“The Rain Chronicles” [PG] – Book IV

“The Rain Chronicles” [PG] – Book IV

Rain Robinson of ”Future’s End” ends up on Voyager, following her adventures with Tom Paris and Tuvok in late 20th century Earth. Here is Book IV.

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LIEUTENANT TOM PARIS – STARDATE 50394.46:

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would find myself torn by three people. Two women and a man. Sounds almost kinky, but it’s a hell of a lot more serious than that.

Ever since Rain Robinson managed to sneak aboard Voyager, my emotional state has been in turmoil. When I told her that I had never met anyone like her, I had been serious. Serious, but not completely truthful. I have met another like Rain – B’Elanna Torres. Both are vibrant, intelligent and independent women. Both are also very fascinating. At first, the pair seemed to have one major difference. B’Elanna built walls to keep herself emotionally distant from others. Rain didn’t. At least she didn’t, until she boarded Voyager.

Once she found herself stuck aboard ship, Rain became distant. Cool. Especially toward me. Back in Los Angeles, she seemed determined to get to know me. Now, Rain barely acknowledges my presence. I don’t think she wants anything to do with me and I don’t know why! B’Elanna seemed the same as usual. A little distant, yet still friendly. Neither woman seemed interested in romance. And yet, I would gladly accept either of them into my arms.

Where does the man fit into the picture? Well, it’s Harry. Quite simply, he does not like Rain. He did at first. But ever since she had caught him unawares with her less than pristine view of the Federation, he has become increasingly hostile toward her. Poor Harry. His view on life, especially life in the Federation always tended to border on the idyllic. Like so many, he considers Earth . . . (sigh) as Paradise. He has never really been aware of the Federation’s . . . or should I say, humanity’s darker side. And we still have one. I know from experience.

As Harry’s friend, I have always tried to make him aware of life’s dangers and disappointments as gently as possible. Unfortunately, Rain beat me to the punch (in a not so gentle manner). And in one conversation, came close to shattering Harry’s illusions. No wonder he resents her.

Rain’s remarks managed to circulate throughout the ship. Some (including the majority of former Maquis) applauded her realistic viewpoint. Others, mainly a lot of ‘Fleeters, reacted with as much hostility as Harry did. And there were those like the Delaney sisters who merely accepted Rain’s opinions as her own and continued on with their lives. Sensible people.

Did the Captain ever learn about Rain’s comments in the Mess Hall? I don’t know. Before any of us could find out, the Captain and Neelix had left Voyager to set up trade negotiations with a race called the Tik Tak.

* * * *

RAIN ROBINSON – May 26, 2373:

It did not take Captain Janeway long to learn about my little debate with Harry Kim in the Mess Hall. Who told her? I have no idea. Two days after it happened, she summoned me to her office. What she called her Ready Room.

After I had entered from the corridor, she indicated the empty chair opposite and smiled. “Sit down, Miss Robinson.” As I did as she asked, her smile remained fixed upon her face. Most would describe it as warm. Not me. I found it almost wolfish. Hey, what can I say? My instincts were practically screaming at me that this lady was pissed. The Captain continued, “Miss Robinson, I understand that you brought up a certain topic in the Mess Hall, some two days ago. Regarding the Maquis.” Her smile lost a touch of warmth.

As calmly as possible, I told her about the discussion between Ensign Kim and me. And how I brought up the Maquis.

She leaned forward – all earnest. “I can understand how the subject might have came up. But you must understand, the subject about the Maquis is very . . . well, very touchy on this ship. At least one-third of the crew are former members of the Maquis, including the First Officer and the Chief Engineer. We’ve spent at least two years trying to forge two factions into one working crew. And I would hate for our efforts to be disrupted by . . . let’s just say careless talk.” Another smile touched her lips.

I stared at her. “Careless?”

Blue-gray eyes hardened. “Let’s be honest, shall we, Miss Robinson? Aside from what you may have read from the computer database, you really have no knowledge on the Maquis. Do you?”

“I guess not.” I paused. “So what are the Maquis about?”

