When No Strings Attached first came out I was looking forward to it and perhaps the anticipation I put into the film made it just a tad bit disappointing. It wasn't horrible, just your average romantic comedy without any standout features. I think one of my main problems with is the people in it. I have not been a big fan of either Ashton Kutcher or Natalie Portman. Although Kutcher was better in this than in his last romantic comedy I saw, Killers with Katherine Heigl he doesn't stand out as a leading man. Portman on the other hand I usually find in weird arty films that everyone goes wild about but don't realize how bad of a film it actually is, case in point Black Swan so it was nice to see her in more of a mainstream film but she seemed misplaced. Or maybe that was just her character - standoffish but there was one glorious moment when she made me cry and I felt she was real.
Their performances weren't helped by an average storyline, friends with benefits laying down rules to not fall in love and of course eventually falling in love. The sort of When Harry Met Sally beginning I felt didn't quite work. It didn't help in building a friendship it was more of chance meetings which eventually led to sex and from their love. There was a little bit of a switch in the gender roles where Kutcher was the vulnerable one who fell first and Portman just wanted sex ala cart. There were bits which were funny - Kutcher waking up naked on a couch and not knowing where he was and Kutcher making Portman a period mix but the comedy was subdued because most of the good stuff appeared in the trailer.
Ultimately that's what it comes down to, the marketing campaign which ruins what otherwise could have been a fun little romantic comedy. When everything is in the trailer there's really almost no point to watch the film. A two hour film can be condensed into a two minute trailer and everything in between acts as filler.
ITV's Whitechapel enters a television landscape overcrowded with crime drama but seeks to stand out among the rest through the use of history as a means to solve the mystery.
The first series follows a copycat of Jack the Ripper and with the help of a Ripperologist Edward Buchan played by Steve Pemberton, DI Chandler a fast-tracked detective played by Rupert Penry-Jones and DS Miles played most excellently by Philip Davis try to catch the killer before he completes Jack's canonical murders. I thought the show was brilliantly done. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Plenty of suspense even in the mere three episodes of the first series. Although the series was set in 2008 and not 1888 the aesthetic of the first series removed it from a total contemporary feel. The washout look and lighting techniques fit in well with the allusions to Jack the Ripper. I loved how the series brought the past into the present by way of editing and the repetition of Jack the Ripper shots which was used as a segue between scenes. The look of the first series is in big part thanks to S.J. Clarkson, who also directed episodes of Life on Mars including the two-part finale. Usually directors don't have much of a signature on television as they do on cinema because there needs to be a uniform aesthetic throughout the entire series, however, S.J. Clarkson is clearly there. Before I caught her name in the credits I thought that the style of the series was much like Life on Mars. Luckily it works for both shows. The second series, with a new director, not necessarily lacked the look of the first but was not able to execute it as well.
Even though Rupert Penry-Jones stands as the main protagonist I found it hard to warm to him until the second series when his facade crumbled and he allowed his OCD to control him. He was very stiff but he won me over when he bashed in the light switch as his OCD was preventing him from leaving. That I felt was the turning point. Philip Davis for me was a joy to watch and it was so nice to see him in a role where he wasn't the villain (Sherlock and Merlin). He was very natural compared to Penry-Jones and I think it helps that he looks like a normal person and fits the role of the hardened detective perfectly.
With the end of the first series and the evasion of the police by the copycat killer I didn't know how they would do a second series. Or at least how they could continue with the character of Ed Buchan who had devoted his career to Jack the Ripper which I felt made the second series a bit unbelievable with the continuation of the Buchan character. It's not that I didn't like him but I felt the second story connected with history was a little farfetched. The Kray brothers terrorized London in the 1960s and now the supposed twin sons of one of the Kray brothers has come back to continue the legacy of their father and uncle. Too consequential that buchan had done a documentary on the Kray brothers as well as being an expert on Jack the Ripper.
