The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

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The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Writer/director Drew Goddard and writer Joss Whedon have concocted something really special with horror-comedy 'The Cabin in the Woods'. It's one of the most entertaining films I've seen at the cinema in a long while, and it's also clever, witty, and full of surprises.

From the outset it's clear that this isn't your traditional 'teenagers in the woods getting slaughtered' horror film - it begins in an underground facility where two technician type boffins trade water cooler banter. Turns out these guys are in charge of dishing out the horror in the form of a zombie attack to a group of unsespecting youngsters who decided to spend a few days in the eponymous cabin. Why they do this is one of the film's reveals that is best left unspoiled. The script goes along with and subverts the conventions of teen oriented horror movies; it's gory and plays the terror just right, but at the same time it's also outrageously funny and inventive. The last 30 minutes are deliriously over the top and entertaining.

Unusual for this type of film is the quality of its characters. All of the stereotypical archetypes are present and accounted for, but in this instance they are also atypical and even the 'jock' and 'slut' characters are likable thanks to the writing and performances. Best of all are the two techs watching and directing events as they trade quips and experience elation and frustration in equal measure while trying to manipulate events in the cabin.

Goddard and Whedon find the perfect balance of tone, no mean feat given how incongruous they are. It's not going to win awards for technical wizardry but it's well made all round, and its real strength is the screenplay around which everything else is built. 'The Cabin in the Woods' is better than most horror movies and most comedies that have come out in recent times - I can't wait to see it again!

Movie Roundup

I've been watching way too many movies lately to review them all properly, so I'm going to take the easy, lazy way out by doing a brief recap.

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First up, High Fidelity (2000), based on yet another book I haven't read. John Cusack plays Rob Gordon, a music aficionado who ekes out a living running his own little record shop with his friends/employees. The tale starts with Rob being dumped by his girlfriend, after which he proceeds to list the top 5 breakups of his life (top 5 lists being a recurring gag in the film) while struggling to make sense of why his relationships keep ending badly. Cusack's excellent in the role and the film itself is witty and more than a little insightful, making Rob sympathetic while also being up front about his (serious) character flaws. It's partly a rom com for guys with a male perspective on relationships, and partly a look at geekery and fandom (in this case, music geeks). An excellent supporting cast (Jack Black is surprisingly great) and musical choices make it worth seeing.

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Arrietty (2010), the latest animated film from Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli, lacks the grandeur and depth of some of their previous masterpieces but is still an excellent, if slight film. Based on Mary Norton's children's book 'The Borrowers', it tells the story of a family of tiny people (think Lilliputians) who live in secret within the walls/floorboads of a rural home, surviving by 'borrowing' food and supplies. When Arrietty, the daughter, starts becoming friends with a frail, ill boy who moves into the house, she inadvertently puts her whole family in danger. The animation is gorgeous as always with the trademark Ghibli attention to detail and inventiveness on full display, making full use of the protagonists' ultra-diminutive size in relation to ordinary household objects. Captivating and sometimes moving, the film marks another worthy entry in a long line of excellent Japanese animated films that are worth watching regardless of your age.

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It's always tricky explaining this film. Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) is a French period drama/action adventure/martial arts/horror/fantasy film, and it's one of my favourites. I suspect it's one of those films you'll either love or hate. Told with somber seriousness, the story (partly based - very loosely - on true events) is fairly preposterous, as is the mish mash of genres. A creature, believed to be a giant wolf of sorts, is terrorising the countryside of the French province of Gévaudan. The King sends his Royal taxidermist Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) to investigate and kill the creature. Accompanied by his Iroquois 'brother' Mani (Mark Dacascos),  de Fronsac finds romance, aristocratic snobbery, and potential conspiracy afoot in what at first seemed a straightforward assignment. And there's plenty of martial arts violence to boot! Visually quite sumptuous and let down only by some dodgy effects, the film exudes cool from beginning to end and easily overcomes its inherent silliness. There's a strong supporting cast including the luscious Monica Belucci (who features in one of the film's most memorable scene transitions) and the forever sneering Vincent Cassel. Tremendously good fun, I loved every minute of it!

(Image from Imp Awards)

From one outrageous movie I love to one I merely enjoyed. Drive Angry (2011) is a rare Nicolas Cage movie that I enjoyed watching, and not just because of the pleasing (and trashy) eye candy provided by co-star Amber Heard. Cage plays Milton, a dead man who escapes Hell to avenge the murder of his daughter and save the life of a baby kidnapped by a mad cult led by a ruthless maniac (Billy Burke). Accompanied by the aforementioned Heard whom he picks up early on in the film and pursued by Hell's  'Accountant' (a devilishly good William Fichtner) who is 'hell bent' (sorry!) on returning him to the afterlife penitentiary (Satan is the warden), Milton blazes a trail of sordid destruction as he pursues the cult. It's over the top in a similar way to Shoot 'Em Up was, and unapologetically so - there's a scene where Milton kills baddies in the midst of intercourse! Trashy, forgettable, but entertaining while it lasts, if you're OK with this sort of thing.

