Season seven of Magnum P.I. was actually supposed to be the final season. Apparently money spoke and so they returned for a shortened eighth season.
By this point, the show was a bit long in the tooth, but this season features some outstanding episodes. Laura features Frank Sinatra (in his last major acting role) as a retired NY cop trying track down his granddaughter’s killers. A very powerful episode that is a must see. Sinatra was supposed to make a return appearance, but scheduling conflicts prevented it from ever happening.
Slightly less powerful is the Murder, She Wrote crossover. It is here and seeing it again makes me very sad. But MSW was doing well and CBS liked doing crossovers so it happened. There were plans to have a Magnum/Equalizer crossover but the plans fell through.
The final episode is something to be treasured. Had the series ended here, I think it would be one of the greatest series finales of all time.
As I said, some of this is less than top notch, but Laura and the season finale make this a must own for Magnum fans.
Order from Amazon.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
DVD Review: Magnum P.I. season seven.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
DVD Review: Jonathan Creek season 2.
British Comedy/Mystery series stars comedian Alan Davies as Jonathan Creek, a quiet, reclusive genius who makes his living developing illusions for a flamboyant but rather clueless magician. Comedienne Caroline Quentin plays Maddie Magellan, a brash investigative crime reporter who specializes in exposing police “cock-ups”. In Season One, after an inauspicious first meeting at a backstage party when Jonathan accidently stabbed her with a cocktail pick, Maddie asked Jonathan to use his knowledge of artifice and misdirection to help her solve a puzzling murder case. After he exposed the killer, Jonathan expected to return to his quiet life, but his attraction to Maddie and his compulsion to try to solve the unsolvable drew him into case after case.
Much of the comedy in this series results from their cat and mouse romantic relationship. Maddie claims not to be attracted to him, (“I have no desire whatever to go to bed with you or to see you naked or to enter into any kind of relationship that involves undoing a zip.”) but she is drawn to his intelligence and integrity. As artful as she can be while investigating a case, when it comes to romance, Maddie is incapable of being coy. She sends out the signals, Jonathan hangs back until he thinks he can’t possibly be mistaking them; he acts, she changes direction at the last minute and poor Jonathan crashes and burns.
In this second season, Jonathan is coming out of his shell. He and Maddie have become firm friends so she has to expend much less effort convincing him to become involved in her cases and, alas, there is much less sexual tension between them. The mysteries are still engaging. In The Scented Room, a valuable painting disappears from a room with only one door. How did the thief manage to get the painting out of the room past a tour guide and a bunch of schoolgirls on a field trip? In Mother Redcap, a judge in a high profile, gangland murder case is murdered in his bedroom. How did the murderer get past the police protection outside the door and stab the man without being seen by his wife, lying in bed beside him?
Caroline Quentin has become one of my favorite actresses. She is one of the few actresses I’ve ever seen who can act convincinly while eating. It’s been fun watching her evolve as a performer. The first thing I ever saw her in was the role of Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly, a character I had trouble relating to as my friends and I really spend very little time talking about masturbation and who is having sex with whom. (I had the same problem watching Friends, by the way.) As Maddie, she manages to be intelligent and forceful but a bit flighty at the same time. In her newest role, as Detective Chief Inspector, Janine Lewis in Blue Murder, she plays a mature woman who balances life as a divorced mother
of three with her job as a police chief inspector. Her comic timing has been a driving force in every production I’ve ever seen her in.
This engaging series ran from 1997-2004, won several awards in the UK and made a star of Alan Davies. The entire series is out on DVD in Region 2 format but only the first two seasons are available in Region 1 format. The Season One set includes a documentary, some commentary and a video of Alan Davies screen test for his role.
DVD releases for Oct 30th.
CSI: Miami: The Fifth Season (2006-07)Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $72.99. Extras: Commentary on select episodes, "Rio Grand: CSI: Miami Goes to Rio" featurette, "If Looks Could Kill" special effects featurette, "Turning Up the Heat: The Look of CSI: Miami" featurette. (Paramount).
David Caruso is back emoting as only he can. I don't want to sound mean, but some of the corpes act better than he does. Still, we have Emily Proctor and she has come a long way since playing a "republican sex kitten on The West Wing."
Magnum P.I.: The Complete Seventh Season (1986-87)Tom Selleck $49.98 Extras: “Magnum on Ice”, the Muder, She Wrote crossover episode and the featurettes “Inside the Ultimate Crime Crossover” and “America’s Top Sleuths”. (Universal)
This is the last full length season of Magnum and features Frank Sinatra's last real acting performance. My review of Season 7 will be up later today.
Twin Peaks: The Definitive Gold Box Edition Ten-disc set with all 29 episodes plus the U.S. and European versions of the pilot; $99.99. Extras: Featurettes on the show's origins and creation of the pilot, fan response, second season, legacy; Log Lady introductions; interviews; more. (Paramount).
Everything but the kitchen sink has been tossed in here. Fans of the show will have a good time with this set.
Monday, October 29, 2007
DVD Review: Veronica Mars - season 3
We just completed our viewing pleasure at Casa Jordan. Season 3 of Veronica Mars has left the DVD player and the story of the teenage detective and the City of Neptune is now done for Jon and myself. And only now am I free to peruse the internet, look at the hype and the fan reflections.
I was not the typical Veronica viewer. I’m in my forties. I have grey hair & the middle aged middle. I viewed the program entirely with the DVD format (translation: as each season became available, my husband and I set aside a week to watch that season from beginning to end). I read books; a lot of books, and almost all of those books fall into the crimefiction category. And I have to agree with the fans who say it’s a shame that it’s gone. This 72 hours of television is amongst the most engaging of the first decade of the 21st century. From beginning to end. As a teen drama it’s far better than anything Brenda and Dylan offered my generation and at time superior to that other kick ass femme, Buffy.
From a reader’s point of view, my favorite season was certainly the first. The entire season played like a witty, contemporary P.I. novel. The P.I. was a high school junior whose entire life had been changed by the murder of her best friend. There were twists to the central crime aplenty. The clews lead in any manner of directions. And we all knew, as we watched, that Veronica Mars was going to get to the center of the story.
Along the way she did what she thought was right, what her teenage heart led her to do, and what the plot dictated.
The second season was in many ways stronger on an episodic level. The good, the bad and the ugly showing up in each chapter. The main “mystery” of the season, who killed Veronica’s classmates, took a back seat to the weekly play. Veronica’s relationships with her friends, classmates, clients, and father were explored more deeply. Recovering from Lily’s death was a shared experience, and the complications from the first year’s plot were allowed airtime while Veronica dealt with the knowledge that she was inherently good at her job and it was something she wanted to do with her life. At times she fought it, at times her Dad fought it and at times it even seemed as if she, her father, and we, the viewing audience might be mistaken about her. Perhaps this wasn’t Veronica’s calling after all. Still, as a reader I was a little disappointed. Much in the same way I was disappointed when Murder One decided to split season 2 into different story arcs. But I know I’m in the minority on this one.