Janeway’s eyes flickered. Perhaps she didn’t expect me to ask that question. A moment later, she quickly recovered her composure. “If you insist, Miss Robinson. About six or seven years ago, the Federation had just ended a costly war with a species called Cardassians. Realizing that peace was the only way to stabilize the quadrant, the Federation and the Cardassians decided upon a cease fire and agreed to begin talks for a treaty.”

She went on to describe the events I had already learned from the ship’s computer. The peace negotiations, Cardassia’s insistence upon settling the matter of sovereignty in the Demilitarized Zone, the Federation’s decision to hand over their DMZ colonies to placate the Cardassians, the colonists’ reaction and the formation of the Maquis. Her explanation nearly matched the entries from the computer – word by word. Must be the Federation mantra.

“May I ask you something?” I said, after the Captain finished.

Janeway gave me a wary look. “Yes?”

“When the . . . uh, Federation decided to hand over those colonies to the Cardassians, did they consider how the colonists would react?” She opened her mouth to speak. Not a word came out. Hell, not even a sound. Right then, I knew. “That’s okay, Captain,” I continued. “You’ve answered my question.”

“No, you don’t understand, Miss Robinson.” What do you know? She has spoken at last! “The Federation had offered to relocate the colonists on other worlds. And they rejected our offer.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I see. Only the colonists didn’t want to move. Okay. I get it.”

“Miss Robinson . . .”

But I didn’t let her finish. “Hey, look Captain. If you’re worried that I’ll go spreading my opinion on the Maquis, don’t be. I’ll just find some other topic to discuss. You know . . . like crime statistics on Earth.”

A glacial sheen covered Janeway’s eyes. She gave me one of those ‘you’ve overstayed your welcome’ smiles. “This has been quite an . . . interesting conversation, Miss Robinson. That will be all.”

“Yes Captain.” I rose from my chair, gave her a nod and quickly left the room, via the corridor.

So, the Federation had offered to relocate the colonists in the DMZ, huh? Now they seemed like greedy landlords, trying to get rid of inconvenient tenants. As I had promised Janeway, I never brought up the subject again. I really didn’t have a chance. Janeway and Neelix left Voyage for some diplomatic mission.

* * * *

RAIN ROBINSON – June 6, 2373:

Macroviruses. At least that’s what the holographic doctor called the beings that attacked the ship. I personally named the entire incident as ‘the Attack of the Killer Fleas’. Or mosquitoes. Judging from a brief glimpse of them, they looked more like mosquitoes.

It had all started when the Doctor went on a mission to respond to a distress call from some mining colony. At least, that’s what he told me. He transported to the colony and found several being suffering from some disease. Both he and the First Officer, Commander Cha-ko-tay had thought sending a hologram would be safer. Well, they were wrong.

Like most insects, these macroviruses became attracted to the light – namely the light from the Doctor’s holoimage. And he brought them back, upon his return to the ship. I had no idea what was going on, until I heard a loud, buzzing noise outside my quarters. I risked a peek outside and spotted something that resembled a giant mosquito, along the corridor. It only took one look and I immediately went back inside and locked the door.

I am happy to report that I managed to remain hidden from these macroviruses. It seemed pretty easy, hiding myself underneath the bed during the entire incident. I don’t know how many hours or days had passed before Captain Janeway and the Doctor managed to destroy the macroviruses. But when the Captain announced “all clear” over the Communications system, it was a hungry and frightened woman who crawled from under her bed. Dammit! Why in the hell did I stowaway on this damn ship? Anyway, the Captain also ordered any crewman still conscious, to report to Sick Bay.

Upon my arrival, the Doctor expressed relief at seeing another being, conscious and walking. He gave me a little medication, by pressing some gray tube he called a hypospray, against my neck. Then the Doctor told me everything about what happened. I don’t think he meant to, but like I said – he was relieved to see someone else, aside from Janeway and some ensign named Wildman, conscious and not infected. And the other two women were no where to be seen.

“They are applying the antivirus to the rest of the crew,” the Doctor explained. He handed me three of these hyprosprays. I stared at him, questioningly. “These are hyposprays. A twenty-fourth century version of a hypodermic needle. Less painful and more hygienic. All of them are filled with the antivirus and I need you to help apply it to some of the crew. Both the Captain and Ensign Wildman are doing the same. Just press the hypospray against the neck, like I did yours. You can start in the Mess Hall.”

