Gone Girl - Analysis and Review

Marriage...

It's been a while since I reviewed a film. It has also been a while since I reviewed a David Fincher film. This should be interesting....

The Plot

When Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) comes home after contemplating a decision he has to make, he finds his wife, Amy Elliot Dunne (Rosamund Pike), is missing. Not only that, but signs of a struggle are evident in the home. With Amy's family, law enforcement, and the media wrapping themselves around this disappearance, the evidence starts to point to Nick as the prime suspect for her vanishing. Or perhaps, her murder.

Analysis

If there is one thing in this film that works wonderfully well, it is the portrayal of the media. Being a film student who has to go through some television and broadcast, I know how the news operates. Especially when it comes to stories like this. Our mission is not to tell the truth, our mission is to show the facts. How we choose to show those facts and what we think of them is completely up to us, the media. "If it bleeds, it leads." That's the motto behind it. 

It is a disgusting truth about how journalism works. And I know that journalists are always about finding the truth, yet I know ideal intentions of being a truthful journalist can easily be shattered. That is not the type of world that we live in. Yet we have the media as our voice of truth. There is a reason why we watch the news because that is where the truth is suppose to lie. That is only half true. Yet this film also displays how easy it is for the media to influence people into believing what the truth is. 

The media is powerful. It is neither a force for good, nor a force for justice. It wants to believe it is, but there is no way it can be.

But it is still powerful.

Review

I don't exactly know how to review this film. Mainly because to talk too much about it would be a great disservice. So all I can say is this: The cast of the movie is incredible!

Ben Affleck delivers an extremely subdued performance, and I do mean really subdued performance. His portrayal as Nick is probably one of the most difficult performances to critique. Mainly because some would say that he doesn't steal the show. But the thing is, he's not suppose to. Part of this movie is for him trying to not stand out, trying not to do anything wrong. In other words: become invisible. He does that. And yes, there are moments when his performance elevates, especially once the first act is gone. But I'm just letting you, reader, know this. He's suppose to not stand out. It is part of the character, and he does it brilliantly. This is a guy who just wants to be left alone in order to focus on what is happening to him, but he gets constantly thrown into the spotlight. It is a terrific portrayal that may not put people at ease that he's the new Batman. But believe me, if he can do this, he can play Batman.

Then of course there is the supporting cast. You may not have heard of her, but Carrie Coon is a name you should know. She portrays Nick's sister, who has to help him through these tumultuous times. The chemistry between her and Affleck does feel like a genuine brother and sister relationship. She really delves in to how a family member would act in this situation. As secrets begin to unfold, Coon convinces the audience that no matter what is discovered, she will stand by her brother. She's the one thing that not only keeps Nick sane throughout the whole ordeal, but keeps the audience sane as well.

There is also Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris. Perry plays Nick's Defense Attorney, while Harris plays someone connected to Amy's past. Perry shows that in the hands of a capable director, himself not included, he is a true acting force. That man sold me as a suave and highly intelligent attorney who can easily predict how the media will play things out. He's a master strategist, and Perry will make you believe he is. Harris on the other hand is kind of jarring. He doesn't do a bad performance, he's a phenomenal actor, but there was something about him being in the movie that seems to have stood out. Like he doesn't belong there, while at the same time he does. I guess it works well with his character as this extremely rich man who has all the pretty toys, but his presence was just jarring. Again, he's still incredible, it's just a little weird seeing him in this movie.

There are many others in this film who are great. Kim Dickens and Patrick Fugit are great as the detectives on the case. Though Fugit's character does come off as one note detective who only thinks that Nick is guilty. Dickens' character is the one Detective who does grow in the film, but as this is not a true detective story it is clear that we won't see the extent of that growth. Then there is Missi Pyle as an obvious satire on Nancy Grace. She is the embodiment of the media and how it manipulates information to get a rise out of people. She does this exceptionally well. Hell, even the girl from the notorious Blurred Lines music video, Emily Ratajkowski, gives a fine performance despite being in the film for only four small moments and topless in two of them. That is the sign of an incredible director when everyone in the film from large roles to small roles are all incredible as a whole.

But then there is someone I'm missing. That is the other lead of this film. The titular Gone Girl, Amy Elliot Dunne played by Rosamund Pike. This is HER movie. This is THE movie that will get her the recognition she deserves. This is the movie that may get her an academy award. She is the standout of this film. The whole movie revolves around her character and her disappearance. There are so many layers to this missing woman, layers that by the end of the film may even make you question your own significant other. This is her best role, and will hopefully get rid of that stigma of her being a Bond Girl in the final Pierce Brosnan Bond film. I don't know how to explain or give you a reason why she is incredible. The only way for you to know, is to see the movie yourself.

If there is a negative for the film I will say that there are times that the film feels like it drags. But here is the strange part. Even though it drags, especially with a runtime of 2 hours and 25 minutes, for some reason you want more. You don't want it to end. You want it to keep going. So you're trapped in this feeling of, "this movie is too long," and "I want more!" So it is strange that a movie can actually make me feel this way. Because I did feel the drag, but at the same time I wasn't bored. It is strange that I didn't want this to end. Even when I thought it was ending, I was relieved it didn't. Yet at the same time I wished it did. It a strange thing. But still definitely worth a watch.

Final Thoughts

This is definitely a David Fincher film. Everything about this movie has his signature on it. And it delivers on all fronts. Every single person in this film is perfectly casted for their roles, even though Neil Patrick Harris does not visually fit into the film he is still incredible. There is that feeling of it dragging on, but it never feels boring. This is a movie that will definitely be talked about for the rest of the year and all the way to the Oscars. Go see this film. And bring a date...if you want to break up with that person after the movie.

SCORE: 8.9/10 - There is that feeling of drag, but other than that, this film is incredible.

Outlander - 1x08 Both Side Now - Review

So close...yet still...so far

After getting married to Jamie Fraser, Claire has grown accustomed to her newfound life in 16th century Scotland. Unfortunately her comfort turns to discomfort as a startling event reminds her of the life that she once had. The life that she used to dedicate herself to want to go back to. Meanwhile in the 1940s, Frank is being convinced by everyone around him that his wife probably left him for another man. But only one woman holds the answer to Claire's disappearance. And if he heeds her words, he may be reunited with his wife again.