Season 3 was snappy and well written on almost all levels. All of our favorite characters showed their “fatal flaws”. Keith Mars detecting radar failed him in the very first episode and he caused a death. He allowed his emotions to overcome his “moral code”. Logan Eccles continued to struggle with his heritage. In the end losing the girl despite their love. A surface of Logan appeared just after mid season. The charming knight that came to the fore in seasons one and two was on display. But underneath….. Veronica became more defined. Stubborn, obstinate, making unpopular plays because they were “right”. Asking her friends to do things she knew could hurt them (What was Eli thinking?). With all the audacity of smart college freshman, she knew that her way was the right way, even when it wasn’t. There were new characters (Pez, Parker, Dean O’Dell). Unlike the first two seasons, there were flaws in the individual cases. I’m still not satisfied with the conclusion of the rape story, the timeline still doesn’t work for me. It’s as if the editor forgot to tell the writer to outline. The Dean O’Dell story works but any reader of mysteries knew who done it as soon as the means was revealed. And yes I’m that snotty. I expect a smart show to remain smart on all levels. I’ll suspend my disbelief enough to cheer on the girl who keeps stumbling across major violence in a safe community but don’t give me a lazy mystery plot, dammit.
There were other pesky flaws. The dangling Fitzgerald plot seemed unnecessary except for jump-starting some of the minor sub-plots. And I’m sorry, we all know that Vinny is the sleazy P.I. but at the warehouse?
“Vinny wouldn’t do this.” I proclaimed. I was right.. that time. But the whole Sheriff race angle, he wouldn’t have done that either. And yet he did. Mac was a brilliant misstep during season three. After season 2 it was nice to see her overcome and share light hearted moments. She came into her own on a lot of fronts. But Mac as the girl who “gets the groove on”. Kinda weird. A lotta weird. The redeeming of Wallace was a good thing, not that he needed much. After a rather strange storyline in season 2 it was enjoyable to see him make the right choice time after time. He was and is a great best friend.
Perhaps my favorite surprise in the whole season was Dick Casablancas. I didn’t see his struggle coming and of all the characters on the show it’s his development I’ll miss seeing. More so than Logan’s and Veronica’s.
Which brings me to the end of the series. I’m giving it a B+. I have a feeling that the whole “Castle” storyline was intended to go longer. But because of or despite the cancellation of the show it was a shining example of what Veronica Mars, the “teen cult favorite” was capable of doing. Wallace figuring out what was going on with the sex tape and agreeing to go in harms way so his friend could get the answers she needed was entirely in character and brought us back to the first few episodes of season one. Logan’s rage coming to the surface brought shudders, reminding me of “dear old Dad”. The possible ramifications of his last fight (given the bit of back story we were given) and his apology to Pez assured that this is a character I wish I could see more of no matter what is going on in his love life. Keith Mars making the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter is as it should be. Mac working with the Super Computer to get Veronica the blackmail material she needs and the answers she wants? Let’s just say “Girl Power Activate.”
But the true end is Veronica. A gutsy and smart teenage girl. Getting to the bottom of it, damned the consequences. And if she made a mistake by not taking Dad’s phone call? It was because she thought she could fix it. She almost did. Some things are beyond the capabilities of any one person to fix and when you cross that line of Moral ambiguity, not to mention indulging in petty theft… sometimes there are repercussions. If you’re Veronica Mars you take them as a life lesson, allow yourself to process, and know that somehow the future will come, no matter what’s going on now. Dad will always be there for you and you’ll always be there for him.
It’s the note the viewers came in on and it’s a fine one to leave Neptune on. So thank you to all involved with the production of this teleplay, you engaged a forty something for seventy two hours that she’s very glad she gave up.
Ruth Jordan
Ruth is co-publisher of Crimespree magazine as well as being the co-chair for the 2008 Bouchercon in Baltimore. Here is the blog for Bouchercon 2008.
For more reviews from Ruth and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Forthcoming Bond Box sets: U.K. gets a neat one, U.S. gets the shaft.
MGM is releasing a box set of ALL of the James Bond films (ok, not ALL since the original Casino Royale will not be included) in both region 1 (North America) and region 2 (U.K.). Neither of these has any new features, but simply include the Casino Royale remake along with the previously remastered films.
But all is not fair, let us take a look at the two.
First the U.K. package: 21 films plus two sets of branded Casino Royale playing cards and a complete set of poker chips from Carta Mundi, as seen in the film. £199.99 RRP with a November 12th release date.
Very cool packaging to snag anyone that has not already picked up the remastered versions (and some that have).
Now we go to the one made for North America:
Volumes 1-4 of the The James Bond Ultimate Editions along with the 2 disc version of Casino Royale...and that is it. No chips, no cards, not a damn thing! $199.99 SRP with a November 6th release date.
I already own these films, but clearly the U.K. is getting a little more love for the holidays.
Read More......Saturday, October 27, 2007
Craig signed for 4 more Bond films.
In a Hollywood Reporter article, MGM head Harry Sloan mentioned that he has signed Daniel Craig for four more James Bond films. Craig originally signed on for three films including Casino Royale.
The deal was for a reported $60 million. So if you see Craig in a bar, the drinks are on him.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
De Niro moving forward on Winslow's Frankie Machine with a new director.
There had been rumors that Martin Scorsese was dropping out of Frankie Machine and that the project might be dead. When word came that Scorsese was reteaming with Leonardo DiCaprio to make Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island, I was pretty sure that those rumors were true.
But that has not stopped the project, De Niro has secured the services of another director from his past: Michael Mann. Mann will now direct Frankie Machine.
Mann and De Niro previously worked on 1995's Heat. Mann has also directed The Insider, Miami Vice and Ali.
The screenplay is being reworked by Alex Tse. Alex recently wrote the script for the much-anticipated Watchmen, and is writing an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man.
"Frank Machianno, aka Frankie Machine, retires from his life as a contract killer and begins a new life in San Diego. Far removed from any of the thrills of his mob life, he opens a bait shack on Ocean Beach Pier, runs three other legit businesses, and when nothing else demands his attention, puts his board in the water and rides the waves. Not a bad life for the 62-year-old Vietnam vet; at least most of the time it is quiet. Frankie's life however returns to the tension, suspense and terror of the 'old-days' when the head of the Los Angeles syndicate calls in a marker, and asks him for backup during a meeting with members of the Detroit mob. The meeting is suppose to be an effort to resolve the current disputes between the two groups, but turns out to be a setup to end Frankie's life."
While I personally would have prefered Scorsese, I think Mann could make a film worthy of the book.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
New trailer (with more action) for I am Legend now online.
A few months back, a teaser trailer for I am Legend was released. Nothing too much, just a bit to give us a taste.
Now the regular trailer is online with a little more umph.
Take a look at the new trailer (trailer 2).
Here is the international trailer.
"Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague -- The Infected -- lurk in the shadows... watching Neville's every move... waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered... and quickly running out of time."
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
We know Scorsese and DiCaprio, but here is a look at the work of Shutter Island screenwriter.
