Tag: Actors

Empire: Season 1

EmmaLeave a comment
Thank you, cable!  Success of your sophisticated, smart (yet FUN), ensemble shows is making network TV better… a LOT better!  Also, I have to give respect to Shonda Rimes (esp. on ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder).  Yes, I still watch Scandal, but who DOESN’T love Viola Davis!?  Not unlike HTGAWM, FOX’s music-infused family drama, Empire (which several Fb gal pals were praising), has changed the face of TV. 
WARNING: This review contains MILD spoilers! 
WHY is this (midseason) show so ground-breaking?  Empire (created by Danny Strong and produced by Brian Grazer, Lee Daniels, and Francie Calfo) focuses on a successful African-American family in NYC.  (Everyone can relate to family drama, right?)  They’re running a successful company (Empire Entertainment), which includes musical talent (Timbaland is the show’s music producer), tennis shoes, champagne, etc.  (If you’re a fan of hip-hop, this would be the hook for you.)  The business is headed by charismatic, dapper, and strong-willed patriarch, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard).  He’s a man’s man who doesn’t suffer fools; he segued from being a musician to producer, then eventually… entrepreneur (EX: P. Diddy).  At the start of the series, Lucious is in a relationship w/ Anika (Grace Gealey), head of Empire’s A&R division (meaning that she signs/develops new talent). 
Lucious’ ex-wife, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), is claiming her own power by managing teen pop singer Tiana (Serayah) and their middle son Jamal (Jussie Smolett, younger brother of Jurnee).  Hmmm… why was Cookie put in jail for so long (17 years)?  Do she and Lucious still have a future together?  She provides the a LOT of the humor for this show!

Lucious and Cookie have two other sons- Wharton MBA, Andre (Trai Byers), and impulsive 18 y.o. rapper, Hakeem (Bryshere Gray).  Jamal (considered Cookie’s fave) and Hakeem (chosen as heir by his father) have a contentious relationship for the first half of the season, though the unconditional love between brothers is always underneath.  (ALMOST everyone can relate to sibling drama, right?)

They call us Takeem.  -Tiana explains to Cookie about the celeb couple nickname fans have given her and Hakeem
Tiana and rising star Hakeem seem to make a natural pair, BUT they are NOT as simple/innocent as they appear!  Will these kids have a future… or only sing together? 
An honorary member of the family is a man that grew up on the streets of Philly with Lucious, Vernon (Malik Yoba, best-known for New York: Undercover), a father-figure/mentor to Andre (the CFO and non-musical son).  I started watching when I saw a TV promo w/ Yoba; he’s not in a LOT of scenes, since his main focus these days is on community development. Aside from the strong cast, there are MANY guest stars on Empire.  (Those up on the current hip hop music scene can probably spot who these are more quickly.)
Good Enough
See, it doesn’t matter what you think
I’m still a man

Not only is Jamal talented (his songs are the best IMO), he’s the most kind, honest, and likeable character on the show!  He comes out of the closet (to live openly as a gay man)- something that his father can’t accept.  (We learn about the drastic measure Lucious took when guest-star Raven-Symone shows up.) 
Keep Your Money
Can’t ask for a hand-out
It’s time to be a man now
When Lucious belittles his attempt to go his own way, Jamal refuses his cash.   As the show develops, we see how Jamal is redefining masculinity within his family, by writing his songs (personal/touching)… and network TV!

Spoiler-Free Review: Broadchurch (Series 1) starring David Tennant

EmmaLeave a comment
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DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) & DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant)

Broadchurch is a marvel.  I have never seen a TV drama that explores the emotions of so many characters so convincingly.  Crimes are traumatizing.  Broadchurch gets this perfectly.  Nor have I have ever seen a crime drama that packs a visual punch in so many scenes.  The Dorset coast is a character in Broadchurch.  It plays its role as effectively as any of the brilliant actors in this piece.  And that brings up the acting.  You won’t find a weak performance and some are unforgettable.  –Excerpt from an IMDB review

As in The Fall and Happy Valley, Broadchurch‘s lead character, Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant- using his real Scottish accent),  is a troubled individual (a past case gone wrong, mysterious health matter, etc.)  He is brought in to a lovely/small town on the Dorset coast to investigate the mysterious death of young Billy Latimer, who was the best friend of Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller’s (Olivia Colman) son, Tom.  DS Miller, the local top cop, is (of course) shocked by this death.  Also, she thought that she was getting the promotion given to Hardy, which causes tension/awkwardness in the squad room. 