With nothing else to do, I agreed to help. The sight that greeted me inside the Mess Hall nearly sickened me. Bodies were strewn everywhere. Bodies plastered with sores, insect bites and some green ooze. However, I came upon another sight that disturbed me even further. I found two of the figures, seated at a table together. Tom and Lieutenant Torres.

What the hell were they doing together? I had heard from Jenny that Tom agreed to serve as the ship’s cook, until Neelix’s return. And Lieutenant Torres was supposed to be in Engineering. How did they end up sharing one of the tables inside the Mess Hall?

It took a lot of effort on my part to squelch the jealousy within me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fight against the despair. It seemed to me that the sight of them together was an obvious sign that I was never meant to be with Tom. Oh well. Might as well accept it.

END OF BOOK IV

“LOST” RETROSPECT: (2.07) “The Other 48 Days”

“LOST” RETROSPECT: (2.07) “The Other 48 Days”

I cannot deny that “LOST” will always be one of my top twenty (20) favorite television series of all time. Nor can I deny that despite my feelings about it, the writing had been flawed on many occasions. If there is an episode that truly reflected my positive feelings about the series, it is the Season Two episode called (2.07) “The Other 48 Days”.

This episode is probably my TOP favorite one in the entire series. Before “The Other 48 Days” aired, I had been watching “LOST” for at least a little over a month. In fact, (2.02) “Adrift” was the very first episode I had ever watch. Although I did watch most of the episodes that aired between “Adrift” and “The Other 48 Days”, I found it difficult to feel the series’ magic. I was about to give up on the series for good when “The Other 48 Days” aired in late November 2005. Not only did I enjoy the episode, I became a permanent fan of the series.

The plot for “The Other 48 Days” proved to be very simple. It chronicled those first forty-eight days that the Tail Section survivors (the Tailies) of Oceanic Flight 815 experienced on the island. Most of the episode focused upon the minutes following the plane crash, to the Tailies’ encounter with Fuselage survivors Jin Kwon, Michael Dawson and James “Sawyer” Ford (which happened at the end of “Adrift”). The remaining few minutes of the episode is basically a montage of the Tailies and the three Losties experiences between (2.03) “Orientation” and (2.06) “Abandoned”, when one of the Tailies accidentally shot and killed series regular character Shannon Rutherford.

If one thought that the experiences of the Fuselage Section survivors were traumatic, what they experienced was a piece of cake in compare to the Tail Section survivors. Unlike the Fuselage passengers, the Tailies had no medical doctor/surgeon, a wanted convict with a talent for tracking, a “Great White Hunter”, a son of a South Korean fisherman, the fisherman’s daughter-in-law with a talent for botany, a construction worker, or a former member with the Iraqi Republican Guard with a talent for communications. Instead, the Tail Section survivors had a former LAPD cop, a Nigerian warlord-turned-drug runner-turned-priest, a flight attendant, a dentist and clinical psychologist. Hmmmm. From my point of view, only the cop and the former warlord proved to be potential leaders for this group of survivors. Without a medical doctor, the Tailies had to witnessed the deaths of those survivors who had been seriously injured. They also lacked supplies, luggage and some foodstuffs from the plane’s Fuselage section. Both groups were infiltrated by men spying on behalf of the island’s long time inhabitants known as “the Others”. Because the Tailies’ beach camp was situated not far from the Others’ complex, they were harassed and terrorized by the island inhabitants from Day One, to that Forty-Eighth day that marked Shannon’s death. In fact, the Others managed to kidnap a total of twelve survivors from the Tailies’ camp on Days One and Twelve. On that last 48th day, they finally snatched the flight attendant. The only Fuselage survivor that ended up kidnapped was Claire Littleton. Unlike the snatched Tailies, Claire only spent eleven days as one of the Others’ captive during those 48 days. Compare to the Fuselage survivors, the Tail Section survivors came close to experiencing their own version of “Lord of the Flies”.