Claire is in a place of comfort. A lot more comfort now than she had been from the beginning of her time travel. She is married to Jamie, someone who has been there for her since this whole thing started. Two lost souls finding each other. And it is a love for one another that started as friends, but after their marriage it has become so much more. It is so believable that any memory of her previous marriage seems to have disappeared all together. It would just be acceptable to see this as a love story finally reaching its climax with them living happily together. But as this series goes. Nothing lasts forever. When Jamie learns that there is possibly a witness who can clear his name, he takes his chance of meeting this witness. Claire and the usual MacKenzie bunch join him to ensure that things go down smoothly.

Things don't go down smoothly. When Claire and Jamie try to have some alone time away from the MacKenzie Bunch, they are attacked by two Red Coat deserters. As Jamie is forced to watch as one of the Red Coats rapes Claire, she takes the initiative of using a concealed weapon to kill her rapist. Jamie then takes the opportunity to kill the Red Coat who has him held at gunpoint. While Jamie is feeling a strong amount of guilt for not being able to stop this from happening before it got to the point that it did, Claire is feeling anger. And surprisingly not anger towards her getting raped. Because at that moment while being raped she remembers the one who matters to her the most. Her husband, Frank. While she does still feel the emotional shock and trauma of what happened to her, she is clearly more disturbed by the fact that she might die in this time period knowing that her husband will never know what happened to her. This is the moment that she remembers what her mission was in the first place: to return to Craigh na Dun, the stone circle that flung her through time. She didn't care about Jamie at the moment. She was thinking of Frank.

And indeed, what is going on with Frank? In this episode we finally get to see him dealing with Claire's disappearance. It is interesting that the show has not spent any time showing his present predicament, as all of Frank's appearances in previous episodes except the Pilot have been flashbacks. And of course, we do see Frank in the past in the form of his ancestor, Captain Black Jack Randall, but that guy is a completely different animal than Frank. And this is where I praise Frank and Black Jack's actor, Tobias Menzies. This guy really is a scene stealer as Captain Black Jack, but what is heartbreaking is his portrayal of Frank who is in the midst of despair. It is a huge contrast of what the show has displayed with Frank because again most of Frank's scenes are flashbacks. And in those flashbacks he has always been portrayed as subdued yet loving with small sparks of spontaneity. But now we really see that he is going through hard times. It is a testament to Menzies great ability of switching back and forth between these two completely different characters that make him one of the most compelling cast members of this show.

Everyone has pretty much reached the conclusion that Claire has left him for another man, a highlander Frank claims to have seen watching her during a stormy night. That highlander just happens to look like Jamie Fraser. Or at least the sketch does. But back to the point. Frank has been thinking of every possibility and comes down to the conclusion that everyone else has. Except for one. The palm reader from the Pilot reveals that she is aware of the legend involving Craigh Na Dun's notoriety for sending people back in time. Of course for Frank, this sounds crazy, but because of the desperation we see his thought is, "why not?" And by some act of fate or pure coincidence, as Frank approaches Craigh na Dun, Claire is not too far away in her time period. It is the most heart wrenching scene in the entire series so far and while it is cliche, because of the nature of the show, you want to believe that the two of them will be reunited. But again, because of the nature of the show, we know that there is no way they'll be together at the midpoint of the series.

And so it ends with Claire being captured by none other than Captain Black Jack. And her predicament escalates from pure depression to pure terror. A very bitter way to end the episode. Especially since the season returns in April.

This was definitely a way to end things by bringing the audience back to a place where we remember that Claire and Frank are still married but she has genuinely accepted that she's in love with Jamie. This is probably the most weakest we've seen Claire from the series so far, but she has grown as a character. And this was the moment when she had to be weak, because we've reached the point of despair. We'll have to wait till April to see how she gets out of Captain Jack's grasp, but till then, this is definitely one of the best new shows of the season.

SCORE: 8.9/10 - Claire was a victim in this episode a little too much, but necessary for story

STATUS: Continue to Watch - Let's hope the mid season premier can live up to the first half

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Outlander - 1x07 The Wedding - Review

The episode where Jamie loses his virginity

And gets married. In order to prevent sending Claire back into the hands of Black Jack Randall and the Red Coat English, Claire is persuaded into becoming a full Scotswoman. However, the way to do that is for her to marry a Scotsman. And the one that she has to marry? Well, my header says it all: Jamie. The man who has been in her debt and protected her since she arrived in this old time period. And it can't only just be a marriage on paper, it has to be consummated.

The episode begins with a sweet moment between Claire and Frank in the 1940s or probably late 1930s before the war. It shows Claire and Frank on their way to meeting Frank's parents until Frank stops in front of a registration office. There we see a newly wed couple having their picture taken. Seeing this, Frank decides that both of them should marry now at that moment before he introduces her to his parents. This spontaneous moment and the sheer amount of happiness on Claire's face was a painful reminder of her life before becoming an unwilling time traveller. So much joy can be read from Claire, and it is a testament to the chemistry between their actors, Caitroina Balfe and Tobias Menzies, that they can make you truly believe Claire and Frank are in love. All that tenderness comes to an when we get back to where the last episode left off.

Claire is now married to Jamie Fraser, the Scotsman who has been a part of her life in this time period since she first dropped into it. It shows the "you may kiss the bride" moment of the ceremony first then immediately goes to the after party. Claire has hold herself up in the room that is to be her's and Jamie's, drinking her sorrows away. At this moment we see that Claire is extremely bothered by the entire ordeal, even if it means she doesn't have to go back to the English. Probably the one who feels the most awkward about this whole ordeal is Jamie. This is really when we get to see Sam Heughan stand out (pun intended immensely) in a brilliant performance as Jamie. Despite being the object of desire for many young women in Castle Leoch, he is still a virgin and is a little frightened knowing that Claire isn't one. The build up to their first time is handled nicely, especially with how Claire stalls the moment by asking questions of Jamie's family in order to get to know him better. And when the moment comes... it is really quick. And really confusing for Jamie.

