Recently watched:
Kick-Ass.
So you wanna play?
As a rule, I like to wait until the DvD release of any movie. Not that I loathe the thrill of cinema. (I'm the type of person who keeps ticket stubs.) :) The cosy mileau of a bedroom with home made snacks is less expensive and distracting though. I can appreciate the nuances of direction better, without a running commentary from three rows back.
If I'm careful, I'll remain fairly spoiler free and unswayed by the critics. This might seem an impossible feat, considering all the tv spots, internet coverage, and billboards around, but it's do-able!
Which, is what I managed to do with Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass. On Friday, I bought the DvD with a free, exclusive comic inside. After months of delay, what are my final thoughts on the movie?
From brief glimpses, I learned enough from the promos to know it wasn't 'Meet The Spartans.' The writers had made a superhero comedy with heart. (Red Mist stumbling into an alley and Hit-Girl's ability etc.) What I didn't expect, and absolutely loved, was how brutal the plot turned out to be! I haven't laughed, cried and winced so much since.. Well.. Guy Ritchie's Rock'N'Rolla.
There was one scene in particular, (highlight with mouse) where Hit-Girl tried to save Kick-Ass and a fiery Big Daddy, which was heartbreaking and awesome.
That's how bat sh** insane Kick-Ass is.
Hit-Girl obviously stole the show with her foul mouth and psycho mentality. Her stabby antics could give Buffy and Norman Bates a run for their money. Nicholas Cage was deliciously warped as the comic book artist raising his preteen daughter. I wasn't keen on the Batman-esque costume, but glad the writers deliberately poked fun. I also liked Katie, aka Lyndsy Fonseca, as the romantic interest.
Kick-Ass is definitely up there with my all time favourites. (Terminator 2, Black Snake Moan, The Big Lebowski, Battle Royale etc.) The one liners were sharp, and I grew to champion Dave, and his wish to be a superhero. If anything, my expectations were surpassed with the blend of sophomore comedy and extreme violence. Two genres that worked well. The laughs, peppered with shocking moments, were a pure rollercoaster ride.
The Wire, Season Two.
We got to keep the devil, way down in the hole.
My addiction to The Wire isn't new (check blog archive), although it's growing with each episode. Crime has shifted to the docks, in the form of shady human trafficking/drug dealings between the Greeks and Polaks. McNulty is relegated to coastguard duty, while the rest are reassigned to less glamorous details. On the street, Avon Barksdale is keeping the drug business alive from jail.
This year, I'm still unchanged with my favourite characters. Omar is a character who definitely needs more screen time though. I'm hoping he'll return to cause havok when the drug war heats up. So far, McNulty's team are just connecting all the dots, focusing on the dock conspiracy, and know they'll have to cross over eventually in later scripts.
Ziggy is a funny and tragic addition. His dock worker peers treat him like a joke, constantly winding him up. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he isn't capped. In most dramas, the characters I grow fond of usually come to a tragic end. Currently, he's bought a duck, and I've no idea why. :lol: He desperately wants to be respected by the wrong crowd. He's already crossed paths with a street gang, and they wrecked his wheels.
I was pleased to see Chris Baur (Frank Sabotka), who also played Andy Bellefleur in True Blood. I enjoy his roles, and am finding him to be a great actor. On The Wire, his character is sensing something 'off' with their illegal operation, wondering if they're being watched by the cops. So, it'll be good to see how everything pans out, if he'll meet a horrible end or crawl out of the mess alive. There's already been one death, so I can't dare to place a guess on who's next.
On a separate note, I didn't like the new rendition of the main theme at first, but it's growing on me now. Funnily, the same thing will happen next season,and I'll probably hate it to begin with too. :D
Anywho.. The second season is still hard hitting, engrossing and doesn't miss a beat. If you're lazy on who did/said what where and when, the show doesn't recap anything. Also, the boxsets are retailing around $23 (£15) at my local music store, so I'm happy to buy them up cheaply. (At this rate, I'm onto disc four already.)
Right now, I can't get enough of this cop drama, and know I'll be annoyed when there's no more. :)