What a fantastic show. Yeah it isn't as gritty as show creator Shawn Ryan's previous shows (The Shield..the prematurely canceled Terriers)....but it's still entertaining nevertheless. Jason Clarke (formerly of Brotherhood on Showtime) does a fantastic job as Detective Jared Wysocki. No offence, but I am kind of sick and tired of Hollywood going after Australian and British actors to play an American role....but most of them continue to do well. He is a relentless Chicago cop of Polish heritage. His brother was murdered in the line of duty years before and he is hell bent on putting bad guys away. In comes newly appointed Police Superintendent and former partner of Wysocki's, Teresa Colvin. She is played by the beautiful Jennifer Beals (yes....she is the girl who dances all crazy in an aerobic outfit in the movie Flashdance). Colvin recruits Wysocki to root out corruption in the great city of Chicago. Most other critics reviews I read are right on the money when they mention that Chicago itself acts as an added character to the story. It most definitely does.
I will say this. I understand that t.v. shows need to kill characters off in the first few episodes in order to show an element of realness and danger. But they should not have killed off the character of Colvin's driver and cop-Antonio. I liked the character almost immediately and to see him killed off like that really pissed me off. But it worked in getting me hooked on the show! I now want to see Wysocki and Colvin take down the egotistical piece of political shit Alderman Gibbons and make him pay for killing Antonio! By the way, incredible job as always from Delroy Lindo. He played a great villain in Get Shorty and does an even better job here. He plays a politician so perfectly because when he speaks in the show, it sounds like absolute bullshit flowing out of his character's mouth. Also, the performance of Matt Lauria (Friday Night Lights) was great. He plays the young dedicated cop part so well. I just hope he doesn't end up being a crooked cop. One of the possible twists I am sure this show has in store further down the road. This show better succeed because I am sick and tired of getting into a show and having it canceled because 5-7 million viewers aren't enough. Look at Southland. NBC canceled it only to have it shine on TNT. The Chicage Code adds such a different and intriguing element than most of the cop procedurals on television. The story arc of them trying to put Gibbons away throughout the first season is definitely what will keep me coming back to watch. I just hope they are able to keep the main story and all of the side stories fresh. Because if not.....FOX and the viewers will be watching.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Long Live Fringe
The most recent episode of Fringe absolutely blew me away. It was called 'Reciprocity' and by the end of the episode i totally understood why. Let's give Joshua Jackson a hand people. I do not hold it against him that he is Canadian. (Just kidding. I just despise the Montreal Canadians) He really has crafted quite the mysterious and complex character in Peter Bishop, son of the brilliantly mad scientist, Walter Bishop. We will get to Walter in a second....I promise! Peter has been through a lot in these three seasons of Fringe. His character has discovered he is from the other side. It seems like ever since that revelation, any fan of Fringe knew he was going to struggle with wanting answers.
One of the many answers I want right now are why does the "Doomsday Machine" turn Peter into a cold blooded killer? I mean I know he has a shady past as some sort of mercenary or something. But I figured those days were far behind him. Then again, who knows what I would do when faced with such dilemmas. Or as Walter referred to him as near the end of the episode, "weaponized". What a great line that was by the way. I don't mean to keep jumping off point but I really did not have faith in FOX to stick with this show because of the ratings. They have stuck with the show and although they unleashed it into the "Friday Dead Zone"....it has still proven resilient! I have said it over and over and will continue to say it....any one who is even the slightest fan of Sci-Fi needs to watch Fringe. Friday nights at 9:00pm.
Anyhow. Before I turn the computer off. Let me mention one name. WALTER BISHOP!!!! My obsession and fascination with this character grows more and more each week. He is like that weird uncle that you actually wish you had!!!! He leaves poisoned milk in his fridge. (The fridge is in a lab....but still!) He makes animal sounds. He is a huge fan of strawberry shakes as am I. Most of all though....he is believable. In a show where things can tend to get really weird and absurd....his character, although a quack, somehow stays grounded. You believe John Noble's portrayal of this man. When I see Walter worry about Peter's safety....I really believe he cares. I mean come on. The guy is the most brilliant scientist and knows that Peter is not his son but a version of his son from another dimension. Yet he loves him unconditionally. He couldn't bare to lose him before he even learned to ride a bicycle! Neither could I. That is what makes this show fantastic. This bond between father and son caused this man to risk the existence of his universe. Each week something new and creepy and wonderful happens on this show but the continuous story lines are what makes Fringe shine. I know I left out my love for the incredible Anna Torv, the amazing Lance Reddick ( He was Cedric Daniels on The Wire! ) Jasika Nicole, and the wonderful Blair Brown. These amazing actors and what makes Fringe seem like anything is possible. J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci deserve a huge heap of praise. They have kept Science Fiction alive and well on television and especially in feature films. I do not know what I would do without this show now that I have watched it for this long.
Star Trek? Ha Ha Ha Ha. How about Fringe? I know that sounds dumb considering Star Trek paved the way for a show like this. I am just kidding Trekkies. Don't send me death threats please....please.
One of the many answers I want right now are why does the "Doomsday Machine" turn Peter into a cold blooded killer? I mean I know he has a shady past as some sort of mercenary or something. But I figured those days were far behind him. Then again, who knows what I would do when faced with such dilemmas. Or as Walter referred to him as near the end of the episode, "weaponized". What a great line that was by the way. I don't mean to keep jumping off point but I really did not have faith in FOX to stick with this show because of the ratings. They have stuck with the show and although they unleashed it into the "Friday Dead Zone"....it has still proven resilient! I have said it over and over and will continue to say it....any one who is even the slightest fan of Sci-Fi needs to watch Fringe. Friday nights at 9:00pm.