That could've easily have been the end of the episode, but it isn't. In fact it was just the beginning. The remainder of the episode deals with Jamie describing what the ceremony meant to him. On one hand it was meant to protect Claire's life from the ruthless English red coats and Captain Black Jack Randall. But on the other hand, it was an important moment for him. We learn throughout the rest of the episode that he would only agree to do the wedding under three conditions. The first one being that it be a proper church wedding. The second, that a key to something in his possession be used to forge into the wedding ring. And finally that Claire gets the perfect wedding dress. And at that point we automatically know that Jamie is a romantic. But not only that, his attraction for Claire has been a lot more than a physical one. He wanted everything to be perfect for the wedding, even if it is just to keep Claire in Scotland and away from the Red Coats. But the amount of care that he went into making this something he'll remember.

All these actions and his honest nature really move Claire so much that they pretty much continued to have sex the remainder of the episode. Jamie learns a lot of things from this experience. But one thing we also learn is that Dougal MacKenzie, Jamie's uncle, also desires Claire very much. I say desire, because it is pretty ambiguous as to what his words mean. We've seen him try to rape her before, yet we've also seen him treating her with kindness and extreme protection. Even in the last episode when she thought the idea of marriage was intended for her to marry him, he laughed at the idea. Yet for some reason now we can see that he kind of regrets not being the one she has to marry. But in the end, all this revelation does is drive Claire back into Jamie's bedroom to show him another sex position that he'll enjoy.

The episode ends on a bittersweet note when she finds the wedding ring of her husband from the 1940s in her current wedding dress. With the exception of the beginning of the episode, Claire seems genuinely happy to be with Jamie. But the ending once again brings that beginning full circle. She still loves her real husband. And it was all handled beautifully. Not as thrilling as the previous one, but given that this episode was suppose to be a bittersweet romance, it achieved it tenfold.

SCORE: 9/10 - A terrific episode for a bittersweet romance

STATUS: Continue to Watch - I gotta see where this goes

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Outlander - 1x06 The Garrison Commander - Review

"A Masterpiece..."

After agreeing to see the commanding officer of the English garrison, Claire finds comfort among her own people from a different time. However that sense of comfort immediately gets swept away once the notorious Captain "Black Jack" Randall enters the picture.

I'm just going to say this upfront. This is THE BEST episode of the series by far. And I'll be thoroughly surprised if Ronald D. Moore and his cohorts can top this. But I'm pretty sure they can.

The episode begins where the last one left off with a question. A question that gets answered by Claire, letting her current situation be known as a harmless one. Despite this, the English garrison requests that she speaks with their commanding officer. She goes as long as she's escorted by Dougal MacKenzie. There she becomes reacquainted with her people, albeit a past version of her people. It is all there, everything that one would expect from stereotypical Brits with all the pomp and guffawing. It could've gotten old real fast if it weren't for the slight back and forth Warcheif Dougal had with Commander Thomas. Luckily the whole ordeal was handled with a montage in order to shorten Claire's rather comforting reciting of her tale in Scotland to her British compatriots. It was nice to see Claire feeling comfortable and being treated properly. Though it does seem more fun to be in the MacKenzie halls of Castle Leoch than to have an intellectual conversation with the high ranking officers. It goes so pleasantly well that they even offer to grant her safe passage back to where she came from, something that obviously filled her with complete joy. But given that this is a series, we know that this joy wasn't going to last. We just hoped that it wouldn't be taken away immediately.

Enter Black Jack Randall, whom Claire last encounters in the Pilot of this series. And that encounter was a near rape if it weren't for the MacKenzie clan intervening. His entrance and his demeanor automatically signals a huge contrast to the high ranking officers that Claire has been spending time with. The aura he gives off is almost similar to Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds, but instead of being slightly witty, he is more subtle and a master class interrogator. It would be hard not to compare the two, because I shouldn't, but that was who immediately came to mind for me. This shouldn't be to the shows discredit, as we now have a really powerful antagonistic force taking complete hold in the show. Tobias Menzies does an incredible job playing a completely different character than the caring Frank Randall in the future. It is a true testament to his acting caliber that let's us know immediately that this man is the embodiment of evil. If it isn't his presence that convinces you, then it is his conversation with Claire that will.

Black Jack has Claire interrogated through a simple conversation. There is no acts of violence or torture, just a simple conversation. A conversation filled with intense animosity and incredible defense from Claire. It was mesmerizing watching the two of them exchange words as Black Jack tries to accomplish what the MacKenzies failed to do, get the truth from Claire. But here we see that Claire is extremely capable of fairing against interrogation, as she had slight experience with the botch attempts from the MacKenzies as well as from her husband Frank. However here, it really gets put to the test when Black Jack simply picks apart every single word she says then later feigns his aggression in order to bring back her comfort level. It is a classic interrogative trick in order to feel as if building trust among the one being interrogated. However Claire does a little bit of interrogating herself, and with a swift reference to Jamie, Black Jack seems to break. He recounts a moment that he  still haunts him. A moment involving the flogging of Jamie. The flogging that gave Jamie the infamous scars on his back. In flashback we see this moment, and with very specific narration by Black Jack, we learn that it was the moment that he knew he was a monster. It was a powerful delivery, and no matter how I describe it, the only justice to give for the scene is to watch it for yourself. There is so much we learn from Black Jack here. Where his sadistic personality comes from and just how extremely intelligent he really is. It was a powerful battle of words and wits between Claire and Black Jack that makes this episode incredible.

For those who have read the books, then they know that the ending of this episode is pretty much the one that they've been waiting for. For those of us who haven't, I can only guess that this is the moment that all romance novel lovers immediately fell deeply in love with this book. Because at the ending of this episode, the big moment happens between Claire and Jamie. And it is a moment that is better to be seen as to how and why it happens. 

This episode delivers the goods that was lacking from the previous one, and you can be sure as hell I'm officially on board for anything else this show has to offer.

