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Reviews
True Detective: Maybe Tomorrow (2015)
Building and Getting Better
Much has been made about the slow pace of season 2 for True Detective. To my recollection, much of the same criticism was made for season 1 too and yet the overall consensus ended up being quite positive for it.
While I can only speak for myself, after seeing episode 3, Maybe Tomorrow, it seems like season 2 is going in the same "slow, but effective" direction successfully.
First off though, lets admit the drawbacks of this episode, because they do exist. Ray's survival against what was intentionally made to seem like a sure death in the previous episode already has been rightfully criticized as a cheap cliffhanger. The show had a chance to solidify this season as one where anythings goes and has now lost that chance. However, as a Vox article pointed out, there are also positives to the choice to have him survive, not least of which are that CF gets to continue to grace the screen with his presence, and his survival adds clues as to who might be involved in the larger conspiracy the protagonists are trying to unravel (after all, maybe someone who's a part of Ray's department would only use riot shells and want to warn Ray away from the case rather than kill him).
Another positive note for the episode can be said for the action. Not to buy into the whole Michael Bay "I love explosions and chases" cliché, but what can I say? They certainly don't hurt when you add them moderately into a show to provide balance to something that was previously a little too dialogue heavy.
Again though, there's nothing wrong with dialogue either if it adds to the story as well. Not that they weren't before, but the season's characters are all beginning to take shape- even the side characters (did anyone notice the weird, but hilarious "momma's boy" comment Annie's partner directed at her former lover?). Everyone seems to be getting not only more fleshed out, but they're also starting to grow and become more 3 dimensional, especially Ray and Frank.
Lastly, speaking of Frank, to say nothing of Vince Vaughn in this episode would be unfair. A lot people, myself included, were a little unsure/ skeptical about whether he was delivering what was needed to portray such a character. After all, he's done dramatic roles before, but he is, of course, much more known for his comedic efforts. I think one of the reasons some people were a little iffy about Vaughn in the last few episodes is his character was written as someone smart enough to know that nothing is ever for sure, and as such was struggling to be sure of himself in an uncertain time. That is to say because he was unsure of himself, so were we as an audience.
However, this episode allowed him to deliver what most people were looking for which was some range and confidence we hadn't seen yet. His authority matched his desperation perfectly which accumulated for a great peak in his fight scene with a former business associate who mocked his current standing. Vaughn did so authentically and extremely effectively.
Hopefully the rest of the season can continue to build the way this episode did.
Revolution: The Song Remains the Same (2013)
Finally Living Up To Its Potential...
So, like some others that have reviewed this show, I haven't really been all that impressed by Revolution. I love the concept and I love some of the acting (Esposito and Lyons especially,) but I just hadn't really been able to quite get into it as something I eagerly waited for each week. But, I have been following it here and there just to see if things would pick up. Last month I decided I would check out the mid season premiere and if I didn't like it I would be done bothering with the show. After all, Kripke said they had taken the time off to dramatically re-assess the show and I was hoping something might surprise me. So, I watched it, felt it hadn't really changed or improved, and decided I was done.
However, about an hour ago, because I was bored (and because I'm sadly weak willed), I decided to check out the newest one since it had been PVR'd on my TV, and I have to say, I was kind of shocked. That was not only the best episode of Revolution I've seen, but I would put it right up there with my other favourite TV shows right now, including Game Of Thrones, Dexter, The Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, and Spartacus. I don't know if it was the new director (Showalter) or the writers (Breen and Pitts), but everything from the camera angels (loved the shots of Esposito after the explosion), to the plot, to the suspense (didn't like to see Padre killed off but it reminded a lot of Saving Private Ryan in a great way), to the script, just about everything was what I've been waiting for from an episode of Revolution. It was liking watching an average C+ student finally realize their potential and start writing A+ material.
If they can keep up this kind of quality for the show I will definitely stick with it. For now at least though, they've convinced me to tune in for another week again.