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Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) is surely up there amongst the list of film's with the longest titles ever. One of Allen's earlier efforts, it's an adaptation of a novel that apparently has very little in common with its source material. The film is divided into several short sketches, each one entitled with a chapter of the book, such as 'What is Sodomy' and 'What Happens During Ejaculation'. As is the nature of sketches, some are far better than others, and this general rule of thumb makes the film a mixed bag in terms of quality. Having said that, none of them are bad, and the good ones are truly hilarious; the one featuring Gene Wilder as a doctor who falls in love with a sheep and the aforementioned 'goings on during ejaculation' tale are side splittingly funny. All of the sketches are related to sex in some way or the other; don't expect to be educated by any of them, but do expect Allen's trademark wit on display as he explores sex and sexual obsession through the prism of bizarre comedy.

Attack the Block (2011)

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Attack the Block (2011)

It's interesting thinking about this film post London riots. The protagonists are after all a bunch of inner city gang youths! It doesn't make me re-evaluate my take on the film mind you, but the timing of the film having come out just pre-riots is a tad amusing.

Running at a snappy 90 minutes, Attack the Block is an old school horror-comedy about an alien invasion of London, and more specifically a council housing estate (i.e. 'the projects'). It begins with a gang of kids from the building led by Moses (John Boyega) mugging a young woman, only to be interrupted mid crime when an alien crash lands mere metres away. They kill it, but it ends up being the first of many and soon the group are fleeing for their lives and forced to take up arms to defend their turf.

The film is superbly crafted on what seems to be a modest budget. It has a lean and focused script that, coupled with frenetic editing, relentlessly hurtles from one scene to the next, stopping only to set up characters and situations before the next set-piece It's economical storytelling, but no less effective for it. And the characters, despite being archetypal, are very well defined and funny, thanks in no small part to the excellent cast which is spearheaded by Boyega's charismatic performance.

It's funny but not campy - the horror sequences are genuine horror sequences, and there are gruesome deaths aplenty. Writer/director Joe Cornish, making his first feature film, strikes the perfect tonal balance between these elements in much the same way films like Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead do. It's got story, characters, excitement, and humour, with a smattering of social commentary thrown in for good measure.

By making the most of dimly lit hallways and dark run down city streets, the film maintains an atmospheric visual style. The creature designs deserve a special mention as they are creepy and alien looking without seeming derivative or fake. The effects used to bring them to life belie the modesty of the film's budget; truly impressive stuff! It's all rounded off with an energetic soundtrack by Basement Jaxx, the aural icing on the cake.

Fans of horror comedies are in for a treat with Attack the Block. There's nothing particularly original about it but it's very well made and features an unconventional setting and characters, particularly for a genre film. It's definitely on my blu-ray list!

The Brothers Bloom (2008)

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The Brothers Bloom (2008)

If I had to use one word to describe this film, it would be 'whimsical'. Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo play two brothers, Bloom and Stephen, who are con men. Bloom is the chief protagonist in the cons who has to go out there and execute them, with Ruffalo being the 'storyteller' who chiefly works his magic behind the scenes. Also alongside them during their capers is the enigmatic Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), their demolitions expert.

After a brief and charming prologue covering their itinerant childhoods and how they got in to the con business, the story proper begins. They've been at it for a while and Bloom wants out of the business; he's tired of the phony life he's leading, but Stephen convinces him to stick around for one last job. That job is Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a rich eccentric loner. Stephen creates a narrative for Bloom to act out - it's a long con designed to sweep Penelope off her feet and make her feel like part of an adventure, and in the process part her from her money. The con takes them globe trotting and along the way Bloom starts to actually fall for Penelope.

Rian Johnson's last film, 'Brick', was his breakthrough, a high school noir with snappy dialogue that deservedly earned him major kudos. His sophomore effort is radically different - it's bright and vibrant and quirky, but it still has the same genuine sense of danger and high stakes that made 'Brick' so engaging. It also has a similarly twisty plot, with cons within cons that approach head spinning levels. Plot heavy though it may be, characters are the film's focus, and in that respect Johnson succeeds admirably in giving his larger than life protagonists a sense of believability that transcends the quirkiness of the premise (much like a Wes Anderson film).

Brody is decent in what is ostensibly the lead role - I'm not a fan but he acquits himself well. Mark Ruffalo is terrific as the elder brother, appearing fun and relaxed and in complete control while possibly capable of violence if and when required. Rachel Weisz's role as Penelope isn't as well developed as the brothers but she infuses the character with a sense of enthusiasm and charm that is endearing.

It's a fun film that has a sense of melancholy about it, and also an element of darkness and danger simmering beneath the surface. The con is implausible but that's the nature of the story, and if you're willing to give in to the film's style there is much to appreciate and enjoy. Johnson proves himself to be more than a one hit wonder and I'm looking forward to his future offerings.

Super (2010)

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Super (2010)

Lonely loser Frank (Rainn Wilson) manages to wind up married to hottie / recovering drug addict Sarah (Liv Tyler). When an unscrupulous strip club owner / drug dealer (Kevin Bacon) manages to steal Sarah away from him, he goes over the edge and becomes a super hero, The Crimson Bolt. Together with his friend Libby (Ellen Page), he fights crime by beating people senseless, with the ultimate aim of rescuing Sarah.