Was there anything about “The Other 48 Days” that I did not like? I did not care much for that montage that marked the last three days that the Tailies spent with Michael, Sawyer and Jin. It seemed like a waste of air time. But I suspect that Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse needed some kind of filler leading to that moment from Abandoned, when Shannon was shot. I could complain that “LOST” never fully explained why the Others snatched some of the Tail Section survivors. But that is not the fault of this particular episode’s writing, considering that the series is a serial drama.

My biggest complaint about “The Other 48 Days” is that the Tail Section survivors’ story was told in one episode. I truly regret this. In some ways, I found their story a lot more fascinating than the experiences of the Fuselage survivors during that first month-and-a-half. Between the deaths of the injured passengers, the kidnappings by the Others, the power struggles and paranoia between the survivors, the consequences of an Other’s spy in their midst, brief contact with a Fuselage survivor via a short-wave radio and God knows what . . . the Tailies’ story could have provided an interesting contrast to the Fuselage survivors during the series’ first season.

When the character of Ana-Lucia Cortez was first introduced to “LOST” viewers in the Season One finale, (1.23) “Exodus, Part 1”, when she flirted with lead character Dr. Jack Shephard at an airport bar in Sydney. By the time the viewers saw her again, she had transformed into a hardened and brusque leader, lacking in any patience with the likes of Michael, Sawyer and Jin; and struggling to stay a step ahead of the Others’ harassment. Many of the series’ fans grew to hate her, complaining of her character’s tough exterior. At the same time, they praised the Mr. Eko character, who proved to be the former Nigerian warlord-turned-priest, for being such a badass in their eyes. I had forgotten that despite the advent of civil rights regarding race and gender, we still live in a very prejudiced society. Apparently, it was okay for a man like Mr. Eko to be tough, but not a woman. Especially not a woman in a leader position. A woman can be tough like Kate Austen or Juliet Burke, as long as they maintained a superficial projection of femininity and find themselves stuck in a love story or mother role.

I adored Ana-Lucia when she first punched Sawyer in (2.04) “Everybody Loves Hugo”. And even after another four seasons, she has remained one of my favorite characters in the series. Before “LOST”, I had viewed Michelle Rodriguez as a mediocre actress. I still cannot regard her as a great actress, but her portrayal of the stress-ridden Ana-Lucia had developed her into a very good one. And it took two scenes – one of Ana-Lucia’s confrontation with the Others’ spy and her emotional breakdown in Mr. Eko’s arms – that made me realize that Rodriguez had come far as an actress in the five-to-six episodes she had appeared on “LOST” by “The Other 48 Days”. Another performer that truly caught my eye was Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who portrayed the fascinating badass, Mr. Eko. To be honest, I first noticed Akinnuoye-Agbaje in the 2001 movie, “THE MUMMY RETURNS” and 2002’s “THE BOURNE IDENTITY”. He was memorable in both movies and very entertaining. But his portrayal of Mr. Eko proved to be more complex. Yes, he could be a frightening badass. But at the same time, Akinnuoye-Agbaje injected a great deal of pathos and compassion into his performance, allowing his Mr. Eko to become a more complex character than the ones I have seen him in past movies.

I feel that Cynthia Watros got a raw deal during her time on “LOST”. Thanks to her performance as clinical-psychologist Elizabeth “Libby” Smith, she presented a complex woman behind a superficially likable woman. I am not saying that Libby was an unlikable woman. But considering that she had encouraged Ana-Lucia to do something about a survivor named Nathan, whom they suspected of being an Others spy; and in the next episode, dumped all of the blame surrounding Nathan’s death on Ana; I found myself wondering about her true nature. I like to view “The Other 48 Days” and the following episode, (2.08) “Collision” as some of Watros’ finest work on the series. Fortunately for Sam Anderson, he got a chance to stretch his stuff in more episode. He certainly did an excellent job as Bernard Nadler, the dentist who happened to be married to one of the Fuselage’s survivors.