Transparency (2010)
An Okay Film Defined by an Incredible Ending.
SPOILERS AHEAD
What is it that makes a film good? Is it the acting? Is it the story? Is it the setting? Is it the twists and the turns? Perhaps it's the ability the film has to be original. Or what about the message it leaves with the audience?
Transparency may not be the most original film ever conceived (human trafficking is by now a mainstream topic), but I've always been of the belief that a film, like any story, is a sum of its parts. With that considered, Transparency packs a surprisingly powerful punch, especially for a film made of only half a million dollars.
I first watched this movie over a month ago on the movie network and to be honest, I wasn't sure at first why I liked it- I just knew I did. Like a good piece of music, sometimes not being able to instantly define why you like it is what makes it worthwhile. As such, I had to watch it again a few times to figure out what was it was about the film that worked so well for me. Eventually, a few different things came through.
1- The acting. LDP acts his butt off in this film. At every turn Phillips is able to convey a great sense of depth and pain as he interacts with both the people and facts that his world is revealed to be made up of. Special props also have to go to Deborah Kara Unger for her portrayal of the corporation's emotionless envoy to David. Despite a complaint from one viewer who seemed to think she should have played herself as a two dimensional James Bond villain, I would argue the deadpan flatness of her character was what made her so menacing.
2- The action. Every scene is quite fast paced and rough, and yet the film is able to move beyond your typical shoot em up action shows because it is able to communicate a sense of authenticity.
3- The ending. Quite simply, Transparency has one of the most hard hitting endings I have ever seen. There are a bunch of different elements that come together for this- including the acting, the scene editing, the background voice of the corporation's spokesperson and the vagueness of the men in black (all of which were done so expertly it was astounding)- but special credit has to be given to the writer, director and especially whoever wrote the score. Never under estimate the power of music to influence our perception of events that are occurring. The calmness of the score (and the beauty of it) is such a sharp 180 degree turn from what we're used to throughout the show that it literally creates a completely different setting for the audience to perceive even though the characters are physically still in the same area. When coupled with the writer and director's brilliant refusal to allow the movie to fall into a Hollywood cliché, the ending is able to seal the movie beautifully.
Now, that being said, is it perfect? No, it's not. While the script is certainly passable, I didn't find it to be anything special(save for the back and forth between Phillips and Unger right near the end of the movie which was fantastic), and the introduction recall scenes seemed poorly placed, edited and introduced, giving the first few minutes of the film a bit of a "B movie feel". Also the amount of bullets LDP seems to dodge, or at least survive, during the middle section of the movie is a little bit out there. However, and thankfully, these minor things don't manage to take away from the overall feel of the movie.
Which leads me to another topic I want to touch on.
I've read a few other reviews calling the movie contrived while, at the same time, comparing it to Taken and Die Hard. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I can't say I agree with the ones that have been expressed here. There are certainly elements of both films (given the whole sex trafficking topic and gun battles) but, this is not your typical Hollywood shoot em up film. Which makes it all the more odd to me that a criticism like "contrived" would be applied to Transparency (save for the first few minutes of the film). After all, the good guy most likely- even though we don't see it- dies at the end of the film. Most of the people he even comes into contact with are rounded up, jailed or killed. There is no happy ending or reunification for 'most' of the protagonists, and the antagonist is not defeated. There are, however, two things provided- hope and a message. Even though the bad guys are not bested, the protagonist is just barely able to sneak through a win. I almost get the feeling like Inglis and Kelly wanted to revisit the old idea that victory is not necessarily measured by survival, but sometimes through something more intangible- sacrifice. Going back again to the ending, LDP, Inglis, Kelly and the composer deliver that message with such grace and ferocity that I was both shocked and dumbfounded at the same time.
It is David VS Goliath, but done with realism and pragmatism. When all is said and done, you're not really sure who has won and who has lost. If that's what goes for contrived these days, I need to see more films.