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The Latimer family headed by Mark (Andrew Buchan from Cranford, Garrow’s Law)

The insider, Miller, tries to investigate her close friends and many community members in a respectful manner, but Hardy (the outsider) has an abrasive personality that almost everyone chafes against.  The media can be used for good, or cause a LOT of problems, with a police investigation.  Miller’s reporter nephew, Olly (Jonathan Stevens, who resembles Hugh Dancy), is eager to learn all the details for the local paper.  Olly is a good guy who makes a BIG rookie mistake on Twitter.  The seemingly happy/picture-perfect Latimers are NOT all what they seem.  Suspicion falls on several individuals, including the recently-arrived/young Anglican priest, Rev. Coates (Arthur Darvill).  He was one of the most interesting characters in the show- thoughtful, spiritual, yet also a BIT mysterious. 

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Two journalists, an eager local & a more experienced outsider, show of the power of the news media

Writer Chris Chibnall was inspired by two American crime shows- Twin Peaks and Murder One (which I watched and really liked).  Unlike The Fall and Happy Valley, this show has a broader scope (think soap opera, but much more sophisticated/intelligent).  You get to know about MORE people, several of whom dwell in the gray areas of life.  Check it out (Netflix).  I just learned that Series 2 (BBC) has Charlotte Rampling and Marianne Jean-Baptiste- WOW! 

  

Spoiler Free Review: Maps to the Stars (NOW PLAYING)

Emma5 Comments
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Jerome (Robert Pattinson) is a chauffer/struggling actor & screenwriter.

This film is NOT for everyone- it certainly made me and my gal pal think “WTF!?”  The small audience (perhaps 15 ) we saw it with were nearly silent, aside from a few awkward/small laughs.  One woman sitting close to me looked at her watch, asking “How long is this movie?”  It contains material that could be VERY offensive, but that’s not a shocker in a David Cronenberg film.  I think MANY folks want to see Julianne Moore, BUT don’t go if that’s the ONLY reason! 

This is the latest from the veteran Canadian director who brought us Dead Ringers (disturbingly good- mainly for Jeremy Irons), The Fly, Crash (somehow I got through it), A History of Violence (which I REALLY liked), and Eastern Promises (read my review).  His style is “cold, mechanical, and detached” (as one of the critics on the 3/22/15 ep of The Film Stage podcast noted).  This is a scathing portrayal of Hollywood celeb types, w/ VERY few laughs and an (almost) soundless score, which adds to its disturbing nature.

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Agatha (Mia Wasikowska) gets a job as an assistant for has-been actress Havana (Julianne Moore)

I was confused as to the purpose of Robert Pattinson’s chauffer/actor/screenwriter character, Jerome.  At first, he seems genuine in his interactions with the mysterious Agatha (Mia Wasikowska), but then he comments to Havana (Julianne Moore): “Isn’t it all just research?”  I learned that the screenwriter used to be a chauffer in Hollywood.  As for Havana, she’s like a teen girl in the body of a middle-aged/insecure/overly medicated/selfish woman.

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Teen actor Benji (Evan Bird) w/ his dad (played by John Cusack)

Agatha is supposed to be a disfigured young woman, but she doesn’t look THAT bad; one of The Film Stage critics thought that Cronenberg was showing “the difference between what’s on the page and what’s on the screen.”  Perhaps the most irritating character, Benji (Evan Bird), hangs out with a small group of teen celebs “who are supposed to be pretty people, but are really not that beautiful” (The Film Stage).  Where fame, beauty, youth, and money are so valued, there is “a sort of moral decay” (The Film Stage). 

There is one (badly done CGI) scene that several commentators (on IMDB) wrote was “laughable.”  Perhaps the director didn’t think this was a big deal?  Or maybe it was intentional?  VERY little of this film made sense to me, so I had to look up what critics/reviewers thought- that’s a BAD sign!

Spoiler-Free Review: Happy Valley

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happyvalley1
Sgt. Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) tries to crack down on drug dealers (& other criminals) in her small/rural Yorkshire community.

After watching The Fall, I noticed that MANY fans of that show recommended this one, so I decided to take a look.  After the first two eps, I was hooked.  Sgt. Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire, who played a supporting role in The Paradise) is the type of cop you’d never see on network TV in the US, or perhaps never as the lead.  She’s a grandmother, no-nonsense, passionate (esp. about her family), and looks like a REAL middle-aged woman!  And when she gets beaten up on the job, the injuries are not quickly covered up w/ makeup. 

