Digesting the lowest rung of pop culture so you don't have to!
What a surprising series of films! Seriously, who would have thought back in 2001 that The Fast and The Furious would evolve into one of the biggest series from this past decade? I know that I wouldn’t have. This week, the latest installment, Fast & Furious 6, is released in theaters. As I’ve mentioned before, this is probably my most anticipated film of the summer (in fact, if things go right, I might have the chance to see it early), and if you were to have told me that a few short years ago, I would not believe you. Yet, here we are. So, what made me turn around a fall in love with these films? Why do these movies speak to audiences the way they have? Let’s take a look!
In the first of the series, The Fast and the Furious, we meet Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, our principle characters. I am just going to refer to the actor’s names, because it’s easier and who honestly remembers any of the names in this series? The film was a surprise hit, making over $200 million on a $30 million budget. How did this happen? Well, the film has something for everyone. You have the action of the street racing which was the big draw of the film. You have characters who, while still thin, have enough complexity to get viewers invested. You have the romance between Walker and Jordana Brewster. And, finally, you have the “honor among thieves” type of storytelling. You know Diesel is a “bad guy”, but the film humanizes him to the point that you do not want him to get caught. It is a story that is told a million times, but somehow always seems fresh. The thing that saves this movie is that all these elements simply work together. It all clicks. Granted, the film isn’t particularly good, but it is wildly entertaining, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Given its success, a sequel was in order, but this time there will be no Vin Diesel (he had a “I don’t do sequels” thing going on back then). As such, Paul Walker headed the hilariously awesomely titled 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2003. This film veers away from the tone of the first one into pure schlock. While it isn’t an out-and-out comedy, Tyrese Gibson’s presence amps up the humor. This was the first film in the series to really set the tone for rest of them: hire the criminal racing crew to take down a bad guy. This formula will later be repeated in the fourth, fifth, and sixth installments. While this film is kind of dumb, it is a fun dumb. You need to check your brain at the door and simply enjoy the ride. Apparently, movie-goers did too as the film was another huge summer hit. Surely, a third one was in order, but could they get Vin Diesel back?
Not really (just a cameo). And even Paul Walker bailed for the series third installment, The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift. This film is very polarizing among fans of the series. People either love it or hate it. There is very little middle ground. I think part of the reason why this is is that the movie takes the series in a completely different direction. Tokyo Drift is, at its core, a coming-of-age film. New lead, Lucas Black, finds himself in the crazy strange world of Tokyo’s racing culture. This film almost feels like it originated as its own racing film, but they slapped Fast and Furious on it to give it brand recognition. This was also a strange film considering that it takes place in Tokyo, but it has some unexpected diversity in the cast. You have a white guy, a black guy, and an Australian.
While the film did not bomb at the box office outright, it wildly underperformed. I can see why people might have been turned off by the film. The previous entry was not as well-received by audiences and this entry did not have any of the previous actors involved. On the film side, this movie was the first to involve Justin Lin (director), Chris Morgan (writer), and Sung Kang (actor) with the franchise. All three have been highlights to the series and have stuck with it to the sixth entry.
For some reason, Universal felt that this series still had legs after the disappointment of Tokyo Drift. But, they were smart about what needed to be done. More of a direct sequel to the original film, they brought back the original cast in the lazily titled Fast & Furious. I am going to be honest in that I think this film is absolutely terrible – the worst of the series. It is stylish, but it has very little redeeming value. Apparently, I am in the minority as this film was a huge success, earning over $350 million. This is what was lacking from the previous two: all the original cast. It drew people back to the franchise. However, it was dogged in the reviews (rightly so). People might have liked this one, but if Universal wanted this franchise to have legs, they needed to up their game.
They did. 2011’s Fast Five was, by all accounts, awesome. Arguably, it was the most satisfying summer blockbuster of that year. It should not have been, but somehow was. Personally, I think this had a lot to do with the Rock, but it likely also had to do with the new direction it took the series in. While the cars/racing aspect was there, the film was primarily a heist caper. And, making this more amazing, the film naturally comes to this direction. It isn’t forced at all! AND the film utilizes characters from all of prior movies (with the notable exception of Lucas Black). It was like The Avengers before The 
Avengers. The result is a completely fun romp with enough characterization to make it worthwhile. It was also huge at the box office making nearly double of what Fast & Furious made and was the best reviewed of the series to that point. The series completely renewed itself.