SCORE: 9.9/10 - I didn't give it a 10 out of hope that there might be something that tops this

STATUS: DEFINITELY CONTINUE TO WATCH

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Outlander - 1x05 Rent - Review

On the road

Claire finds herself on the road with Dougal, Jamie and other members of the MacKenzie clan to collect rent from the clans who could not make it to the gathering. There her feeling of being an "outlander" starts to weigh on her, especially being the only woman in the group. But she soon discovers that the path they are on right now may lead them to history. A history that dictates that the clans will fall, and England will triumph. A history that begins to concern Claire.

As I stated, this episode really shows Claire as an outsider more than the guest she was in previous episodes. She describes her road journey as being similar to being at Castle Leoch in that even though she's out in the open world, she still feels like a prisoner. Even when she gets a lovely encounter with some Scottish maidens using piss to help dye some cloth, she still feels like a prisoner. We really do get the sense that there is no way she can escape from the MacKenzie Clan no matter what she does. There were no opportunities that presented themselves for her to escape, and except for that one moment with the women, she never gets time to herself.

However the bulk of the episode is dedicated to Dougal, Jamie, Angus, and all the other men of the MacKenzie clan. While we are introduced to a friendly lawyer who becomes acquainted with Claire, we get a real big taste of what the men are about. We learn that Dougal uses Jamie, particularly Jamie's scars, as an example in order to bribe the other clans for extra money. Of course, they're claims are that if they pay them extra, then they can guarantee that no one will suffer like Jamie again. This bothers Jamie, yet he begrudgingly allows it, much to dismay of Claire. There is also the large amount of antagonism shown from Angus towards Claire as he clearly doesn't trust her, nor do the other members of the clan save for Jamie. This really paints a curious image to the audience as for a majority of the episode we see the men acting as the worst of men. They get drunk, they cheat, they constantly tell sex jokes, and they don't have much respect for Claire. But then the writers of this episode, and I'm guessing author Diana Gabaldon as well, throw a curveball when the men brutally attack another clan in a bar. When Claire was ready to write them off as being just men, they reveal they fought the other clan because they insulted her honer. It was definitely a small realization for Claire as she sees that they do have some respect for her. If only they didn't follow up this act of chivalry by saying, "We're the only ones allowed to insult you." Great guys, just great.

Of course it should be noted that this episode was the first one since the second episode to bring back the presence of the Red Coats. They have been referenced but never fully seen since that second outing. Here their presence is made known, and that is where Claire really starts to fear for herself. She knows what is going to happen, and she knows that the people that she is with right now will not survive this rebellion against the English. Here she finds herself torn between keeping her secret or possibly altering history. However it is so unlucky that this moment doesn't happen until the end of the episode. But what it does is leave us with a cliffhanger that would've been more stronger had this idea of her being torn between secrecy and history had been the center of this episode. 

It is a pretty good episode where we learn more about the people surrounding Claire and Jamie, but there was a lot that could've been done with this to make that cliffhanger ending more effective.

SCORE: 7.5/10 - A pretty good episode, but it could've been used more effectively

STATUS: Continue to watch because that cliffhanger is still a cliffhanger

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Outlander - 1x04 The Gathering - Review

Loyalty or death

The plan for escape is now, as Claire decides to use "The Gathering" as her opportunity to get back to the ruin stones that flung her through time. But as we all know, no escape plan goes without its problems. Some of them are small and can lead to success. While others are large and can lead to failure. Her road to escape unfortunately leads to failure, and possibly cost the life of Jamie.

The desperation shown in Claire to try to escape has definitely escalated. Having done intricate recognizance in the form of playing games with children to get the layout of the land and using gossip to get her "shadows" to be lured away, everything seems about easy for Claire. But that is not the case here. Claire seems to have underestimated how important she's become to the MacKenzie clan, so much to the point where they would allow an Outlander such as her to be a part of "The Gathering."

This Gathering is...well, a gathering of all the MacKenzie clansmen who pledge their loyalty to Collum MacKenzie. That includes Collum's brother, Dougal MacKenzie. With everyone gathered to pledge their allegiance, this definitely seemed to be the right time to escape. She even goes so far as to pick out a horse for her to use in her escape plan, which she claims will be for the great boar hunt the following day. However, her stable friend, Jamie, is nowhere to be seen to help her pick out a horse. She learns from the stable master that it is best for Jamie to remain hidden till the day of The Gathering is over. This completely goes over her head, but will prove very vital later in more ways than she can consider.

As I stated before, her importance to the clan and all the people she's met has made her presence more of an obstacle in her route to escape. First Mrs. Fitz distracts her escape by having her dressed for the ceremony. Next she gets hold up by the young girl that is quite fond of Jamie who wants a potion that speeds up the desire of the heart. Which she claims she's not asking for a love potion, but that is pretty much what she's asking for. Claire makes up some gibberish by claiming dried horse dung is a special magic powder and reciting "there's no place like love," over and over again would work as a "not love" potion. To make matters worse, after she feels she's back on track she nearly gets raped by three drunk clansmen who have wandered off from The Gathering. Luckily she's saved by Dougal, who unfortunately also tries to rape her. She manages to fight back and knock him out before getting to the stables.

And just as she's about to get on her chosen horse, Brimstone, who stops her from escaping other than... Jamie. He's apparently been in hiding for reasons he does not digress, but Claire could care less about that right now. She makes it clear that she wants to escape, something that Jamie finds obvious but tells her that her plans are pointless given the extra amount of clansmen and guards present for The Gathering. Jamie offers to take her back to the castle, knowing full well that him going back to the castle with Claire would be very deadly for him.

It is upon Claire's escorted return that she discovers the reason for Jamie wanting to hide. As he is the nephew of the MacKenzie brothers, if he is to pledge his loyalty to Collum it would mean he acknowledges being the next in line to replace him as Laird of Castle Leoch. This would put him in the direct crosshairs of Dougal, who has a claim as Laird once Collum passes away. And all of a sudden Claire feels guilt for what she has done by not realizing that allowing Jamie to take her back to the castle could possibly mean he could be killed by Dougal. However lucky for all of them, Jamie is a smart man of not pledging allegiance but obedience to the MacKenzie clan. As he is a wanted man by the British, and the only place of refuge he has is with the MacKenzie's in Leoch, it was a wise choice of words that just may keep him out of the line of succession.