If you're looking for Hollywood endings, and hugs and kisses, go watch something else. If you're looking for something realistic, yet not entirely without hope at the end, and is able to provide a worthwhile message to the audience, you'll want to watch this.
Definitely doesn't deserve as low a rating as it has right now.
Sleeper Cell: Scholar (2005)
One of the greatest hours of television I have ever seen
(Possible minor spoilers)
"Tell me brother, what is the greatest Jihad?"
As a hard-core fan of Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones my patience and or appreciation for anything less than the quality of the above mentioned titles has perhaps skewed my ability to appreciate TV shows I would have otherwise respected. That's why when I come across a series like Sleeper Cell I'm usually quite surprised. I'm even more surprised when said show out does itself, as this particular episode managed to do.
Special credit has to be given to Kamran Pasha for penning such an incredible piece of moving communication. Of course everyone has different ideas of what constitutes a good show, so I can only try an explain why I personally thought this was so well done, but I don't think I'm alone in my thinking. If anything, two of the most important qualities for any piece of art or entertainment to possess are the ability to connect to an audience and at the same time be surprising. This particular episode does the above masterfully.
It's been said that what makes a tragedy a tragedy is the wasted potential that existed to avert said tragedy in the first place. If such is true than Pasha did his homework given that he manages to take the viewer on a ride that, provided they are human, should leave them crying like a little baby by the time the credits role.
This installment starts in a dingy cell where a suspected terrorist is being held and most likely tortured by Yeman police/security forces. A Muslim scholar named Zayd Abdal Malik arrives to talk with said prisoner and makes a proposition to him. He tells the man that if he can convince him that the Qur'an permits the killing of innocent civilians that he will renounce his believes and join the man's cause. The man hesitantly assesses Malik and asks if this is a joke to which he receives the quote listed at the beginning of this review, and to which the audience receives the subject of the episode- inner struggle. After all, who amongst us doesn't, at some point in their life, come across an idea or belief that challenges their own perceptions of the world?
It's on this subject that Alex Nesic does a wonderful job of portraying Christian's own inner strife and, in doing so, provides some poignant depth to his character (I love his grin when Malik quotes a passage from the Quran that he is obviously familiar with). And it's partially his struggle that makes the episode so engaging. You know without a doubt that he is fighting to regain a sense of equilibrium after meeting and listening to Malik, but the question is what will his struggle lead to? He is exposed to his own doubt, tries to fight it and toss it aside, yet even at the last moment is still struggling to see which side will win out.
Not only does the episode seek to dispel certain stereotypes, it raises the questions of why people do the things they do, and why those seeking the same end take different paths to find it. Is it because of religion? Is it because of politics? Is it because sociology? Or how about economics and war? Or maybe just because of the shape of one's own soul? Of course there is really there is no one single answer to that question, but the thought process is ensnaring nonetheless.
I won't spoil the ending other than to say it's a fantastically and tragically neo-Shakespearean piece, but with a saving twist. (As corny as it sounds, the episode basically it ends where it began- at the beginning, just like a circle. Take that for what ever it's worth, but when you watch it you'll know what I'm talking about.) You could say the very last scene delivers a rope-a-dope that ties everything together by providing a message for the episode. The subject is of course about inner struggle, but the message has to do with ideas. Using close to an hour to build up to it, in the last minute Pasha (aided by an incredible score) manages to convey perhaps one of the strongest messages out there regarding the nature of ideas- that for better and worse, they are timeless; and ultimately, as clichéd as it may sound, you can kill the messenger, but you cannot kill the message.
Supernatural: Free to Be You and Me (2009)
Revelations...(spoilers ahead)
Great episode and while it may not seem like it I think it reveals far more than what is presented on the surface which explains past present and future plot developments. These developments are shadowed and hinted at in the two story lines we follow through Sam and Dean/Cas.
