Monday, September 30, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
BREAKING BAD - Review
BREAKING BAD Recap: “Granite State”
There are two warring factions within Breaking Bad, the same way that there are two warring factions within Walt. The show has been criticized at times for relying too heavily on plot points and coincidence (I mentioned a few weeks ago about the seemingly unlimited Deus Ex Machinas for Walt), which is at odds with the show’s incredible ability to create characters so real and so visceral that their lives and emotions affect us personally. While the plots and schemes twist in a way each season beyond our ability to guess, there’s always something a little like a let down once the puzzle is solved. And yet, what is left in its place, emotionally, is outstanding. Hit the jump for more, and where “Granite State” feel on that spectrum.
I think of Breaking Bad‘s plot-driven mile posts like Heisenberg. It’s interesting, yet cold — a means to an end. “Granite State” showed us how Walter White, New Mexico resident, became Mr. Lambert of New Hampshire (whose state motto, fittingly, is “live free or die”). This mystery was a huge one that’s still not fully solved, but has driven much of the puzzle of the fifth season. Wasn’t it always in the back of you mind when Walt almost got away with something, or looked like he could be killed? There was a memory of him in a diner on his birthday, with a new identity and a trunk full of guns. How did he end up there?
Turns out, how Walt got to that place isn’t particularly interesting. He used Saul’s guy to spirit him away to a remote cabin and be responsible for his protection. But what it meant, and where it led, was what we’re really supposed to be left with. Not Heisenberg’s twisted trail, but Walt’s twisted soul. After a month of solitude, Walt has had plenty of time to think and regret. But his one life preserver — so he believes at this point, anyway — is the justification he has clung to all of this time. As he told his son, what he does has been for family. It has been to protect them and provide for them, no matter the cost. His greatest fear — which Walt Jr. makes a reality — is that everything he has done will have been for nothing.
As Walt gives up on his life and phones the DEA, that other thing that keeps him going is reignited. Walt’s pride overshadows everything. It is what began all of this — his falling out with Gretchen and Elliot, who he believes stole his research and made millions while he was then left as a high school teacher, has eaten him away. He turned away their help with his treatment because he made his own way — and we see where that got him. But at this rock bottom moment, to see those two on Charlie Rose saying how he contributed nothing and meant nothing to Gray Matter, this is unforgivable. If Walt can’t be justified, he will get revenge. And in a way, isn’t that what this has all been about?
The character study and quietness of Walt’s move to New Hampshire as life continues to be horrible in New Mexico was great in so many ways, but there were two other important parts to “Granite State.” The Jesse torture continues, which is one major criticism I had of last week’s episode in hindsight. Jesse has paid for things one hundred fold that he never should have been held accountable for — he’s become the universe’s whipping boy. Is all of this just to elevate his eventual escape and revenge? How can those scales ever balance at this point, though?
Then of course there’s Todd, one of the creepiest characters I can remember ever being on TV. He tortures Jesse, but brings him ice cream. He keeps him alive despite knowing he sold him out, yet kills Andrea in front of him to teach him a lesson about trying to escape. “Don’t take it personally,” he tells her, as if it will matter in another second. His connection with Lydia remains, which means he sees fit to threaten Skyler and Holly while making sure Skyler denies having ever seen Lydia. He respects Walt, but is fine with taking all of his money.
Of course, there’s a rabid desire to know all what all of this means and to have our answers, and in one week we will (or as many as we’ll ever get). But let’s not focus too exclusively on just how Character A gets to Point B. The real triumph of Breaking Bad is that after everything, we must all admit that we still see hope and redemption: not for Heisenberg, but for Walter White. Despite everything, we still are clinging to this hope like Walt that please, God, don’t let this all have been for nothing.
Episode Rating: A
Musings and Miscellanea:
– So Saul seems gone for good, hopefully managing that Cinnabon in Omaha.
– “It’s over.” – Saul
– Walt can’t help scheming, even as he is planning to shed his current life. He’s going to get his money somehow, because in what world can the Nazis win??
– The show did a great job of showing Walt’s desperation after a month without any contact whatsoever even in such a short amount of “show” time. Also it explained another mystery of this season in an offhanded way — Walt’s house has become a tourist attraction, which is probably why it was burned (incidentally). See, not very satisfying in a way, is it?
– Walt is gray. His the White and Heisenberg mixed together.