It's a very odd film, vaguely like 'Kick Ass' but leaving a much sourer taste in your mouth afterwards. That's mostly because of its wildly inconsistent tone that veers between comic absurdity to cringe inducing violence, from pathos to laugh out loud funny. The funny bits are truly funny, and the shocking bits are truly shocking, and in that sense it's a well crafted film.

It builds up like a real world superhero origin story only unlike Kick Ass it doesn't slowly transform into an actual superhero story; instead it sticks within its real world confines where violence and conflict have bloody consequences. At some point the line between hero and villain becomes truly blurred as The Crimson Bolt sends people to hospital for relatively minor infractions. Frank is clearly mentally unstable, as is Libby, but the film doesn't really go anywhere truly interesting with that other than playing it for laughs. The bloody tale culminates in a traditional and exciting action sequence filled with copious amounts of gore.

Wilson is superb as the unhinged Frank, scary and sympathetic in equal measure and always funny in that absurd deadly serious manner that made him so good in the US version of 'The Office', and Kevin Bacon is perfectly cast as the sleazy villain. Page is manic and demented and loads of fun to watch. It's low budget but doesn't look or feel it for the most part - writer/director James Gunn seems to have a knack for making the most of his scarce resources.

At the end of the day it feels like a story in an identity crisis, and while I'm guessing this is intentional it made the film hard to really love. I liked it, though I'm not really sure I'd want to see it again.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

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Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Woah! This is the first Tarantino film that I've actually been blown away by, and is easily my favourite of his films (knocking Jackie Brown off the top spot). The film is, without giving anything away, a new take on World War II; and by that I mean an alternate history, one that is outrageously funny and enthralling from start to finish, with quite a few shocks thrown in for good measure.

Taking place 'once upon a time in Nazi occupied France', the film is divided into 5 'chapters' that follow several different interweaving story threads and characters. The titular 'Basterds' are a team of Jewish American soldiers led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) who drop in to France to dish out bloody vengeance upon the Nazis, taking no prisoners and causing Hitler a major headache. Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) is a rather clever Nazi put in charge of hunting down the remaining Jews in France, a task he is exceptionally proficient at. Mélanie Laurent plays a Jewish woman, Shosanna, who survives the massacre of her family and hides in plain sight in Paris as the owner of a cinema, one that through fortuitous circumstances draws the Basterds, the Nazi top brass, and Col. Landa together.

One thing 'Inglourious Basterds' is not - despite outward appearances - is an action film. Sure, it's got some action in it and it is a violent revenge story, but for the most part it is a very dialogue heavy film that is made up of protracted conversations. That shouldn't be a put off because it's a Tarantino film, and the way these chapters and scenes are written as almost stand alone self contained mini stories that still gel together as part of a cohesive broader narrative, together with the snappy dialogue, is simply brilliant. It's sometimes tense, sometimes funny, and always engaging, with every character being layered and distinctive, even the very minor ones who pop into the film for a scene or two. And some of these scenes are nerve wracking, ratcheting up the tension minute by minute and keeping you on the edge of your seat. While the plot seems there to serve the characters, it's still excellent, albeit one that clearly takes place in an alternate, slightly surreal reality.

Of course, a great script doesn't equate to a great film without performances to go with it, and in this case the ensemble cast is uniformly excellent, with the standout being Waltz's ruthlessly brilliant and oddly amusing (and occasionally laugh out loud hilarious) and foppish Col. Landa. Sure, he gets the best lines in the film, but the delivery is simply fantastic. The rest of the cast is also in tune with the writing, playing it straight or slightly OTT as appropriate. Brad Pitt is great as Raine, a character that is unabashedly comical in nature, while at the other end of the spectrum Laurent's Jewish survivor is a much more serious and tragic character. There are also terrific minor standouts littered throughout the film, too many to really list out. The only weak link is a jarring appearance by Mike Myers, but I suppose it's only a problem if you're familiar with Mike Myers.

Everything about this film is praiseworthy, from the stylish visuals and editing to the music. One could argue that it runs a bit long, and in truth many of the scenes could easily be trimmed without detracting from the overall story, but part of the joy of watching this film is to witness these characters interacting and engaging in verbal combat, so in my mind the length is more a strength than a weakness! Inglourious Basterds is irreverent, occasionally extremely violent, and overall flat out brilliant and almost certainly unlike anything else you've seen before! Like I said, it's my favourite Tarantino film and among the most enjoyable cinematic experiences of the year for me. It makes me want to go back and re-watch all of his films again, just to reassess them!


[I'm not sure if I've come out of retirement here or not - this might be a one-off. Man, I'm rusty!]

30 Rock - Season 2 (2007-2008)

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30 Rock - Season 2 (2007-2008)

I think I somehow imagined that I'd have time to review this show properly for its second season, but since it did the unthinkable and got renewed for a third, I'll delay writing anything substantial about it till its eventual cancellation, when I will probably rant and rave and bitch and moan about great shows getting canceled.

