Posted on November 13, 2009 by Darren
In my defense, I haven’t seen the original 2002 movie The Gathering Storm, to which this movie serves as a sequel – but I think the movie (as a historical piece) stands very well on its own two feet. Besides, aside from the producers (the brothers Scott, obviously attempting to follow Spielberg into the World War II market) and writer (Hugh Whitemore), the series has little in common with its illustrious predecessor. The director is new. The roles have been recast. If it weren’t for the linking theme of the word ‘Storm’ in the title and the fact that this movie picks up where the other left off (at least chronologically), there would be nothing to really tie it down. So, with the confession that I have not seen the original made-for-TV movie, what did I think of Into The Storm?
Cry Havok! And let slip the insurance-selling dogs of war!
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews, Television | Tagged: brendan gleeson, churchill, drama, hbo, into the storm, made-for-television, Movie, non-review review, review, Television, winston churchill | 2 Comments »
Posted on November 6, 2009 by Darren
We caught V last night on TV3. I’m still disappointed no high definition channel is offering it – though, judging by the special effects quality, we weren’t missing much. We’re all fairly undecided on the show, which is a fairly solid reissue of a cult classic, rather than an attempt at a redesign. Don’t expect anything as smart or insightful as Battlestar Galactica and you should be relatively pleased. I think we’ll give this at least a season pass, and then review after that. Anyway, it was hard to watch the remake without the obvious themes playing in my head. Is V a criticism of what the media have dubbed Obama-mania?
The New Republicans?
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: aliens, america, barrack obama, change, discussion, hope, metaphor, obama, parallel, politics, Television, universal healthcare, us, v | Leave a comment »
Posted on October 9, 2009 by Darren
For reasons beyond my control (and the same reasons that might lead me to slow my contributions over the next weeks) I found myself watching late night reality television on TV3. Until now, reality TV and I have observed something resembling a mutually peaceful existence – I don’t bother it and it doesn’t bother me. However, watching an hour of Gordon Ramsey swear like he’d just bought a sailor’s thesaurus really just hammered home how uncomfortable I am watching reality television. What’s my problem?
Reality TV in a nutshell...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: broadcasting, competitive reality shows, networks, programming, reality shows, reality television, reality tv, scripted drama, Television, voyeurism | 1 Comment »
Posted on October 5, 2009 by Darren
It’s a strange world. It’s startling that last year’s writers’ strike produced one the most stunning years of television that I can recall. In particular the fourth seasons of both House and Lost managed to inject a new sense of life into premises that had been wearing more than a little thin. Both series finales were fantastic, and promised wonderful things for the coming year. And both series subsequently failed to live up to the promise offered by those finales. In fairness, Lost was pretty awesome this year, just not with the same concentration of awesome which defined its earlier season. House, on the other hand, faltered coming out of the date by giving us a whole myriad of poorly-handled interesting storylines and just blain terrible subplots. Just when it looked like it was going to limp past the finish line, the last handful of episodes managed to turn it around, but I’m still not sure what to make of the season as a whole.
The show had its problems this year, let's see if we can make a diagnosis...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: cuddy, drama, gregory house, house, house m.d., house md, house: season 5, hugh laurie, kal penn, laurence kutner, lisa edelstein, robert sean leonard, Television, wilson | 1 Comment »
Posted on October 1, 2009 by Darren
I live in the same house as my gran (I reckon I’m young enough that it’s still cute rather than creepy), and last week a new boxset of her pet obsession – CSI – arrived in the door. Since she’s in bed shortly after I get home from work, the two of us have been watching episodes of the ninth season of the seminal forensic “drama” (it’s more science-fiction or fantasy, but let’s not quibble). It’s the season that sees former hot young actor of the eighties, William Peterson, replaced by former hot young actor of the nineties, Laurence Fishburne. I’ll admit I haven’t yet watched every episode, but it’s surprising how much I’m not missing the lead who coaxed the show through nearly a decade of airtime. Has CSI seemingly acheived the impossible? Has it successfully swapped out an established leading man?