– $10k for one hour of talk time makes Saul’s guy the most expensive prostitute ever, I’m betting.
– Tragedy upon tragedy when Walt Jr tells his dad to hurry up and die. In the last few years in particular, Hank was more of a dad to “Flynn” than Walt was, another source of Walt’s jealousy earlier in the series. And yet, Walt always spent more time with Jesse.
– Jesse. Andrea. Brock. Fuck. Everything.
– “Jesse doesn’t have a Heisenberg to hide behind” – my friend Martha. Truth! Which is all the more tragic. Although, Heisenberg let Walt down when he put on the hat but then didn’t have the courage to go down the road.
– Could Todd and Lydia have been more obvious? She should have just sat at his damn table. Him picking the lint off of her jacket was Creep Factor: 5/5
– “That Opie, dead-eyed piece of shit Todd killed Drew Sharpe.” – Jesse
– Poor Marie.
– By the way, the writers of “Ozymandias” confirmed that Walt’s phone call was 100% a ploy. I was convinced it was somewhat of a ploy, and somewhat Walt enjoying just yelling at Skyler and getting his real feelings out while he could. But I am ok with being wrong!
ELYSIUM
New Images from Neill Blomkamp’s ELYSIUM Starring Matt Damon, Wagner Moura, and Alice Braga
One of my most-anticipated films of the year is Neill Blomkamp‘s Elysium. The film was originally slated to open in March, but Sony Pictures decided to put it in the summer movie season, so we’re going to have to wait a little longer. The movie is set in 2159, and two classes of people are divided: the wealthy live on a man-made space station called Elysium, while the rest of the humans inhabit an overpopulated and ruined Earth. Matt Damon plays a desperate man who must reach Elysium in order to find a cure that will save his life. The film definitely looks like it will carry on the smart, blockbuster sci-fi Blomkamp created with District 9, and hopefully we’ll see a trailer soon.
Hit the jump to check out the images.The film also stars Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Wagner Moura, and William Fichtner. Elysium opens August 9th.
Via Judao via Flicks and Bits.
Here’s the official synopsis for Elysium:
In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
‘Star Wars: Episode 7′
Thirty-six years have passed since filmmaker George Lucas released Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, which obliterated box office records and cemented that the dawn of summer blockbusters had begun (after Jaws ushered in the era two years earlier in 1975). Sci-fi/fantasy movie culture has since then evolved from niche entertainment – with the occasional breakout hit like Star Wars – to a mainstay of present-day cinema, thanks to franchises like Lucas’ and the birth of the modern comic book superhero film genre.
Star Wars: Episode VII is finally becoming a reality, as a project that features some of the biggest names in the tentpole entertainment industry (including, new Lucasfilm president and executive producer Kathleen Kennedy) working to make a Star Wars installment that can meet the expectations of modern audiences – yet, at the same time, recapture the infectious sense of wonder, optimistic worldview and authentic whiz-bang spirit that Episode IV possesses (i.e. the quality that’ve endeared so many people to the film over the past four decades).
Kennedy, in hopes of accomplishing that goal, spent a month tempting director J.J. Abrams, who’s been itching to make a Star Wars movie for some time (as anyone who’s seen his Star Trek films can attest). Together, the pair are collaborating with Oscar-winner Michael Arndt – a screenwriter/co-writer on Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3, Oblivion and the upcoming The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - on a story that will introduce new blood to the galaxy far, far away, but also bring back some old friends to help connect the Star Wars of the past with the future. However, a couple of your favorite (former) members of the Rebel Alliance and/or Galactic Empire may be brought to life by different people.
Peter Mayhew, who portrayed Han Solo’s Wookie companion Chewbacca in Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI (and cameoed in Episode III), recently had both of his knees surgically replaced, in the hope that it will allow the 69-year-old fan-favorite (who stands 7’3” tall) to walk again, after two years of being wheelchair-bound. Unfortunately, due to his physical condition, it would seem that Mayhew won’t be reprising as Chewie in the third Star Wars trilogy – even though a newly-released Episode VII casting call (via Den of Geek) suggests that the character will be returning (albeit, with a different actor wearing the costume):
“Male, 7 ft to 7.3 ft tall with a slim/thin build and upright posture. Not too worked out or too ‘thick set’ especially in the shoulders. Broad facial features would be a bonus.”The casting description – released by Walt Disney Pictures/LucasFilm/Bad Robot for (officially) “Untitled Studio Feature” – could very well be for another Wookie altogether, maybe even an Episode VII character inspired by Lowbacca; who, in the Star Wars ”Expanded Universe,” is Chewie’s nephew, a Jedi Knight trained by Luke Skywalker and friend to Han and Leia’s adult children, Jacen and Jaina. However, given the rumors that a Han Solo origins movie is being developed (and the possibility that Chewie will make an appearance in Episode VII and beyond), the more logical assumption would be that the search is on for a younger actor to replace Mayhew and play Han’s ever-loyal “walking carpet” hereon out.