'30 Rock' is the awesome comedy series created by and starring headline grabbing Sarah Palin impersonator Tina Fey. It revolves around the production of Fey's character Liz Lemon's TV sketch programme, 'The Girly Show', and all the people involved in it, from the ultra conservative Republican running the company (Alec Baldwin) right down to the simpleton page from hicksville (Jack McBrayer). The stories are unconventional and unpredictable, and often quite surreal; Fey and her team are unafraid of revelling in their geekiness from time to time, a fact that thrills me no end. What other show would cite Sarah Connor as an example of a great single mom?

Overall, the second season isn't quite as strong as the first and obviously lacks the element of surprise that heralded the show's arrival, but it falls only just short, and is still one of the funniest and quirkiest comedies out there. The cast is uniformly terrific and even the most minor character makes an impression, though it was a little disappointing to find that many of them have been relegated further down the food chain to the status of really really minor characters; these guys are gold and should be used more! Oh, and Alec Baldwin is still amazing - just watch his impression of a black family in one of the early episodes if you need proof!

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

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Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

I'm a fan of Clive Owen, an actor who I think has an interesting and varied filmography; he tends to bring a cocky presence to all of his films (except, perhaps, Children of Men), and in 'Shoot 'Em Up' he really gets to crank that persona up to 11! Owen plays 'Smith', a man who at the start of the film reluctantly gets caught up in a shoot out, one in which he gets to deliver a baby amidst a hail of bullets! These opening scenes prepare you for what to expect from the film, which just continuously escalates its madness level. Entrusted with taking care of the baby, Smith turns to a lactating prostitute (yes, really) named DQ (Monica Bellucci) for help while running from the villainous decent family man Hertz (Paul Giamatti), who represents a group with a vested interest in killing the baby. Hertz always arrives on the scene with a seemingly endless army of thugs who obligingly provide target practice for the uber badass and completely unstoppable Smith.

Seriously, the action in here is so over the top that words cannot do it justice - if the baby delivery shootout sounds over the top, wait till you see the shootout / sex scene combo! This really is a live action cartoon, a fact alluded to by the completely overt references to Smith being Bugs Bunny (he eats carrots all the time, and in one scene says 'What's up doc?'). In between quarreling with DQ and dodging the scheming Hertz, Smith triest to find out why the baby is important enough for someone to expend so much effort to kill him. The revelation, when it finally arrives, is as fittingly goofy as everything else in the film!

Owen is great in the role, naturally. He's angry, violent, and completely badass. Monica Bellucci is sleazier than I've ever seen her, but still hot, and does a decent job in a fairly crude role. Paul Giamatti is every bit Owen's equal, the intellectual Elmer Fudd to Owen's arrogant Bugs (tell me you don't see it, go on!), and his calm scheming is every bit as enjoyable as watching him lose his cool every time Smith slips through his fingers.

The film is generally on overdrive all the way through, and is very much in the vein of Crank in that it is unabashedly crude, violent, and made purely for thrills. If you're not hooked within the first 10 minutes, then I can safely say it's not for you. The trailer, if I recall correctly, was a fair representation of the final film. There's nothing brilliant about 'Shoot 'Em Up' but it's quite good at doing what it says on the tin, and worth seeing if you're into this burgeoning sub-genre of insane action! I for one dug it, it's one of those films where I found myself grinning the whole way through!

Quantum of Solace - Proposed Theme Song

Genius...

Crank (2006)

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Crank (2006)

'Crank' is an improbably entertaining movie. It's as high concept as it gets - professional assassin Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) is injected with a poison by gangster Verona (Jose Pablo Cantillo) that will kill him slowly; it is also debilitating unless he keeps his adrenaline level high. The story that ensues is basically a race to find a cure and take revenge, with Chev being hyper and excited the whole time and doing insane things to maintain enough adrenaline in his system to keep the poison at bay. Also along for the ride are Chev's girlfriend Eve (Amy Smart) and his snide doctor, Doc Miles (Dwight Yoakam).

Much like its protagonist, the film has a surfeit of adrenaline flowing through it from start to finish. The outrageous plot is not half bad given that it's basically designed to get Chev from one ludicrous scenario to the next. It features lean storytelling that is fully committed to its premise; it's also completely irreverent, with a hero who is a remorseless, amoral killer willing to do whatever it takes to survive. And while the movie is action packed and full of violence - there are car chases and shootouts aplenty - it is also very funny, with a darkly comedic tone throughout. If you think about the premise, the inherent comedy value of a guy doing anything to stay excited ought to be self evident. And Chev stops at nothing to stay frantic, including having sex with his girlfriend in a public place in front of a throng of cheering onlookers!

In many ways 'Crank' has the feel of a video game, with stylistic flourishes that seem to evoke the GTA series, and it even references video games directly on a few occasions. The action is exciting, with inventive sequences, snappy editing and kinetic camerawork; there's also an interesting use of first person / odd camera perspectives and sometimes bizarre on screen text. Overall, with its colourful visuals and thumping soundtrack, the film is quite successful at making the viewer maintain the same level of excitement as its hero! Jason Statham is by no means a great actor but he has his niche and is perfect in this sort of role - he's an explosive presence and has always exuded an air of barely contained rage, and this film allows him to unleash it. Amy Smart is also smokin and strangely sweet as his dumb blonde girlfriend. Dwight Yoakam is hilarious as the Doc who seems like he's just wandered onto the set by mistake. The rest of the actors make for a colourful lineup and round out an effective cast.

Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor crafted an inventive and exhilarating experience with 'Crank', one that I thought might be somewhat fun but which ended up leaving me wearing a pretty big grin throughout its runtime! Sure it's daft as hell, but it isn't ashamed of that fact at all - in fact, it embraces it! I'm quite curious to see how the forthcoming sequel will turn out; needless to say, it's on my to watch list!

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 2 (2001)

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Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 2 (2001)

I thought the first season of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' was terrific, but this second season manages to be - quite improbably - even funnier. I can't really think of anything significant to add to what I've already said about the show. The writing is brilliant, with tightly plotted, layered stories that seem to pay off every setup in unexpected and hilarious ways. And what setups! Each episode is typically 30 minutes long and they cram a lot of good stuff in there. The hit to miss ratio of the jokes is very, very good.

My earlier complaint about how events felt a little random still applies but to be honest it's just a stylistic choice and, given how the randomness allows the show to segue from one insane scenario to another in which Larry squirms uncomfortably, it's a hard choice to criticize. Plus, there is now a story arc of sorts in this season as well - an element that was absent in the first - about Larry's attempts to start a new comedy series with one of the actors from Seinfeld.

It may be a tad predictable at times but most of the scenes play out so well and are often so unexpectedly capricious you hardly notice. Larry David is amazing as... Larry David, and it must be said that Cheryl Hines as his wife and Jeff Garlin as his agent provide brilliant support, particularly Hines as Larry's improbably tolerant (of him, that is), eternally humiliated companion who somehow manages to convince the viewer that she's not insane for being married to him.

All in all, brilliant and a must see! HBO has a virtually flawless track record for me thus far - ignoring the fact that they keep cancelling shows, but hey, at least they made brilliant shows to lament in the first place! Fortunately 'Curb' wasn't one of those that met the axe, and there are another 4 seasons for me to catch up with.

Red Heat (1988)

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Red Heat (1988)

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Russian Police Captain Ivan Danko in this late eighties action comedy. The story has Danko tracking a Russian drug dealer, Viktor Rostavili (Ed O'Ross), to Chicago and reluctantly teaming up with Detective Sgt. Art Ridzik (Jim Belushi). Both men are mavericks who cause considerable amounts of trouble with their aggressive 'result oriented' styles, which pisses off Police Commander Donnelly (Peter Boyle) and Lt. Stobbs (Laurence 'Larry' Fishburne). Also in the mix is Viktor's dance teacher wife Catherine (Gina Gershon). As the investigation progresses both men end up developing personal reasons to pursue and bring Viktor to justice (i.e. lay him to rest six feet under), and are forced to go up against a dangerous gang working for their nemesis as they shoot and drive their way recklessly across Chicago.

The film is fairly typical for the genre, and if you've ever seen a buddy cop slash fish out of water action comedy before, you'll know what to expect here. The story is basic but fairly strong for a comedy - much of it could conceivably be transposed to a non comedic film, though the scene with the cross dressing killer in a nurse's uniform might have to go! The characterization and humour are obvious and you can usually see it coming in advance, though I found much of it quite funny nonetheless. A lot of that has to do with the leads and not any particular genius in the script; both Arnie and Belushi are coasting here but the two have a natural comedic tendency, particularly Arnie who requires only subtle variations to his usual shtick ("but I dohn't want too touch his ass!") to elicit a laugh or two. And seriously - Arnie as a Russian? Director Walter Hill's work is nothing to write home about except when it comes to the action sequences, which are frenetic and exciting, and there's also a fun chase scene towards the end featuring two buses.

'Red Heat' is by the numbers but leans slightly towards the above average end of the scale. It's fun, and probably the type of thing you'd end up watching on TV when there's nothing else demanding your attention. And one more plus in its favour is that it is R rated and doesn't skimp on the nudity and violence, unlike so many of today's kiddie friendly films (though sadly a lot of the nudity tends to be Arnie's well molded physique).

Entourage - Season 2 (2005)

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Entourage - Season 2 (2005)

Colour me surprised. I wasn't exactly enthused by season one of this show about an up and coming superstar actor and his entourage; I thought it was very well made, but somehow it just didn't connect with me. The second season, however, is a different story. I'm at a loss as to why - perhaps the show's style, subject matter and characters have grown on me. I just found Vince and his gang more likable this time around. The main storyline involving James Cameron's 'Aquaman' movie was right down my alley, and there seemed in general to be more of the movie stuff and less of the party stuff that irked me in season 1. I wasn't too fond of Mandy Moore popping up as a love interest, but it did make the storyline interesting in the latter half of the season. There's solid character and story progression and, the eclectic humour is spot on with few misses. The storylines are as varied as ever with plenty of locales - there are visits to Sundance, Comic Con, and the Playboy Mansion, and also a little house hopping - all with the absurdity of Hollywood on full display. The fact that much of this is purportedly based on reality makes it that much funnier.