Catherine is motivated to be a good cop b/c of her (complicated) family/personal life and an inherent sense of fairness.  She is raising her grandson, Ryan, a good-hearted kid who has been acting out in school recently.  Ryan’s mother was Catherine’s only daughter. 

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Do you recognize her? Clare (Siobhan Finneran from Downton Abbey) is Catherine’s sis!

At home, she has her sister, Clare (Siobhan Finneran), is a recovering drug addict who provides an ear and a lot of emotional support (in lieu of rent).  Drugs, particularly heroin, have affected MANY of the young people of this valley.  Catherine’s ex-husband, a journalist, remarried years ago, but they still have a connection.  In time, we meet Catherine’s son, Daniel, and learn about their strained relationship. 

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Ashley – left (Joe Armstrong)

There are several well-developed supporting characters, including Joe Armstrong (BBC’s Robin Hood).  I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the cops (in the background, recurring characters) were British Asians (or South Asians, as we say here).  The show is definitely a vehicle for Lancashire, who shows the many sides to a complicated individual.  Her big, expressive blue eyes and authoritative tone are great assets.  I loved ALL the scenes she had with her grandson! 

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Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton)

Catherine is stunned when she sees an ex-con, Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton from Grantchurch), from her daughter’s past walking the streets.  She MUST find out more!  To fans of the movie Fargo, the awkwardly-planned/amateur kidnapping will be especially interesting.  Check out this show (Season 1 is on Netflix)- you won’t be disappointed!   

Spoiler-Free Review: Top of the Lake starring Elisabeth Moss

EmmaLeave a comment

TOTL_leads

Three of the ensemble cast: Thomas M. Wright, Elisabeth Moss, & David Wenham

I really wanted to like this show, but alas, it was not to be!  I read a BIT about it’s ardently feminist viewpoint (it was co-written by Jane Campion, the New Zealand-based director who gained much acclaim in Hollywood with The Piano).  I was interested in seeing David Wenham (also a New Zealander), who many of you know as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Here, he plays a detective who somehow manages to dress well, live in fancy house, and sail on a boat. 

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A group of women set up a sanctuary (named Paradise) by the lake.

The premise is interesting- Tui Mitchell, a 12 y.o. pregnant girl, leaves home w/o a word or note for her family.  Detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss from The West Wing and Mad Men), who is visiting her ailing mother from Australia, gets on board this case, having special training w/ youth.  Moss is simply miscast here- she’s the opposite of what I’d expect a cop to be, but she has a few nice scenes with Tui and her mother. 

Top of the Lake has been compared with The Fall and Happy Valley, but it falls short for several reasons. Though the remote New Zealand setting can be beautiful, mysterious, and captivating, it doesn’t make up for the one-dimensional supporting characters and dialogue that often seems removed from everyday life.  The presence of the guru-type figure, GJ (Holly Hunter), and her group of rag-tag followers doesn’t add much to the story.  

Top Of The Lake
GJ (Holly Hunter) is a willing ear for a group of diverse/troubled women.

As for those looking for romance, you’ll be disappointed, since Robin and her main love interest, Johnno (Thomas M. Wright, who is Australian), have very little chemistry together.  We learn that they dated in high school; he’s also one of Tui’s older half-brothers.  About 15 years ago, Robin and Johnno went to a dance together, shared a kiss, but then the night took on a horrible turn (especially for her).  Robin’s personal history w/ a few of the (not so straight-laced) inhabitants of this insular community cause complications during the investigation.

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Matt Mitchell (Peter Mullan) lives by his own rules… and gets away w/ it!

Tui’s father, Matt Mitchell (Peter Mullan), is probably the most troubled/complicated characters of the series.  You JUST don’t know what he’ll do next!  Is he a villain or simply a hothead?  Mullan (who is Scottish) is a talented actor, but I got the sinking feeling that he was TOO good for this show.  As a few critics have written, men are NOT heroes in this story, or even tolerable.  Almost every teen boy or man is a coward, violent domestic abuser, rapist, or potential rapist!  There is a sense of foreboding throughout the episodes that just gets boring after a while.  Worst of all, I just didn’t care about ANY of the characters!  I guess this is what happens when a writer’s/director’s “vision” gets in the way of the story.