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The Green Knight (2021)
The Green (Onion) Knight
The Green Knight is not your typical movie. Like an onion, there are so many layers, and with each passing day I think more about what this movie is truly about.
In a world where most people want everything given to them on a plate, this will not be appreciated by all. It is (akin to) an abstract work of art - not everyone is going to like it - but to those who do, it is quite spectacular.
It can be viewed quite literally as it comes - a man on a journey, to seek out the Green Knight.
So many reviews have said, in the story, 'nothing ever happens', etc. And yes, the action is extremely light. But it is more than just that. You cannot simply compare it to many other films as there are not many others like it.
Firstly, get the negatives out of the way.
The Green Knight could be thought of as a movie including King Arthur after seeing the trailer, but it is not really, and I can see why people might think that way. It is misleading, and gives away a couple of spoilers too. However, the movie is based on poems and Arthurian-legend, although the director David Lowery has intentionally not used actual names (with exception to Gawain and a couple of other characters) for ambiguity - a strong theme within.
The movie assumes you know a little about folklore, and one scene in particular made little sense to me. Also, there were two scenes that were shot so dark, I could not make sense of what was going on. Thematic perhaps, but not good for the big screen. A little common sense would have prevailed there, I think.
Otherwise, I loved The Green Knight. The acting was superb, especially Alicia Vikander, who steals every scene she's in. Dev Patel gets a raw deal from some reviews on here - I thought he was pretty good, especially in the last third of the movie when Gawain starts to near the end of his journey. I felt him mature as a man as the story progressed.
The cinematography is amazing. It really is a treat of colours, textures, and camera angles. The sound was great too. The creaky Green Knight was especially creepy, it added tremendously to the tension of the scenes.
You really have to read between the lines in this story as it gets told. This is not a movie where everything is explained for you, and at times perhaps overly-ambiguous.
For example, when the film starts, our 'hero' Gawain (pronounced Gar-win apparently) is seen laying with a woman in a brothel, on Christmas Eve, no less. He's a 20-something-year old lad, living at home with his mum, who loves him but seems disappointed with how he's turned out in life.
He goes to court on Christmas, where he drinks alone amongst friends, and bemoans to the King about how he yearns to be a legend and a knight one day like his peers around the table. Then the Green Knight appears, challenging anyone to "land a blow" against him - but they have to seek him out in exactly one year to receive the exact retribution.
The older knights are standoffish, as they smell a trap, and their experience has taught them to be wary of such temptation.
Gawain, however, keen to show his worth to his elders and that he is worthy of their adulation, takes up the Knight's challenge.
At first, it seems like just a film about a man trying to be knight. But it's much more than that.
Gawain wishes to be a knight, but also one of the guys. To be more than just the King's nephew. He wants to be considered a proper man.
He wants adventure, and to be remembered as a legend like his fellows. But as the Queen reminds him, his life has barely begun. In other words, there is still time to achieve greatness.
His actions get him into the worst peril he has ever imagined, and he begins to wonder what is going to happen to him. At first, he loves being the great Gawain the knight slayer. But the feeling soon turns into regret, into fear of his impending doom.
But also, if Gawain didn't kill the knight, he would not have been revered as much as he became. People loved him for what he did, but perhaps not for who he was. He probably would never have left his home, or his comfort zone, or ever been forced to make difficult decisions. After all, he is second in line to the throne. His life would have been set for him pretty much from birth.
It is possibly also a tale of thinking before you leap; of the consequences of your actions. I am sure Gawain never imagined (nor anyone else) what would happen next.
There is a ton to discuss about this movie - topics including fidelity, chastity, class structure, motivation, trust... and the word that gets used a lot in The Green Knight: Honour.
Is it better to live in dishonour, or die with honour?
And what actions would you take if you are the only one who knows what you did? Are actions bad because people know, or because they are immoral?
What is the value of your word?
If you say you will do something, at what price do you decide you would not honour it?
Why do you give your word to some, but not others?
What man has never questioned themselves or their own worth? Watching this film made me really think about what I had done with my life - all the people I had tried to impress with actions not in sync with my character, or the trouble I had always got myself in to (and out of) in my youth.