As previously posted, Dennis Lehane's 2003 novel Shutter Island is going to be made into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio with Martin Scorsese directing.
I mentioned some concern about the person handling the screenplay.
So I thought a look at Laeta Kalogridis was in order.
She was the creator of Birds of Prey, the comic series featuring The Huntress as well as the former Batgirl Barbara Gordon. It lasted 13 episodes.
She then co-wrote the very cool fantasy/thriller Night Watch. It is a russia film about the battle between the forces of light and dark.
Next up was Alexander. Now I will concede that Alexander was a big enough turkey that there is enough blame to go around to all involved. I could fill up this space with many jokes, but I will refrain and simply say that THE MOVIE SUCKED! It was nominated for Six Razzies including Worst screenplay.
2007 has seen her Executive produce, as well as write some of, The Bionic Woman. She also wrote Pathfinder, which got the crap kicked out of it by critics.
She is working with James Cameron on a couple of projects, including Battle Angel. BA is about a female cyborg in the 26th century.
Other projects include Darksiders in which an FBI agent teams up with vampires.
I know she has written at least one draft of Wonder Woman.
She might indeed do a killer job and deliver a script that has all of the intelligence and magic of the novel, but her background does not suggest that. It does suggest that SI may end up being written as a rather simple gothic thriller that could end up being more than a tad cheesy.
Quite frankly, the novel deserves better than that.
Let us keep our fingers crossed.
Scorsese, Dicaprio to reteam for Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island
Dennis Lehane will see a third of his novels come to the big screen:
Variety has reported that Academy award-winner Martin Scorsese will team up with Leonardo DiCaprio to make a film version of Lehane's Shutter Island. It will be their fourth time working together.
"The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this remote and barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades -- with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. But then neither is Teddy Daniels."
The screenplay was written by Laeta Kalogridis. Kalogridis previous wrote Alexander and Pathfinder, and is currently a executive producer on the Bionic Woman as well as having written James Cameron's forthcoming Battle Angel.
Those credits don't exactly fill me with confidence. Shutter Island is a fairly complex book that is going to require some skillful writing to make it translate to the big screen. Unless I missed something, Alexander was not exactly overflowing with brilliance.
If you have not read Shutter Island (or any other Lehane book for that matter), pick up a copy. Dennis is one of the finest crime writers alive today and should be read by every person with a brain.
DVD Review: NCIS - The Fourth Season.
Riding high on its bantering chemistry, NCIS's fourth season goes through several arcs, drawing viewers even deeper into its characters' lives. In the season premiere, Ziva (Cote de Pablo)--now a trusted teammate--is accused of a role in a terror plot. Forced to hide from NCIS and Mossad, she calls retired Special Agent Gibbs (Mark Harmon) for help. A kinder, gentler, mustachioed Gibbs takes the first few episodes to recommit to the hierarchy that so frustrated him a few months earlier.
Having taken on more responsibilities in Gibbs's absence, Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) receives a secret assignment from Director Shepard (Lauren Holly) that plays out over the course of the season along with his regular work. The "secret" aspect of several episodes in what was billed as "A Season of Secrets" sometimes seems forced. (How can anyone hope to keep Gibbs in the dark?) The bulk of episodes still serve plot and character well, remaining naturally suspenseful.
The fourth season set includes all 24 episodes on 6 discs, five audio commentaries, and seven featurettes--the star of which is an informal Q&A with the entire principal cast over dinner at The Smoke House in Burbank. You get a glimpse of the actors' real personalities and see that their camaraderie is genuine.
For more reviews from Gerald, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Film Review: Gone Baby Gone
Affleck’s choice for his directorial debut is somewhat surprising and yet makes sense at the same time. On the one hand, he is adapting the work of an author whose material has already produced a modern classic crime drama (Mystic River) so the bar is already set fairly high. To make things even riskier, he cast his brother in the role of the headstrong protagonist. Few, other than Ben, saw Casey as leading man material.
Yet the story is set in a Boston, which he is clearly familiar with, and it is that familiarity that drew him to it. This production was sort of a homecoming for the director.
It turns out that Affleck’s instincts were correct on all counts; his directorial debut delivers the goods. His choice of lighting and the types of shots he used emphasize and accentuate the blue collar grit of this Boston. We have all heard about setting being a character and this is certainly true here.
Affleck not only directs, but also co-wrote the screenplay with his childhood friend Aaron Stockard. It is not Ben’s first time doing this, as he won an Oscar (with Matt Damon) for Good Will Hunting.
Based on the Dennis Lehane novel of the same name, GBG tells the story of a pair of Boston private eyes and their search for a missing child. The mother leaves the child alone while she goes out for some fun. When she returns home, her four year old daughter is missing from her bed. While the cops are doing all they can, the girl's aunt turns to Patrick (Casey) and Angie (Michelle Monagahan), a pair of neighborhood private investigators. She hopes the locals might talk more to them than the police. This search leads them into the drug world as well as that of pedophiles and questionable cops.
The performances are uniformly good. While I expected no less Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris (Thought Mr. Harris seemed to occasionally confuse intensity with loudness), a couple of folks really stepped up and delivered. Casey Affleck, in particular, surprised me. My previous encounters with him were in the Ocean films (Ocean's 11 and whatnot) in which he played a fairly amusing goofball. Here he leaves all that behind with a performance that should erase any doubts folks might have about his ability to play a dramatic leading role. While his Patrick is not the one I envisioned, it works just fine. The film does not go overboard to convey the hardness of his character, but there are a couple of scenes where Patrick is backed into a corner that show us he is not someone to be crossed. His performance is understated yet powerful.
I know Amy Ryan only for her role on season two of The Wire. Here, as the mother of the missing child, she is a tour de force. Her performance is worthy of an Oscar nomination, here is hoping the Academy is paying attention.
The fine acting does not stop at the top; most of the lesser characters (the various lowlife scumbags and neighborhood losers) are well defined and nicely played. These well-done minor characters give the film an extra touch of realism.
Anyone looking for a popcorn thriller or run of the mill cop flick might want to skip this movie. Yes, there is a crime but GBG is more about morality and the choices we make in life. It points out that not everything is as simple as right or wrong, and that all of our decisions have consequences. The moral complexity of the script is extremely impressive.
One especially powerful scene finds Patrick giving in to his emotions and killing a pedophile. The police and even Angie praise him, but his own conscience torments him.
Are good intentions enough?
As a big fan of the book, I was both curious and apprehensive about how the film would differ from the source material. While there are some very noticeable changes (mainly in characters), none of them hurt the story and some likely aided in the transition to screen. Overall, Affleck has stayed faithful to the spirit of the book, including the ending.
The ending remains controversial, and is one that will likely have viewers disagreeing as to whether or not it was the right choice given the circumstances. Nobody is going to walk out of this film with a spring in their step or a smile on their face. Frankly, any movie that provokes thought or evokes a strong emotional response is one step above most.