The central cast is solid, but it's Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold who once again steals the show. I imagine too much of him would get annoying, but in short bursts the guy is pure dynamite, and is surely the most likable over the top asshole on TV, possibly ever. The addition of eye candy in the form of Emmanuelle Chriqui was also most welcome, and I'm surprised a show of this nature took so long to get (what appears to be) a regular hottie. Celebrity cameos abound, and it was great to see James Cameron pop up once in a while - I wonder if his explosive personality will be lampooned in season 3. The always cool Malcolm McDowell pops up as Ari's partner / boss, and delivers plenty of snark that works well against Piven's seething, poorly concealed rage. The music and visuals are excellent - as before - and the show doesn't cop out when it comes to flaunting the immense wealth of virtually character on the show!

So yeah, I'm hooked now and can't wait to see where the third season of 'Entourage' goes. I'd like to see more of 'Aquaman', so hopefully the next season doesn't start with 'Aquaman' being something that happened off screen between seasons, which is what happened with the 'Queen's Boulevard' storyline from season 1. I enjoyed season 2 immensely and, unlike with season 1, I actually looked forward to seeing the next episode whenever the credits began to roll.

Zoolander (2001)

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Zoolander (2001)

The trailer for 'Zoolander' had me in stitches around 8 years ago, so it's a little strange that I'm only getting around to watching it now. This outlandish comedy co-written and directed by Ben Stiller stars Stiller as the world's most successful male model, the vacuous and vapid Derek Zoolander. In the universe of the film male models are the biggest celebrities in the world, and the story begins with Zoolander's crown as number 1 being threatened by fresh young up and coming model Hansel (Owen Wilson). But that's only one of Derek's problems - it turns out that male models are being used by the evil fashion industry as assassins, and Zoolander has been brainwashed by the evil fashion designer Mugatu (Will Ferrell) and his assistant Katinka (Milla Jovovich) to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia (who intends to raise the minimum wage in Malaysian sweatshops, which would be bad news for the industry). Teaming up with ace reporter Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor), Zoolander attempts to expose the bad guys and stop himself from carrying out his pre-programmed mission.

'Zoolander' is one of those comedies that is exactly what it appears to be, and in that sense it's sometimes predictable. The dumb models & the shallowness of celebrity culture and the fashion industry are lampooned at every conceivable opportunity, and it works beautifully but also feels a bit repetitive after a while. The story is - obviously - quite bizarre and unique; in fact, that could be said of almost everything in the film, even though it does follow certain tried and true storytelling beats. The thing is, there's something about the weird garishness that put me off. It's almost like they were trying a little too hard and went over the top with everything. Still, the film is very funny overall and there are some hilarious scenes and lines ("What is this? A school for ANTS?" gets me every time), and the jokes come nonstop since the film clocks in at a very packed 90 minutes.

The cast are uniformly great. Stiller is frighteningly spot on as the dumb, conceited, and slightly effeminate Zoolander, and his trademark 'looks' are a riot! The brilliant Owen Wilson is even better as the equally dumb but slightly more laid back, stoned Hansel, and the rivalry between the two models makes for some great scenes. Christine Taylor is the weak link as the bland reporter; she just isn't interesting, isn't remotely convincing as a top flight reporter (alright, I suppose this is part of the joke, but it didn't feel like it to me), and mainly serves as an instigator for Zoolander to demonstrate his stupidity. Will Ferrell is quite good as the sneering Mugatu, but it's Milla Jovovich as the crazed Katinka that really stands out from among the villains. There are also a couple of memorable bit parts, one from Jon Voight as Zoolander's father, and a brilliant little turn from David Duchovny as a hand model who keeps his precious hand encased in a protective cover, and who arranges shady late night meetings in cemeteries! There's also a host of celebrity cameos throughout the film.

As a comedy 'Zoolander' isn't a classic - I'm not even sure I'd call it great - but it is funny and very entertaining, and refreshingly devoid of some of the less appealing crudity that many of its contemporaries sport (Scary Movie, I'm looking at you). Garish, bizarre, and very watchable - and who knows, perhaps it has good replay value, since while writing this review I was amused by just thinking about some of those crazy scenes!

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

(Image from IMP Awards)


The Dirty Dozen (1967)

'The Dirty Dozen' is a slightly comical action movie set during WWII about a team of misfit soldiers (the eponymous dozen), each of whom has been convicted of murder, who are given one last chance to redeem themselves and earn their freedom. That chance involves receiving rigorous training under the stern supervision of one Major Reisman (Lee Marvin), with their actual mission being a virtually suicidal attack against a castle that is a nexus for Nazi bigwigs. The first two acts of the movie revolve around their training at a secret compound and their participation in war games exercises, with the final act depicting the crazy assault on the castle itself.

Given the nature of the 'heroes' involved, it should come as no surprise that much of the humour and conflict is derived from their aggressive, unruly, contempt for authority laced behaviour! Lively character interactions make up the bulk of the movie, and they are very entertaining, with the remainder being composed of some quite effective action sequences that don't shy away from brutality.

Lee Marvin is the marquee name, and this sort of thing is his bread and butter - steely badass! I can't think of too many other actors being as effortlessly convincing as the unflappable instructor of a dozen ruthless killers. Marvin's superior is, naturally, played by the preternaturally grumpy face possessing Ernest Borgnine. Among the dozen, some of the more notable faces include Donald Sutherland as a somewhat goofy doofus, Charles Bronson as a shrewd and taciturn tough guy (natch), and Telly Savalas (Who loves ya, baby?) as a creepy religious fundamentalist. The cast is quite an appealing one, and they do a great job of representing a wide range of caricatures - besides the aforementioned three there's also the gentle giant, the surly complainer, and the big black guy, amongst others, and they all get along swimmingly.