A Fish(burne) out of water?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: casting, csi, ensemble, gil grissom, laurence fishburne, lead actor, new actor, ray langston, Television, the x-files, william peterson | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 22, 2009 by Darren
I have mixed feelings about the Emmy awards. On one hand Bryan Cranston is awesome, but on the other Hugh Laurie is due a statue, albeit probably not for this lacklustre year. On one hand 24 deserved recognition, but on the other Anne Wersching was the best actress on the show – certainly not Cherry Jones. it was awesome to see Brendan Gleeson get some over due love. And there is one decision I’m glad that the Academy made. Michael Emerson deserved an award for his role of everyone’s favourite sociopath.
Ben, the two of us need look no more… We both found what we were looking for.
Where have you, Ben?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: Anti-hero, antihero, ben, ben linus, benjamin, character, emmys, jacob, linus, lost, michael emerson, supporting actor, Television, villain | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 16, 2009 by Darren
We don’t really do chat shows in this part of the world. Well, that’s a lie. We don’t do them well. And when we do do them, they are Prime Time shows like The Late, Late Show and are more often than not cheap imitations of chatshows from the States – we’re looking at you, Tubridy Tonight. In recent years we’ve tried the morning and afternoon chatshows and they haven’t really caught on – there’s a crisis at the RTE Afternoon Show even at the moment. In the States it’s different. Oprah Winfrey is the most powerful person on television. She saved Whitney Heuston. She makes or breaks best selling novels. Oprah is powerful. So the rumours that Oprah’s time as queen of the afternoon come as a bit of a surprise to me. As do many of the suggested reasons…
O, my god!
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: afternoon television, chatshows, oprah, oprah winfrey, politics, ratings, Television, the oprah winfrey show | 1 Comment »
Posted on September 9, 2009 by Darren
I’ll confess. I loved the malevolent pepperpots. The only plumbers hell-bent on galactic domination, the Daleks are arguably even more famous than Doctor Who, the show that spawned them. Stick an image of a Dalek in front of anyone and they’ll recognise it, even if they can’t name it. Whatever of their invasion plans, their infiltration plans seem to have come to fruition. But are these most famous of arch-foes over-exposed? Should they be forcibly taken away from the powers that be at the new series for at least a few years?
Wonder what their depth-perception is like?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: aliens, british science fiction, daleks, doctor who, iconic, iconic aliens, matt smith, oversaturation, russell t. davies, science fiction, stephen moffat, Television, the daleks | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 3, 2009 by Darren
The title just about says it all. I want to believe in The X-Files. I want to believe in Mulder and Scully. I want to believe in Chris Carter. But I’m looking for proof. Proof that the franchise that held the entire world’s attention for a few minutes in the mid- to late-nineties still has some life in it. Proof that a ridiculous complicated and illogical and poorly written final few seasons on the air had not sucked the marrow entirely from the bones of a once unique pop cultural entity. So, what does the movie give me? Not concrete proof, but a little hint of faith. The film is not as bad as the final two years of the show. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it isn’t as good as the first five.
"X" doesn't mark the spot...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: billy connelly, chris carter, david duchovny, films, franchise, gillian anderson, i want to believe, ludacris, Movies, mulder, non-review review, review, scully, series, Television, the x-files, the x-files: i want to believe, x-files | 2 Comments »
Posted on September 2, 2009 by Darren
Senator Ted Kennedy passed away last week amid a media frenzy. What interested me most about the Senator’s passing was the revelation of how he spent his final days: watching Bond movies and the entire run of 24. There are worse entertainments to be found, to be sure. I wonder if he watched that hallmark American television show enthralled by the actions of Jack Bauer, or if he saw something more hidden away? He wouldn’t be the first to find parallels between the show’s African-American Presidential family and the illustrious Kennedy dynasty. Did he see a reflection of what might have been, in another life?
I like the flag. Patriotic touch.
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: 24, bobby kennedy, charles logan, david palmer, edward kennedy, jack bauer, jack kennedy, jfk, john f kennedy, john fitzgerald kennedy, kennedy dynasty, kennedy family, politics, president, richard nixon, senator ted kennedy, ted kennedy, Television, the kennedys, wayne palmer | Leave a comment »
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