Tag: Actors

Actors I like

Star Trek: Discovery (Episodes 1 & 2)

Emma4 Comments

SPOILERS: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from the first two episodes of this new Star Trek series (available on CBS All Access).

The Importance of the Star Trek Universe  

I recently learned that inventor of the cell phone was inspired by the communicators used by Kirk (William Shatner) and his Enterprise crew on Star Trek (the original series- TOS). MANY young people (incl. scientists) were inspired by creator Gene Rodenberry’s imaginative writing, characters, etc. The Vulcan nerve pinch was invented by Leonard Nimoy (who played the iconic Spock); Shatner went along w/ it and ad-libbed the fainting effect. Roddenberry loved it, so it became part of the canon. Though the newer J.J. Abrams films operate on the alternative (Kelvin) timeline, they build on earlier works. The power and influence of the Star Trek universe (starting in TV, then branching off into movies) is comparable perhaps ONLY to Star Wars.

As some of you (who follow me on Twitter) know, I’m a big fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), which I caught towards its later seasons, then went back to watch. I saw a bunch of eps w/ my younger sibs and (sometimes) my parents. FYI: My favorite captain is Picard (Patrick Stewart). I was a BIT disappointed that Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) never became more than friends; the actors had such great chemistry together. Riker (Jonathan Frakes- who directed some Discovery eps) was one of the few men who looked better w/ a beard. And who could forget the friendship between engineers- LaForge (LeVar Burton) and Data (Brent Spiner)? I saw Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) when it originally aired, though I haven’t seen the final season. I was excited when Alexander Siddig’s name (he’s British of Anglo  and Algerian heritage) popped up in the opening credits; I loved his character, too. Sisko (Avery Brooks) was NOT only a strong captain, he was a widower and loving single father to Jake. It was refreshing to see a different side of Worf from TNG (Michael Dorn) during his romance w/ Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) on DS9. My favorite romance  was the slow-burn relationship that developed between long-time co-workers and friends, Kira (Nana Visitor) and Odo (Rene Auberjonois). The bromance between Dr. Bashir and O’Brien (Colm Meaney) was one of the rare male friendships on TV (at that time). Unlike TNG, there were a FEW supporting characters on DS9 that operated in shades of gray. This show was NOT afraid to delve into controversial issues, primarily military occupation and religion (incl. types of worship and the existence of gods). 

My Initial Impressions of Star Trek: Discovery 

Some people were hating on Star Trek: Discovery (set 10 yrs before TOS) even before it aired; they feared that Star Trek’s legacy would be ruined (whatever that means). The main character is an African-American woman w/ a male name, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), who starts off as “Number One” (First Officer) to Capt. Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh- internationally known, primarily in martial arts films) aboard the Shinzou, a ship of exploration at the edge of Federation space. They have served together for 7 yrs, so are NOT only co-workers, BUT share an almost mother-daughter relationship. I liked the chemistry between these two characters. 

The main antagonists in this show will be the Klingons, BUT they don’t look anything like Worf (or even those on TOS). The Klingons we meet here have no hair, different skin tones, and a LOT of ridges on their bodies (or just clothing). I think their costumes are unique, BUT it’s tough to see the actors’ expressions through so much prosthetic (which takes about 3 hrs. to apply). We hear a LOT of the Klingon language; this could put-off those who are new to Star Trek. Some critics compared these rogue/fundamentalist-type of Klingons to ISIS; others thought that their ideologies were similar to white nationalists. 

Michael’s birth parents were killed by Klingons during a battle. Now here is where some fans take issue: she was raised mostly on Vulcan by Sarek (played by one of my fave Brits- James Frain), who is also the father of Spock. Michael still adheres to the Vulcan way of thinking, though she has also has emotions that can’t always be suppressed. The banter between Michael and science officer, Saru (Doug Jones), was pretty interesting; Martin-Green said in an interview that these two characters were BOTH ambitious, so were competing to please their captain. Critics are saying that Jones is one of the strongest aspects of the show so far; he is of a (new) species that “can detect the presence of death.” Speaking of positive aspects, the special effects are VERY good (“like a movie,” as some viewers noted).

