Buy or Sell: Dexter

The second of my Buy or Sell series looks at the Showtime hit Dexter. Developed by James Manos, Jr., Dexter is about a serial killer that kills the evil that slips through the system of Miami. With three solid seasons under its belt could the forth season stand up?

The forth season of Dexter's main plot line involves Dexter’s hunt of the elusive “Trinity killer”. The serial killer “Trinity” is played by John Lithgow. He is so named by the pattern he leaves in his wake, a bath tub killing, a jumper/suicide, and a bludgeoning. Lithgow is amazing in this role. He surprised me every episode with how deep he was in the character. The rest of the cast, including Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, and James Remar, are all in true form this season as well.

In comparison with my last review of Glee, this show does it right where Glee falls short. Everything to do with this season of Dexter was well laid out and executed perfectly. Everything from the slow burn start of the season to the shocking ending is top notch. The story is compelling and driven with a purpose. The cinematography is amazingly “Dexter-like”, yet new and fresh. If I had to fault any one part of this season, it would be the slow burn start. Unlike myself I know not everyone likes that type of storytelling, and it could have gotten to the meat a bit faster.

I do feel the need to talk about the last episode a small bit. This will be spoiler free so fear not. The last 10 minutes of this season is the main reason to watch the first three seasons if you have not in my opinion. This is the type of ending you want as a storyteller. This is the type of ending you long for as an audience. You want an ending that leaves you speechless, questioning what you just saw, and wanting the next season to start tomorrow.

After the forth season finished I found myself torn between writing this while it was fresh in my mind or letting it fully set in. The latter seemed to be the best choice and gave me much to write about. Dexter is one of the few shows I will recommend to anyone without a second thought. This is TV done right. This is the bar that other shows with have to shoot for. As long as Dexter keeps up seasons like this, I will never stop watching.

VERDICT: BUY!

TV show buy or sell: Glee

With a few TV shows wrapping up their seasons, I figured I would throw my opinion into the hat. Glee is a show that most love or hate with very little middle ground. The show is from the mind of Ryan Murphy, who you may also know from his other shows Popular, and Nip/Tuck.

Glee starts off stronger than any show I had seen in a good while. The pilot was promising and I had high hopes. As the season went on it became a rollercoaster of emotions. My opinion varied from love to hate, and every point in between. At times it seemed like the music was the only thing holding me from never watching it again. Then at others times I found myself embracing the acting and story for that week’s show.

At the end of the day I know where the show is the weakest. The story on average is par at best. With story lines that emotionally upset me (False father Baby storyline and the fake pregnancy), I found myself not wanting to watch the next episode much less the rest of the one I was on. Yet something pulled me back in and I found myself watching it still.

With all things considered I found myself unsure about what I truly thought about Glee. The season finale started weak, yet finished extremely strong. After I watched the finale I had to seriously think about the whole picture the show gave me. For this show to survive the next season the writing will have to get much better. It would also not hurt for more emphasis to be placed on the students and the music they sing. I will say that I will watch the second season with little doubt and will do so because I want to see it, yet I will not recommend this show to many people.

Glee is neither bad nor great. It is an average show. I have hopes that the second season will be better, but I do not really care if it stays on TV or not as it stands.

VERDICT: SELL

Five word DVD Review : Gran Torino

Every so often I feel like I need to talk about a movie that is already in my collection. Movies that I felt were good enough for me to go out and spend money on(and some I wish I could get my money back). I also feel the need to break up the normal posting on my site. A bit of shake up every now and then. So I came up with "Five word DVD review"

Five Word DVD Review : Gran Torino

Clint Eastwood is a god.

Pirate Radio

Pirate Radio, also known as The Boat that Rocked in England, is a British ensemble comedy film directed by Richard Curtis. While this film is not a true story it is based on real events of the mid 1960s. With a cast make up of Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, and Kenneth Branagh to name a few this movie brings serious acting ammo to the screen.

You might know Richard Curtis as a director from such movies as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, and perhaps his best known work Love Actually. Curtis brings all his directorial chops to this film. While it is a bit long, nearing two hours, it seldom leaves you bored.

I have to talk about the music. Without the music this film would be a shell of what it is. Songs from popular bands of the era such as The Kinks, The Beach Boys, The Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and David Bowie keep the film rocking all the way through.

Actors Bill Nighy and Philip Seymour Hoffman anchor this cast with solid acting. Nighy plays Quentin, the boat captain/Radio station boss, and all around guy you want to be when you get his age. Philip Seymour Hoffman pulls off the role of “The Count” as well as anyone could have. He is the cool guy. He is the guy you want to know. He is the guy you would go out of your way to meet. Other actors to have great roles are Nick Frost as Dr. Dave, Rhys Ifans as Gavin, and Kenneth Branagh Minister Dormandy.