This episode was really about how Claire's self absorbed actions of wanting to act alone could've cost her everything. We gain some insight into where everyone stands in the MacKenzie clan. But most importantly we learn more about Dougal MacKenzie. We now know that he does have an attraction to Claire, and is determined to keep his place as the next in line for the MacKenzie clan. Also during the boar hunt, we see his softer side as he comforts one of the clansmen who was gored by a boar. It was a touching moment for him, but also made him realize the strength that Claire faces in the presence of a man dying from violent causes. It really was about us understanding him as a character and where his relationship stands with Jamie. Dougal and the politics of this land reign for this episode, which is good for developing characters. But as for Claire, her chance for escape may have yet to come.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - Not as strong as the previous, but it does develop Dougal and Jamie

STATUS: Continue to Watch - Claire may have a chance for escape soon

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Outlander - 1x03 The Way Out - Review

This century sucks

Or at least that's what I would be thinking if I was Claire. In this episode, having been charged as the MacKenzie Clan's healer, Claire fully embraces her role by using her more advanced medical practices in a lesser developed yet still slightly advanced time. She also learns just how harsh the world she lives in truly is by witnessing the punishment of a boy and the near death of another boy because people blame it on Satan rather than seeing it is a curable affliction. The once beautiful and simple world around her, starts showing its almost uncivilized face.

The primary focus of this episode was placed on Claire's job as the MacKenzie healer. Given her previous occupation as a nurse during WWII, she excelled in this occupation. Her hopes are that if enough people are in fact cured ore healed by her, then perhaps the MacKenzie brothers will let her go. Unfortunately, her prowess in healing is the reason why the MacKenzie Clan won't let her go. This point for keeping her in the castle gets enforced when she is confronted with a huge dilemma. A boy, Mrs Fitzgibbons' nephew, has been possessed by the devil, and the local priest has him restrained to a bed in order to perform an exorcism on him. Given that this is the 1700s, it can be understandable why his symptoms would be mistaken for a demon possession. But given that Claire is from the 1940s, she has 200 years worth of new medical knowledge to know that what is going on is not a demon possession. If only everyone else would believe her. This is when she is confronted with a position that could possibly put her at odds with everyone in town. They all have their religious beliefs, and she has no problem with that. What her problem is she fears being called a witch for testifying against the priest in concern for the health of the child. She has played out a scenario in her head in which she tells Mrs. Fitzgibbons that she's from the future, which ends with her being declared a witch. It is this internal fear of being outed as a demon that looms over her, and I'm thankful that the narration doesn't try to beat that point across the head. However because Claire is a healer, she does feel a sense of duty to helping the poor child. Unfortunately, her fear does take the best of her.

However luckily for her, a visit to her new friend, Geillis, brings her to another scenario involving a young boy in a difficult position. And lucky for all of them, Jaime is there to help Claire confront her fear and remember who she is suppose to be. While it seems like a bad thing to say the handsome man come saves the damsel in distress in this episode, it is a very fitting way of saying it. Claire has a lot to be afraid of, and while she may be strong willed she has a lot to lose if she pushes her modern sensibilities too far in this time. It really is lucky for her that Jaime is a man of their time who understands a woman of her time. This could be viewed as a detraction from the "strong female" character that Claire has been portrayed as. From the first two episodes she has shown herself as competent and headstrong individual, but in here she really has reached a crisis. I'm actually very thankful for this crisis. Because with crisis shows character building. And it took seeing a boy getting punished by being nailed to a post through his ear and Jaime helping her save that boy from excruciating pain to get her to reinforce her beliefs. Jaime had to save her, not from a distressful situation, but from a moral situation.

It is a great to see that this show knows how to handle its characters and not lose sight of what is going on. Claire does not belong in this time, and the strain of dealing with her newfound setting is finally beginning to show. Also, from the opening scene, we're reminded that her husband from the 1940s, Frank, is still on her mind. For a show that is obviously setting things up for Claire and Jaime to wind up in bed together, it also reminds us that Claire is married. And from what was seen in the first episode, she is clearly in love with Frank and Frank loves her just as much. So it is clear that although we know that there is going to be a love triangle, there will definitely be a struggle of emotions. And given with what happens at the end of this episode, one might even hope that Claire does return to her husband and away from all that is happening to her. We know that's not what's going to happen, but at least the thought is there.

SCORE: 9/10 - A really well executed and well acted episode
STATUS: Continue to Watch, because this show knows what it is doing

Review of Previous Episode - Click Here
Review of Next Episode - Click Here

Outlander - 1x02 Castle Leoch - Review

Spies and Politics

After finding herself teleported into the past and into the arms of her husband's unsavory ancestor, only to be rescued by Scottish Rogues who do not trust her, Claire's world has definitely been completely turned upside down. Although she has proven herself to be an efficient healer by tending to the young and extremely handsome Jaime, the MacKenzie clan that has taken her in is still suspicious of her character. Who is this English woman wandering alone in Scotland while the English have soldiers occupied to enforce Britain's hold over the country? How is she so knowledgeable about healing? What the hell is a brassiere? All the answers to those questions are known to the audience. But for Claire, she cannot let anyone know who she is. Even if it means she'll be labeled a person of suspicion.

From that synopsis, it is obvious that Claire is going to have a hard time adjusting to her new setting. Given the politics that are going on in 1774 Scotland and their relationship with the English, it is no wonder that she would be a subject for extreme scrutiny. However Caitriona Balfe continues to display a strong sense of survival through her need to "acclimate" quickly. If one was not aware that this is what she's doing, then the voiceover would've. Yes, the voiceover narration is still there. However this time around I didn't mind them. Probably because it wasn't as numerous as the Pilot, though I wish it were gone all together. Balfe's acting as Claire and the visuals alone are enough to tell us what's going on. We don't need to know the internal struggles she's having about being a time traveler, because we can already see it in her face. That's how good of an actress Balfe is. Of course, the entire cast of this production needs praise. Mainly because in this episode do we finally get proper introduction of all the players that we know will be sticking around for a while.

