Exception(al)

In 1982 Ridley Scott made what has been since regarded as one of the best films ever made. Yesterday I saw a film that truly blew me away; the best science fiction movie that I have seen since the release of Blade Runner; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’. It is rare in today’s media soaked world to find something like this, that both looks and feels completely unique.

I have been a fan of Christopher Nolan’s work ever since Memento hit our screens back in 2000 and I believe him to be one of the most imaginative writer / directors in cinema. He seems capable of delivering films that have everything, from deep emotional moments to intense drama, heavy action and involving mystery. Each time that Nolan puts together a movie he surpasses himself, growing beyond the expectation of the audience and that is true talent. What Nolan has delivered here is a movie that, I’m sure, will in future be regarded as one of the great movies of all time.

Inception has a fantastically involving and deep storyline that challenges you to watch again and again (already on my Amazon pre-order list!). The cast seems to be a mix of known stars and lesser lights, but they all have one thing in common; bite! Every single member of the cast gives a superb performance. I don’t want to go into the story in too much detail for fear of introducing spoilers, and it just wouldn’t be the same with spoilers, but suffice it to say that the basic plot revolves around a group of people tasked with planting an idea in someone’s head by invading their dream space. This opens up a whole world of possibilities where the normal laws of physics and ‘rightness’ just don’t have to apply anymore. This movie will have you glued to your seat for the duration and has so many layers that missing just one moment is not recommended. Even the last few minutes are an absolute stroke of brilliance. Only 1 very small thing stopped this film from being perfect (and it’s a really really small niggle); The score, while very good, was sometimes overpowering and unnecessary.

If there’s one movie you must see before you die (and you’ve already seen Blade Runner!); see Inception - If there’s another then see it twice!

Down in The Treme

Some of my readers may recognise the names of David Simon and Eric Overmeyer from The Wire. Tremé is their latest project, following from the culmination of The Wire in it’s fifth season. Tremé is a neighbourhood of New Orleans, which is where this series is set; six months after landfall of Hurricane Katrina. In much the same way that The Wire used different points of view from different social groups, expanding through each season, to highlight the social picture of Baltimore; Simon and Overmeyer use diverse groups of characters to highlight the plight of New Orleans residents and culture in the wake of a tragic natural disaster. Tremé treads a very thin line between exploring the difficulties that residents faced and the resulting exploitative tourism that follows without becoming a part of the problem itself.

Tremé is, quite possibly, the best TV drama that I’ve ever seen. It is extremely mature; more so even than the wire I think because of the massive range of different people and emotions that it deals with from episode to episode. The quality of writing, production and performance are nothing less than outstanding, ensuring that the audience really cares about every single character that they meet on screen. Fans of The Wire will notice some of their favourite actors are back on the cast list; Wendell Pierce, formerly Bunk in The Wire, returns to the screen as Antoine Batiste, a trombone player. Also returning is Clarke Peters, formerly Lester, takes up the part of the Chief of an Indian Tribe, desperately trying to bring his people back that have been evacuated out of state. My personal favourite characters are Batiste, Steve Zahn’s ‘Davis McAlary’, Jon Goodman’s character, ‘Creighton Bernette’ and ‘Annie’, played by Lucia Micarelli.

One of the best things about this series though is the constant random cameos by actual local musicians; people such as Kermit Earle and Elvis Costello appear several times as themselves; lends the drama a real sense of authenticity that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality even further. If you watch one TV show all year, make it this one. You shall be rewarded and, just to reassure you, it’s already been picked up for a second season.

The Show Must Go On

Jenni & I had the good fortune to attend the second night of the Bristol run of the Les Miserables tour at the Hippodrome on Wednesday. It was absolutely fabulous and I would highly recommend it to anyone. I knew some of the tunes before I went (who doesn’t, even if they don’t know it!) and Jenni had seen it before when she was quite young. I don’t think either of us were fully prepared for the quality of the production that we were treated to that night.

The tour running at the moment is the new production, put together by Cameron Mackintosh for the 25th anniversary. The set designs were wonderfully rustic and creepy with a real hand drawn feel to them. The production uses really clever techniques with digital backdrops, surround sound and lighting to give effects of movement far beyond what you normally expect to see on a theatre stage (I don’t want to give too much away because it’s a bit cooler if it takes you by surprise really!) The quality of acting, singing and orchestration was also very very good. Stand out performances on the acting front, in my opinion, were ‘Eponine’ (not sure who was playing her - answers on a postcard to...), John Owen-Jones as ‘Jean Valjean’ and Earl Carpenter as ‘Javert’. Gareth Gates was also very good in the role of ‘Marius’; theatre suits him far far better than Pop Idol ever did! For song performances, the standout moments for me were Eponine’s ‘On My Own’, John Owen-Jones’s ‘Bring Him Home’ and Gareth Gates’s ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’.