So, now we get to Fast & Furious 6 (a somewhat disappointing title compared to the rest). It is already getting some good buzz, and if the momentum keeps, will be one of the biggest hits of the summer. The production team seemed to found what really works with this series for audiences and will continue doing that. Give the people what they want and all. It only took five previous films. How many series really get that many chances? Especially in today’s world? None. Fast and Furious is really the “little franchise that could”.
There is also already talk of a seventh entry (with a villain, reportedly teased in FF6, played by – well, I will not spoil the awesome) set for next year. That’s a quick turnaround and rumors are flying that the Rock and Justin Lin may not be a part of the production. That is slightly disappointing as their inclusion is what really got this series to where it’s at. But, I am not going to worry about that now. Right now, I am going to throw myself into the world of Fast and Furious so I can enjoy the upcoming sixth entry.
You should too!
I don’t know much about this Jennifer girl except for her critically acclaimed role in Hunger Games. I’ve heard quite a few compliments from other sources such as Rolling Stone claiming her to be the most talented young actress in America and Time mentioning her as one of the most influential people in the world. Now I’m a movie guy, not a cultural guy so I care about cinematics. I care little for the film that brought her the most attention but I’m willing to check her out. I am writing about Jennifer Lawrence, not the movies she’s been in. But why her and not the movies? Because she is the newest and hippest actress in Hollywood and now I’m interested. She hasn’t messed up her career yet, doesn’t piss me off, and has a clean slate, thus far. So I start my night off with the post-Oscar interview, which leads into Silver Linings Playbook, and finishing with House at the End of the Street. Can Jennifer Lawrence impress the Gorehound?
Silver Linings Playbook – Many people have praised this movie as a great movie and even Nick claims a movie of the year contender. I’m optimistic and looking forward to it, but not as much the next flick of the night. Like I said, I don’t know anything about Jen except for Hunger Games and the post-Oscar interview. That interview was brilliant but the interviewers were just a bunch of dicks. Anyways… to start off, this movie portrays Jen as a possible whore/darkly woman which threw me off and was abruptly surprising. I had no idea what the movie was about and it was quite different than her side-braided bow-woman persona. Bradley Cooper has been awesome in every film and this one was no different. The chemistry and dialogue between the two was perfect, making for an unstoppable synergy.
Jen wasn’t as pretty in this film as the previous times I’ve seen her. Actually, she wasn’t pretty at all. I’m not saying she isn’t a pretty lady but her clothes, hairdo, makeup were not appealing. Add to it, Cooper wasn’t very attractive either. Sweatclothes and a garbage bag with a black wardrobe do not make for a pretty couple. Despite the overall drab attires, it brings the audience to focus on their personalities, which shine bright.
The scene at 1:30 really solidified her performance. Spoiler free, it brings together a bunch of characters in a chaotic scene which ultimately results in some smart talk attitude. I know that the scene is the result of a multitude of components (director, script, sound, costumes, etc.) but Jen was incredible in the scene. I can’t break it down but it is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I don’t know anything about sports or football but it didn’t matter. She is a wonderful performer and show that two people who love each other, build each other up to reach heights unattainable alone.
She may not have been the hot stuff that Hollywood is putting forward but damn, that was an awesome movie. It’s hard for me to separate her performance from such a moving film. Best film of 2013 thus far. She may not have been the best performance but she certainly made the film totally sweet. In the end of the film, I loved her character. It shows a true repentance and belief in her true self. We shouldn’t know immediately in the film that she has a passion for dance because we must first put forward our immediate ideas (whore) for her character to be elevated. This Jen girl is pretty impressive. Alright, onto the next one…
House at the End of the Street – Before embarking on this night, I was, of course, more looking forward to this film for the simple fact that I love horror films. It was actually hard to get excited for this film because the previous was so good. I know the film is some sort of suspense and I can’t help but feel its name ripping off the highly controversial Last House On The Left. Off topic, an opinion for my friends and Hollywood, steer clear of Last House on the Left. It provides nothing but ugly and disturb.
By the way, I love movie marathons. Back-to-back films makes for such a wonderful night. It’s harder to watch films in the summer because the nights are so long and so many more legitimate activities to pursue. So I try to watch good films, rather than just filler films during these summer nights. I digress…
This film was a stark comparison of Silver Linings. I already gave it three strikes before the film got started (e.g., Jen is playing a guitar on her mothers car, staring out of the window for wayyy too long, and a ridiculous script). I’ll sit through it but I already recognize this film as nothing of quality. Her character was really dumbed down and didn’t provide any enthralling dialogue or deep personalities in which she could dive into and swim.
As the film came to a close, my opinions of the film had not changed. She was doing her best she could with a pitiful script and reused high school/immature antics. My opinion of her has not changed, but stayed neutral.