Overall, GBG is a very good film. The acting is constantly strong and the feel is very blue collar. It would have been all too easy to gloss this up, but Affleck stayed loyal to both the novel and his childhood community. For that, we can all be thankful because it is a big part of what makes this film so damn good.
Jeremy Lynch
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Clooney drops out of White Jazz.
In the last day, news has broken that Oscar winner George Clooney has dropped out of White Jazz. WJ is based on the novel by James Ellroy.
Entertainment Weekly broke the news early Sunday morning, stating that Clooney's schedule was too heavy at the moment.
Last week, I mentioned how busy GC's schedule was so this is no surprise to me. Clooney's Leathernecks is requiring more time than was previously thought. As a result, his busy schedule is even more crazy.
Director Joe Carnahan had the following comments on it:
"Rough weekend. I had a bad feeling after they pushed 'Leatherheads' to April because of the extensive post on that film that something was going to have to give. Also, George is neck deep in the Coen bros. film at the moment andtrying to do 'Michael Clayton' press which will likely carry over into Awards season...SO...they wanted to see about pushing White Jazz back, which I really don't want to do. I've been waiting awhile to make this one and I wasn't content to sit on my hands.
Right now, (actually it began on friday) we're in the process of trying to plug a guy into this movie that, if it works, would be pretty f*cking amazing. No, INCREDIBLY f*cking amazing, so we'll see what happens.
No tears kids. This is the business. It happens all the time and you've got to have the balls and the ability to push past in spite of these setbacks.
We march on.
JC"
This last week has been tough for White Jazz, Chris Pine also opted out of the film when scheduling conflicts between Star Trek and WJ could not be worked out.
DVD Review: Numb3rs - The third season.
Numb3rs is kind of like CSI only with math instead of forensics.
Season three is my favorite thus far for one simple reason: they have put more time in character development. It is not so heavy as to take away from the main stories of crime solving, but it is enough to make the characters more interesting and thus give the show something beyond the math angle. By the end of season three, virtually all of the characters have added depth and are thus that much more interesting.
Season three also sees some changes in the cast. Both Peter MacNichol (Dr. Larry Fleinhardt) and Dianne Farr (Special Agent Megan Reeves) left for part of the season. Larry is chosen for a trip on the space shuttle and Megan is assigned to a secret task force with department of Justice. Both return before the end of the season.
Dr. Mildred Finch (Kathy Najimy) also comes on board as the head of the CalSci Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy Division. Her arrival initially causes numerous headaches for both Charlie and Larry, but they come to terms with her presence and even are aided at times by her. Najimy is a real colorful person and her quirkiness makes Dr. Finch very engaging and entertaining. Sadly, she appears to have signed on for this season only.
Also added to the cast was agent Liz Warner. Warner was Don’ student at the Academy and the two become romantically involved after she joins his crew. The two have nice chemistry and work well together. It is worth noting that the show has done an excellent job with the romances. Charlie/Amita, Larry/Megan and Liz/Don are all very entertaining and have nice moments of sweetness without being irritating.
This season also has some excellent guest appearances. Several members of The Wire drop in including Wendell Pierce who is excellent as Don’s shrink. Lou Diamond Phillips reprises his role as Agent Edgerton in a few episodes and Joshua Malina (The West Wing, Big Men) plays a U.S. Attorney that appears through the season.
The strength of the stories varies, most are fairly good but there is an occasional one that feels like it made the cut so as to round out the season. They hit on a wide variety of subjects including toxic waste, steroids, terrorism and Mixed Martial Arts (Yeah!).
Yes, the math angle does get old at times, feeling a little stretched, but the characters growth more than makes up for it. Any fans of police shows will almost certain enjoy Numb3rs and this season is an excellent one.
Order Numb3rs from Amazon.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
DVD Review: Criminal Minds season 2.
I always thought Criminal Minds (CBS/ Paramount) was a decent show. It never made my 'gotta see it' list, but if I spun by and it was on, I would usually watch. So when the opportunity to review season 2 came up I said; 'Sure, it's a decent show.'
Having gone through the six disc set always watching two or more episodes I now think it is way better than decent. Character development was a priority this season according to the special features and it shows. The more I got to know them the more I liked them.
For those of you who may not know. they are a team of FBI profilers, spending their time trying to get into the heads of seriously whacked criminals by loaning themselves out to local law enforcement if they request them.
Headed by Mandy Patinkins' Jason Gide! on, always to my eyes the strongest character, the rest of the cast has grown on me in a very pleasant, comfortable way. Especially Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) computer goddess and brassy broad of the first water. She is a hoot.
The stories are strong and on occasion way above. Keith Carridine appears in two very good episodes playing the most prolific serial killer in history. Hand me that blanket chilling.
The rest of the cast is stock but very nicely handled from genius/geek Dr. Reid (Matthew Grey Gubler) to the buttoned down Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson).
Patinkin left the show after this season and there was a rumored replacement. I have watched this year and he is not in evidence (no pun etc.). As I mentioned, the Gideon character was very strong, almost as if he held the teams humanity as he would their coats as they crawled into a hole. Gibson has stepped up and is doing a nice job so far, but time will tell if the loss can be compensated! for.
Criminal Minds, an odd show best taken in large doses. I' ve come to like it a great deal.
The special features are,,,dare I say...decent if a little thin. Season 2 is a good one. I hope it's not the last.
Lee Crawford
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Casting rumor for White Jazz.
This is just a rumor at this point so take it with a grain of salt.
There are reports going around that Charlize Theron will be playing Glenda Bledsoe, a hollywood startlet that Dave Klein (George Clooney) falls for, in White Jazz.
Carnahan has previously voiced his appreciation for Theron and has said that the part of Bledsoe has been beefed up for the movie.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Batman promotional site updated.
About 2 1/2 months ago, a site appeared online entitled Why So Serious? It was a promotional site for the upcoming Batman film The Dark Knight.
It has been updated with Halloween theme: A jack 0' lantern (with a batman logo-shaped mouth) with a candle in it.
Nothing appears to happen, the candle just keeps burning. But I figured it was worth mentioning.
Why So Serious?
10/27 update: One half of the pumpkin's face is rotting, ala Two-face.
Wanna watch 12 clips from American Gangster?
Universal has provided a couple film sites with twelve clips from Ridley Scott's American Gangster. Based on a New York magazine article by Mark Jacobson, AG tells the story of Frank Lucas, Harlem drug kingpin that had heroin smuggled in from Asia in the coffins of soldiers returning from Nam.
"Nobody used to notice Frank Lucas (Oscar winner Denzel Washington), the quiet driver to one of the inner city's leading black crime bosses. But when his boss suddenly dies, Frank exploits the opening in the power structure to build his own empire and create his own version of the American Dream. Through ingenuity and a strict business ethic, he comes to rule the inner-city drug trade, flooding the streets with a purer product at a better price. Lucas outplays all of the leading crime syndicates and becomes not only one of the city's mainline corrupters, but part of its circle of legit civic superstars.
