Trailer & Patience

Every day, every week we seen to have new films, new trailers and new leeks upon us from studios or otherwise and I wish it would stop. You may think that is a strange though for an admirer of film but honestly it’s not; as I don’t want a teaser for a trailer that will be released in a weeks’ time (yes I’m looking at you ‘Jurassic World’) as believe it or not I can wait a week.  And worse than that is when studios decide to release clips and information years ahead of the film’s release is stupid as once you start giving us information you can’t stop yourself from giving us more. So you end up like Watch Dogs (yes I know it is a game) building up great expectations and then when we finally get our hands on the final products it is CRAP!!

Now don’t you dare get me wrong I want to see a film trailer as much as the next guy but I want the trailer to be a reflection of the films progress. So by all means release a trailer for the film if it is near completion or release; like Age of Ultron which is a full trailer about 6 months before the film’s release. And this trailer contains enough to please us with it but equally not too much to reveal all of the film’s plot points and themes. Yes we saw a Hulk Buster amour (or whatever it is called) fighting the Hulk but we don’t know why. Did the Hulk go bad? Did Tony join with Ultron? Does Ultron now have control over the Iron Man suits? Or you do and I missed the memo as other than the films I know diddly squat about the comics.

But then on the other hand I really looked forward to the release of the Age of Ultron trailer to be released on the Friday before Agents of Shield but not necessarily to watch that. Then someone goes and leaks the trailer online, you would think this is a good thing but then Marvel had to release an extra clip which would have been better left in the film than released early but that’s what happened. So now we have one less surprise in the film and then the guy who leaked the trailer is at the bad end of Marvels lawyers; so if he has any money left to afford a computer he will learn to be patient for a trailer.

So maybe after reading this you will reconsider how you view film trailer releases by studios or otherwise. 

Goodbye.

The Shippibg News

This has to be one of the strangest films I have ever watched. As it doesn't have a conventional structure for a film following someone rediscovering themselves. As usually for that they go on a journey to help them get over a disaster in their life; in this case Kevin Spacey just goes through life to get over it.

Literally all this film is, is us following Spacey's character as he adjusts to his new life in this small remote lake town.

I now find myself wondering on how to review this film, if it was a bond film it could be compared to the others, if it was an Oscar film it could be reviewed on its artistic merit. But its like nothing I've ever seen before, there is no milestone to compare it against, no guidelines to follow for something like this; which makes me wonder was that the directors intention. I don't mean making it hard to review but to make it different from everything else out there; if it was he (maybe even she) succeeded at doing so.

Though this film doesn't really take us on a journey, just through his life, I still felt immersed into the narrative and setting of the film; as perhaps as we are just watching someone's life play out we can easily relate. Maybe not to the exact events he's in but similar events in our lives, workplace conflicts, muck ups with women, miscommunication with others. This is all stuff we each know, which you would think would make the film mundane but in fact it does the opposite; as we want to see how it will turn out for Spacey come the end of the film. Yet rather than just focusing on him we are shown other characters and what they are going through but as if we are Spacey witnessing them, as we only see/know what he does.

But all this considered if you asked me if I liked the film I would tell you I loved it, if you offered it me on Blu-ray I'd take it. But if you asked if I wanted to watch it again I'd probably say not now, as it is one of those films that only needs watching once to be fully effective then must be left for a long time before being watched again.

Thank for reading.

The Siege of AR-558.

As I've mentioned prior I am watching through all of DS9, I'm now into season 7; a season where I've seen every episode but watching this one again reminds me of why I love this series so much.

Though the whole series focuses on the impact of war in all of its forms, this episode and a handful of others stand out due to their representation of war. During the series we've seen great space battles, fleets attacking fleets, a single ship outnumbered, we've seen how it affects people and what it pushes them to do (In the Pale Moonlight) but this episode changes the war we see. Instead of watching ships attack others we are now on the front lines, seeing men fight the enemy on a nameless rock, being pushed to the edge and then asked for more. This episode makes us face the reality once we are pushed so far we become an animal willing to do whatever is needed to survive.