It offers no more than what it promises on the tin, but when that turns out to be a very entertaining (if slightly overlong) two hours and twenty-something minutes it's hard to find fault. It's good for what it is - a straightforward war / action comedy with a diverse ensemble cast. So if that sounds interesting (it did to me), then 'The Dirty Dozen' comes highly recommended.

Coupling - Seasons 3 & 4

Coupling - Seasons 3 & 4 (2002-2004)

Alright, so this isn't the more cogent review I was talking about when I reviewed the first two seasons, and frankly it's because I just don't have the time! The final two seasons of this sex/relationship based comedy series is weaker than the first two overall because of the departure of the Jeff Murdoch character in the final season (he goes to Lesbos believing it to be full of lesbians). The third season is fairly strong and carries on perfectly from where season 2 left off, building on all of the already established relationships. Again, Jeff's antics are the absolute highlight of the season, in terms of both writing and performance. Season 4 replaces Jeff with Oliver, who is amusing but never gut bustingly funny. That, coupled (no pun intended) with the maturing of some of the characters and their relationships takes some of the bite out of the show. These two factors together make the final season decidedly sub-par, and it's probably for the best that it was the last. In fairness however, these seasons did seem to break out of the formulaic storylines that I complained about by establishing more continuity and attempting some stylistic digressions like extended fantasy sequences.

Not quite as good as what came before, but all the seasons taken together make for a very funny, very entertaining comedy series that ends quite nicely (despite not being a true end to all the storylines, they end at a place from which one can extrapolate some finality with little effort).

Extras - The Christmas Special (2007)

(Image from HBO)


Extras - Christmas Special (2007)

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are a terrific comedy duo, and as with 'The Office' they wrap up their terrific series 'Extras' with a 90 minute special. I enjoyed the first two seasons that chronicled Andy Millman's (Gervais) transition from lowly extra to star of a critically reviled but massively popular TV series, 'When the Whistle Blows', a journey he was accompanied on by his best friend Maggy (Ashley Jensen). The Christmas Special sees Andy enjoying his life as a B grade celebrity while trying desperately to have credibility at the same time. What really stings is the fact that one of his former 'extra' colleagues has hit the big league in movies, earning both critical and commercial success. Envious, Andy fires his useless manager Darren Lamb (Stephen Merchant) and gets a new, professional manager to try and earn some credibility with better roles. Meanwhile Maggy gives up the demeaning life of an extra to become a cleaning lady; she becomes despondent with her life, which she perceives as a failure. To add to her woes, her friendship with Andy becomes strained as she witnesses him change into an arrogant, obsessed celebrity who's never happy with what he has.

I remember reading somewhere (I think it was CHUD) how this show captured perfectly the curse of mediocrity. Andy is a mediocre actor / artist / celebrity, but he refuses to accept his own mediocrity. Despite having come so far, he still wants more and believes that he deserves it. On the one hand he enjoys the benefits of his success but on the other he has nothing but contempt for the people who like his show, which he feels is beneath him. And thus, the obsession with becoming something more, one that consumes him and causes him to push aside his real friends. I think the show captures a genuine human dilemma - most of us are never going to make a big difference to the world or be massively successful (the measure of which is, naturally, subjective), no matter how much we may want to. While there's something to be said in favour of ambition and drive and seeking to do great things, there's also something to be said about being happy with what you've got and not losing it while trying to reach for something bigger and better. This final episode allows Andy to finally come face to face with the reality he's been doggedly ignoring.

This final 90 minute episode is about as good as the series. The awkward moments, the embarrassments, the bizarre situations, and the silly conversations between friends, they're all here. The writing is sharp; I love the way this continues the story from the series and wraps it up with a truly moving conclusion. In addition to chastising human foibles, it also eviscerates the hollowness of celebrities and celebrity culture. If there's one major flaw with the episode it's the Maggie storyline, which is often dragged down by some overblown scenes depicting her misery. Apart from that, it's terrific. Gervais and Jensen are in top form. Gervais somehow manages to make Andy Millman sympathetic and funny despite him being an asshole at times; without Gervais's performance the awkward moments wouldn't work at all because we wouldn't give a damn about his predicament. Jensen's Maggie was sometimes annoying in the series with her stupidity, but she was always endearing and is still so despite the overly morose nature of her storyline. She's also, strangely, the voice of wisdom and reason in this final installment. Stephen Merchant is as hilarious as ever with his portrayal of the inept doofus of an agent who seems to be oblivious to everything but still has a good time being Andy's agent (his sole source of income). There's also some fun cameos from Clive Owen and George Michael in there, amongst others.

'Extras - The Christmas Special' is a fitting conclusion to a great comedy series that features some truly side splitting moments and also manages to be an insightful depiction of human nature that contains a strong element of pathos. There are some scenes from these 13 episodes that have been indelibly burnt into my memory, and I can't say that about too many TV shows. Watch this, but only after watching the series of course.

