley is charismatic as Leonardo and is well supported by Elliot Cowan as Lorenzo de Medici and Blake Ritson as Count Riario.

The production is glossy and features some decent CGI used to illustrate Da Vinci's brain at work as he plots and develops his inventions.

The finale was disappointing finishing not just following a cliffhanger but midway through one which I found incredibly unsatisfying. At only eight episodes, the season was the perfect length, short and punchy and the show has been renewed for another round in 2014.

TV: Treme (S3) (8/10)

Why did I watch it?
Regular readers of this blog will know of my deep affinity for anything David Simon related and yes that includes Treme. I've watched the show from it's beginnings so the third season was a must.

What's it all about?
The show returns to New Orleans for a third time, this time two years on from Hurricane Katrina and it simply carries on from where it left off with the ensemble cast of characters all continuing to rebuild in their lives as New Orleans begins to find it's feet following the storm.

Should you watch it?
I love Treme, I love it's wide array of characters, I love it's pacing and deliberate story telling and I love the way it's greatest character of all is New Orleans itself, its story told through it's culture of music, celebrations and food.

The third season is no different. The quality of story telling and acting is phenomenal. Melissa Leo, Wendell Pierce, Clarke Peters, Khandi Alexander, David Morse and Jon Seda, the list of experienced polished performers could go on. Simon is dedicated to all of his characters and provides each one a meaningful story-arc that runs the length of the season, all linked in some way with either Katrina-related drama or the city and it's history as a whole. 

People are bound to have their preferences and wish to see more of some than others but there is someone for everyone watching. My personal favourites are Toni Bernette (Leo), this time aggressively going after the NOPD, Antoine Baptiste (Pierce), becoming a dedicated school band teacher (the same can't be said for his dedication to his marriage) and Terry Colson (Morse), the cop being alienated for trying to clean house from within the NOPD. Added to the cast for this season is investigative reporter L.P. Everett (Chris Coy) who works with Toni to uncover more shady police work that went down following Katrina. Also, this time around Antoine's girlfriend Desiree (Phyllis Montana LeBlanc) gets a bigger piece of the action investigating the city's unscrupulous renovation and demolition policies.

'In every crisis, an opportunity" - Nelson Hidalgo

While not always being integral to the show's narrative, the music set pieces are welcome insertions to each episode and have introduced me to a whole genre of music I previously had no appreciation for (I checked out Fats Domino's version of Blueberry hill after Davis paid him a visit in Careless Love). On the crime side, I don't think the story lines live up to the standard set by Simon on The Wire but this is a different show, with different priorities.

Now renewed for a further five episode fourth season, the final episode of season three was, at the time, perhaps the final ever episode and Simon and co. closed with a brilliant finale. Typical for a Simon show finale, the episode contained a musical montage covering the majority of the cast, however for probably the first time in the show's history the narrative brought almost all of the characters together in a single place during this. Magic. Also, the story appeared to come to a natural conclusion for each of the characters. Granted there was not always a complete resolution, an example being Janette's realisation that she has signed away control of her dream, but you could certainly appreciate this being an end. Thankfully however it isn't!

FILM: The Great Gatsby (7/10)

Why did I watch it?

Being British, I was force fed Shakespeare at school rather than any of the so called 'Great American Novels' and I never got around to reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Bearing that mind I was curious to see what the story was all about.

What's it all about?
Told through the eyes of Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), The Great Gatsby is a story of lost love, glitz and glamour and excess set in the Jazz Age of the early 1920's. After moving to New York to make his fame and fortune on Wall Street, Carraway discovers his rented house borders the huge estate of the enigmatic Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), a millionaire renowned for the hosting of New York's most glamorous parties. After making Gatsby's acquaintance, Carraway discovers that Gatsby hopes to reintroduce himself to his cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan), a married woman, having made a success of himself in the five years since he left her to go to war.

Should you watch it?

So, could Baz Luhrmann, with Jay-Z at his side, deliver a modern adaptation of the the Great American Novel that would be well received by all? I think the answer from the offset was always going to be no. Instead, Luhrmann delivers a visual feast of a film, one that tries to balance the director's big number style with an authenticity to the source material but one that relies too heavily on narration, some cheap visual effects and ends up failing to fully flesh out the key relationship central to the story.

I don't have any specific problem with Baz Luhrmann's style, I liked his take on Romeo & Juliet and have managed to avoid Moulin Rouge so far. I thought he would be a good match for the glitz, glamour and decadence of the period and I thought this side of the film worked out well. The style factor was never going to be in doubt. The use of music in the film has been the subject of some debate and I'm going to side with the positive. It worked fairly well for me, hip hop goes hand in hand with excess and the modern songs fitted well with the music video style of Gatsby's parties. Lana Del Rey's song Young & Beautiful is mesmerisingly haunting and is the perfect accompaniment for the film's troubled lovers. Having not read the book and therefore not being aware of the literary themes in place this may be an unfair comment, especially if fans of the book appreciated the inclusion, but I felt the direction was slightly heavy handed in places, I certainly felt the references to the all-seeing eyes and green light were more than driven home.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives a mature, refined performance befitting the great nature of the man. Carey Mulligan is also excellent as Daisy, giving what I call a 'bambi' type performance complete with beautifully innocent doe eyes. She is let down by the direction/narrative, wherever you want to lay the blame, which doesn't do enough to make you understand the passion of Gatsby for the girl, especially given the choices she ultimately makes. Tobey Maguire is suited to the role of Carraway, though his key role in the film as narrator, really limited my enjoyment. The guy always seems to come off so square, disapproving and lame.

I enjoyed The Great Gatsby but I'm sure it won't suit all tastes.

BOOK: Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (9/10)

Why did I read it?
Cloud Atlas came to my attention on a list I saw (I would like to give credit but it was so long ago I've no hope of remembering it) that recommended books to read before their film adaptation was released in 2012. I didn't catch the film while it was out so the book will have to do until I do.

What's it all about?
Beginning in the Pacific in 1850 and ending in post-apocalyptic Hawaii in the far future, Cloud Atlas narrates the stories of six individuals linked together across centuries of time. Half of each story is told, in chronological order, until each is interrupted seemingly incomplete. This continues to the sixth story which is told in it's entirety before each of the stories are then concluded in reverse order.

Should you read it?
Cloud Atlas is certainly one of the most ambitious books I have ever read. Covering such a variety of settings, dialogues, plots and means of narration is a challenging read but the read always stays fresh and the reader is always aware that the story will be changing just around the corner. 

I'll admit that I did not enjoy the first half of the first story, 'The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing', and it took me until the second story, set in inter-war Belgium, and the appreciation of this story's antagonist of the first story and the connection between the two to really pique my interest. From this point on though I was hooked. The concept of leaving each story incomplete, using the following story to fill in some blanks, before closing the stories in reverse order had me reading at record speed to return to the incomplete stories.   

Capable of some wry humour, grand themes and a rather bleak outlook on the future of human civilisation, Mitchell provides the reader with a fascinating journey from past to present to future. However, on the subject of grand themes, I can't help feeling that I didn't quite fully appreciate the notion of the characters being reincarnations of themselves. Mitchell details the identical birthmark that several characters share (or mention anyway) and Luisa Rey knows deep down that she has heard Frobisher's composition before but without having read the ideas of reincarnation in connection with the film I would have been in doubt (and I still am!) as to Mitchell's grand meaning.