Getting over the fairly weak plot line the second series was filled more with conspiracy which again had me at the edge of my seat. I'm quite forgiving of weak plot lines when the story grabs me regardless. Bad cops, bribes and the mystery of the Kray brothers kept the story going for again the three episodes of the second series. Craig Parkinson, who I only know from Misfits, was fantastic as Jimmy and Johnny Kray. He looked dangerous and insane. He was believable which made him a bit scary. The scene that stays in my mind is when Chandler is taken to meet Jimmy and Johnny for the first time and the camera is the twins. The subtle differences between Jimmy and Johnny that Parkinson portrayed were great and I suppose are needed for twin portrayal by one actor. I would rather deal with Johnny than Jimmy based on that scene alone. Peter Serafinowicz also joined the cast a the head of the organized crime division. He definitely fit the role he played I didn't trust him from the beginning. A lot of that is due to the conspiracy nature of the second series in which really you/Chandler couldn't trust anyone. I'm not sure I really like his suicide. I felt it was a easy way out, too easy. I'm still not convinced that Commander Anderson is a good guy.
Whitechapel will return for a third series, this time with six episodes and three cases, something to look forward to.
With the departure of Robert Sheehan for series three of Misfits, his flair is replaced with double the trouble (and yes I did just write that)of Joseph Gilgun's character Rudy who has the power to split himself in two like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Rudy is a nice addition to the group although there is a lot missing without Nathan. Even though they both have quite a mouth Rudy doesn't have the sparkle that Nathan had. Rudy's not as good of an asshole as Nathan was. Rudy's not the only thing that's new on the show. Everyone has a new power some which are better than others. Curtis can turn into a girl which is helpful when running from the cops but becomes problematic when exploring your sexuality and getting yourself pregnant. Alisha can put herself in others people's shoes to tell where they are which only seems to help when Kelly is trapped in the body of a comatose patient. Simon can see into the future and Kelly is a rocket scientist but because of her look and attitude no one takes seriously. It does add some comic moments.
The third series lacks a driving narrative to guide it to the end. There isn't an overreaching arch in the episodes causing it to loose direction and focus. This series had better stand alone episodes than previous series. My favorite was the fourth episode which showed an alternative reality where the Nazi's won the war because an elderly Jewish man travels back in time to kill Hitler fails and before returning to the present he drops his phone which allows the Nazi's to win. Kelly takes his power to put everything back to the way it was. It's kind of a nice break from the reality of the show and shows the depth the show can have - the possibility. When I began the episode I thought I was watching something else, a different show because it was so unlike the rest of the show's aesthetic. Not only is this my favorite episode of the series but the episode contains my favorite moment of the entire series in which Kelly exclaims 'fucking Nazis' leading into the show's opening credits.
Throughout the weakened third series the stories that were most interesting were ones involving either Kelly or Simon. Simon really took the helm this time around mostly by trying to become the superhero character we first met at the end of series one. It was great to see more of Simon and I loved the romantic relationship between him and Alisha. Which leads me to the biggest problem I have with the third series the death of Alisha and Simon (even though we saw Simon's death previously). The finale was very much a stand alone episode in that the previous seven episodes did nothing to lead up to that point. Yes Simon had told Alisha that he was giving up his superhero suit after his dealings with Peter when he really kept them but there wasn't a overarching theme to the third series leading up to that moment. Alisha's death - killed by a ghost out for revenge was dramatic and caught me off guard. That was the first shoe that dropped the second was when Simon took his superhero suit out of hiding, got his time travel power from Seth and went back to save Alisha, make her fall in love with him and consequently die. A romantic yet tragic love story cycle which they are forever stuck in.
The third and final shoe to drop was the realization that now with both Iwan Rheon and Antonia Thomas gone there aren't many characters left that make me want to go back for another series. All my favorites keep leaving and the show's writers are definitely not afraid of killing off characters but their specialty seems to be probation workers as two bite the dust this series one of them getting killed twice as she came back as a zombie. Craig Parkinson who played Shaun has to be my favorite probation worker who I kind of figure was going to die this series as he died in the alternative reality episode which seemed to foreshadow events or in terms of Gary who died in the very first episode repeat events - Gary doesn't have much luck in the alternative universe either.