Ford, Fisher and Hamill are (unofficially) confirmed to return for Episode VII, while the latter two are reported to have started getting back into shape for the film around three months ago (Hamill’s friend/actor Robert Englund has since confirmed as much). Meanwhile, the wheels continue to spin on the casting rumor discussion, with regard to Benedict Cumberbatch as a potential candidate, in particular.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad’: How Do You Turn Your Back On More?
The penultimate episode of Breaking Bad was granted a few extra minutes to tell its story, and sure enough, ‘Granite State’ managed to use the additional time to not only set up the events that will send the series forever into the annals of TV history, but also to stoke the embers of what was left from the catastrophic events of last week’s ‘Ozymandias,’ which saw a great many terrible things happen in and around the White household.
Of course, all of that culminated in Walter White abandoning his family as well as his identity, and fleeing in the wake of a colossal verbal explosion which left the Internet debating just what his parting words to Skyler truly meant, and if there was as much remorseful implication in them as there was unvarnished truth.
But there’s a side to Walt’s taped outburst that only matters to the DEA, and it’s one that buys his wife a small amount of leeway with them. But as Saul points out, it’s not enough to keep the government off his family for good, and he encourages Walt to cut his losses and turn himself in, telling him that’s the only way he can save the people he did all this for. Walt attempts to give him the “It’s not over until I say it’s over” speech, but the increasingly sickly former kingpin nearly collapses from a coughing fit. And before you can say AMC/Sony Pictures Television licensing deal, Saul says “it’s over,” grabs his bags and vanishes from Walt’s life seemingly for good.
Now, when you become one of the most recognized meth kingpins the United States has ever known, you probably never imagine ending up in a one-room cabin deep in the snow covered woods of New Hampshire, hoping Robert Forster has picked up a few tricks when it comes to administering your chemotherapy. And it’s a good bet the thought of offering him a portion of your “life’s work” for a few more hours of his time never crossed your mind, either.
Walt’s last-minute getaway plan doesn’t really resemble much of an escape. Sure, he’s not in a federal penitentiary, nor is he being forced to cook meth so Todd can indulge his schoolboy crush on Lydia, but rifling through month-old copies of the Albuquerque newspaper isn’t exactly the kind of freedom Walt thinks $11 million ought to buy. He has a barrel full of money and it’s just sitting there, thousands of miles away from the people it was meant for. In the end, Walt ostensibly has nothing; people are even trying to limit his involvement in his own infamy.
All that’s left is the specifics of what has become a harrowing and costly journey for all those who have crossed Walter White’s path. At this point, saying that Breaking Bad has managed to pack an emotional wallop with these last two episodes is as unnecessary as reminding everyone this is all one man’s transformation from Mr. Chips to Scarface. But just because it’s not required doesn’t make it any less true.
Monday, September 23, 2013
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Recap & Winners
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Recap & Winners
In this post-Emmys post, we’ll take a look back at the celebration of TV’s most beloved shows, miniseries and specials, with a specific focus on who won, what the ratings were, and how the show went in general. Consider this your one-stop haven for any and all things that have to do with the 2010 Emmys.
First, lets talk about how the show went. When discussing the high and low points of any awards show, the first thing that people usually zero in on is the host. The 2009 Emmys were famously hosted by the witty and dapper Neil Patrick Harris, who actually managed to elevate the proceedings and return the Emmys to glory.
This year brought us Late Night host Jimmy Fallon as our MC, and anyone who has been following Fallon since his SNL days knows that the comedian is practically notorious for his hit or miss hijinks. Well, according to the general consensus, Fallon was more hit than miss during his tenure as Emmys host, and his opening number – a glee club rendition of “Born To Run” with some humorous celebrity cameos – was certainly an impressive way to kick off the proceedings.
