Death Comes to Pemberley (2013, Daniel Percival)

Now, when a fan of something writes a sequel to that something… it tends to be called “fan-fic.” Death Comes to Pemberley is based on fan-fic from an extremely well-regarded author. P.D. James is even a baroness. But she hasn’t got anything to say about Pride and Prejudice. Worse, unless screenwriter Juliette Towhidi really screwed things up, James didn’t even have a good murder mystery for her murder mystery fan-fic sequel to Prejudice.

There’s a murder in Pemberley. There’s some mystery. But there’s no murder mystery. There’s not even much in the way of sincere scenes. There are a lot of sincere performances–Matthew Rhys is awesome as Darcy, Eleanor Tomlinson is really good as his little sister, both James Norton and Tom Ward are awesome as her suitors. In the “lead”, Anna Maxwell Martin is okay as Elizabeth. She has a really crappy part, actually.

The problem is the script… and the direction. Director Percival has obviously seen a lot of “Downton Abbey,” because he makes Steve Lawes shoot the thing just like an “Abbey” episode. It’s kind of desperate.

Back to Towhidi’s script. There’s no tension. Pemberley is a three-part mini-series event and only the first episode has any tension whatsoever and only because Percival has to try really hard.

Oh, real nice performance from Trevor Eve too. Can’t forget about him.

The ending is trite and simplistic. Percival and Towhidi can’t even handle the most simple of reveals.

Still, lovely acting.

★½

CREDITS

Directed by Daniel Percival; screenplay by Juliette Towhidi, based on the novel by P.D. James and characters created by Jane Austen; director of photography, Steve Lawes; edited by Dave Thrasher; music by The Insects; production designer, Grant Montgomery; produced by David M. Thompson and Eliza Mellor; aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Starring Matthew Rhys (Fitzwilliam Darcy), Anna Maxwell Martin (Elizabeth Darcy), Matthew Goode (George Wickham), Jenna Coleman (Lydia Wickham), Tom Ward (Colonel Fitzwilliam), Eleanor Tomlinson (Georgiana Darcy), James Norton (Henry Alveston), Nichola Burley (Louisa Bidwell), Penelope Keith (Lady Catherine de Burgh) and Trevor Eve (Sir Selwyn Hardcastle).


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From Above (2013, Norry Niven)

When talking about films, I sometimes say “sincerity helps.” I got it from the Leonard Maltin review of Superman IV. I never say it ironically, I never say it as a joke. After From Above, I’m not sure sincerity helps at all.

From Above is sincere. It’s sincerely about prejudice and marriage and all sorts of things. It’s also bad. Director Niven is very adept at integrating CG into his shots–storms to start, but the whole film is baked in a computer. He never seems to wonder if creating such unrealistic, if lovely, visuals is a good idea or if it’ll just distance the viewer from the actors.

Similarly, he’s got music running all the time. Eric Kaye’s score can find the melodrama in any situation, even when the lead girl–Chelsea Ricketts, who too is sincere in an absurdly written role–is just walking. Niven has definitely got a vision and is committed to it.

But there’s nothing to Above. Watching Danny Glover and Tantoo Cardinal recite Shakespeare lines to each other (she’s dying, he’s taking care of her), it’s effective. It’s cheap, but it’s effective. The good story is probably about Glover and Cardinal as their deal with her impeding death, not how they met. Certainly not how they met in 1972 Arkansas, which is a racist place and all, but nowhere near as racist as, say, Archie Bunker.

Above is sincere, but sincerity doesn’t fix a bad script or cheap direction. It’s painfully trite every minute.

ⓏⒺⓇⓄ

CREDITS

Photographed and directed by Norry Niven; written by James Bird; edited by Peter Tarter; music by Eric Kaye; production designer, Geri Schary; produced by Niven and Loren Basulto; released by Vertical Entertainment.

Starring Danny Glover (William Ward), Graham Greene (Mr. Mountain), Chelsea Ricketts (Venus), Mike Wade (Young William Ward), Ashley Bell (Molly), Tantoo Cardinal (Older Venus), Clarence Gilyard Jr. (Jeremiah Ward), Adriana Mather (Betty), Justin Alston (Ricky), Ezequiel Stremiz (Luca) and Clayton Rohner (Mr. Shelton).