The episode starts with Sisko looking at the latest casualty list from Starfleet, he notes to Odo that when these lists first came in at the start of the war he would read each name to honour their sacrifice but now these names are blending together. We then cut to them on the Defiant heading to AR-558 to deliver supplies to the troops deployed there, once they beam down they are fried upon; but not by the enemy but by their own troops who suffering from shell shock saw movement and fired. We learn that in the past five months the troops have lost 107 men with no relief or support having come only more enemies but they are told to hold that nameless rock because it has a device that might help later in the war; a war that in previous episodes we are told we are likely to lose and 900 billion people die. As we see Sisko talk to the CO of the camp we hear a muffled explosion, a mine has gone off killing a man and we learn these mines can kill any time without warning and can't currently be disarmed. Could it be worse, yes the Defiant has to leave so Sisko is trapped there but before he can do much they come under attack; but this itself is a trick of the enemy to uncover troop deployments and then bang, another mine goes off.

It is from this point the episode gets interesting, Sisko sends out a recon team but only 2 of the 3 come back, one having been shot in the leg. Going to check on Nog (the injured one) he see's Nog's leg has to be removed. Nog looks up at sisko and asks "it's worth it, right?", Sisko replies "I hope to God it is." Though Ezri and the camp chief engineer Kellin can now deactivate the mines but Sisko orders them to be deployed in the camp entrance to kill any attackers, Ezri laments that we would call those weapons obscene but now we are willing to use them against our enemy in the name of survival. This shows how when our very survival is at risk morals and principles that we treasure no longer apply, that war is a force that can change even those with the strongest sense of duty.

Now they wait for the attack and when it comes we hear those mines detonate then we see the enemy charge towards the base. The men open fire at them, everyone does, the doctor who swore to do no harm fires alongside the soldiers pushed to the edge, even he has to give up his oath in the name of survival and when others get shot he continues to fire as he knows that repelling the enemy is more important and the best chance of saving them. We see Kellin shoot a Jem'Hadar about to kill Ezri just to get shot after doing it, she crawls over to his lifeless body to hold him one last time. We see Sisko kill and kill again to be knocked down from behind then it fades to black, the battle is over, we have won but at what cost; dozens are dead, many injured and a relay that may help in the long war. Before he leaves the base with the last veteran after reinforcements arrives, the veteran remarks "children" Sisko simply replies "not for long".

They could have ended the episode here and it would still have been heavily effective on showing the dark side of humanity that surfaces in war, the desperation to survive by using weapons we would usually see as brutal and obscene. But it goes on for one more sense, Sisko is back in hi office and is brought another casualty list with what he is told has 1730 names on it. Looking out of his office window at the stars he says "They're not just names, it's important we remember that. We have to remember..." then we go to the credits. And I think that was a powerful way to end the episode as we can see how seeing the front lines made him see once again why he needs to read those lists, as most of those people died on a nameless rock, a skirmish in a unknown system or fighting for a thing that may not save anyone. We see that if we don't honour them they are just names on a list and we must never forget they are more than that, they are the ones who made victory possible and saved many others who survived the battle.

Captains Log 18/07/14

As some of you will know recently I have been watching through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which is awesome by the way. Though I have already seen almost all of the episodes within it I find myself discovering ones I haven't seen but more importantly rediscovering characters in their full depth.

As I can watch some of the favourite episodes such as 'In The Pale Moonlight' and 'The Visitor' and still understand and know the characters that the episodes revolve around, there can always be a details or moments from previous episodes that increase or change the dynamic. Which is why I love doing this watch through, granted I only started to love it once I hit season 2, as I can get to know the characters again, what defines them, how they changed for better or for worse through the 7 seasons.

Lets take Garak for example, early on we are introduced to this idea of him being a spy but we don't see much to back up that claim. Yet as we see more of him we learn some truths about him; the most of important of which is his desire to serve his Cardassia. As early on though exiled from his homeland of Cardassia he could have all he wants by helping the Federation undermine Cardassia but he doesn't as he wouldn't betray his homeland and fellow Cardassians. Yet by season 7 he is helping the Federation crack Cardassian codes, not because he has changed or being turned by them but because it will help his Cardassia rise again. And it is noticing these motives and values in the full watch through that make it worth while but you can't be expected to watch it all again for a single episode or two you want to revisit.