TV critic Matt Mira asked (in After Trek, the after-show following E2): “Where is the Discovery?” Well, you won’t see that spaceship until E3, as these first 2 eps were more like a prologue (as a few critics noted). We will meet more of the regular cast in E3, including Capt. Lorca (Jason Isaacs); the British actor got heat for his tweets re: Trump supporters. I saw on IMDB that there will be three South Asian actors (WOW)- one American (Maulik Pancholy, noted for Weeds, but also a theater actor), one Canadian (Rekha Sharma from Battlestar Galactica), and one Brit (Shazad Latif from The Second Best Marigold Hotel and The Man Who Knew Infinity). 

One of the main issues is that this series is behind a pay wall ($5.99/mo. w/ commercials is the plan I chose). As one critic (on Collider) commented, a Star Trek series should be accessible to ALL (free). Is the show taking advantage of its (already existing) fan base? Will it find an audience among those who are NOT “trekkies” (or “trekkers,” if you prefer)? The TV shows and movies on CBS All Access may NOT be appealing to everyone, BUT I was glad to see that The Good Wife was available.

Are you planning on watching this show? Please share your thoughts in the comments below! 

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Viceroy’s House (2017) starring Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Michael Gambon, Simon Callow, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, & Huma Qureshi

Emma3 Comments

SPOILERS: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from this movie (now showing in wide release in the US).

[1] If you saw something similar in a high school world history class it would be interesting and effective. As a theatrical movie it misses the mark.

[2] ...as history, it is inevitably selective. Most glaring is the benign portrait of a compassionate departing colonial power.

[3] It’s interesting to see, but it’s by no means a cinematic masterclass.

[4] What could have been an epic, ends up being too pedestrian. It is this failure in character development which pulls the film down harder than all the other negative factors combined.

[5] A special mention needs to go to Gillian Anderson. Her performance as Lady Mountbatten is wonderful. The received pronunciation was perfect. Her character adds heart, she adds a moral core, to both Lord Mountbatten, and in my eyes, to the film in general.

-Excerpts from reviews on IMDB

I saw this movie (ONLY available in SD- ugh) last night on FIOS On Demand. I had been anticipating it for almost 3 mos, so was VERY excited. (American actor Manish Dayal was posting bits about it on his social media.) I was a big fan of Bend it Like Beckham, British director Gurinder Chadha’s breakout indie hit. I thought her Thanksgiving-themed film (What’s Cooking?) was pretty good. The posters didn’t appeal to me- TOO slick and stereotypical of a historical drama. I liked the trailers that I saw; the high production value was evident (which viewers expect from this caliber of film).

Sadly, Viceroy’s House was NOT what I expected. After it ended, I wondered: “There MUST have been MORE to this film!” It seems edited down (to a mere 1 hr 46 mins); however, it seems longer b/c of it’s plodding nature (at least in the first half). Maybe it needs to be seen on the big screen (for its sheer scope and spectacle)? Or maybe it would’ve been better as a miniseries or movie on HBO (where directors and writers have more creative control)? MANY critics/viewers felt that Hugh Bonneville was miscast as Lord Louis Mountbatten. Hmmm… maybe it’s TOO close to his role as head of Downton Abbey? Gillian Anderson (who plays Lady Edwina) is given some of the best lines in the movie; she does well w/ in her role. (You should check Anderson out in British work, incl. The Fall on Netflix.)

The veteran actors who play Nehru (Tanveer Ghani), Jinnah (Denzil Smith), and Gandhi (Neeraj Kabi) do what they can w/ what they are given. Basically, they sit around and debate w/ the Brits on if and how to divide India and the new Muslim majority nation- Pakistan. Some of you know that Gandhi didn’t want India divided; he imagined a land where ALL religions live together in peace (as before the Brits arrived and used their “divide and conquer” strategy to rule). Some Pakistanis were NOT pleased w/ the portrayal of Jinnah, who comes off as duplicitous.

Michael Gambon plays Gen. Ismay, a cold/intimidating man who doesn’t care what happens to the Indian people. He wants to get the boundaries created ASAP and get back to England. Simon Callow ‘s overwhelmed character, Radcliffe, says that it’s impossible to make these decisions in such a short time frame. Ismay finally shows him a plan from 1945 which already lays out exactly how India and Pakistan should be divided (NOT sure how accurate this is in reality)!

