Episode #22 features:
Dust Jacket: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Round Table: Supanova Expo 2012, featuring interviews with Ben Hutchings, Bobby N & the one and only Brian Michael Bendis.
Welcome to the Fifteenth Installment of Who Review, my ongoing quest to watch and review all available episodes of SF’s longest running television series, Doctor Who. This week, the TARDIS crew encounter the last surviving members of the human race in the year 10,000,000 AD in The Ark.
EPISODES
The Ark (4 Episodes)
BROADCAST DATES
05 March – 26 March 1966
THE DOCTOR
William Hartnell
THE COMPANIONS
Steven Taylor
Dodo Chaplet
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Released: 2011
Directed by: Sean Durkin
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy
Plot: A young woman suffers from delusions and paranoia after returning to her family from a cult.
For: Magnificent performance by Olsen / Quite unsettling at times
Against: I don’t want to give too much away, but the ending is incredibly annoying. I have no problem with an open ending, the future unclear. But Martha stops in the middle of a scene, and that grates. I understand the reasoning – Martha is so paranoid that she sees an enemy at every turn – but frankly that’s not good enough.
Favourite Scene: Martha reacts to Ted touching her / Martha reacts to the bartender
Rating: 3 Lukes
We Need to talk about Kevin
Released: 2011
Directed by: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller
Plot: Adolescent Kevin is in prison after committing a massacre at his high school, as well as the murders of his father and sister. His mother, Eva, a once-successful travel writer, lives alone in a run-down house and works in a mall travel agency in a town near the prison where she visits Kevin. She looks back at her memories of him growing up as she tries to cope with the anger and hostility of her neighbours, who know her to be Kevin’s mother and lost loved ones in his massacre. Her memories are shown in flashbacks.
For: Tilda Swinton always gives a great performance, and this is one of her best / The sense of hopelessness and alienation is very well done / What happens when a mother doesn’t feel anything maternal for her own son?
Against: I’m not fond of the resolution. Eva has feared and disliked Kevin most of his life. He scares and mystifies her. Yet when he commits his unspeakable acts she suddenly becomes maternal. Is it out of guilt? Self inflicted punishment and a quest for atonement for not having him analyzed and treated earlier and therefore allowing these crimes to be committed?
Favourite Scene: Eva wakes up to find her house covered in blood red paint / The co-worker that has been flirting with her reveals his true feelings / the dinner conversation with Kevin
Rating: 3 Lukes
Due to time constraints, I may not always have the time for a full review of movies or TV shows that I’ve seen recently. So I decided to post them in my Spotlight On… format. Spotlight On…Recent Viewings wont have the same theme style as my other Spotlight On… posts do, they will simply be the last 6 movies or TV shows I saw and wanted to review, and wont be covered on the Podcast. So they could be the latest cinema releases, or a blast from the past!
The Hunger Games
Released: 2012
Directed by: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Liam Hemsworth
Plot: In a post-apocalyptic future, the nation of Panem is a wealthy capital surrounded by 12 impoverished districts. As punishment for a past rebellion against the government, the Capitol initiated the Hunger Games—a televised annual event in which one boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts are selected via lottery as “tributes” and required to fight to the death in an arena until there is one remaining victor. When Katniss Everdeen hears her younger sister’s name called as the female tribute for their district, she volunteers to take her place in order to save her from having to participate. Joined by her district’s male tribute Peeta, Katnisss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games, expressing resentment for both the Capitol and its populace for forcing her and her fellow tributes to fight to the death for their own amusement
For: Great performances, especially from Lawrence as Katniss, but also from Harrelson, Kravitz and Tucci. Despite being an obvious rip off of Battle Royale, the story was interesting enough to keep me interested, especially Katniss’ arc. Some great sequences, including the chariots, Katniss’ hallucinations & the fire storm, and the use of handy cam didn’t overstay its welcome.
Against: Doesn’t take advantage of its premise. A dystopian country that has embraced the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur & decadence of Ancient Rome and implemented their own tribute system/Colosseum battle should be a lot more thought provoking than it is. The action scenes were cool but I would have liked a little more introspection.
Favourite Scene: Katniss shoots the apple and earns her 11, and the death of Rue
Rating: 3.5 Lukes
John Carter
Released: 2012
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Willem Dafoe, Dominic West
Plot: Former Confederate cavalryman John Carter is transported to Mars, where, after myriad adventures, he marries a princess and saves the planet from the evil machinations of the Therns.
For: Great effects, especially the Tharks. Quite fun. Lynn Collins is feisty. It’s clear that the majority of people that gave this a bad review have never read the source material – yes the concept and science are ridiculous, but what do you expect from something written in 1912! A decapitation in a Disney movie :). At the time of writing this Wrath of the Titans has made 33m, while this is at 2m. This proves there is no God.
Against: Not enough action. Kitsch is terrible but tries hard. Terrible advertising campaign. Shouldn’t have been made by Disney.
Favourite Scene: Carter tries to avoid being conscripted back into the army / Carter saves Dejah from falling to her death
Rating: 3.5 Lukes
Welcome to the Fourteenth Instalment of Who Review, my ongoing quest to watch and review all available episodes of SF’s longest running television series, Doctor Who. This week, the Doctor finds himself in England during the Norman Invasion of 1066 in The Time Meddler.
EPISODES
The Time Meddler (4 Episodes)
BROADCAST DATES
3 July – 24 July 1965
THE DOCTOR
William Hartnell
THE COMPANIONS
Vicki
Steven Taylor