Richie Roberts (Oscar winner Russell Crowe) is an outcast cop close enough to the streets to feel a shift of control in the drug underworld. Roberts believes someone is climbing the rungs above the known Mafia families and starts to suspect that a black power player has come from nowhere to dominate the scene. Both Lucas and Roberts share a rigorous ethical code that sets them apart from their own colleagues, making them lone figures on opposite sides of the law. The destinies of these two men will become intertwined as they approach a confrontation where only one of them can come out on top."
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
DVD Review: Planet Terror (Unrated and extended edition)
Planet Terror is Robert Rodriguez’ half of Grindhouse. GH was a concept dreamed up by RR and Quentin Tarantino. They each filmed a film that was an homage to the old 70s exploitation flicks. These two films, along with a handful of trailers (for movies that don’t exist), were released as one film.
Grindhouse failed to deliver at the box office, likely at least in part because of the length. That is a real shame because both films are quite enjoyable and clearly are labors of love.
Robert Rodriguez offers up Planet Terror. Here we have your basic Living Dead-on-the-loose flick. Some questionable activities by officials (led by Bruce Willis) at a local military base has resulted the nearby residents wandering around, oozing pus and craving the kind of meal that just is not acceptable in modern society. Actually, I think munching on your neighbor’s brains was frowned upon in throughout most of our history.
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So we have our nasties, now we need our folks in peril. For them, we have a fun bunch of lowlifes, including Cherry (Rose McGowan) a saucy go-go dancer/aspiring stand-up comic that ends up with a machine gun in place of a leg, her ex Wray (Freddie Rodriguez), bickering married doctors (Delightfully played by Josh Brolin and Marley Shelton) that you likely don't want working on you, a pair of identical twin babysitters that you likely don’t want watching your kid, the owner of a local BBQ shack and the local law enforcement (led by a sheriff that covets his brother’s BBQ recipe).
While most of the cast do a good job, McGowan and, to a lesser degree, Freddie Rodriguez really shine. I don’t dislike Rose, but have never been enthralled by here. This time around, she does an excellent job of playing the character as being tough yet vulnerable. She also proves to be more than capable of handling her action scenes.
My only other real knowledge of Freddie Rodriguez was in the first season of Six Feet Under (I lost interest in the show when it became more soapy). He pleasantly surprised me here. His performance as El Wray, scruffy, shady fellow with a mysterious past, may have just opened up a new career for himself as an action hero.
Watching this film is an interesting experience because it has (the intentional) look of an old worn out print that has been run way too many times. I honestly think this really adds to Planet Terror, it gives it a creepier, sleazier feel. There is a “missing” reel that comes at a point that will almost surely leave every red-blooded male howling in frustration, but even that actually adds to the film. When it starts back up, we have just missed some revelations about Wray’s past. Not knowing what exactly was said is honestly a little better as it makes him all the more mysterious.
This is the “un-rated and extended” version of the film. So what has been added? Not too much really. There is more gore and some extended action scenes, but nothing too earth shattering. While the additional bits don’t detract from the film, I don’t know that they add a whole lot either.
Most of the bonus features are pretty standard and, surprisingly for RR, nothing too extraordinary. The director’s commentary track is very good, being both fun as well as informative. This is no surprise since not only did RR direct the film, he wrote, produced, scored and edited the thing!
The 10 Minute Film School With Robert Rodriguez segment (Which actually runs just under 12 minutes.) is very cool. RR talks about the tricks involved in keep the costs down as well as how they shot the machine gun leg of Miz McGowen. We learn that many of the scratches and jumps in the film were intentionally placed.
Keep in mind there is going to be a forthcoming Grindhouse release that will feature both movies, so die-hard fans that do buy should almost certainly expect to be buying another release of this within the next year.
Mr. Rodriguez delivers gore by the bucketful. He also gives us some sick humor and a trashy film that will draw you in while making you ill. Fans of old Zombie flicks and other B films will almost certainly be delighted with this fun-filled gory rollercoaster ride.
Not quite as impressive a package as Tarantino’s Death Proof, Planet Terror is still enjoyable and the commentary track makes up for the ho-humness of the rest of the bonus features.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Chris Pine opts to hang with vulcans instead of Clooney
I previously posted that Chris Pine was up not only for a key role in ths film version of James Ellroy’s White Jazz, but for the role of Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek. Attempts were being made to work out the scheduling conflicts so Pine could take both roles. It appears those conflicts were too great to overcome.
Director Joe Carnahan announced, on his site, that his choice for the role of Junior Stemmons would not be in White Jazz, having choosen another role instead.
The young man playing Junior Stemmons has opted to 'boldly go where no man
has gone before' and thus, had to bow out of WHITE JAZZ. I've been talking
to him this past week and knew how tough the decision had to be for him.
I don't envy ever being in that spot but I gave him my full support, even if
it meant he didn't do JAZZ. I get it. You don't get opportunities like that
often and I told him as long as he could control as much of that process as
possible and not get sucked into doing lesser sequels as a result of taking
this gig, then good luck and God bless.
We're sure to do something down the road. I've already slotted him in for
KILLING PABLO.
While Carnahan did not post names, Pine is the one he was refering to.
Pine previously worked with Carnahan in Smokin’ Aces as one of three neo-nazi psychotic, homicidal brothers.
DVD Releases for Oct 16th.
We have two titles of note today, Patricia Arquette comes to us in the third season of Medium, while Robert Rodriguez gives us zombies, cruel soldiers and a lovely go-go dancer with dreams of being a stand-up comedian in Planet Terror.
Medium: The Third Season Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $61,99. Extras:Commentary on select episodes, deleted scenes, "Drawing on Dreams" featurette, "The Story of Medium Season Three" featurette, "The Making of Medium Season Three" featurette, gag reel. (Paramount).
Order from Amazon.
Planet Terror (Extended and unrated edition) (2007) Dir.: Robert Rodriguez; Freddy Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Michael Biehn, Stacy Ferguson, Jeff Fahey. . Extras: Commentary by writer-director Robert Rodriguez, audience screening track, 10 minute film school, "Sickos, Bullets and Explosions: The Stunts of Planet Terror," "The Badass Babes of Planet Terror," "Casting Robert Rodriguez's Son Rebel," "The Guys of Planet Terror," "The Friend, the Doctor and the Real Estate Agent," international poster gallery and international trailer. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).
Robert Rodriguez' half of Grindhouse is a throwback to 70s zombie flicks. Check out our review on this 2 disc set.
Order from Amazon.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Release date for Shoot 'Em Up DVD.
"A gritty, fast-paced action thriller, Shoot ‘Em Up kicks into high gear with a memorable opening scene and never relents. Clive Owen stars as Mr. Smith, a mysterious loner who teams up with an unlikely ally (Monica Belluci) to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal (Paul Giamatti) who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city."
Warner Home Video has announced that Shoot 'Em Up will be released on DVD (and Blu-Ray) on Jan 1st.
The DVD will include audio commentary with director Michael Davis, deleted scenes and animatics with optional commentary by Davis, the Ballet of Bullets: Making Shoot ‘Em Up documentary, the film's theatrical trailer, "red band" trailer and a TV remix trailer.