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G.B.F. (2013, Darren Stein)

G.B.F. has a lot of problems. First and foremost, it should probably be called My G.B.F. just because making it a possessive statement would add some depth before starting it. Second, worst makeup in a movie ever. It’s unclear if it’s makeup artist Gage Hubbard’s fault, cinematographer Jonathan Hall’s fault or some combination (it seems more like Hall’s), but a number of the female actors in the film should be very upset.

Speaking of acting, there are a number of terrible performances in the film. Given George Northy’s script is rather excellent, it’s either the actors’ faults or director Stein’s. Most of the film is very impressive–great script from Northy, great performance from lead Michael J. Willett, some rather good supporting performances–but between Stein, Hall and some terrible casting, G.B.F. often has rough spots.

The good parts get it through. Northy’s plot structure is key. He mocks the idea of the traditional John Hughes high school movie while emulating it. If Stein composed decent shot, it might better offset the bad acting.

Real quick, the bad acting. From least bad to worst. Xosha Roquemore, Anthony Garland, Rebecca Gayheart, Evanna Lynch, Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque, Molly Tarlov, Natasha Lyonne.

The good acting makes up for them. Willett is fantastic, Paul Iacono is good as his best friend, Sasha Pieterse is good in the surprisingly complex role of Willett’s mean girl bestie, Taylor Frey is awesome. Great Jonathan Silverman appearance.

It’s definitely good. But it should be great; Stein brings nothing.

★★½

CREDITS

Directed by Darren Stein; written by George Northy; director of photography, Jonathan Hall; edited by Phillip J. Bartell; music by Brian H. Kim; production designer, Michael Fitzgerald; produced by Richard Bever, Stephen Israel, Northy and Stein; released by Vertical Entertainment.

Starring Michael J. Willett (Tanner Daniels), Paul Iacono (Brent Van Camp), Sasha Pieterse (Fawcett), Andrea Bowen (‘Shley), Xosha Roquemore (Caprice), Molly Tarlov (Sophie), Evanna Lynch (McKenzie Price), Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque (Soledad), Derek Mio (Glenn), Mia Rose Frampton (Mindie), Taylor Frey (‘Topher), Anthony Garland (Christian), Natasha Lyonne (Ms. Hoegel), Rebecca Gayheart (Shannon), Jonathan Silverman (Mr. Daniels) and Megan Mullally (Mrs. Van Camp).


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Satellite Sam (2013) #5

Fraction and Chaykin go for a rather distinct–and mature audiences–sight gag to repeat through the comic. There’s really some great art from Chaykin, who takes three people through hearing or seeing uncomfortable or unwelcome news and events. The whole thing is in their expressions and he nails every one of them.

It makes up for the second of the visual gags being a little too tacked on. It’s not easy because Fraction and Chaykin go out of their way to make it uncomfortable, but it’s tacked on. With so many subplots, Fraction’s going to have at least one weak one.

As for the main plot, the mystery of Satellite Sam, Fraction isn’t concentrating on it. Oh, sure, there’s investigating this issue, but that investigation has more to do with the investigators than the mystery. It’s fine, just a little drawn-out.

Some beautiful Chaykin cityscapes this issue too.

Sicko (2013, Vincent Gallagher and Luke Adey)

Directors Gallagher and Adey want to make sure their audience knows to be disgusted with Sicko. Sadly, they wait until the end credits to reveal the sicko in question, played by Tom Grimley, is called Sicko. I think the audience is supposed to be disgusted at the human condition and pornography and urban isolationism.

Maybe.

Based on how long Gallagher and Adey make Grimley punch at the camera (he’s killing prostitute Imogen Stubbs), maybe it’s supposed to be farce. Stubbs walks around through empty parking lots and vacant lots… maybe Sicko is supposed to be making fun of the idea of doing a short movie called Sicko.

About the only place the film works is with the presentation. It’s murky, ugly video. Watching it makes one unhappy–and then even more unhappy when the lack of creativity becomes obvious–but it’s definitely a nasty looking film.

It’s just painfully desperate.

Croft (2013, Trevor Addie)

If something is only twenty minutes long, how bad can it really be? Well, thanks to sitcoms and Croft, it’s obvious things can be very bad. But Croft is more than bad–it’s painful. Watching nerdy villain Liam Carter threaten his hostage, a terrible Devyn Dalton, listening to the actors spout out the awful dialogue from director Addie and co-writer Irma Evangelista… well, it’s trying.