Moonlighting - Season 3 (1986-87)

(Image from Amazon)


Moonlighting - Season 3 (1986-87)

I've left this write up way too long, and it'll probably be even shorter than my blog post on Season 2 ('Explanations can't do it justice'? What a cop-out!).

The winning formula continued to work wonders during the third season of the definitive comedy mystery drama; if it ain't broke, why fix it? The show did however introduce a new element in the form of Herbert Viola (Curtis Armstrong) as an up and coming junior member of the Blue Moon Detective Agency and a potential love interest for Ms. DiPesto (Alice Beasley). The stories are as out there as ever, and Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) and David Addison (Bruce Willis) trade barbs as regularly as they draw breath. It's all quality, with the weirdest episodes including an interpretation of Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew' and a take on 'It's a Wonderful Life' where Maddie sees how things would have ended up if she hadn't kept the agency open (Addison marries Cheryl Tiegs!). Even the potentially rubbish clip reel episode turns out to be quite good, as does the one focusing on DiPesto and Viola as they investigate a haunted mansion. Standout guest stars include Brad Dourif, Donna Dixon, Mark Harmon, and Gary Cole, and there's also a brief hilarious cameo by Pierce 'Remington Steele' Brosnan.

The biggest development in the third season is the progression of Maddie and David's relationship, a mini arc that drags on a bit in the latter episodes of the season but is still full of great material and some surprisingly serious dramatic moments. Oh, and they end up consummating their relationship. If you think that's a spoiler... erm, it's a twenty year old show.

The season ends with a rather apt scene of a car freewheeling downhill. Apt because this was the show's last great season; it went downhill from here and truth be told I'm not really interested in watching the rest again to be reminded of how bad it got. The first three seasons, however, are dynamite and are enough to ensure Moonlighting's place as one of the great, classic TV shows.

Really, explanations can't do it justice!

The IT Crowd - Season 2 (2007)

The IT Crowd - Season 2 (2007)

I'm not sure if I was on something (accidentally, of course) when I reviewed the first season of 'The IT Crowd', or if the first season was just plain better. But I found myself cringing and staring at the floor quite often during this second season. The first episode was actually quite fun, but I just didn't enjoy the rest of it. This show always had a cheap feel to it, like a relic from the 80s reanimated for the 21st Century, but in these six episodes that cheapness stuck out like a sore thumb. Forget what I said about the characters with regard to Season 1, these are a bunch of cheesy cliched caricatures who act dumb in an idiotically contrived way, and their behaviour often doesn't come from character or logical story progression. Worst of all, there's scant little to do with the IT aspect of things (and there wasn't much to begin with in the first season either) - this could be any old generic office comedy. In summary, if you've ever watched the brilliant 'Extras'... this show is like 'When the Whistle Blows', the crappy show within the show that Ricky Gervais's chracater Andy Millman stars in.

I must have been influenced by the fact that 'The IT Crowd' was a show about geeks when watching the first six episodes - I'm convinced they are not remotely as good as I thought they were. Though I also think they were actually better than these six. Not terrible by any means, but not worth setting aside time for either. Season 3? Fuggeddaboutit!

Knocked Up (2007)

(Image from IMP Awards)


Knocked Up (2007)

Judd Apatow and crew follow up the fairly funny '40 Year Old Virgin' (a film whose unrated extended version really drags) with this irreverent, profane, heartwarming tale of a chubby loser-ish guy named Ben (Seth Rogen) who has a drunken one night stand with a hot blonde named Alison (Katherine Heigl) and gets her pregnant. When she decides to keep the baby, Ben agrees to help and support her despite being an unemployed irresponsible stoner who lives with his stoner friends and works on a website that tracks female nudity in movies. Alison is a successful professional TV presenter, completely out of Ben's league, and there's naturally a lot of hurdles the two have to surpass. In addition to Ben's friends (Apatow alumni Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Martin Starr), the supporting cast also includes Alison's sister and her husband (Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd).

On the face of it Knocked Up is crude, a real guys film, but counter intuitively it's also full of heart. While there's no doubt that it veers heavily towards the male perspective of the equation, it gives the fairer sex a fair shake and is in some ways an indictment of the man child. Although one that still shows how that irresponsible lifestyle can be fun and appealing. The film is a mix between the typical rom com and the crude Animal House inspired comedies. There's a lot of rudeness but also a lot of, I think, fidelity towards the schism between the sexes. It's often laugh out loud funny, but still poignant at certain moments. And while the ending is a little too neat and convenient, it works and is quite satisfying. Like 'Virgin', the film runs a bit long however. Rogen is the star of the show and proves to be a capable and endearing leading man, and his dry deadpan brand of humour drives a lot of the films jokes. He's ably supported by the ever reliable Paul Rudd and the rest of the Apatow crew. Heigl is good in a fairly non comedic role, while Apatow's wife Leslie Mann is delightful as Rudd's character's nagging, frustrated wife.

'Knocked Up' may not be a classic, but it has enough originality and humour in it to make it worth checking out, and Rogen is a very watchable and atypical lead. The sensitive PC crowd with an overly developed sense of propriety will probably hate it, but that's their loss.