Suggested Retail Price is $27.98 for the DVD and $35.98 for Blu-Ray. It will be released on HD-DVD at a later date.
Shoot 'Em Up is a very fun over-the-top popcorn flick. I reviewed it when it was released, but if you did not heed my words, pick up the DVD.
Smokin' Aces prequel has a title and is moving forward.
On his web site, Joe Carnahan announced the name of the forthcoming prequel to his 2006 film Smokin’ Aces. It will be called Smokin’ Aces: Blowback. Carnahan has previously described it as “pretty ambitious picture action-wise and has a wonderfully unique political skew.”
According to the posting, Universal has green lighted the film with no real changes.
The plan is to get it started pre-strike. That could be tricky because Carnahan just started pre-production on his big screen version of James Ellroy’s White Jazz.
No word on who will be in Blowback, but Joe did say this:
"I'd love to find a way to work our regulars into cameos in the flick. I've put
my mind to this and we'll devise something slick to give some camera love
to the loyalists."
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Miramax purchases rights to Marcus Sakey's The Blade Itself
More good news for film fans that like quality crime fiction:
Miramax has purchased the film rights to Marcus Sakey's The Blade Itself. LivePlanet, a production company owned by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, will be producing.
On the South Side of Chicago, you’re only as strong as your reputation. Danny Carter and his best friend Evan earned theirs knocking over pawnshops and liquor stores, living from score to score, never thinking of tomorrow.
Then a job went desperately wrong, and in the roar of a gun blast, everything changed.
Years later, Danny doesn't think about his past. He's built a new world for himself: a legitimate career, a long-term girlfriend, and a clean conscience. He's just like anyone else. Normal. Successful. Happy.
Until he spots his old partner staring him down in a smoky barroom mirror.
The book will be adapted by Aaron Stockard. Stockard is a childhood friend of Affeck and Damon. He previously worked as an assistant on Good Will Hunting and The Talented Mr. Ripley, and recently co-wrote Gone Baby Gone with Affeck.
This will be his first solo screenplay.
LivePlanet has generally handled relatviely small projects, including the Project Greenlight films. Among their bigger films have been the second and third American Pie films as well as Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men. Gone Baby Gone is their most recent film, with two documentaries in production right now as well as having plans for a remake of TRON...don't ask me why.
Warner Brothers purchase Olen Steinhauer's The Tourist.
Warner Brothers has puchased the film rights to Olen Steinhauer's forthcoming novel, The Tourist.
"A spy must risk everything to reveal a conspiracy after he's suspected of a murder he didn't commit. "
Oscar-winner George Clooney, along with Grant Heslov, will be producing. Clooney and Heslov are partners in the production company Smoke House. The two first worked together on Good Night, and Good Luck. Heslov co-wrote it with Clooney.
Olen has said that Clooney will be starring, but all other reports only mention him as a producer.
No word has been given as to when this project might move forward, but it is not likely to occur until 2009.
Clooney is in the middle of promoting Michael Clayton (We will have a review in the next day).
Is in post-production on Leathernecks (which he is staring in as well as having written, directed and produced).
Is filming Burn after Reading with the Coen Brothers.
Will be starting pre-production on Joe Carnahan's film of Ellroy's White Jazz.
And will also be doing a voice for Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox (based on the work of Roald Dahl).
George is a busy guy.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Smokin' Aces prequel gets greenlight and a name.
Smokin’ Aces prequel has name and is moving forward.
On his web site, Joe Carnahan announced the name of the forthcoming prequel to his 2006 film Smokin’ Aces. It will be called Smokin’ Aces: Blowback. Carnahan has previously described it as “pretty ambitious picture action-wise and has a wonderfully unique political skew.”
According to the posting, Universal has green lighted the film with no real changes.
The plan is to get it started pre-strike. That could be tricky because Carnahan just started pre-production on his big screen version of James Ellroy’s White Jazz.
No word on who will be in Blowback, but Joe did say this:
I'd love to find a way to work our regulars into cameos in the flick. I've put
my mind to this and we'll devise something slick to give some camera love
to the loyalists.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Chris Pine appears set to join Clooney for Ellroy's White Jazz.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, both camps are trying to work things out. But I wonder which role Pine would take if forced to choose a role. Jazz has a lot of buzz behind it and Clooney is gold these days. Star Trek is obviously a huge franchise, but will resetting the franchise with younger versions of the iconic characters take?
Chris Pine served time opposite Lindsay Lohen (so clearly he has paid his dues) in Just My Luck, but was great as part of a trio of neo-Nazi killers in Carnahan’s Smokin’ Aces.
I'll just say that it would be a pleasure to reunite with Pine on WJ and go out and kill that Junior role. It's really the second lead in the film and the one that requires the biggest corkscrew to an actor's performance. It's a helluva hill to summit but Pine has true, natural, unforced ability and gifts.
We'll see how it all shakes
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
DVD Review: Murder, She Wrote - season seven
Detective dramas for the elderly set became extremely popular in the 80’s and Murder She Wrote was the cream of the crop. While the show has many detractors today, it’s clear to see why it was ranked in the top 20 Nielsen ratings for nearly all of its 12 seasons. Compared to the gory forensics of CSI or House, MSW seems tame in comparison; however, by this time the show had become a well oiled machine, featuring clever mysteries and a parade of guest stars from Hollywood’s most glamorous era. All 22 episodes of seventh season were released October 9th, and are a welcome addition to any DVD collection.
Season six began the trend of guest detectives taking over for Jessica Fletcher, as the strenuous schedule of filming an entire season became too much for its star. This concept was met with middling success and declined ratings; therefore Lansbury is featured more frequently in season seven. Ratings bounced back, leading producers to drop the substitute sleuths altogether in later years. Thank heavens for that, as Jessica’s misadventures in Cabot Cove are clearly the stand-out episodes. In particular, check out “Thursday’s Child” featuring Hitchcock blonde Vera Miles.
The picture and sound quality is good for a show of its age. There is minimal grain on the picture and the soundtrack is clear, featuring its original mono presentation. The discs continue to be single sided and housed in regular amarays. A coupon for season 8 suggests there will be more MSW arriving in 2008. I’m crossing my fingers the body count at Cabot Cove continues to pile up on my DVD shelf.
Bradley Hayward
Bradley's web site
Bradley on My Space.
For more reviews from Bradley, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
DVD Releases for Oct 9th.
Agatha Christie's Marple, Series 3 (2005-6) Four-disc set with four feature-length mysteries starring Geraldine McEwan as Agatha Christie's famous sleuth. Extras: Photo gallery, Christie bio, filmographies. (Acorn Media).
28 Weeks Later (2007) Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Catherine McCormack, Imogen Poots, Idris Elba, Mackintosh Muggleton. Extras: Commentary by director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and co-writer Enrique Lopez Lavigne, "Code Red: Making of 28 Weeks Later" featurette, "The Infected Make-Up Effects" featurette, "Getting Into the Action" featurette, "28 Days Later: The Aftermath Flash-Animated Graphic Novel," deleted scenes. (Fox).