The mock musical – featuring cast members from Glee, Jon Hamm from Mad Men, Jorge Garcia from Lost, Tina Fey, Betty White and others - set the kind of light and spectacular tone you hope for in an awards show, and proved there are still ways to present comedy that is both non-controversial and actually appealing to a mass audience. Fallon’s opening monologue (especially his first joke, a jab at the whole Conan/Leno fallout) further exhibited that the demands of hosting Late Night have polished Fallon into a much better performer than he once was.
Though Fallon did an admirable job, some pacing issues with the show have been noted by many who watched. Award shows still haven’t improved on their current format, it seems: exciting second-tier awards upfront, boring stuff filling the middle, big guns at the end. I’d like to think there’s a better way to do it, but maybe we’ll save that discussion for the comments section.
As for ratings: the 62nd Primetime Emmys posted ratings that basically equaled last year’s numbers, 13.5 million viewers as opposed to last year’s score of 13.47. Though the ratings were about equal, the 62nd Emmys does deserve a little bit more distinction, in my opinion, since the broadcast hopped from CBS to NBC this year.
Though some may argue that people look for the Emmys every year and will watch them no matter which network broadcasts the show, I still think it’s impressive that a network switch didn’t cost the 62nd Primetime Emmys viewers (and I’m sure NBC was happy to get 13.5 million people watching anything on their network ).
Without Further ado we’ll get to the 62nd Primetime Emmy Award Winners list. After the list we’ll discuss the how we feel about who won (and who didn’t).
62nd Primetime Emmy Award Winners
COMEDY
OUTSTANDING COMEDYModern Family
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Jane Lynch (Glee)
OUSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Betty White (SNL)
OUSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Neil Patrick Harris (Glee)
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION IN A COMEDY
Ryan Murphy (Glee)
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY
Christopher Lloyd and Stephen Levitan (Modern Family)
DRAMA
OUTSTANDING DRAMAMad Men
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA
Erin Levy and Matthew Weiner (Mad Men)
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
John Lithgow (Dexter)
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Ann Margaret (Law & Order: SVU)
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION IN A DRAMA
Steve Shill (Dexter)
VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY
OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIESThe Daily Show With Jon Stewart
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION IN A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Bucky Gunts (The Winter Olympics)
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A VARIETY SHOW
Dave Boone and Paul Greenberg (The 2010 Tony Awards)
TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
TV MOVIETemple Grandin (HBO)
MINISERIES
The Pacific (HBO)
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Al Pacino (You Don’t Know Jack)
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Claire Danes (Temple Gradin)
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION IN A TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Mick Jackson (Temple Grandin)
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A SUPORTING ROLE IN A TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
David Strathairn (Temple Grandin)
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A SUPORTING ROLE IN A TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Julia Ormand (Temple Grandin)
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A TV MOVIE, MINISERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Adam Mazer (You Don’t know Jack)
OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW COMPETITION
Top Chef
Witches Fight or They Burn
New ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ Trailer & Poster: Witches Fight or They Burn
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After some mighty creepy promotional teasers – which offered nothing in the way of plot but plenty of suitably spooky tone – we have the first trailer (above) with actual footage from the new season.
Taissa Farmiga returns to the show as a young witch who discovers her power and is sent to a special school run by
The official synopsis of Coven also touches on the the main conflict between some of the newer characters seen in the trailer (along with a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull, who appears to crucified… welcome back to AHS):
‘American Horror Story: Coven’ tells the secret history of witches and witchcraft in America. Over 300 years have passed since the turbulent days of the Salem witch trials and those who managed to escape are now facing extinction. Mysterious attacks have been escalating against their kind and young girls are being sent away to a special school in New Orleans to learn how to protect themselves. Wrapped up in the turmoil is new arrival, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), who is harboring a terrifying secret of her own. Alarmed by the recent aggression, Fiona (Jessica Lange), the long-absent Supreme, sweeps back into town, determined to protect the Coven and hell-bent on decimating anyone who gets in her way.Also, check out a new poster for the season, via Collider. The poster gives us the full roster of impressive talent – returning cast members Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson and Denis O’Hare, as well as newcomers Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates along with Roberts and Sibide, but also Life Goes On‘s Patti LuPone.