Anyhow. Before I turn the computer off. Let me mention one name. WALTER BISHOP!!!! My obsession and fascination with this character grows more and more each week. He is like that weird uncle that you actually wish you had!!!! He leaves poisoned milk in his fridge. (The fridge is in a lab....but still!) He makes animal sounds. He is a huge fan of strawberry shakes as am I. Most of all though....he is believable. In a show where things can tend to get really weird and absurd....his character, although a quack, somehow stays grounded. You believe John Noble's portrayal of this man. When I see Walter worry about Peter's safety....I really believe he cares. I mean come on. The guy is the most brilliant scientist and knows that Peter is not his son but a version of his son from another dimension. Yet he loves him unconditionally. He couldn't bare to lose him before he even learned to ride a bicycle! Neither could I. That is what makes this show fantastic. This bond between father and son caused this man to risk the existence of his universe. Each week something new and creepy and wonderful happens on this show but the continuous story lines are what makes Fringe shine. I know I left out my love for the incredible Anna Torv, the amazing Lance Reddick ( He was Cedric Daniels on The Wire! ) Jasika Nicole, and the wonderful Blair Brown. These amazing actors and what makes Fringe seem like anything is possible. J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci deserve a huge heap of praise. They have kept Science Fiction alive and well on television and especially in feature films. I do not know what I would do without this show now that I have watched it for this long.
Star Trek? Ha Ha Ha Ha. How about Fringe? I know that sounds dumb considering Star Trek paved the way for a show like this. I am just kidding Trekkies. Don't send me death threats please....please.
The Fighter (Spoilers may lie ahead. Then again, if you don't know the story....shame on you lol)
First off. Congratulations to Christian Bale. You officially had me thinking you were an addict. An addict who once had a promising career as a professional fighter. I will guarantee it right here....you will take home the Oscar that night. I laughed so hard at the scenes where Dicky dashes out the window of the crack house so his mother won't catch him getting high. I laughed so hard at those scenes I nearly wet my pants. And man oh man did David O Russell not show us an amazing portrayal of Lowell, Massachusetts? I used to frequent Lowell many a times when one of my friends was attending UMASS Lowell. The makers of the fighter nailed it. So what Mark Wahlberg didn't look like him. That wasn't the point. He embodied him and should of been nominated along with Mr. Bale. Everyone from Melissa Leo to Amy Adams truly nailed the part of a tough talking family from Lowell. Russell filmed the fight scenes with amazing preciseness. It was pretty evident Wahlberg trained for years in hopes of bringing this story to the big screen. I mean just watching all the training scenes in The Fighter had me thinking Wahlberg really looked like a hungry boxer. One who yearned for all of the glory. One who had the guts to go the distance. This movie nailed the ferociousness.
Never mind the amazing fight and training scenes. And they were as good if not better than fight scenes from Raging Bull or Ali. What about the convincing love story? What about how easy it was for "us" viewers to believe that this was a real family? A family that had so many different struggles. I actually could see the pressure in Wahlberg's eyes. The scene where the promoter approaches him in Atlantic City and tells him he needs to ditch his brother Dicky? You could see Mickey was tempted. He was hungry. I really can't get over the way this movie captured the intensity of boxing and the struggles of a hard-working Lowell boy trying to make it. The Pride of Lowell. He was and still is and always will be the Pride of Lowell. I know what it's like to come from a community like these guys. I live in South Boston where everyone knows a thing or two about being proud and hard-working.
My one problem with the script was the same issue other critics had. They didn't show the most grueling and amazing fights of all time. Ward versus Gatti. Three times! Anyways, if I had to rate this movie from a 1 to a 10. It is a 10. It is that simple. You walk away from this movie feeling satisfied and happy. I truly believe that was the point of this movie. It is a feel good story. It showed that no matter what problems you come across....you can always get through them with family and friends. And no matter how hard you work....you can not achieve what you want in life unless you continue to want it no matter what the odds and no matter how impossible it may seem.
Never mind the amazing fight and training scenes. And they were as good if not better than fight scenes from Raging Bull or Ali. What about the convincing love story? What about how easy it was for "us" viewers to believe that this was a real family? A family that had so many different struggles. I actually could see the pressure in Wahlberg's eyes. The scene where the promoter approaches him in Atlantic City and tells him he needs to ditch his brother Dicky? You could see Mickey was tempted. He was hungry. I really can't get over the way this movie captured the intensity of boxing and the struggles of a hard-working Lowell boy trying to make it. The Pride of Lowell. He was and still is and always will be the Pride of Lowell. I know what it's like to come from a community like these guys. I live in South Boston where everyone knows a thing or two about being proud and hard-working.
My one problem with the script was the same issue other critics had. They didn't show the most grueling and amazing fights of all time. Ward versus Gatti. Three times! Anyways, if I had to rate this movie from a 1 to a 10. It is a 10. It is that simple. You walk away from this movie feeling satisfied and happy. I truly believe that was the point of this movie. It is a feel good story. It showed that no matter what problems you come across....you can always get through them with family and friends. And no matter how hard you work....you can not achieve what you want in life unless you continue to want it no matter what the odds and no matter how impossible it may seem.
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