To conclude, I would indeed say that Jen is the one of the most talented young actress out there. She’s up there with Chloe Moretz or Mary Elizabeth Winstead (apparently I don’t have a clear definition of young) and certainly better Andrew Garfield. She has a promising career and as long as she steers clear of bad choices, she may be as successful as Di Caprio! I might be too optimistic but she should go straight edge and bring that lifestyle to Hollywood! The Gorehound will certainly be following this wonderful actress and hope the best in her future endeavors. Looking forward to X-Men (2): Days of Future Past!
Note: Given that I was avoiding all types of spoilers and was irritated when I came across some in sensational news headlines in what was pure click-bait, this review is going to be spoiler-free.
Star Trek Into Darkness is the twelfth entry in the Star Trek film franchise and the second directed by JJ Abrams. The prior film was a runaway hit with critics and audiences back in 2009, so I am sure there was a lot of pressure on Abrams in this second installment to meet and, hopefully, exceed four years-worth of expectations. After absorbing the film for a few days, I have to say that Star Trek Into Darkness is a solid, enjoyable romp. Mostly.
The film starts off fantastically. Lots of adventure and mystery with a sense of fun. The cast of characters, led wonderfully by Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachery Quinto (Spock), are completely into their roles and are having a blast. The chemistry between Pine and Quinto is perfect and is what really helps sell this incarnation of Star Trek.
About the mid-way point, things take a bit of a hit when we meet one of our central villains played by a scene-chewing Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch is great, but the revelation of his character is a bit “why are we going there?”. However, it is not a deal-breaker as film finds new ways to use his character which actually enhances the story where I, as a viewer, became more invested. The only real downside is that the threat this character presents is never explored in the film. Instead, Abrams hinges Cumberbatch’s true villainy of what audiences might already know about this guy from past Star Treks. Speaking of which…
The big problem occurs in the final act when Abrams completely abandons trying to carve out a new Star Trek universe and instead gives us a greatest-hits reel of past adventures. And, I am not talking about winks for the fans – he nearly remakes various sequences from past films. He puts a new spin on it, and the performances are good, but I just cannot shake the feeling it was pandering gone horribly wrong. Instead of having this movie stand on its own, it harkens back to past films in order to get viewers more emotionally invested through nostalgia. I do not think it was needed to this extreme, and Abrams is a better filmmaker than that. I am really surprised how blatant (including using the exact same dialogue) some scenes were.
That said, I would recommend this movie. It is fun, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Could my opinion change upon a second viewing? Possibly, but I doubt it would waiver to any extreme. As its own thing, Star Trek Into Darkness works. The pacing is great, and the plotting is pretty tight. Just keep in mind when seeing it to prepare yourself for some pretty blatant riffs on some classic scenes.
~N
After nine seasons, NBC’s The Office aired its final episode tonight. While I am still absorbing it all, I have to say it was a satisfying finale. It was unique in that there really wasn’t a plot in any traditional sense. Instead the writers framed it as a reunion show with everyone coming back and having one last interaction with each other. There were a ton of nods to past episodes and characters. This, if course, included a welcomed, but not overstayed cameo by Steve Carell as Michael Scott.
There were some bizarre things with the finale such as some subtle out-of-place character hook-ups, a padded first third, Erin’s long-lost parents, and the oddity surrounding the premise of the documentary. However, most everything worked and felt natural without being overly sentimental (oh, it was sentimental, but, unlike many other series-enders, it was not forced).
I wish I could say the same for the rest of this season. The Office’s farewell season was a rough one. There were some great bring spots, but it was also marred by some pure awfulness. The main culprit was the Jim/Pam story arc. It was excruciatingly terrible. They act completely out of character for the sake of “drama”, but then all their problems are solved with a hug. Very anti-climactic to an already terribly conceived storyline. I won’t dwell on it further, but you can read my in-depth analysis.
Andy’s story also hurt this season a lot too. His character completely disappears for weeks on end and then goes on this bizarre “I want to be famous” kick. Nothing clicked with it (including Rosanne’s underused guest spot). Now, I realize Andy’s story was likely truncated due to actor Ed Helms filming The Hangover, Part III, and the writers did the best they could. As the risk of sounding arrogant, I wish they could have done better.
However, springing out of the Andy story, we got a really solid subplot of Erin and newcomer Pete’s budding romance. I liked this a lot because A) it was very reminiscent of early Jim and Pam (in a good way), and B) really redeemed Erin’s character. As I lamented last year, I hated how dumb they made Erin to the point that she didn’t feel like a real person. The character of Pete really humanized her and returned her to the likable goof she was when she first appeared on the show. This story really worked for me.
