Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Drive
In attempting to make an action movie that has personality and storyline the producers have created a morally ambiguous character. Canadian Ryan Gosling plays Drive, a man without a name who divides his time between working in a friend's garage, movie stunt driving, and wheel-man for heist jobs. Not uncharacteristic of the genre his face displays an emotional range between steely-eyed sneer and grim smirk. When asked about his casting as Young Hercules he was reported to have said that he persuaded the producers that they didn't need a Hercules with muscles. With his round shoulders and self-contained emotions he is not your typical action figure; if there's passion in there he fails to let it out, his actions are deliberate and mechanical. Driver gets the job done without malice or judgement. The action scenes are note perfect but Driver seems emotionally uninvolved in his own life. The scenes he has with Benicio are the closest he comes to showing human emotions.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
The Bounre Legacy
The last time I saw Jeremy Renner he was concealed from head to foot in a bomb disposal suit and moving rather slowly in The Hurt Locker. Since the first half of this opus occurs in wintry mountainous conditions he is suitably covered here as well. However, in this opus little dust gets to settle around his feet.
The action sequences seem generated for their own sake as they are in so many other movies of this genre. The science and espionage that backgrounds the piece will go over most viewers heads. Matt Damon has never made it clear why he abandoned the franchise after 3 outings. Renner at 42 is only a year younger than the man he replaces and the six-pack and toned body are definitely missing. With his self-contained look and repressed emotions he does not encourage an audience to empathize with his character. With this movie we move dangerously close to James Bond territory without the martinis and fancy clothes.
Whatever my reservations this piece generated one billion dollars in box office revenue so it would seem the male public's appetite for testosterone-driven action-drama continues unabated.
The action sequences seem generated for their own sake as they are in so many other movies of this genre. The science and espionage that backgrounds the piece will go over most viewers heads. Matt Damon has never made it clear why he abandoned the franchise after 3 outings. Renner at 42 is only a year younger than the man he replaces and the six-pack and toned body are definitely missing. With his self-contained look and repressed emotions he does not encourage an audience to empathize with his character. With this movie we move dangerously close to James Bond territory without the martinis and fancy clothes.
Whatever my reservations this piece generated one billion dollars in box office revenue so it would seem the male public's appetite for testosterone-driven action-drama continues unabated.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 2
Beware: Spoiler Alert
This is one of those movies that won't make much sense to anyone who hasn't read the book and anyone who has read it will wonder what happened to the story they read. The single biggest conceit is in the fact that the principle action sequence of the film never happened. Having settled the dispute by having the Volturi back down the movie drifts off into a happily ever after field of flowers and love making.
Those hoping to see toned abs, bouncing pecs, and flexing biceps will be disappointed to learn that Taylor Lautner strips only once for his morphing scene in front of Charlie with his back to the camera much of the time and he leaves his briefs on. One supposes pack members have an unlimited supply. Charlie is the only human contact Bella has left, everyone else in the film is either a werewolf or a vampire; her former school mates have all been written out of the script.
Notwithstanding the fact they are newlyweds Bella and Edward spend an inordinate amount of time making googly eyes and petting. Alas I must confess I fell asleep twice during the course of the movie. That may be others response to it as well.
This is one of those movies that won't make much sense to anyone who hasn't read the book and anyone who has read it will wonder what happened to the story they read. The single biggest conceit is in the fact that the principle action sequence of the film never happened. Having settled the dispute by having the Volturi back down the movie drifts off into a happily ever after field of flowers and love making.
Those hoping to see toned abs, bouncing pecs, and flexing biceps will be disappointed to learn that Taylor Lautner strips only once for his morphing scene in front of Charlie with his back to the camera much of the time and he leaves his briefs on. One supposes pack members have an unlimited supply. Charlie is the only human contact Bella has left, everyone else in the film is either a werewolf or a vampire; her former school mates have all been written out of the script.
Notwithstanding the fact they are newlyweds Bella and Edward spend an inordinate amount of time making googly eyes and petting. Alas I must confess I fell asleep twice during the course of the movie. That may be others response to it as well.
Monday, April 15, 2013
NYPD BLUE
Never was a fan of Dennis Franz. The show portraits cops as dirty,
lying, cheating, deceptive, scum; little better than the crooks they
chase. Granted they spend their days among the lowest level of society
and it has to have an effect upon them but watching this program leaves
one wondering, just how do they differentiate between what's legal and
what's not. Do they really ruff people up like that when they
interrogate them. The courts don't come off much better. Truth matters
little, justice is what can be proven in a court of law. No wonder
lawyers have such a reputation for being oily and sleazy shysters!
I would like to think that Canadian Police do not engage in the kind of
practices portrayed here. Is beating a confession out of a suspect
justified or intimidation an acceptable tactic? That informants get paid
for their testimony makes it seem tainted. Can one blame neighbours for
turning a blind eye or claiming ignorance when they know that to come
forward will make them liable to become the objects of bullying or
worse. Testifying against major crime bosses makes those who inform as
much victims as the people who were robbed.
The show introduces one to a new vocabulary, though not one that
improves it:
skell--lowlife
hinky--dubious
bodega--spanish alcohol and groceries
collar--arrest
rat squad--Internal Affairs
snitch--informant
on the job--in law enforcement
like--believe responsible for (a crime)
It was also infamous for its nudity and profanity. Although the show ran
for 12 seasons only 5 of them appear to have made it to DVD. One might
observe that being Andy's partner was not good for one's health given
the parade of partners he leaves behind.
Just finished watching Season 4 which ends with a typical cliff-hanger.
Since Seasons 5-12 are not available on DVD unless I decide to stream
the shows online I won't be seeing how things turn out.
lying, cheating, deceptive, scum; little better than the crooks they
chase. Granted they spend their days among the lowest level of society
and it has to have an effect upon them but watching this program leaves
one wondering, just how do they differentiate between what's legal and
what's not. Do they really ruff people up like that when they
interrogate them. The courts don't come off much better. Truth matters
little, justice is what can be proven in a court of law. No wonder
lawyers have such a reputation for being oily and sleazy shysters!
I would like to think that Canadian Police do not engage in the kind of
practices portrayed here. Is beating a confession out of a suspect
justified or intimidation an acceptable tactic? That informants get paid
for their testimony makes it seem tainted. Can one blame neighbours for
turning a blind eye or claiming ignorance when they know that to come
forward will make them liable to become the objects of bullying or
worse. Testifying against major crime bosses makes those who inform as
much victims as the people who were robbed.
The show introduces one to a new vocabulary, though not one that
improves it:
skell--lowlife
hinky--dubious
bodega--spanish alcohol and groceries
collar--arrest
rat squad--Internal Affairs
snitch--informant
on the job--in law enforcement
like--believe responsible for (a crime)
It was also infamous for its nudity and profanity. Although the show ran
for 12 seasons only 5 of them appear to have made it to DVD. One might
observe that being Andy's partner was not good for one's health given
the parade of partners he leaves behind.
Just finished watching Season 4 which ends with a typical cliff-hanger.
Since Seasons 5-12 are not available on DVD unless I decide to stream
the shows online I won't be seeing how things turn out.