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Three $39.98(Universal)
William Shatner, Peter Lorre, Vincent Price and Jack Klugman are among the stars that appear in this collection. We should have a full review up shortly.
CSI: NY: The Third Season Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $72.99. Extras: Featurettes, commentary, more. (Paramount).
Jericho of Scotland Yard -- The Complete Set Four-disc collector's edition with all four of the Jericho mysteries: "A Pair of Ragged Claws," "The Killing of Johnny Swan," "To Murder and Create" and "The Hollow Men." $49.95. (WGBH Boston Video).
Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Seventh Season Angela Lansbury $49.98 Extras: "The Perils of Success" interviews with Lansbury and other members of the cast and crew. (Universal)
I am happy to say we will be welcoming a new reviewer to the Crimespree family: Bradley Hayward will be bringing us a review of M,SW in the next week. Bradley has a soft spot for the cozy stuff...which is fine by me since most of it gives me hives.
Robin of Sherwood, Set 2 Five-disc set with the final 13 episodes of the 1980s British series starring Jason Connery and Ray Winstone, $59.99. Extras: Commentaries, two retrospective documentaries, outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage, more. (Acorn Media).
Stargate SG-1: The Complete Series Collector's Edition Fifty-four disc set with all 214 episodes; last four discs are bonus materials; $329.98. (MGM)
Monday, October 08, 2007
Forrest Whitaker teams with FX for new crime drama.
Oscar winner Forrest Whitaker will executive produce and direct a new crime drama for FX, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The article described the new series as "Sopranos" set in the world of arms dealers."
Forrest previously worked with FX on The Shield when he played Lt. Jon Kavanaugh (for which he was completely hosed by the Emmys...no shock there) in the 2006-07 season.
The series, which is as of yet untitled, is in development so I would not expect to see it until at least next summer.
Forrest has some directing experience, having made Waiting to Exhale and Hope Floats. Both did relatively well, but got mixed reviews.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
In the Electric Mist pushed back to 2008.
The film version of James Lee Burke's In the Electric Mist has been pushed back to 2008. It originally was slated to be released on Dec 20th, but that date has been canceled. No new date has been set.
On his forum, JLB said this:
"Electric Mist" is in the editing stage now. My impression is that it will be released in early '08. "
The film stars Tommy Lee Jones as Dave Robicheaux, the iconic Cajun detective. The film also stars Ned Beatty, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard and Mary Steenburgen.
Click here for a complete rundown on the cast.
Here are some photos taken from the set.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
DVD Review: Shark - Season one
Fox Home Entertainment
For his first lead role in a TV series, James Woods plays Sebastian Stark, a high-powered L.A. criminal defense attorney who has an epiphany when a client acquitted of assault and battery returns to commit murder. After months of self-imposed exile, Stark is lured by the mayor to head the new High Profile Crime Unit of the D.A.'s office.
D.A. Jessica Devlin (Jeri Ryan), a onetime student of Stark's, challenges him to mentor a young staff including idealistic Raina Troy (Sophina Brown), cutthroat Madeleine Poe (Sarah Carter), privileged Casey Woodland (Sam Page), and hard-working Martin Allende (Alexis Cruz).
Stark must also make time for his teenage daughter Julie (Danielle Panabaker), who, in the pilot, chooses to live with him rather than move with her mom to New York.
Peppered with celebrity cameos, Shark captures the feel of Los Angeles as few series do anymore. Woods delivers Stark's legal brilliance as well as his personal foibles. Finding screen time for the rest of the cast (particularly Jeri Ryan) was a challenge through the first season, but the show made the splash it needed to be renewed.
The first season set includes all 22 episodes on 6 discs, two commentaries with James Woods and creator/exec producer Ian Biederman, 19 deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and a gag reel.
Friday, October 05, 2007
More chatter about potential Serenity sequel.
A while back, I posted some comments by Firefly/Serenity creator Joss Whedom regarding the chances of another Serenity film.
Now one of the actors is talking about it:
Alan Tudyk, who played Wash, made the following comments to Moviehole.net:
They had to put [the new DVD] out because they’ve been selling out of the other one and so Universal’s like ‘So, let’s do another one’. And now… there’s now a chance there’s going to be another movie”.
Tudyk agrees that even if it was a direct-to-DVD movie, it’d still be worthwhile. Especially since the whole DVD sequel is a big trend.
“It really is”, says Tudyk. “Everybody in the Firefly crew – and that includes the ones who died in the movie – are excited about the prospect of doing another”.
So clearly it is not a done deal by any means, but there is some talk within the studio and cast. Any hope is better than no hope.
I am Legend site goes online.
"Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague -- The Infected -- lurk in the shadows... watching Neville's every move... waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered... and quickly running out of time."
I Am Legend is based on the Richard Mathison novel of the same name.
It hits theaters on Dec 14th.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
New Crime Shows This Fall.
by Gerald So
K-Ville (Mondays, 8PM on FOX) is a cop drama set in post-Katrina New Orleans, starring Anthony Anderson and Cole (son of Wings) Hauser. The premiere was fine. Good action, good atmosphere, but the backstory of Hauser's character, Trevor Cobb, ruins it for me. By the end of the premiere, viewers learn he was a convict who took the chance to reinvent himself when Katrina hit, first joining the Army, then the NOPD. Would not happen in real life.
Chuck (Mondays, 8PM on NBC) is an action comedy created by Josh Schwartz (The O.C.) about an electronics store techie whose brain is bombarded with thousands of state secrets when an old rival, now a rogue spy, sends him an e-mail. Separately tasked with recovering said secrets are Maj. John Casey of the NSA (Adam Baldwin) and Sarah Walker of the CIA (Yvonne Strahovski). It's nicely unclear which agency has the better motive. Chuck has a good geek factor and appealing leads. It remains to be seen if they'll be fleshed out in a fresh way or if this is Jake 3.0.
Journeyman (Mondays, 10PM on NBC) stars Scottish actor Kevin McKidd as San Francisco reporter Dan Vassar, who begins to black out and trip through time without warning. I found the premiere not different enough from previous turn-back-time dramas Quantum Leap, Early Edition, and Tru Calling.
Reaper (Tuesdays, 9PM on CW) is about a 21-year-old slacker (Bret Harrison) who learns his parents sold his soul to The Devil (Ray Wise) before he was born. The Devil puts him to work sending escaped souls back to hell. Though its premise is similar to the canceled FOX series Brimstone, as a comedy, Reaper is very different in tone. Worth a look.
Bionic Woman (Wednesdays, 9PM on NBC) is an update bearing little resemblance to the original 1976 show beyond the protag's name. The new Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan) is a college dropout bartender rashly fitted with bionics by her surgeon boyfriend after their near-fatal car accident. The organization behind Jaime's bionics is rather shady, and soon she's pursued by psychopathic previous model Sarah Corvis (Katee Sackhoff). As with most superhero shows, as human as Jaime and Sarah seem, there will always something otherworldly about them that will have to be served, and that ultimately turns me off.