This is far and above the best piece of musical theatre I have ever had the delight to see and I recommend you catch it while you can - It closes on 7th August.

Other coolness: According to Wikipedia the new cast recording for the 25th anniversary tour went on sale tonight, premiering at the Hippodrome! If this is true it is both cool and rubbish at the same time because I was obviously a night early.

End of an Era

Michael Hirsts 4 year epic dramatisation of the life and wives of King Henry VIII has drawn it’s last breath! The Tudors has been criticised for many reasons such as historical inaccuracy and being overly racy (all of which is, to a point, fair). What these critics have failed to grasp here is that this is not a dry historical drama documentary, what we are presented with is a visual masterpiece drama that just happens to be set in one of the most interesting socio-political periods in English history.

With historical inaccuracies and such put to one side, the man behind both Elizabeth movies and his associated directors (some of whom have worked on other top grade TV dramas such as Rome and Dexter) produce a fluid, engaging storyline that always leaves you wanting more. The acting is superb. Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ Henry is fabulous; particularly as you follow him through each season and he gets older and wiser. His performance in the final episode is so powerful as to move anyone to tears and, in this episode alone, he would win my nomination for TV actor of the year for 2010. The supporting cast aren’t anything to sniff at either; as she grows up, Sarah Bolger’s character of the Princess Mary becomes ever more complex and twisted and, as a viewer, you can really feel the conflict of her nature and her religious convictions. Henry Cavill is truly fantastic as Henry’s long suffering best friend, Charles Brandon. If there’s one character you can never take a dislike to, it is this man; he is probably what most men would aspire to be. The characters of each of the wives are also very different and detailed, each attaching to the audience in a different way...

• Catherine of Aragon (Maria Doyle Kennedy) - Henry’s first wife and loyal to a fault, you can’t help but feel for the Queen as Henry does all he can to get rid of her to allow him to marry Anne Boleyn. Kennedy portrays Catherine as a kind queen who’s thoughts are always of others and never herself. If Charles Brandon is the man that we all want to be, then Catherine of Aragon is probably the woman.

• Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer) - You just have to hate this woman! Manipulating and controlling the King for her own religious / political ends; you know she’s got it coming and you are just waiting for the axe to fall. Dormers performance is faultless.

• Jane Seymour (Annabelle Wallis) - Despite what is probably the weakest acting performance of the six wives, Rhys Meyers’ performance carries the expression of their relationship to the audience so deeply that, when she dies, you know that a large part of the King dies with her.

• Anne of Cleaves (Joss Stone) - Stone’s performance was, to me, surprisingly good. She portrays Anne of Cleaves as a friendly Queen who wants to please her husband. As time goes on it is carefully hinted at that she would have made Henry a good wife had he been in a ‘better frame of mind’. The audience is always left feeling a bit sorry for her.

• Kathryn Howard (Tamzin Merchant) - Merchant’s performance here is, again, fantastic, creating a character that you just want to slap. Howard is portrayed as a petulant child that is in way over her head and, as with Boleyn, you are happy to see her die (perhaps even more so because she’s just so damned irritating!)

• Katherine Parr (Joely Richardson) - Richardson plays Parr as an, initially reluctant and quiet wife; the audience is made to really feel for her as she looks after Henry’s children and, as he ages, Henry himself.

The nature of the series has evolved through it’s run in the same way that Henry’s character has; starting as very young and racy. Through the third and fourth series a far more serious tone begins to develop as if the whole programme is directed as a mirror for Henry’s state of mind. I would recommend this series highly to anyone.

Coming next on TV Reviews... TREME!

My Doctors Surgery Sucks!

For your reading pleasure, I follow with a transcript of my complaint to the NHS about Fallodon Way Medical Centre in Henleaze. I complain with reservations, because I had many happy memories of this place from when I was a child...

What could be done better?

Firstly; Booking Appointments - It is near on impossible to get an appointment early or late (late is just after 6:00) and you can't book early or late appointments on the online system at all.

Secondly; The woman who is usually on reception is very very rude and should not be in any job where you have to deal with people. She treats the patients like something that's come up off her shoe.

Thirdly; Repeat Prescriptions - At my old surgery I could just phone up for a prescription - Now I have to take the slip in myself or use an online system that is utter trash!

Fourthly; No telephone appointments

Fifthly; No weekend appointments

Anything else to add?

My fiancee and I both work - I have fairly flexible hours so I can just make a late appointment if needs be, but having to go in to deliver slips by hand is haring back to the stone age and I have to take significant time off from work if I have an appointment; my previous surgery booked up to 8:00! My fiancee isn't so lucky, as she commutes into work each day and the surgery is never open when she's around; she is currently looking into transferring back to our old surgery - It's much further away, but at least she can see a doctor once in a while.

For comparison, I would like to stress that our previous surgery was The Family Practice in Cotham; a surgery I recommend most highly.