Needless to say, I was completely disappointed when, after all the attention it got at the beginning of the year, the show completely ignored Erin/Pete during the back-half of the season. Why did they spend so much time on it if nothing was going to be done with it?
All that said, the biggest positive from this year was the annual Christmas episode. It was arguably the best episode the show had produced since “Threat Level Midnight” in 2011 or, possibly, the first half of “Stress Relief” in 2009.
I also appreciated all the Dwight/Jim moments this season produced. I really feel that the show was its strongest when these two either paired up or faced off against one another. John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson have terrific comic timing and chemistry.
Thus, The Office ends. This is a strange thought to me as this is a show I have watched since day one (March 24, 2005). Even though the last few seasons haven’t been the greatest, it is going to be weird not having it on Thursday nights anymore. It really will be. This is a show I’ve watched every week (not counting repeats/summer) for the past eight years. And a lot has happened in my life over the past 8 years, and The Office was part of my weekly routine. But, as the show (especially the finale) has taught viewers again and again, life changes and we move on. As will the television move on without this modern classic.
Good-bye, The Office!
~N
A few months back, Kristin Bell and Rob Thomas (the main actress and the creator behind the long-cancelled Veronica Mars television show) set up a Kickstarter project to fund a possible Veronica Mars movie (I say possible, because as Nick explained here, the movie could potentially fall through despite reaching and exceeding funding goals). Just recently, apparent Hollywood whipping boy Zach Braff also took to Kickstarter to help fund his directorial follow-up to 2004’s break-out hit Garden State. Unlike Bell and Thomas’ overwhelmingly positive reaction, however, Braff faced enormous criticism, not only from the general pop culture media, but from fans as well. All of this has left me wondering, how can Bell and Thomas get such great support and praise while Braff gets nothing but scorn and criticism for essentially doing the exact same thing?
Kristin Bell and Rob Thomas took to Kickstarter in early 2013 to crowd-fund a possible Veronica Mars movie.
Veronica Mars was a television show that debuted in 2004 and lasted for three seasons until it was canceled by the CW in spring 2007. I have since watched every episode of the show on DVD. The first two seasons take place in Veronica’s high school, where she and a quirky group of friends solve local mysteries. She also attempts to track down her long gone mother and solve the murder of her best friend. The first two seasons were highly critically acclaimed, and Bell became something of an it-girl in Hollywood (which she subsequently squandered by having awful taste in choosing film roles). The final season put Veronica in college, changing the familiar setting and letting loose a whole variety of new issues to deal with for our now college-aged heroes. From what I remember at the time, fan reaction to the changes in the show during season three were fairly negative, and the ratings dipped to their lowest ever. Watching season three on DVD, it is very easy to see why. The last season of Veronica Mars, while not a train wreck, is nowhere near as good as the first two. I think most people, generally speaking, forget this.
Zach Braff burst onto the scene in 2001 with a starring role in the hit television ensemble comedy Scrubs, which lasted some odd nine seasons on NBC and then later ABC. Braff’s character, Dr. John Dorian, was met with critical acclaim when the show first debuted. Braff was riding a wave of praise when his film Garden State was released during the summer of 2004. Garden State was met with considerable critical acclaim, and Braff seemed to be on the cusp of stardom. Like Bell, Braff’s choice in film roles over the next few years were beyond questionable. His television show continued to chug along, eventually becoming a target of online criticism and mockery. Honestly though, those last few seasons of Scrubs were pretty good. From the musical episode circa 2007 to the finale, Scrubs remained a watchable, funny, brightly lit comedy. It didn’t have the wit and charm of the first few seasons, but it was a more than respectable television half-hour. I would argue that the finale was actually seriously good TV as well, and being that the show is on Netflix, I highly encourage anyone who hasn’t seen it to seek it out.
Zach Braff has received a universally negative response to his Kickstarter initiative.
Now, it must be pointed out that Braff has essentially admitted that he could fund the film himself (and that he does have a financier, though this came along after the initial uproar), and that he would potentially have the support of a movie studio behind him. Some online writers and commenters have also come out and criticized him (not unfairly) for potentially using fan money when he could just be using his own money. But to entirely fund a movie on his own would be a completely insane fool’s errand, and possibly bankrupt him (this is what allegedly happened to Casey Affleck in the aftermath of the disastrous mockumentary I’m Still Here). And in fairness to Braff, the Kickstarter fund will not be able to completely cover the cost of Bell and Thomas’ proposed Veronica Mars movie either. Warner Bros., who own the rights to the show, will still have to kick in for marketing/advertising and print costs, which could be anywhere from four to ten million dollars. Additionally, Warner Bros. would probably have to throw in cash to cover the costs of the gifts that Kickstarter donors receive for their pledging efforts. I’m not saying that Braff is right or wrong to turn to Kickstarter, but aren’t we being a little unfair to him based solely on his arguably undeserved reputation?