Life (Wednesdays, 10PM on NBC) stars British actor Damian Lewis as Charlie Crews, a cop whose wrongful conviction is overturned twelve years into a life sentence. Many of his former colleagues hate him, either because they still suspect him or because he sued for reinstatement. Relying on the Zen he studied in prison, Crews must catch up on twelve years of the American culture while solving crimes including who originally framed him. Reminiscent of House, Raines, and Blind Justice, will Life distinguish itself?
Moonlight (Fridays, 9PM on CBS) tops Journeyman as the least original series of the fall. Following the cases of Los Angeles P.I./vampire Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin), everything about this show feels as if it's been done before, from the voiceover, to the mortal love interest, to the attempts to keep a secret identity.
For more of Gerald's thoughts and observations, check out his blog: If you want to know about my Life...
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
LAW AND ORDER:CRIMINAL INTENT
The show enters it's seventh season and it is now exclusivley on USA network. I'm a huge fan of the show. The original no longer holds my interest and I can't get past the two leads in SVU, but Criminal Intent is great.
The season premeire kicks it into high gear from the off and Goren ends up coming back to work a bit early when a cop is killed. The case ties into a past case with ramifications for Eames. It airs at 9:00 central time and is titled Amends. Goren doing what he does best as Eames tries to deal with the fact that her husbands killer might not have actually been caught. The performances were mighty and if the rest of the season is this good I won't miss a one.
Tune in!
DVD Review: Wall Street (20th Anniversary edition)
After watching Wall Street again, two things stand out:
First, Michael Douglas is fantastic as Greedhead Gordon Gecko. Seriously, Michael Douglas took his game to a whole new level with this film. Up to this point, he had had success playing good guys (Romancing the Stone) or the everyman (Fatal Attraction). But with Wall Street, he tossed away silly things like scruples made the character of Gordon Gecko one of the more memorable “villains” of the 80s.
Second: Wall Street is a compelling (and accurate) portrait of America in the Regan era. Yuppie scum making their fortunes on Wall Street while putting their morals in a blind trust. Every third kid was looking to get an MBA and make his fortune buying and selling America.
Charlie Sheen is an up and comer wanting to be the next big thing. He makes the proverbial deal with the devil (or in this case, Douglas). We see him set aside the advice and guidance of his father (played by Charlie’s real life dad Martin Sheen) and that of an honorable broker (Hal Holbrook).
As far as dramas go, I don’t know that Wall Street holds up especially well (even at the time, it was hardly one of Stone’s best films), but the performances make the characters interesting and still kept my attention. You know where the film is going, but the skill of the actors makes the journey worthwhile.
For extras, we get a couple new things of note:
One is a featurette entitled Greed is Good. GiG clocks in at a little under an hour. With interviews with not only cast and crew, but also a number of current Wall Street Greedheads. The film is a bit of a cult classic within the financial community. GiG is quite interesting and certainly worth watching.
We also have some deleted scenes with optional commentary from Oliver Stone. Interesting, but nothing that really adds to the film. Pretty much the kind of stuff that usually fills this kind of bonus feature.
Also included is a commentary track by Stone, which is ok but really not as interesting as I would have expected. It is possible that I was going into it with inflated expectations, but I don’t see it as a must watch (or listen) unless you are hard core Stone fan.
Order Wall Street from Amazon.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Goodnight, Moneypenny: A Tribute to Lois Maxwell
by Gerald So
Best known as the original Miss Moneypenny from the James Bond films, Lois Maxwell died September 29, 2007 at age 80. Like Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Maxwell became an anchor, letting viewers know they were in the world of Bond, whatever year it was and whoever was playing Bond.
Born Lois Hooker on February 14, 1927 in Kitchener, Ontario, she ran away from home at age 15 to join the Canadian Army in World War II and became part of the Army Entertainment Corps. Her true age was discovered while the group was in London, and she enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to avoid court martial and deportation back to Canada. It was at RADA she befriended fellow student Roger Moore.
Maxwell lobbied for a role in Dr. No as her husband had had a heart attack and they needed money. Director Terence Young offered her the choice between Moneypenny and Bond girl Sylvia Trench.
While still acting in the Bond films in the 1980s, Maxwell became a columnist for the Toronto Sun, sharing stories of her experiences on set, her life in general, and topics of the day. Having played Moneypenny in fourteen films from Dr. No through A View to a Kill, Maxwell asked that her character be killed off. Producer Cubby Broccoli chose to recast.
In 1994, Maxwell returned to England to be near her daughter. Since undergoing cancer surgery in 2001, she had lived with her son's family in Perth, Australia.
Moneypenny and Bond customarily share sexual innuendo before 007 receives perilous missions from M. While many perceive (and subsequent actors have played) Moneypenny as infatuated or pining for Bond, I felt Maxwell brought a quiet dignity that made Bond seem the hopeless pursuer.
Monday, October 01, 2007
A look at the new faces for Punisher II: War Zone
The sequel to 2006’s The Punisher is looking to be completely different from the original. Not only does it have a new star, but a new director as well.
Lexi Alexander is behind the camera for this one. Lexi is a former world karate and kickboxing champion. Born in Germany, she moved to the U.S. at age 19. She spent time as a stunt double while studying film.
The Wire’s Dominic West has signed on to play the villain Jigsaw in the forthcoming Punisher II: War Zone. Jigsaw is a mafia assassin whose face covered in scars thus resembling a jigsaw puzzle.
Also in negotiations is Wayne Knight (Seinfeld’s Newman). Knight would play a sort of assistant to the Punisher. The character, Microchip, supplies Castle with the various implements of killing he likes so much.
Also signed is Colin Solmon as Agent Paul Budiansky. Colin will be appearing in the forthcoming The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. He has been a regular in British television in shows such as Keen Eddie, Party Animals and Bad Girls.
DVD Review: The Unit season 2.
Fox Home Entertainment
The Unit season one introduced us to an elite group of fighting men and the women they love. We see both sides of serving your country in a group that is top secret. Season two is much of the same, and for my money that’s a good thing. Executive producers David Mamet and Shawn Ryan based this series on a book about the real Delta Force, and as such it’s full of action.
The missions are always different and always interesting, from an evac during a hurricane to undercover work and stopping arms dealers the Unit handles all sorts of threats to our country. On the flip side we see the wives dealing with being out of the loop on the exact nature of the work and dealing with things on the home front. It apparent that these men don’t get rich and an ongoing theme is how to make ends meet. Molly, Jonas’ wife once again is in need of money and takes a job recruiting men to join a private world security force. You know at some point it’s going to go wrong for someone and she’ll feel bad. I have no sympathy for this character who keeps making dumb mistakes, but the rest of the crew is great. They are loyal to each other and their mission. It’s called a military drama and that’s an apt description. It’s also hard to stop watching. Put me in the line with the die hard fans.
Order from Amazon.
Jon
For more reviews from Jon, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
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