First of all there is Mrs. Fitzgibbons played by Annette Badland. She is definitely a welcoming addition to the growing cast of characters. Sure she is the no nonsense den mother archetype we've all seen before, but there is just something lovable about her character. From the way she treats Claire with kindness, to her confusion as to what a bra is, everything about her just comes off as genuine. Badland really convinces you that she is definitely a woman of the time, and not an actress playing a woman of the time. Here's hoping that we'll see more of her in future episodes, as she was definitely one of the highlights.

Then of course there is the MacKenzie clan lead by the two brother Colum and Dougal. We are introduced to Dougal as the man who rescues Claire from being raped by Black Jack Randall and brings her in to the MacKenzie clan. His suspicions of her from the first episode have definitely not disappeared in this one as he continues to have his men monitor her whereabouts. On the flip side is his elder brother Colum, the leader of the MacKenzie clan and is much more welcoming of Claire into Castle Leoch. However this is all a ploy in hopes that acts of kindness will reveal her true nature, but Claire is definitely smarter than that. It also shows that Colum and Dougal don't like being outsmarted by a woman, as their suspicions of an English woman are very valid. However the truth may not dispel their suspicions of her as it would be impossible to believe someone has indeed time traveled.

We are also introduced to a rather peculiar woman. Her name is Geillis Duncan, and she is a self proclaimed witch due to her prowess of being a healer. She is fascinated by Claire as she's never seen someone so knowledgable or perhaps more knowledgable about herbal remedies than her. It is this trait that the two find common ground and become fast friends. However it is hard to tell if she is truly a genuine friend, or if this is another ploy by the MacKenzie leaders to get Claire to confess of her true nature. This episode has all been about mistrust from the clan, so it would be no surprise of later on it is revealed that Geillis is not really a friend to Claire.

Luckily for Claire, the closest thing to a friend she has in this time is Jaime. In this episode we learn more about Jaime's backstory as well as his position as an outcast in the MacKenzie Clan. The reasons for this, I will leave up to you as a viewer to discover, but it does help give Jaime a trait that only Claire can understand: the feeling of being an outsider. They are both accepted into the fold of the MacKenzie clan, yet at the same time they're outcasts from their society. It definitely helps their friendship grow, especially during a moment when Claire breaks down after explaining that her husband "is not alive." There is definitely a strong attraction that is edging towards sexual attraction between them, but at the moment they are both respecting each other's space. With Claire wondering about what her husband is doing in the future, the audience can only wonder when is it that she'll finally let Jaime have her. Though if it was soon, then this series wouldn't really be worth watching then. It is good that we know these two understand each other as it gives Claire someone to relate to and a chance for actor Sam Heughan to deliver a very likable potential love interest. This is definitely romance done right.

SCORE: 8.7/10 - A good follow up to The Pilot and offers more characters, development, as well as an idea of the world Claire is living in

STATUS: Continue to Watch

Review of Previous Episode - CLICK HERE
Review of Next Episode - CLICK HERE

The Giver - Analysis and Review

Not another teen movie...

I had no idea this movie was being made. Or maybe I did, but I lost track of it in the scheme of things. But after seeing the first trailers, I kind of sighed at what they have done to this novel.

The Plot

In the distant future in a community where everyone is truly equal, young Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) discovers on his graduation day that he is given a special task. He is to be the Receiver of Memory, a special position that ensures order in the community, and have training under the current Receiver of Memory (Jeff Bridges) who becomes The Giver. Through him, Jonas discovers a world of color, emotions, history, and music that have been kept away from the community in order to ensure equality. But as Jonas begins to question if losing these traits make a better world, the community elder (Meryl Streep) grows suspicious that Jonas may bring down the order that they have strived for years to create and maintain.

Analysis

I've always wanted to see this turned into a movie ever since I was made to read it during my eighth grade English class. I knew of the book prior to being assigned to read it. That ominous black and white cover of a bearded old man looking past to some place beyond. Somehow I knew it had something to do with science fiction because the image reminded me of Galileo. And when I read it, I was exactly right. And it was my first exposure to a different kind of science fiction. The kind that really can get a child to question the world and start delving into how much free will is a part of our lives. And most importantly, it was about the relationship between a young boy and an elderly man.

It is a story that has been seen and told over and over again. But in this story, it is told with a literal passing of knowledge from the elder to the younger. A child created in a naive world learns the harsh realities of the real world from his elder. It is one of the prime stories and told excellently in novel form, becoming one of my favorites in the process. Which is why for this to finally come to the big screen, means I will have an extreme critical eye.

Review

This is a passion project for actor, Jeff Bridges. He's been wanting to adapt this book for almost two decades, yet only now can it finally be made. Why? Because of The Hunger Games. I'm being serious. The only reason why this movie can exist now, is because of the success of The Hunger Games. Which is a shame because other than a dystopian future setting, the novel that this film is based on is nothing like The Hunger Games. You can probably already tell where most of my criticism will stem from.

I usually don't mind if a movie deviates from the source material. I'm still waiting for the day a Superman movie will portray Superman as an alien monster instead of a handsome man. But for this adaptation, the changes don't seem to be in favor of the movie but rather to compete with other young adult movies. From the handsome and beautiful teenage protagonists, to the sleek futuristic technology, to the ominous presidential antagonist, even down to the color scheme and shots used to make this film mimic the look of all the other young adult movies since. It is a real shame, because this movie would've benefited by staying closer to the source material rather than changing it to fit the mold of all the other young adult movies. I would've been fine with changes, but the changes in this film are so obviously made to look like other young adult movies that it is almost insulting.

For someone who hasn't read the book, this will be a fairly good time with good performances from Brenton Thwaites and Jeff Bridges as Jonas and The Giver. Even newcomer Odeya Rush who plays Fiona does a fine job with the role she was given. Everyone else however is rather dull. The problem is, they're suppose to be dull. They're suppose to be soulless, as this is a world devoid of emotion. It is a standard dystopian future movie that shows the danger of true equality and sameness with a protagonist who breaks the mold. It is a movie about rebellion that is... (sigh)... similar to The Hunger Games, Divergent, and possibly The Maze Runner. Because of that, this movie will entertain, but will be forgotten the moment you walk out of the cinema. It isn't bad, its just you won't remember watching it. This is a bad thing to hear for someone who has read the book.