This film is a British film that came out in April of this year across the pond. It also was a commercial and critical failure in the UK. It was re-edited and re-named for the US release. Originally it ran closer to 3 hours in length, but a few scenes were cut to shorten and stream-line the movie. The North American release cuts some odd twenty minutes more.

So does The Boat that Rocked actually rock? Though a little long it is not enough to take away from the film. This movie reminds me of movies such as Animal house and The Beatles “Help”. The feel of this film is marvelous. It is a party film. Few movies have made me feel like I was there like this one did. This is how memories feel when looked back upon. Pirate Radio is one I will watch again and I will push on friends.

Slight delay

Just a slight delay in my next review. I am in the process of getting college things together, so I will throw my next one up asap. Pirate Radio!!!!

Paranormal Activity

Independent movies are a gambling man’s game. The chances of an Independent film being picked up are small to say the least, but every so often a gem does emerge. Paranormal Activity is one of those gems. It seems like the last few movie I have reviewed have had small budgets, but this one makes those look like big budget films. At $15,000 this movie is, dollar for dollar, one of the best movies I have watched in a long time.

The film is directed by Oren Peli who previous worked as a video game designer, and has had zero film work prior to this film. Paranormal Activity is a mockumentary horror film that centers on a young couple that is being haunted by a supernatural menace. Katie and Micah are played by Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat. Both actors have little acting experience but pull off the roles with ease.

Although he is uncredited, Steven Spielberg produced this movie after being given the movie to view by the higher ups at DreamWorks. Rumor has it he took it home to watch and the next day brought it back to DreamWorks in a garbage bag because he thought it was “Haunted”. Spielberg cited that “his doors locked themselves” minutes after he viewed the film. Needless to say he loved the film and helped it get green lighted and bought by Paramount for $300,000.

The film went on to be remade and that remake would have been put out if it was not for one screening of the original. Movie goes started to walk out during the movie due not to the films being bad but because it was “too scary” After a few delays the film finally came out in theaters with a viral marketing campaign that let the fans decide where the movie would be shown.

Paranormal Activity is shot on a typical store-bought handheld camcorder and looks great. The lack of polish from the handheld adds to the feel of the movie, and is without a doubt the only way to pull this movie off. There is not much negative that can be said about this movie. I was not overly scared but there were scary parts. I was freaked out by this film more than once though. The effects in this film look real and at times you find yourself wondering “how was that pulled off”.

This movie is what we as film fans need. This movie is what makes people want to make movies. It is a well directed, well laid out story that keeps you wondering when the bubble will burst and scare the crap out of you. You care about what happens to this young couple. You care about what is going on in this house. Watch this movie in the dark with a few friends, and let yourself go. You will not regret it.

-The Blind Reviewer

Zombieland

Nut up or shut up is the de facto slogan of Zombieland. That phrase sets the tone of the movie from the start. Zombieland is a non stop ride of action, comedy, and thrills. Zombieland is a movie that will make you laugh out loud and even scare you a few times

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, two months after “patient zero” took a bite of a contaminated burger at a Gas ’n gulp, zombies out number humans by the thousands. With only six humans seen in the movie you get the idea that things are not going to be easy for the 4 main characters, and at times it is not.

With a budget of $23,600,000 this movie looks remarkable. The make-up is top notch, and the effects are simply stunning. The man behind the make up is no other than Tony Gardner. His most known work was on Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The Director of this film, Ruben Fleischer, is a rather new to the directing scene. It is safe to say that Zombieland will be Ruben Fleischer’s calling call from here on. The movie is written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick who are mostly known for TV shows like “The Joe Schmo Show”.

The acting is where this movie shines. Woody Harrelson plays Tallahassee, the lovable psychopathic bad-ass. Jesse Eisenberg plays Columbus, the cautious rules for survival making loser. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin play the sister con team of Wichita and Little Rock. All four roles are strong despite a little more character development needed on the part of Wichita and Little Rock.

I must devote one small part of this review to the cameo to end all cameos in this film. Never would I say that a cameo that doesn’t further the story at all and that takes up near ten minutes of a movie was a good decision before Zombieland. I stand corrected. The ten minutes in question steals the show and gets some of the strongest laughs. Epic is not even close to what I would begin to call it. If anything Zombieland is a must see for this cameo.

So at the end of the day what is Zombieland? Is it as good as Shawn of the Dead? I would have to say it is as good as and better in some ways than Shawn of the Dead. It holds its own as a comedy and as a horror movie just the same. Some have also said it is Left 4 Dead the movie. I would say that is very close to that, if you are a gamer and know what Left 4 Dead is. Zombieland is one you need to see. Drop what you are doing and go see this movie. You will not regret it at all. As for me, I am off to find a damn Twinkie.