We know that newcomers Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates (glimpsed briefly in the trailer) will play versions of real-life characters who lived in New Orleans in the 19th century. Bassett plays Marie Laveau, who lived in New Orleans and was widely considered an influential – and powerful – Voodoo priestess. Bates plays Madame Delphine LaLaurie, whose historical counterpart was a wealthy socialite and rare female serial killer – she tortured and murdered an unknown number of slaves before an angry mob chased her out of the city.
The trailer paints the season’s story in broad strokes, but we also have a seemingly official synopsis of the premiere episode’s plot on IMDb. Plot synopses on the site are not always completely legit, but this one is credited to “FX Publicity.” Titled ‘Bitchcraft,’ the first episode of Coven is broken down thusly:
A young girl, Zoe, is shattered to discover she possesses a strange genetic affliction tracing back to the dark days of Salem. Zoe is whisked away to Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, a mysterious school in New Orleans devoted to safeguarding the few remaining descendants who share this unique bloodline. Harboring a secret agenda, Fiona Goode, the most powerful witch of their generation, returns to town, reigniting old rivalries with the Coven’s deadly enemies, the Voodoo.So expect some serious sparks to fly between Lange and presumably Bassett’s character. How will two characters from different time periods be at odds? Will Lange’s character possibly be a vengeful reincarnation of the murdered witches from the past? Will the conflicts in the 19th century timeframe somehow cross over into the present? Since this is American Horror Story, you’ll never know what to expect.
Spoiler Alert
Spoiler Alert: Is Franchise Filmmaking Killing Dramatic Tension?
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We here at Screen Rant love film franchises as much as the next person. With new installments in The Avengers, Man of Steel, James Bond, and Star Wars series (just to name a few) on the way, there’s plenty for movie fans to be excited about. However, there’s one aspect about franchise filmmaking we wish the studios would change. The recent announcement that Lucas Black was cast for not one, but three Fast & Furious movies raises a critical issue that filmmakers need to address.
Part of what makes watching a movie for the first time so exciting is that in the back of your mind, you know that anything can happen. While the very expression “franchise filmmaking” suggests that sequels are in order, it’s still nice to have the illusion of the great unknown when you finally sit down to see the movie. Over the past few years, two very different methods of handling film franchises have emerged: “Tell the audience everything at once” and “Take it one movie at a time.”
Dramatic tension is a basic element in film, but it’s an extremely vital one. The higher the stakes, the more likely it is that the audience will become emotionally invested in what happens onscreen – which is the ultimate goal of any movie. Franchise films, which tend to be in the sci-fi, superhero, or action genres, rely on high stakes more than others by placing characters in life-threatening situations. Part of what makes a tentpole action sequence so exciting is that we’re not sure who will live and who will die. Unfortunately, movie studios have done their part to evaporate any dramatic tension before the film even hits theaters.
Several high-profile Hollywood franchises – including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Amazing Spider-Man, and now Fast & Furious – have made public their intentions to continue releasing installments in the next few years. While this is great for fans of those properties, it’s a little concerning for those of us who would rather not know everything all at once. How exciting can the action sequences in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 be if we know Peter Parker (and perhaps the members of the Sinister Six) will live to see two more movies? Can Dom Toretto’s death-defying stunts really be that thrilling if we know he’ll be in Fast & Furious 8?
Knowing the characters’ futures prior to watching the film (something that has plagued franchises dating back to The Phantom Menace) can make these experiences boring. It’s difficult to care when we already know what happens, and that can have a negative impact on how we perceive the movie as a whole. The next movies are essentially prequels to films that don’t exist yet, more concerned with setting up the upcoming installments as opposed to being a great movie experience that stands on its own merits.
Pop culture fanatics are (rightfully so) sensitive about spoilers. Whether it’s the true identity of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Star Trek Into Darkness villain or Walter White’s fate in the final season of Breaking Bad, we’d rather be left in the dark and be surprised as we see the story for the first time. It seems odd then that studios would essentially spoil their own projects by happily assuring the audience that the characters we’re supposed to care about won’t be in danger no matter how extreme things get. It eliminates the raw emotion of watching a film and instead makes it all about the money. So what can be done about it?
One way to counter this – as discussed on a recent episode of the Screen Rant Underground podcast – is for filmmakers to use the audience’s knowledge to their advantage by throwing in twists and turns to keep the character stuff interesting. This very well could happen in some or all of the upcoming sequels, but we prefer a different method of handling franchises.
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