On the topic of Deam's story line I have to say something about Demore Barnes first though. Quite simply his portrayal of Raphael is incendiary. The amount of depth he displays in the short amount of time he is on screen not only enhances the viewing of the show (which I also have to give credit to the wonderful score accompanying his dialogue with Cas and Dean) but also the depth texture and plot of the entire series. Hopefully the writers brings him back for some more episodes. Anyways with the actions of Zachariah Uriel and now Raphael(and Gabriel a couple episodes ahead)the audience is introduced to the idea that the angels in this universe are so ticked off that God doesn't seem to be around they've pretty much gone mad or insane. They've chosen to express this madness through joining Lucifer or by agreeing to allow the apocalypse because regardless of the outcome of the battle, they just want the struggle to be over.I love that; it's original and fresh. Next, it's suggested that the reason for God's absence is simple- God is dead. While not original it's poignant because we've all wondered it before and its implications in the series are obviously vast. From there the idea that it was possibly Lucifer that raised Cas (instead of God) makes the plot and mystery of the season that much more textured and rich.
However, I don't believe either claim.
-On the issue of whether or not Lucifer raised Cas, consider that Cas was the one who made it so that that neither angels nor demons could located Sam or Dean by putting that inscription upon their ribs. If it was Lucifer who raised Cas, it would seem a rather poor move on his part since Cas is the one who is stalling Lucifer from getting a hold of his vessel. Since we know Lucifer isn't stupid I highly doubt the possibility that he would have raised Cas. Thus, this leads us to the conclusion that either God raised Cas or something else did, but not Lucifer. Next, since we know Sam is Lucifer's vessel, (and as the previous poster pointed out) we obviously know that it wasn't Lucifer that transported Sam and Dean away from the chapel in the first episode this season unless he was concerned that his entrance into this world in such a close proximity to the brothers would have killed Sam. But given that at the end of this episode Lucifer reveals that he has the power to to revive the dead we know this is a non issue. Once again it either had to be God or some other supernatural force. So far, I'm putting my money on God.
Continuing, I think Sam's story line sheds more light onto this theory. First of all- did anyone notice that the necklace Lindsay is wearing throughout the episode is a lot like the medallion Cas took from Dean in the last episode- the one that is supposed to glow in the presence of God?
1-Castiel is pretending to be Lindsay so he can keep an eye on Sam. I think this to be the most unlikely theory though because there has been no suggestion previously that angels can be in two places at once or take on illusionary forms.
2-The medallion that Cas took from Dean has a brother/sister and Lindsay some how came into possession of it just the way Dean did (if we remember in the season 3 episode, A Very Supernatural Christmas, Sam gives the necklace to Dean as a present which was originally intended for John Winchester. Apparently Sam got it from Bobby originally). Either way the necklace is somehow connected to God and thus, through Lindsay and the necklace, it will be revealed that God is still alive. I think this to be the most likely theory at this point in the show but we'll see if it comes to bear any fruit.
3- Lindsay is God. I have no solid evidence at this point to back this theory up other than wishful thinking and I know that it seems highly unlikely. But I just think it would be an awesome inclusion for God to have wanted to sit down and have supper with Sam. That's not to mention that if the show is willing to bring Lucifer's character to life and have him represented as a character it stands to reason that they would be willing, at some point at least even if it is for what will be revealed to be a short amount of time, to have God represented in the show as well. Since Lindsay was wearing the necklace I would argue its not out of the realm of possibility.
4- I'm blind and dumb and it wasn't the same medallion.
Either way my last point is that I found the juxtaposition of Lucifer and Lindsay arguing with Sam about whether people can change to be rather telling. Almost everything that happens in this show seems to have a reason and the contrast between some one who is wearing a necklace that is some how connected to God telling Sam to have faith while Lucifer is telling Sam not to is something that shouldn't be overlooked.
Anyways, overall I think I can say this was quite possibly one of the best episodes of Supernatural I have ever seen. It had a good mix of humour and seriousness(as it usually manages) and gives tons of hints into what the future of the series holds. Props to the actors, writers, music composers and directors for top notch job. Absolutely stellar.