Articles + Quotes on Film & TV

Joseph Morgan, Matt Ryan and now to complete this trifecta of Welsh actors portraying a highly entertaining combination of wise ass, smart arse, shit stirrer characters - Tom Ellis as the baddest of the bad - Lucifer Morningstar, the devil himself. The episodes' only opening credits, brings everyone up to speed, Lucifer is having a vacation in LA. Not everyone is pleased with this, and this becomes the baseline plot, once it appears that the constant to the episodes is a procedural. The foil to Lucifer (and vice versa) is a detective, Chloe Decker (portrayed by Lauren German), single mum and can hold her own against Lucifer, much to his constant chagrin and amusement. Hence all the banter and cheeky one liners. The rest of the main cast, DB Woodside, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Kevin Alejandro and Rachel Harris are all excellent too, and I found out that this has been renewed for a second series, after seeing the pilot. A lot of fun, all round.

Steve Thompson, best known for helping to write three episodes of BBC's Sherlock, has created something new and special in Jericho. What really makes the eponymous shanty town unique, is the history interwoven into the stories. 1870s in the Yorkshire Dales, definitely had its rich culture, as base and blunt as it may seem, there are songs and camaraderie among the drinking and fighting. Charles Blackwood (Daniel Rigby) has plans to build a viaduct, he just needs the ongoing capital to make this venture work. He is one of the gentleman characters, yes the good old class system is very much in play here and helps to provide much of the conflict. The town is built of the people to work on the viaduct and those who come with, it is very much a temporary structure. The story begins with Annie Quaintain, recently widowed with two children, who is forced to move when the combination of her late husband's debts and her inability to find work in town, she is given a helping hand...

The opening scene of this film sets the emotional tone for the film and incidentally is pretty much the only breather you get before the setting is stuck for the next two hours on full on thriller mode. So, edge of seat, hands on mouth, all of the above, except for some moments of levity and humour, usually from the character lines of Tony Stark - typical, and from the supporting actors. Which takes true skill. For most, the focus is on the main characters, fair enough, as that is who the film is centred on and who the plot lines depend on, their choices and actions. But the supporting actors generally provide the conflict, whether it is the main conflict, or the little annoyances that are the fly in the ointment. And if they all stick in your mind, make you think about their choices and their actions that bring the main characters to the fore and start doing what they do best - that is something special. They often only have a few scenes on their lonesome, the majority with th...

One thing about animated films, yes, before even The Lion King, Shrek and The Incredibles, they appeal to little and big kids. There is a reason films like Lady and the Tramp and Alice in Wonderland are still classics. Dreamworks, Pixar and Disney all have this gift and it is what has made their films stand the test of time. Zootopia is no different, plenty of sight gags and lines to amuse the kids and then "sneaky" one liners and cheeky references to make the adults giggle. Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin voice the two leads, a fox and a rabbit respectively in this world - Zootopia - where all mammals live in relative peace. Mostly. Like all films focussed (kind of) on the under twelve sect, it has a underlying message, but it doesn't throw it in your face like the fables that Aesop was so fond of. You enjoy the film, but it has quality to it, which means that it will stand the test of time and in time, become a classic too.

I have grouped these two films together for a very simple reason - matching or similar styles of violence used in the stories told. And as far as spoilers are concerned, that first sentence is as far as I am going. That said, the style of violence isn't the only thing that is similar. Screenplays are both equally strong, one has Quentin Tarantino's biting script, the other has Jane Austen's original wit combined with Seth Grahame-Smith's novel and Burr Steers bringing both their words to the screen. There is a point I wish to make about the violence in these films. One has the focus on using guns, which make a lot of damage depending on placement of the bullets, or in Tarantino's case, rather hasty removal of whatever body part has been fired upon. The other uses a lot of sword work, long and short (as well as guns) which can sometimes provide a bit more variety and can lengthen a fight between two (or more) opponents. A lot of films, particular American in ...