All Addie really does with Croft is redo “Tomb Raider” (the film’s uncredited–except the title–source) with some Hunger Games thrown in. And a lot of bad direction. There’s some okay direction too, when Addie is aping things like Games and has ostensible lead Cassandra Ebner running through the forest shooting people with arrows. But, mostly, the direction is bad.

The photography’s bad, the sound design is bad, the acting’s bad. Croft’s just bad.

And only being twenty minutes isn’t even a conciliation.

Not Recommended

CREDITS

Edited and directed by Trevor Addie; screenplay and story by Addie and Irma Evangelista, based on a character created by Toby Gard; director of photography, Stirling Bancroft; produced by Addie and Evangelista.

Starring Cassandra Ebner (The Hero), Liam Carter (The Villan), Devyn Dalton (The Girl), Nickolas Baric (Henchman) and Shaw Madson (Captured Camper).


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Lazarus (2013) #5

Maybe all Lazarus needed was some context. Rucka finally shows life for regular people–presumably these new cast members will be returning after their little adventure this issue. He doesn’t spend so much time on exposition for them either. He just shows their lives in this future. For Forever and her story, there’s always a lot of explaining.

But the issue also shows Forever in charge (though Rucka’s flashing back to her upbringing when she wasn’t) and these are good scenes. There’s a great standoff with a rival gang, there’s a great standoff with the daughter of a subject Forever had executed. Rucka’s definitely using Lark to his fullest this issue, those pensive Lark expressions.

It might also help the series is past the “pilot” stage. Even with all the exposition, Rucka’s a lot more comfortable and confident in the future details. Or maybe there are just less of them.

The Wolverine (2013, James Mangold), the extended edition

The extended version of The Wolverine adds some twelve minutes to the theatrical version. I can’t quite remember the differences, but mostly it just makes the film seem longer. Mangold hasn’t got a good pace for it; the fault for that problem, however, lies with the screenwriters.

The film opens with a flashback, moves on to establishing what Hugh Jackman’s been up to since his last outing, then gets him over to Japan with sidekick Rila Fukushima. And then The Wolverine introduces enough suspicious people in five minutes Raymond Chandler would be shaking his head.

But Wolverine isn’t noir (though there are some reasonable Big Sleep comparisons–or should be) and it’s not exactly superhero action either. Mangold and screenwriters Mark Bomback and Scott Frank want to make the film about Jackman rediscovering his will to live. Except he kind of does it in the first sequence after the flashback. There are a whole lot of contrivances–not just in the plot itself, but in the backstory–to get Wolverine to the finish. Way too many.

Mangold just can’t direct the action. The extended cut, which does feature some more action, still doesn’t have the right action. It’s supposed to be a samurai movie, right? Then Jackman should be kicking ass in lengthy, visually dynamic fight sequences. Not surprisingly as Mangold’s direction for the film is mind-numbingly bland.

It’s long, it’s boring, it could be worse. But the studio clearly didn’t cut any good stuff from the theatrical release.

Manifest Destiny (2013) #2

It’s a mix of an action issue and a (fake) science issue. Lewis and Clark try to figure out the creature they’ve discovered–with some great notes about its physiology–before the buildup to the action sequence begins.

And I’ve got to get it out of the way–the cliffhanger, which hinges entirely on the zombie zeitgeist and the reader’s familiarity with it, works. It’s incredibly creepy thanks to Roberts’s art. I’m sure Dingess will have a good explanation for it–he sort of hints at one earlier in the issue–but the cliffhanger’s effective. Even if it’s a zombie.

The issue’s just all around good. Roberts handles the panicked conversation scenes as well as he does the chase through the forest. He and Dingess aren’t playing with a familiar drama; the Lewis and Clark era of American exploration only gets play every fifteen years or so.

Destiny’s working well.

Velvet (2013) #2

I like this issue a lot more; I couldn’t figure out for a while, then I realized… it’s basically a lengthy Steve Epting action sequence. Velvet escapes, runs, escapes again. Brubaker juxtaposes her story against some guys at her agency talking about her. It’s great, fast but filling.

The only parts giving me pause are some of the stylistic choices for flashbacks and then the fictional super spy agency. Maybe for Epting to keep his schedule, the flashbacks, which took up at least two pages and showed single panels of Velvet’s illustrious career, are necessary. But they bring the issue to a screeching halt.

Second, the spy agency. It’s really made-up and leaves Brubaker open to do almost anything. He could hide aliens down the line in this thing. It gives the series a fake feel, while Epting does everything but convey that sense.

Still, it’s a good comic.