The film changes the book from a character study and interaction between a 12 year old boy (turned 16 or 18 years old in the film) and an Elderly Man into a movie about teenage romance and the need to rebel to destroy the governing society with an action packed third act. The fact that I said action packed third act should automatically tell readers that it has been changed to include some form of action. There is no intense action in the book. There is no teenage romance in the book. There is no overbearing antagonist in the book. There is no government conspiracy that keeps an eye on Jonas the entire time. All of those things are found in the movie to add more tension to a book that is really about a boy and an old man. Hell, Meryl Streep's character is never even seen in the book, only mentioned. In the movie she is an antagonistic force, while in the book no such antagonistic force exists. All these things added into the book do make for a more compelling movie had it been executed without the need to make it look like a young adult film. It could've been done better, and the changes could've enhanced it. But because of the way it looks and the forced teenage romance, it fails to be something memorable.

Final Thoughts

If you're a fan of the book, you'll be greatly disappointed that the relationship between Jonas and The Giver has been dwindled down to just a montage instead of a bulk of the film. If you're not and just an average movie goer, then this will be a nice watch but you won't remember it exists a few days after watching it. This should be a memorable film, but because of the way it looks and the changes made to give it the young adult stamp, it becomes a forgettable film. Not a bad film. Just forgettable.

SCORE: 5/10 - You'll like it, but you won't remember it.

What if - John Boorman made The Lord of the Rings in 1970???

Once upon a 1970s time there was a movie...

...that never happened. That film was The Lord of the Rings. Thanks to Peter Jackson and the entire nation of New Zealand, the world was able to finally experience the incredible epic that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote many years ago. It is hard to believe that at a time before Jackson first started the cameras rolling, there had been other attempts to bring this book to life on the big screen. Granted, there was Ralph Bakshi's animated epic but that was just two of the three books condensed into one movie. But before that, director John Boorman was commissioned to turn The Lord of the Rings into one singular movie. Yup, just one movie. One.

One Film To Rule Them All

Director John Boorman, who is most famously known as the director of Deliverance and Excalibur (though for a select few he is known as the director of Zardoz), was commissioned by United Artists in 1970 to adapt The Lord of the Rings after just buying the film rights from Tolkien. At the time, Boorman wanted to make a King Arthur film (which would eventually happen 10 years later) but was pushed to making the Fantasy Epic while the iron was still hot. Along with his fellow screenwriter Rospo Pallenberg, the two then set out to adapt the book that was divided into three books into one film. Through various interviews with Boorman and Pallenberg, the two of them had indeed read the entire trilogy several times and had every single plot point down in their head. However, because the initiative was to make one movie and not a series of films, some things had to be taken out. By some I mean a lot.

The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in the trilogy, gets the privilege of keeping most of its narrative intact. This amounts to roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes to maybe even 2 hours. The second book in the trilogy, The Two Towers, gets the greatest trimming by only including three key points: Frodo and Sam meet Gollum; Gandalf is alive; and the nation of Rohan gets established. The portion dealing with The Ents is gone. So yeah, no more giant talking trees. The exodus of Rohan to Helms Deep doesn't happen, nor does the infamous battle of Helms Deep. Nope. Again, it only kept Gollum's introduction; Gandalf's resurrection; and the establishment of the Rohirim. That amounts to probably 20-25 minutes. And then you have the final book in the trilogy, Return of the King, which condenses the entire book into the last 30-35 minutes of the film sans the infamous "Scouring of the Shire" chapter that was also never in Jackson's films. That brings about the grand total of hours to 3. Boorman's epic adaptation would've been a 3 hour Lord of the Rings film. Though one would think that if they were going to make the film for a 3 hour running time why not at least dedicate one hour per book instead of roughly 2 hours for the first book, roughly 25 minutes for the second book, and roughly 45 minutes for the third book. 

It is definitely a film for the 70s

Having went to various sites that have summarized what Boorman and Pallenberg wrote, it is astonishing that they were able to condense the last two books so much. However what is even more astonishing is how much drugs, sex, and violence was going to be in the film. Yeah. That's right. Drugs and Sex. There was violence in the Jackson films, but there was no emphasis on drugs or sex. And by sex I mean like literally getting it on and female nudity whenever it can be shown.

If you have seen Boorman's Excalibur then you have a clear idea of just exactly how this film would've looked like. His take on the King Arthur did not shy away from the brutality of violence nor did it shy away from the desire and lust for sex. That style can be found in his script. Galadriel is no longer the image of the Virgin Mary but rather Venus rising out of her shell. A naked Elf that has sex with Frodo before she lets him gaze into the Mirror. Then there is also Eowyn, the warrior woman of Rohan and now daughter of the king instead of being his niece like in the books. After Eowyn kills the Witch King she enters a state of sickness from her wounds and is stripped naked on the battlefield because the warriors needed to find out where she got hurt. Then of course comes Aragorn who heals her by...getting on top of her and mimicking sex while reciting some incantation. On the bright side for Eowyn, she does wind up marrying Aragorn in this version rather than her book and Jackon counterpart where she gets freindzoned. 

And then there's the shrooms. Mushrooms get the hobbits high. They tend to get high a lot in this movie. And of course like I said, things get a little bit more violent.

In other words this is not the epic gritty yet hopeful fantasy film that people know now. This film would've been more akin to Dungeons and Dragons with the tone and style of Game of Thrones but without the high quality costuming. Now that sounds interesting as hell, and had it came out at the time it probably would've been lauded and criticized. However with Jackson's films, this take on Lord of the Rings just seems like a travesty against the text. But so were a lot of adaptations during that time.