Young Gawain would have had a lot of time on his journey to the Green Chapel to contemplate his existence - his relationships, his past, what has been and what could have been...
The Green Knight needs a second viewing to really appreciate it in full, and as I said before, does not spell everything out for you, with it's heavy use of metaphors. I would consider the movie an allegory for the meaning of what is important in One's own life.
The movie in essence reminds me of that old Braveheart quote:
"Every man dies. Not every man really lives".
The Office: Golden Ticket (2009)
Michael shows his true colours
Michael Scott, as a man, is wonderful. He has a good heart, although usually misplaced.
Michael Scott should not, however, be in management. Or at least, he needs some serious people skills training.
What I love about his character is, you can see characteristics from every bad manager you've ever had, rolled up into one mess-of-a-man.
He says he wants to be respected, but does little contribution around the workplace to warrant any. And he wants to be loved - as a man and a manager -but shows he's prepared to throw his most loyal supporter under the bus, to save his own backside. And he shows no shame or regret in doing so (not immediately anyway... maybe in the future episodes?).
On a side note, even though they have their differences, I loved how Jim stands up for Dwight. He's showing REAL management qualities there.
When this sort of thing happens IRL (ie your manager tries to chuck YOU under the bus to save themselves), you probably have much less empathy, and lose any shred of respect you have left for them. What I liked most about this episode is that normally you're rooting for Michael, and in this one you find yourself embarrassed and appalled by his behaviour. But most of us viewers have more appreciation of his better qualities, and hope he can change.
How many (ex) managers can you say that about in your own experience?
The Boys (2019)
Suffering from Second-Season-Itis
First season, I don't think anyone (outside of fans of the comic) had any idea who The Boys were or what they were about. I like to watch movies/ tv with as little background knowledge as possible, so I can appreciate the shocks and plot twists as intended.
And Season 1 was full of twists I've not seen in a long time. This was like Heroes (2006-2010), but for a more mature audience. Not afraid to offend, with oft-colourful c-bombs dropped by Butcher and Co on a regular basis, to the extent where we (the audience) are totally de-sensitised to what should be offensive language. Perhaps used more sparingly, they would no doubt have more the desired reaction.
Anyway, solid start. 8/10.
Second season. Oh dear. TV shows (particularly superhero ones) tend to struggle in season 2 - a case of "Second-Season-Itis".
It feels like it's being spread out thin. But unlike how the writers' strike affected season 2 of aforementioned Heroes back in 07-08, there's little excuse for poor writing now. I can only presume producers are running out of source material, or trying to stretch the show for another 2 or 3 seasons.
The content in the first 7 episodes could have been packed into 4, but for show pacing. The non-stop action from season one has been replaced with talking - lots and lots of talking - and it's getting kinda boring.
There are still occasional shocks and twists, in fact some are bigger than Season one. But they are too few and far between. To compare, in season one, each chapter felt like they were getting to a point; progress was made in the plot. If you missed an episode, you would maybe struggle to catch up as there's quite a lot packed into each one. Season Two just feels like I'm watching the same episode, just tweaking the formula over and over. Butcher is the same potty-mouthed-tough guy in nearly every scene. There's little character development. MM, Frenchie, even Hughie - who you saw evolve from a softy pushover to being one of The Boys - could be analysed from any episode and you would not think anything major had happened.
On the positives, it's good to see some storylines for the other members of the Seven. It was starting to feel like the Homelander Show. Perhaps that's the point? Meh.
Anyway I give season two a 6.5/10, saved by some great action scenes and some great acting from the new cast members.
There's a great quote from season two, it was something like 'Remember what made you a superhero! Go back to basics!'
The Boys need to remember this.
Overall I give it 7.5/10.
Micky Flanagan: An' Another Fing - Live (2017)
Good Show but he's been better
2/3 new material 1/3 copy-pasted literally from his previous "The Out Out Tour" - which I thought was better - but that's not to detract from this performance, albeit a slightly cruder one. His Jokes are bordering on risqué (but IMO don't cross that line) and definitely appease a certain range of audience. There will be some out there who will not get Micky's wicked sense of humour. He has a fantastic stage presence and he is a bit like comedians of old like Jim Davidson and Jim Bowen, only Micky's jokes are much, much cleaner.