Lone Survivor Review.

So Lone Survivor, one hell of a war film to say the least. But, yes there is a but, watching this film I don't know if it is meant to be an action film or if it was meant to be a serious look at the face of war; and to be honest I don't think the film itself knows. I feel that this problem solely lies with the director, don't get me wrong I'm not saying he is a bad director, I just think he was out of his depth here. His previous film before this being Battleship, a blockbuster action flick, before that a load of TV episodes and before those Hancock another blockbuster.

I think if he chose one path for the film; either another action flick where you can go in and enjoy yourself. Or a serious film that explore the reality of war that leaves the spectator thinking of the harsh and stark reality of those on the front line and what they face. And this film is a mix between them, a combination that just doesn't work.

The first 45-60 minutes, in my opinion the best part if the film, pertains of the serious look at war and what those men and women face. And Berg does this really well, what I saw there placed this film high up in my favourite war films, competing with Black Hawk Down for my 3rd favourite war film. Everything about this part of the film is great and done right, we feel like we are with those men and are thinking of our own answer on problems they face, but then the shooting starts.

From the time that the first shot is fired the film goes downhill, albeit the action sequences are shot extremely well, we lose the serious look at war and descend into yet another action war film. There is the occasional moment after this that returns to the serious look at war but it is too little too late. I feel if Berg had kept the film on track from the start it would have been one of the all time great war films, with the likes of Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan, but sadly it didn't.

Now you are probably thinking "so where is the big plot hole in this film, as you always find one". Well here there isn't as it is a true story and not having read it I can't comment on how well it follows the source material. And if I was to try and find one that would disrespect the memory of those who didn't survive this mission.

So, the verdict. I so wanted this film to be great as it was at the start but sadly it wasn't, so I shall be awarding this film a 7/10; but it is a must see film, for either war film enthusiasts or standard film goers.

Thank you for your time, see you in my next post.

American Hustle

So American Hustle, my god what a film it is. I have not seen another film like it in all my film watching time. Scored to an amazing soundtrack this film brings the hustling experience to the big screen without a hitch.

I can't overstate how good this film is, well maybe a little, it has everything it needs to be successful and I'm not just talking about a brilliant script. Each of the actors in my opinion deserves an Oscar, them being Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. They each performed at their up most ability in this and without a shadow of a doubt knew it inside out.

So onto the script, the writer must have been a true hustler before he made this. As every angle, every detail and every move was predicted correctly and written in as such. So much so that I did not see the ending coming in a million miles. But for obvious reasons I can't tell you how it ends, as you should go and find out for yourself. And due to the way they develop the characters and in which order you come to love them, so much so you begin to change opinions of other characters due to their actions. Lets take Bale's character for an example, he starts as a man who does what he needs to survive, but ends up doing so much more for reasons I can't disclose.

But let us look at other area's of the film such as the editing and scoring. I mean how often do you get a film where you can look at it and even appreciate the editing. The way it cuts between scenes is impeccable and some of the best I have seen, it gives the film a more natural flow and development. And the score, my god it is brilliant. The use of so many songs at the right point, such as Live and Let Die, they blend in so seamlessly and feel as if the characters are listening to them rather than as an overplayed track. Albeit, at some points it is both and is done in such a way that it feels natural and enhances what the scene is trying to convey to us.

Usually at this point I would compare this to another film and see how it stands up against it. But I can't think of another film like this that I have seen. The nearest I can get is the BBC TV show Hustle and even that is a far reaching comparison as they have worlds of difference. Will there be other films that follow in this genre, whatever it may be, hopefully they will. But being as good as this is another question all together, as so many elements needed to come together for it to play out successfully as it did.

So the verdict, this is a hard one, as I said there is little to compare it against to get a true verdicts. But that aside I am giving it a strong 9/10, as it is the single greatest film I have seen this year. But I hear you ask "Is there something wrong with it?" Not that I can see, but it just isn't a 10/10 film for some reason. But I do urge in to go out and see it now!

24

I thought I would give you a warning that until I run out of material I will be posting article after article about the great action show that is 24. So what sort of material should you expect in this bombardment of 24. Well, everything from season reviews to character biographies to scene breakdowns.