The recently deceased international Indian actor, Om Puri, has a small, yet effective/touching role. (He played Dayal’s father in The Hundred-Foot Journey). In this film, Puri plays Ali Rahim Noor, the blind/elderly father of Aalia (Pakistani actress Huma Qureshi), the Muslim woman who has captured the heart of Dayal’s character, Jeet Kumar. Ali Rahim was a political prisoner in the jail where Jeet worked for 2 yrs as a guard. Now, Jeet is a manservant (alongside his Sikh friend, Duleep Singh) for Mountbatten. As Dayal has said, Jeet represents the Hindu perspective in the film. He is an earnest/optimistic young man who feels that his destiny is to marry Aalia.

One of the servants (among 500+ in the viceroy’s household) who stirs up trouble is Mohsin (Samrat Chakraborti, an American actor/musician whose career I’ve been following since 2005). He also has a crucial role in Midnight’s Children (check Netflix to see if it’s still available). Another pleasant surprise is the original music by A.R. Rahman, an internationally recognized composer. I thought he did a esp. fine job in the last section of the film, when we see large crowds of refugees streaming into the palatial estate.

Related Videos

Two (differing) reviews of the film

BBC interview w/ Chadha (12:16)

BUILD Series interview w/ Chadha & Ghani (34:29)

AFI LAFF: You’re Killing Me Susana (2016) starring Gael Garcia Bernal

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This movie ((a blend of comedy, romance, and drama) is part of AFI’s Latin American Film Festival (Silver Spring, MD); it is in Spanish and English w/ English subtitles. The star is ageless hottie (he’s 39 now- whoa) Gael Garcia Bernal (GGB). If you have Netflix, you can see him in Mozart of the Jungle (highly recommended by friends, both online and offline). 

After working on his soap opera, Eligio (GGB) comes home late to party at his apartment w/ some buddies. He discovers that his wife, Susana (Veronica Echegui), has left him w/o a word or note. Clueless as to why she left, he goes on a quest to find her, as he loves her deeply. Eligio travels from Mexico City to an university town in Iowa (actual shooting location: Canada) where Susana is attending a conference of international writers. Susana may have moved on (for good this time); she is no longer willing to accept Eligio’s behavior (incl. cheating w/ other women). She has become involved w/ a Polish poet who is silent, imposing, and very tall (esp. in comparison to Eligio). Eligio eventually changes his macho attitude and realizes that he can’t always get by on charm! 

It just doesn’t know what it is. The character arc is completely absent; it has an uneven tone; the laughs are cheap and spread too far between each other… It sort of glosses over the subjects which the movie promised to tackle in zero-effective way. The way this movie was marketed has nothing to do with the movie at all, and created expectations that, probably, ruined the whole experience for me (which is becoming a common problem with movies nowadays). 

-A female viewer from Mexico

The procedures of the TSA, being in a foreign land (incl. driving in a snowy blizzard), and the culture/people of rural America add bits of humor and danger to the story. However, it’s a (mostly) awkward movie. I learned that it was based on a novel when the credits rolled; maybe the filmmakers should’ve let the author have input. The rural folks w/ a love of guns and beer come off as hokey. There is an (obvious) scene where the cute blonde American (w/ a crush on Eligio) proves to be a bit of a stereotype, too. I wondered why Susana didn’t get many lines of dialogue; she should’ve had more to say/do. This is another example of a movie that can’t rely on just one actor (albeit a big name w/ a lot of talent) to carry the story! 

Game of Thrones: Season 7, Episode 6 (“Beyond the Wall”): Fans & Critics Hit Back

Emma2 Comments

SPOILERS: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen the latest episode of Game of Thrones.