That is the real question. The truth of this matter remains that Braff is perceived as some kind of douche bag a-hole who no one likes (or will admit to liking) and that Bell and Thomas are unassailable Hollywood geniuses, above and beyond all levels of criticism (so they are essentially Joss Whedon or something, I guess). That, to me, is both unfortunate and unfair. Bell and Braff have very similar career paths (with the notable exception being that Bell has never starred in a hit movie and probably never will – Braff will at least be able to lay claim to Garden State, which was a hit movie no matter what people will tell you in 2013). The internet hate machine has spoken out, however, and it seems that while Bell and Thomas (and seriously, is there anyone in Hollywood who has had more chances than Rob Thomas?) can get away with planning a movie production via Kickstarter, apparently Braff cannot.
Kevin Smith has declared he will not use Kickstarter to fund a possible Clerks 3.
To complicate matters, filmmaker/raconteur/comic book auteur Kevin Smith (he of Mallrats fame) has recently come out to announce he would not be turning to Kickstarter to help fund a proposed Clerks 3. He will instead fund and distribute the second sequel to Clerks (which apparently has a script now) much like his previous film, Red State. Smith’s reasoning for not turning to Kickstarter largely revolves around how he feels the crowd-sourcing website should work. Smith believes that up-and-coming independent filmmakers should use Kickstarter, but established Hollywood veterans like himself should not. Smith’s intentions and statements exude the utmost of Hollywood nobility and humility. In a time when creators could just put everything onto the table and have average Joe’s like you and I fund their projects, Smith has flatly rejected this notion. The internet has praised him for this, while at the same time continuing to chide Zach Braff for his actions a few weeks back. I’ve even heard people theorize that Smith came out and made this proclamation solely to shame Braff, which seems like an insane thing to think. Why would Smith care what Braff does? Smith has made a very nice career for himself out of basically being one of us – a pop culture obsessive. The guy is living the dream, lording over his empire of comic books, television, film, appearances/speeches, and podcasts.
The idea that Kevin Smith would come out and publicly shame Zach Braff is not only probably untrue, it is also ludicrous. Smith very famously walked away from Hollywood a few years back after the debacle that was Cop Out disillusioned him from film making. His credibility took a dip for a year or so, but Smith is revered by his fans and is considered to be almost an elder statesmen of pop culture — I knew the guy would bounce back. He has no reason to foster some kind of feud between himself and a perceived out-of-touch ex-sitcom actor. Additionally, if Smith’s words have been interpreted by “fans” to be a slight against Braff, how are they also not a slight against Kristin Bell and Rob Thomas? Why do Bell and Thomas keep getting off light here? Do the words that Smith has about Kickstarter (that it should be used for up-and-coming filmmakers) not also apply to Bell and Thomas, who should also be rich several times over and have also had fairly sustained success in Hollywood? There seems to me to be some kind of double standard when it comes to Kickstarter, and that is wrong to me. Either it’s all ok, and Kristin Bell and Zach Braff can both have their movies crowd-funded, or none of it is ok and these projects should just be for the indie filmmakers. Let’s not praise one and condemn the other. Who really cares if Zach Braff makes use of Kickstarter? How is it, in any universe whatsoever, bothersome to you? I hope Braff does get to make his next pet project, and I hope it is a huge success.
-Z-
Arrow, the CW’s adaptation of the DC Comics character Green Arrow, wrapped up its first season tonight, and I have to say that I have been impressed with the show. Full disclosure before I continue: even though I am a comic book fan, I know very little about the Green Arrow character. When it came to this show, I did not really have any expectations one way or another regarding how “true” to the source material it was. Truthfully, I do not think it really matters as the show is wildly entertaining.
In it, we see Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) returning to Starling City after spending five years on an island. He returns with a mission: to right the wrongs of his father (who died from the events leading to Oliver’s stranding). He takes on a vigilante crusade against the wealthy corrupt. His actions eventually lead him to discover that Malcolm Merlyn (John Borrowman), the father of his best friend, is hatching a plot to literally destroy the crime-and-poverty-ridden part of town in order to “save” Starling City.