On the whole, series three was just waiting for the finale and the departure of Simon and Alisha. There were some good episodes in between and new characters but I'm not sure how much longer this show can last and whether or not I'll continue to tune in.
Miranda Hart is a funny woman. Women comedians are few and far between but that just seems to make those who make it that much more funnier. Although I hadn't seen any of Miranda Hart's stand up or listened to her radio show I had seen her on Would I Lie to You? After seeing her interviewed on Graham Norton I decided to give her self titled and semi-autobiographical comedy a chance.
The show follows the socially awkward situations which Miranda finds herself in. Those being anywhere from constantly being mistaken for a man to trying to end a gym membership. The series has been described as old fashioned in its approach to comedy and perhaps this is why I find the comedy so refreshing. I love the way Miranda breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience directly and the end credits of each show. What really draws me to the series is how the comedy is rooted in everyday social situations which I can relate to, for the most part. And its different from awkward comedy found in such shows as The Office which I just cannot stand. Although there is a certain level of cringing involved as Miranda digs her hole deeper and deeper it never gets to the level of The Office. The situations that Miranda gets herself into are situations which people could very well find themselves in if they let go of their inhibitions. There is a childlike nature and innocence to the comedy and Miranda's outlook on life - owning a joke shop and preferring galloping to walking as prime examples.
Miranda handles the comedy brilliantly and her supporting cast are equally amazing. It's fun to see Sally Philips who I know from Bridget Jones' Diary and Tom Ellis who I know from Doctor Who play Tilly Miranda's friend from boarding school and Gary, chef and love interest of Miranda's respectively. The banter between Miranda and Stevie played by Sarah Hadland was fun but I never did get the hilariousness of her singing to the cardboard cutout. The stand out for me is Patricia Hodge who plays Miranda's mom Penny. Penny is always trying to set Miranda up with a husband and a real job while slinging her catchphrases 'such fun' and 'what I call...' left and right. The two of them feed off each other and bring a lot of energy to the series.
I wasn't a fan of Lee Mack in the beginning but the more I watched Would I Lie to You? he kinda grew on me and once I saw his stand up routine I was sold and sought out his sitcom, 'Not Going Out.' Overall I enjoyed the series immensely. I thought it was well written and with some pretty good gags. However not all of it meshes well together. The first series stars Megan Dodds as Kate, an American who rents the flat but allows Lee to stay there rent free all the while hating her ex, which also happens to be Lee's best friend Tim. When I first watched the first series I thought it was great, mainly because I loved the American/English dichotomy with the misunderstandings of words. It hits close to home which is probably why I like it. But I also like the love triangle between Tim, Lee and Kate which disappears in the following series.
Kate the American is replaced by Lucy Tim's sister played by Sally Bretton. Tim still doesn't want Lee to sleep with his flatmate but this time for different reasons. Unfortunately I feel this relationship grouping is less effective. What does work is Miranda Hart as the hapless cleaning lady Barbara. What a great character and Miranda and Lee work well together, its a slightly odd pairing but its quirky so it works. Katy Wix (Who I first saw in Torchwood) is also a good additive to the bunch.
The jokes, which is really the main selling point of the show are packed in there in each episode. Lee talks so fast that sometimes it takes me a while for my mind to catch up but its still hilarious. The problem I find with it is that its hard to then retell a joke to someone else. I find something super funny and want to remember it later to retell to someone else who hasn't watched it but completely forget what was so funny or more often than not, how the punchline actually went. The only episode that I found rather hard to watch was the series finale of series 4 'Life on Mars Bars' where Lee is hit by a car and goes into a dream state where he imagines he's with Lucy and their married with lots and lots of children. I don't do to well with absurdity stuff so the birthing process was taken too far for my tastes.
The one thing that bothers me throughout the entire series is that they leave the front door open all the time! I don't understand why they can't seem to close the door. A little annoyance that keeps creeping up whenever I watch it.
The series, which was initially cancelled by the BBC and brought back for series 4, will continue with series 5, airing in 2012.