In order to fully invest in a conflict, it’s necessary to understand and believe in what’s at stake for both sides. That’s what made “The Spoils of War” such remarkable television: not the spectacle of the fighting itself, per se, but our sympathy for the combatants and comprehension of the circumstances that put them at odds. “Beyond the Wall” goes the opposite direction: I don’t believe that bringing a wight to Cersei would persuade her to lend Jon her support; I don’t believe Dany would be so casual about her prospective ally and love interest turning to her direct competition for help; and, most importantly, I don’t believe so many people would uncritically accept this convoluted scheme as a good idea. -Alison Herman (The Ringer)

…one deus ex machina after another: first a pond, then a dragon, and finally Coldhands, aka Uncle Benjen, who comes out swinging an incense burner and sacrifices his life for Jon because apparently two people can’t ride on a horse. -Laura Hudson (Wired)

“Where did you… get them?” she [Sansa] asks, a line which served as a little island of expert comedic timing amid a vast ocean of ridiculous dialogue by David Benioff and Dan Weiss. While Arya could have used this as an opportunity to fill Sansa in on her formative experiences, then listen to Sansa explain some of her own, then come to a place of mutual understanding and respect, she instead threatens to cut Sansa’s face off. Whatever. -Kaitlyn Tiffany (The Verge)

Another question that this sibling rivalry brings to the fore: Are two powerful women not allowed to exist in the same place without one of them trying to sabotage the other? Outside of the Sand Snakes—we barely knew ye—it’s hard to think of two women who have been allowed to have the kind of relationship so many men on this show have been afforded, the camaraderie and “brotherhood” that has defined so many of their characters. Instead, they always seem to be at each other’s throats. -Laura Hudson (Wired)

This week Tyrion’s plan to capture a wight and bring it to Cersei proves that it’s as dumb as it sounds. While Tyrion is thinking about the future, he’s not doing a very good job getting his queen to listen to him, which is a problem since he is Hand of the Queen. ‘The Hound loves cursing and throwing rocks, apparently. His foolish throwing of rocks at a dumb wight makes them realize that the lake has frozen over, allowing them to attack. -Carrie Witmer (Business Insider)

…only Thoros of Myr is lost among our main heroes, despite overwhelming odds and at least a couple of near death experiences. At the same time, given how silly this whole plan was, I’m not sure I want any of our heroes to die executing it. Thoros’s death feels cheap in some ways. -Erik Kain (Forbes)

There is an argument to be made that season 7’s episode 6 was the worst GoT episode EVER – ridiculous dialogs, nonsensical plot line, plot holes and worst of all – a huge anti-climax to a much expected, important scene. What do you think? (See video below from GoT Academy.)

Listen to David Chen and Joanna Robinson’s podcast review of the ep here:

http://www.slashfilm.com/a-cast-of-kings-s7e06-beyond-the-wall

Game of Thrones: Season 7, Episode 5 (“Eastwatch”) – Top 10 Lines

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you haven’t seen or don’t want to know details from the latest episode of Game of Thrones.

10) Dragons are where our partnership ends. -Bronn explains to Jaime after rescuing him from drowning in a river.

Yasss, Jaime is OK (as MOST of the fans and GoT YouTubers guessed)! I wasn’t worried TOO long- maybe for a few mins after last week’s ep. Jaime is still an important character in this story, or game (as some like to say). Some viewers want Bronn to ally himself (yet again) w/ Tyron; I think that could happen (given this line re: dragons). I was a big fan of the Tyrion-Bronn friendship! 

9) Sometimes strength is terrible. -Dany explains to Jon upon returning to Dragonstone. 

Drogon let Jon touch him- WOW! This is a VERY crucial scene, as we get another hint into Jon’s true heritage, and see more of Dany’s interest in him. Dany knows that Jon doesn’t approve of how she went about defeating the Lannisters in battle, so she says this line (rather casually, I thought). Dany is comfortable in her role as queen; Jon is uncertain as King of the North (being more of a warrior than politician). Jon may NOT be Ned’s bastard son, BUT he was raised by him to be an honest, just, and peaceful kind of man.

8) Everyone in Westeros trusts and believes you. If you tell people the threat is real, they’ll believe it. -Sam tries to convince the council of Archmaesters. 

Poor Sam! His father (Randyll) and younger brother (Dickon) were burned to death by Drogon after the battle in The Reach, so he is now the head of his (old/respected/wealthy) house. Archmaester Ebrose doesn’t reveal this news to Sam though, feeling bad for him. Sam brings a bunch of books and scrolls into a room where the archmaesters happen to be having a meeting. They are debating the merits of a particular scroll which relates what Bran Stark/The Three-Eyed Raven has  seen beyond The Wall. Sam overhears and interrupts; he knows Bran and says the news is true. 