I would've seen this movie

Like I said, it is not until recently that the notion that it has to be exactly like the book or closer to the book became the norm to adaptations. So had this movie existed, and given my love for fantasy, I would've definitely seen this film. Just imagine that. A world with a singular The Lord of the Rings film that is Rated R and would set a precedent for Peter Jackson's adaptations. Or maybe, just maybe, if it had happen... Peter Jackson may not have made the films at all. That is a scary thought. But then again we can only imagine what film history would've been like. 

If you wish to know more about this, just google: John Boorman Lord of the Rings.

You won't believe who he was going to cast.

Edge of Tomorrow - Analysis and Review

The Best Original Film This Summer 

I'm aware that this film is an adaptation of the Japanese novel, All You Need Is Kill, but my stance still stands. This is an original film in the sense that most audience members won't know that it is based on a book. There was no promotion of "based on..." in the trailers or promos and no huge outcry that the characters aren't Japanese or that the lead female is suppose to be American. So this is original to the general audience. Too bad the general audience doesn't like original... or Tom Cruise.

The Plot

When Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) gets drafted into the world's final strike against an alien invasion that has taken over Europe, he is one of the first to die during the storming of the beach. However, upon death he immediately wakes up the day before the invasion. He lives the invasion over and over again till he discovers that the resistance's greatest warrior, Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), once had this ability to relive the day. An ability he has stolen upon a killing a rare alien among the invasion force. With this ability and Rita's training, Cage must continue to relive the horrific atrocity of war in hopes of eventually finding a way to save the world from an alien menace that can turn back time.

Analysis

Did that Plot Synopsis hurt your head while reading it? Yeah, I tried to explain the plot without giving too much away. But a point that I want to analyze is the need for more original films and why the general audience doesn't want them.

The current age that we live in is the age of remakes, reboots, and comic books. If it isn't a well established franchise then there is a high chance that it won't do well. This is no exception. Film buffs and the more informed general audience member desire original films with some blind belief that an original film will be loved by the audience. Yes, there are some cases when the name attached to project involves Christopher Nolan. But what Tom Cruise has going against him in this film is his last sci-fi effort before this was not well received. I like Oblivion, but if people ever asked me if they should definitely see it my answer would be, "See it when you got nothing better to do and want to pass some time." The film left a bad vibe in people's thoughts. And this film looks like the prequel to Oblivion even though this film has ACTUAL ALIENS, which Oblivion was lacking. That's a minor spoiler for Oblivion by the way.

Which is why original films usually need that name to pull people in. And because of Oblivion, Tom Cruise's name was no longer a solid pull to get people to watch an original sci-fi film. The same can be said about Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim. While it did do better than Edge of Tomorrow's opening numbers, it still didn't amount to what was expected. It did make enough to warrant the possibility of a sequel, but from the way Edge is tracking it doesn't seem like it might make back the budget for a long time. Which is a shame because this film is really good.

Review

This movie is good. I mean really good. It may not be knock your socks off good, but unless you can't stand Tom Cruise then you won't be able to see that this movie is good. The trailers don't really give an idea about Cruise's character. The trailers do show him being a badass soldier in an exo-suit and the concept of "Live, Die, Repeat." But what they don't show is that his character actually has a huge developing arc. His character is a coward. A deserter. Someone who was ordered to fight, but instead tries to find ways to run away only to wind up being put into the front lines of the battlefield. The ability to relive the day each time he dies and still retain his memories allows him to already know what's going to happen, making him seem like a badass who can kill several aliens without any training. It is actually nice to see Cruise play a role that is pretty much the opposite of the highly skilled and efficient Ethan Hunt character from his Mission Impossible series. And if you don't like Tom Cruise, you should know that he does get killed a lot in this movie.

Emily Blunt plays Rita, The Angel of Verdun or The Full Metal Bitch. I'll let you guess which nickname she hates the most. Given that the film is based on a Japanese novel that was adapted into a manga, I'm not surprised that the female character is the strongest or over powered. It is a common trope in Japanese fiction to have powerful female characters that are far more proficient than the male characters even to the point where they serve as their mentors. That is the case for Blunt's character in the film. The only thing that would completely have her fall in line with those female Japanese characters is if there was a scene in her underwear, which never happens. But she's still sexy. You'll know which part I'm talking about that showcases that fact. But back to the point, she's powerful and ultra serious. This is a role that Blunt has yet to play and she does it so well. She delivers a strong performance that convinces you she is the greatest soldier to walk the Earth. I don't even think she smiles at all throughout the whole film. Which one would think an ultra serious badass would just drag the film down, but it actually adds to the fun and humor.

Bill Paxton delivers a memorable performance as a commanding officer from Kentucky with Brendan Gleeson having a nice little bit of being the person responsible for Cruise getting into this mess. The rest of the cast come off as heavy cliches instead of the well thought out cliche characters that Cruise and Blunt portray. I'm being serious, the supporting cast besides Paxton and Gleeson were really nothing special because they're stereotypes. But their stereotypes doe help with the story... or maybe not.

The story is definitely an interesting one as it basically repeats the same two days over and over again at various different times. What is brilliant is the way it didn't feel like such a drag because it was repeating itself over and over again. Each time definitely felt different, mainly because of the journey that Cruise's Cage goes through from coward to near indestructible killing machine. It works out nicely despite probably a few moments when the whole repeating might get on one's nerve, but not on mine. So just fair warning. It does repeat.

I should mention the aliens real quick. To quote one of my favorite movie reviewers, these aliens are "metal tornadoes of death." While their designs may not be impressive the idea of them spinning and moving in an unpredictable fashion really does make them a very dangerous threat. You believe these things can kill you, unlike the stupid Chitauri in The Avengers.

Final Thoughts

This is a movie that has to be seen to believe. Sure I can say it is good, but to say more as to why it is amazing would probably spoil it for the viewer. Go see this film! I'm urging you. If you love sci-fi and hope for studio heads to take more chances on original films, then please support this film. It has a really good story, really good characters, and incredible action for action lovers. Plus, must I reiterate to Tom Cruise haters that he dies a lot in this movie?

SCORE: 8.9/10 - The best Tom Cruise Sci-Fi since his collaborations with Steven Spielberg