After I was done with Cake Boss I felt I needed another reality show so I turned to a fellow TLC show, 'Say Yes to the Dress.' I was able to watch the first 5 seasons and I couldn't get enough of it, I just flew right through it. The good thing, although I guess it couldn't also be taken as a bad thing, is that there isn't much to these kind of shows that makes you think about the bigger problems. Really you're just watching brides find their perfect dress. It gets frustrating when moms, dads and friends take over the appointment but its rewarding when the bride starts crying over her dress. For reality television it's quite an emotional show and of course they milk it for all its worth trying to find brides with the biggest stories.
It's all about finding the perfect dress and one person to help is the consultant. Most of the consultants staid the same through the series but there were a couple of one seasoners. Starting in the second season Randy came on board as a fashion consultant and at first I didn't really like him. He was pushy and pulled dresses without talking to the consultant. I think that's what bothered me the most because he would talk to the bride directly asking the same questions that the consultant had already asked. I guess somewhat good in the sense that it would prevent miscommunication via a second hand teller but I thought stepped on too many toes. However, as the episodes progressed and the consultants got used to Randy he grew on me. I agreed with a lot of what he said, sometimes more than the consultants themselves. He added something to the show which gave it more life and depth.
I don't envy the consultant's job at all, okay maybe I gave it a moment's thought, but just a moment. Having to deal with highly strung emotional people all day would be torture and having to keep their sales up is a terrifying thought but their work is rewarding. Almost all of the brides talk about the feeling people expect to get in the dress that tells them 'this is the one' and almost all find it in a moment of tears and beaming faces. It's great to be able to see that moment of finding the perfect dress the problem I have it when that moment is ruined by money or disapproving families. It's depressing to think how little spine some people have or rather how much they would rather please other people over themselves. For example one woman was getting her vows renewed and came with her husband and their two sons. She had found a dress she liked and her sons had found another one. At first she went with the one she like the most which was more revealing and sexy and her sons were all whiny and disappointed so she then changed her mind and went with the puffy sparkly dress her sons had picked out. Those are the moments in the show which are disappointing.
There are uplifting moments as well and times where you feel good about people. Dianne had a client who had survived stage four breast cancer and she was trying to get her a good deal on her dress which was $900 over her budget. Feeling a personal connection with the client, as Dianne had lost her own mother to stage four breast cancer she asked Joan id she could pay the difference without the client knowing. It was just a moment of generosity which unfortunately isn't seen that much any more. Joan, the manager wouldn't allow her to do that but they did get the price within her budget.
The budget definitely becomes a problem for some brides and the amount of money they want to spend on a dress that they'll wear for one day shocks me. One bride in particular stands out for me. She was having a traditional Muslim ceremony and then a Christian ceremony at Disneyland. She bought a $11,000 dress on the second ceremony and then came back later for another dress for the reception. The shows justifies it through the dreams of the little girl, which tells me that the little girl hasn't grown up yet.
Focusing on a bakery in New Jersey run by Buddy and his family, Cake Boss follows the special order cakes that Buddy is known to produce from a giant flip flop to a roulette table and the best part is that most of it is all edible. When I began the show I was most interested in the cakes themselves as I myself am a baker but as the show progressed through its four seasons the interpersonal relationships became the focus of the show more than the cakes. The more extreme the cakes got - such as the transformer cake - the more I wanted the simpler cakes to be done.
As I continued to watch the show I was amazed that the bakery actually made any money with the entire family working there and always fighting. I couldn't imagine working with my family and with CakeBoss it's the extended family as well which I'm sure makes it extremely complicated and challenging.
The show is at its best when its dealing with cakes for the public but the series has leaned more towards the family drama and cakes for family occasions. The drama of the series does get old and the audience, like most of Buddy's co-workers/family cringe when Buddy starts laying down challenges. Honestly, Buddy is the perfect personality for reality television but his ego and cocky attitude get old after a while and it really takes away from the show. Not to mention the praise of Hoboken, New Jersey. And you could never accuse Buddy of not being all about his family. Overall the amazing cakes is what keeps me coming back.