7) I haven’t given you permission to leave. -Dany says. / With all due respect, Your Grace, I don’t need your permission. I am a king. -Jon replies.

There is more Dany-Jon (burgeoning) romance stuff here; some viewers said that she was looking at him TOO much this ep. Come on showrunners, you don’t have to be SO obvious! Anyways, Tyrion’s idea of capturing a Wight to present at Cersei’s court is a clever idea. 

6) Daenerys is not her father. She is even willing to suspend the hostilities if Cersei agrees to certain terms. –Tyrion explains to Jaime when they are reunited in the dungeons beneath The Red Keep.

This was an emotional scene where BOTH actors did well. Though Tyrion has allied w/ Dany (“a foreign invader”), he can still reach out to his older brother, Jaime. As Ben Mankiewicz commented in the latest What the Flick? review: “Tyrion is friends w/ all the good guys: Bronn, Davos, Jorah, and Varys.”

5) Do you remember what father used to say about people? -Cersei asks. / The lion does not concern himself with the opinions of the sheep. -Jaime replies before embracing and kissing her. / Never betray me again. -Cersei commands, softly.

Hmmm… what do YOU think? MANY viewers are writing that Cersei is NOT pregnant; she is lying to get Jaime’s to follow her plans (no matter how bad). We know that Jaime is hopelessly in love w/ his twin (as Lady Olenna pointed out in E3, before dying like a boss). Cersei goes as far as to say that she’s NOT afraid of what people’s reactions; she will say that the baby is Jaime’s. 

4) Our fathers trusted each other. Why shouldn’t we? -Gendry asks Davos and Jon after he introduces himself to The King of the North.

Joe Dempsie was listed as part of the cast for S7, so observant viewers knew he was (finally) back! His hair is  quite short now and he looks taller and more mature. Gendry was hiding in plain sight, working as a blacksmith in “the street of steel” in King’s Landing. He is quick to leave (LOL), deadly w/ that big hammer (yikes), and eager to fight for Jon. Their fathers were best friends who fought together during the time of Mad King Aerys (Robert’s Rebellion). Gendry will be VERY useful in forging weapons out of dragonglass, some YouTubers commented. Some people were excited for he and Arya to be reunited; we will have to wait for that.  

3) Nobody mind me. All I’ve ever done is live to a ripe old age. -Davos comments to Gendry and Jon.

Davos has some of the BEST lines in this ep; that stuff w/ the “fermented crab” (or should we call it Westerosi Viagra?) was quite funny! Liam Cunningham has been doing a fine job in his role. I esp. enjoy seeing the father-son dynamic between Davos and Gendry.

2) What does “annulment” mean? -Gilly asks tentatively, reading from a book by High Septon Maynard. / It’s when a man sets aside his lawful wife. -Sam replies, not paying much attention. / Maynard says here that he issued an annulment for a Prince Rhaegar and remarried him to someone else, at the same time, in a secret ceremony in Dorne. -Gilly reads on.

Whoa, who would’ve imagined that Gilly would get to reveal such crucial info!? As pointed out on GoT Academy, the book she was reading was by a religious/priest-like figure (High Septon), NOT written my a maester. Septons can perform marriages and funerals (as we have seen in previous seasons); it turns out that annulment are ALSO permitted in Westeros. Rhaegar left his wife (Elia Martell), then legally married Lyanna Stark before Jon was born. Jon is BOTH a Targaryen and a Stark, and (most importantly) NOT a bastard! He is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne before Dany (his aunt) since he is male.

1) He’s [Beric] right, we’re all on the same side. -Jon says. / How can we be? -Gendry asks. / We’re all breathing. -Jon concludes. 

At Eastwatch (the castle closest to The Wall) we see Tormund again; he is STILL thinking of Brienne (LOL). Jon, Davos, Jorah, and Gendry go down to the dungeon where Wildling men locked up some strangers about a month ago. It turns out that these are the Brotherhood w/o Banners: Beric Dondarrion (brought back to life- like Jon), Thoros of Myr (who knows Jorah), and The Hound (who Jon saw once at Winterfell). Westeros (like DC) is SUCH a small world sometimes!