The show takes several cues from Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy (which isn’t surprising considering that Green Arrow is largely a knock-off of Batman to begin with), but it eventually finds its own identity as the season progressed. I liked how the show was able to mix stand-alone episodes with the larger season-long arc. It has a very nice balance and very much positively reminiscent of Smallville.
Unlike Smallville, this show does not hold anything back and continually pushes the storyline and character development forward. I loved this, and it immediately separated Arrow from its spiritual predecessor Smallville. In the young Superman series, the writers always held back, because if they took another step forward in their narrative, Clark would be Superman and the show would be over. Arrow is not under any such restriction. It allows the characters and story progress in a natural direction.
While it took most of the first half of the season, the cast is pretty well-rounded. Amell as Oliver conveys an interesting dynamic in his duel life. He doesn’t have a complete night/day switch when it comes to his secret identity (probably because he doesn’t need to), so it is a welcomed switch from most other superhero portrayals. I only wish he learned how to swing his arms occasionally and not keep them continuously stiff. Seriously, what is up with that?
Susanna Thompson as Moira, Oliver’s mother, is a great dynamic presence on the show as a woman completely conflicted and playing a very dangerous game to protect her family. Willa Holland is a fine actress, but it took a while for the writers to give her character anything meaningful to do. David Ramsey as Diggle is fine in the role, but is a bit of a generic character. Luckily, he and Arnell have good enough chemistry. The real highlight of the show is Paul Blackthorne as Detective Lance. While his character is a complete cliché, Blackthorne throws himself completely into the role, making it a lot of fun.
On the other hand, you have Colin Donnell as Tommy. Donnell is arguably the best actor on the show, but the problem is that he isn’t given anything interesting to do. He has moments of brilliance, but it is really the writing causing him to suffer. However, due to the finale, it may no longer be an issue. The worst offender of the bunch is Katie Cassidy as Laurel. Like Donnell, I cannot blame Cassidy. She does her best, but her character is totally bland and adds nothing to the show. I know from the comics, Laurel is Green Arrow’s main squeeze, so they had to include her. Hopefully, they give her something interesting to do next season beyond being a girlfriend.
We also have Emily Brett Rickards as Felicity. I have problems with this character. Rickards is fine and I like her, but I am getting extremely tired of the “adorkable” quirky girl who just happens to an expert computer hacker and can do anything tech related when the story calls for it. It is especially irritating since she was introduced as a lowly IT technician. Why would she be this if she had these amazing “skillz”? TV and movies really need to retire this cliché.
I really enjoyed Arrow a lot this season, but if there was one thing in this season’s story that bugged me, it was the whole romance angle. Oliver and Laurel use to date before the events of the show. Now, Tommy and Laurel are dating. The Tommy/Laurel subplot seemed out of place in the show, but it largely worked. Then four-fifths into the season, we get this love triangle when Oliver suddenly is in love with Laurel again. I realize this is the CW, and I do not mind the idea of love triangles, but this one is incredibly forced that it was tough to buy into when Laurel and Oliver hook up again. The writing on that was awful.
I kid you not, within ten minutes of an episode, it goes from Oliver trying to persuade Tommy to reconnect with Laurel, to Oliver having sex with Laurel (in front of an open window where Tommy can get a full view – when has this ever really happened?). The transition was cringe worthy and does not work at all. I get the writers were needed to do that (maybe the network forced them to), but it was handled clumsily. Hopefully, they will learn from this mistake and handle such things better next season.
Despite all the hostility the internet had for this show last summer, I was looking forward to Arrow, and I was not disappointed by it. Tonight’s season ender was very much a nail-biter. Cynics are going to claim that the story ripped off The Dark Knight Rises, and while the general idea is the same (blow up a city), the execution is very different with extremely unexpected (one might say subversive) results with not everyone getting out alive (seemingly – it’s TV…who knows, right?). While the show didn’t end on a cliffhanger in the traditional sense, the final moments did set the stage for next season while a whole new set of problems for Starling City and our hero.
This week, Zack and Nick discuss the 2013 summer movie The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan. What do they have to say about this flashy adaptation of the classic American novel? Listen and find out!
Click HERE or on the image to listen to the podcast. As always, click HERE to follow us on iTunes!
Check out Nick’s review of the film HERE!
-Z-
By the mid-2000s, the Star Trek franchise fell from popularity. Many were predicting the franchise would be resting for a long, long time. Then, in 2006, it was quite the surprise when Paramount announced that JJ Abrams (of Lost fame) was tasked with essentially rebooting the series with a new big-budget tent-pole movie.
Simply titled Star Trek, Abrams delivered on his promise to make Star Trek cool again. With great critical acclaim, this film was also the most profitable Trek film ever (even after adjusting for inflation). It was a proven success by pleasing Trekkers and casual movie-goers alike. But, big box-office winners also include things like Transformers and Twilight. Did Star Trek deserve its success?
The answer is “yes”. It gives you everything one could possibly want from a Star Trek movie: action, adventure, humor, romance, etc. Granted, it does not delve much into any allegory or philosophical issues Star Trek is known for. But, you know what? Most of the Trek episodes out there do not either. Most, like this movie, were straight-up adventures.
Truth of the matter is that it had to be. A mainstream film cannot speak to a niche audience if it wants to be successful. It just can’t. Star Trek Nemesis somewhat proved that point. Abrams did what was needed to make Trek viable as a success again for today’s audiences. It worked. And since it did, he can maybe bring back that allegorical stuff in a follow-up.
Now, not everything works. There is a lot of convenience in the storytelling and some very questionable story choices. For example, Kirk (Chris Pine) going from a cadet to captain in less than a week took me out of the movie for a bit. The biggest issue I had with the movie is that it forces itself (and it is forced) to make a connection with everything that came before. It is a completely unneeded bone to the angry fanboy crowd. The movie would have been stronger without it (and less convoluted). Honestly, though, all of these are just little things and not deal breakers in the least.
Star Trek was a success no matter how you cut it. It did the job it set out to do by making Star Trek cool again and introducing it to a whole new generation. Why would any Star Trek fan be against that?
~N
Edited to add: Be sure to check out our commentary track for Star Trek!
The latest episode of Game of Thrones ended up a lot like last week’s episode. There was a lot of talking and not a whole lot of doing (save for a cool ending). We’re clearly setting things up for the final run of episodes of the season, but until we get to that point we’re going to have to slog through a lot of talking and exposition. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as Game of Thrones is quite compelling even during the talky bits, but we’re gonna need a few more scenes like Jaime and Brienne fighting a bear in a pit in an ancient castle to go along with the dialogue-heavy moments.
Jaime Lannister finally heads back to King’s Landing.
In the Riverlands, Robb Stark discusses his uncle’s upcoming wedding to Walder Frey’s daughter. No one is particularly looking forward to what will assuredly be a somber affair. Catelyn thinks that Frey will not be satiated by this wedding, as he was expecting his daughter to marry a king, not the uncle of a king. Robb then learns that Talisa is pregnant with their child, lifting his spirits after a disheartening few weeks. Elsewhere in the Riverlands, Arya berates Beric and Thoros for ransoming her friend Gendry to Melisandre (Gendry, in an unrelated scene, learns that his real father is the late King Robert). The men try to explain to her their intentions, but she runs away, only to be captured by the Hound, who clearly hasn’t gone far since his victory in trial by combat.
Across the Narrow Seas, Queen Daenerys and her Unsullied Army run afoul of the city of Yunkai, an ancient city of slavers and traders. She makes a representative of Yunkai an ultimatum – they will free their slaves or face the wrath of the Unsullied. Daenerys’ advisors, Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan, seem far more apprehensive about this move, but Daenerys is steadfast in her resolve. The scene ends before her decision of whether or not to ultimately sack the city, but it doesn’t look good for the city of Yunkai.
Way up in the far north, Jon Snow and the Wildlings head closer and closer to their destination, and Jon’s loyalty is questioned. Later, Snow tries to reason with Ygritte, telling her the Wildlings can’t possibly succeed in their rebellion. Slightly south of the wall, Theon continues to be mysteriously tortured. His captor then threatens to castrate Theon, but the scene fades away before we see what ultimately happens. Later, Osha recounts the story of how her husband became a wight north of the wall, attempting to convince Bran and Jojen not to head there, as only death awaits them.
At Harrenhal, Lord Bolton lets Jaime free, but informs him that Brienne will stay behind. Lord Bolton heads off to Edmure’s wedding at Walder Frey’s, informing his men to escort Jaime Lannister to King’s Landing. After leaving the cursed castle, Jaime finds out that Locke refused to ransom Brienne, and convinces his group to head back to Harrenhal to rescue her. When he returns, he sees the men have her fighting against a bear using nothing but a wooden sword. Jaime shows true heroism as he dives into the pit and helps Brienne survive the ordeal. Together, the odd couple of Brienne and Jaime once again head towards King’s Landing.
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The first hour of any Survivor season finale is usually fairly predictable, but tonight’s featured a medevac from the game, which may have been the first Final Five medevac in Survivor history. Immediately following an emotional Brenda boot (last Wednesday’s episode), Erik faints and nearly passes out on the way back to camp. His blood pressure drops extremely low, and paramedics start an IV to stabilize him. Under doctor’s orders, Erik must be pulled from the game, having survived 37 days on the island. The doctor explains that Erik’s body has entered a starvation mode, and that he cannot in good conscience allow Erik to continue to play the game. The other players, including an emotional Cochran, say their goodbyes as Erik is taken away by ambulance (perhaps another Survivor first).
An exhausted, starving Erik is medevaced from the game.
Back on the beach, the castaways wonder what to do next. With Erik out of the game, the next challenge is pretty wide open. The now Final Four hope the next challenge will be for food, but they come to find out that what they’re playing for is actually a clue – a clue to the final Immunity Challenge of the season. The reward challenge consists of a balance bar, held by hand, wherein the contestants must build a house of cards high enough to reach a certain point. If they drop the balance bar, their house will come crashing down. Though it looks like Eddie has it won, his house collapses. Sherri then seems to be in control, but her house crashes as well. Eventually, Cochran wins the challenge, despite losing his house two or three times. No one excels particularly at this challenge, so Cochran is left to reap the rewards.
Back at the beach, Dawn wants to solidify her alliance with Cochran. Eddie wants a Final Three guarantee, which Cochran obliges, keeping his options open. He is largely considering cutting Dawn and moving on without her. We really only know that Sherri, the ultimate goat in the game, is safe. Still though, Cochran hasn’t even won the upcoming challenge. Eddie figures maybe he has a shot if it’s a physical game, but Eddie also hasn’t been that competitive in any challenge this whole season. Dawn ends up being an actual bigger threat in the final Immunity Challenge, which is a puzzle made to resemble fire. Cochran’s clue does allow him to pull off the victory, but Dawn came awful close to the upset.
Cochran wins the final Immunity Challenge, guaranteeing him a shot at the one million dollars.
At the final tribal council, Cochran votes for Eddie, and Eddie is removed from the game. Bye bye, Eddie – you were not a savvy player, but you were quite funny, and not always intentionally so. Dawn is relieved that Cochran didn’t vote her out, though she should have realized he was never going to. The Final Three – Dawn, Cochran, and Sherri – enjoy the typical day 39 breakfast, and Cochran explains to Sherri what a pawn is (a bit of foreshadowing, perhaps). Only the final tribal council remains, wherein the jury will decide who will win the million dollar prize. Going in, Cochran is pretty confident he can pull off the victory. For some reason, even Sherri thinks she has a chance.
I was not expecting a particularly bitter jury. Cochran played an amazing game, so I didn’t think he’d face much negativity. Sherri was a nonentity, dragged to the final three solely because the others saw her as a goat. Dawn played a cutthroat game, but she was playing with returning players mostly. Had this been a non-returning player season, she probably would have faced more criticism. I liked Reynold’s “question” for Dawn, wherein he asked her to give her genuine opinion of him. I liked Eddie and Malcolm’s questions for Cochran, who answered them masterfully. I didn’t know that Erik was attempting to do with Sherri, but her defensive reaction and put-down of Erik at least added some liveliness to the event. Andrea was not bitter at all about her ousting, and came off elegant and graceful. Phillip entertained as well. The biggest question mark came in the form of Brenda, who demanded that Dawn remove her dentures and show off her broken teeth (a callback to an event that had taken place earlier in the season). I’m not sure what point Brenda was trying to make, and I don’t think her request of Dawn was particularly mature.
Cochran, pictured center, took home the prize, becoming Sole Survivor of season 26.
In the end, Cochran took home a unanimous victory. Dawn and Sherri couldn’t even muster up one vote between them. I was not surprised at all that Cochran won, but I did think maybe Malcolm or Andrea would throw a vote towards Dawn, who played a good game on the whole if you discount her obnoxious crying and gnashing of teeth. Cochran now joins Earl and Yul as the game’s only unanimous winners. This was a pretty decent season I have to say. The first half was dominated by large personalities (Shamar, Brandon) with increasingly diminishing returns. Once the merge hit, the season improved exponentially, with some pretty memorable moments throughout. I would rank it as being slightly behind last season, Survivor: Philippines, mostly due to the pre-merge stuff. Still though, a great winner is a great winner, and Cochran’s transformation from nerdy law school kid to Survivor champion was great stuff.
Next time, on Survivor: The rumored family season, Blood vs. Water, is definitely happening. I can’t wait to see a finalized cast list. Join us here at the Culture Cast next September for an all new season of Survivor recaps!
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