Kimberly Joseph was first introduced as flight attendant Cindy Chandler in the series’ early Season One episodes. Her character was eventually kidnapped by the Others just before Shannon’s death in “Abandoned”. As one can see, I do not have much to say about Cindy. Joseph gave a solid performance in the episode. In fact, most of her performances have solid throughout the series’ run. I have been aware of Brett Cullen since I first saw him in the television Western, “THE YOUNG RIDERS”. I have seen him in many television and movie roles over the years – especially during the first two seasons of “PERSONS OF INTEREST”. But I feel that Goodwin Stanhope might be one of the best roles in his career. I was especially impressed by his screen chemistry with Michelle Rodriguez, making his relationship with Ana-Lucia on of the most interesting during the series’ run.

What else can I say about “The Other 48 Days”? It is a dark and fascinating television episode marked by an epic storyline about survival, trust and paranoia, thanks to a superb script written by Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof. It also features first-rate direction from Eric Laneuville, and some excellent performances – especially from Michelle Rodriguez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Brett Cullen. It is, without a doubt, my favorite episode of “LOST”. After my latest viewing of the episode, my wish that the story about the Tail Section survivors had been stretched over more episodes remain strong as ever.

“JACK REACHER” (2012) Review

“JACK REACHER” (2012) Review

British author Lee Childs (aka Jim Grant) wrote a series of novels featuring a former U.S. Army Military police officer turned drifter, who is occassionally hired to investigate difficult cases. One of those turned out to be the 2005 novel, “One Shot”, which was recently adapted as a motion picture that stars Tom Cruise.

When writer/director Christopher McQuarrie decided to adapt “One Shot” as a movie, one of the first things he did was change the story’s title and location. The story became “JACK REACHER” and the setting was changed from a small Indiana city to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Like the novel, “JACK REACHER” began with the death of five random people by a sniper firing from a parking garage. Police detective Emerson finds evidence pointing a a former Army sharpshooter named James Barr, who was immediately arrested. Instead of confessing to the crime, Barr asked the police and District Attorney Alex Rodin to get drifter and former Army police Jack Reacher to help him. Reacher finally contacted Barr’s attorney, Rodin’s daughter, Helen Rodin. Reacher believed that Barr was guilty, because the latter had originally went on a killing spree during his last tour in Iraq, but got off on a technicality due to his victims being guilty of the gang rape of several Iraqi women. But Reacher’s investigation of the crime scene, along with an encounter with local thugs hired to scare him off, made him realized that Barr had been framed and that the killing spree was merely a cover up for a specific victim.

In the end, “JACK REACHER” proved to be a first-rate action thriller that I enjoyed very much. I would never consider the movie to be one of the best starring Tom Cruise. The basic narrative for “JACK REACHER” did not strike me as particularly original. I have come across similar action or mystery tales in which a series of killings hid one particular murder. But I must admit this particular story presented it in a particularly original way – especially with such a non-conformist like Reacher serving as investigator. There were other aspects of the movie that impressed me. One, I found the opening sequence featuring the sniper’s killing of the five people not only gruesome, but also nail biting. The tension in this particular sequence seemed ten-fold, when it looked as if one of the sniper’s victims might end up being a young child. Once Reacher realized that either Detective Emerson or District Attorney Rodin may be working for the man behind the shootings, the reek of law enforcement reeked throughout the film’s second half, increasing the movie’s tension ten fold. The movie also benefited from a first-rate, three-way car chase through the streets of Pittsburgh; with the police chasing Reacher for the murder of a young woman, and Reacher chasing two of the bad guys. The chase sequence also emphasized Caleb Deschanel’s colorful photography of Pittsburgh, a city that has struck me as quite charming during the past two decades.

There were a few aspects of “JACK REACHER” that troubled me. I wish that McQuarrie’s script had allowed Cruise’s Jack Reacher and Rosamund Pike’s Helen Rodin to consummate the sexual tension between them . . . at least once. I did not require the movie to end with them as a newly established couple. But I figured that one night between the sheets would not have hurt. Honestly! I found myself inwardly screaming “Get a room!” every time it looked as if they were about to lock lips. But the bigger problem for me turned out to be the main villain – a former Soviet prisoner-turned-Russian mobster known as the Zec. Do not get me wrong. I believe that director-actor Werner Herzog gave an exceptionally chilly performance as the mobster. But . . . I could not help but wonder if author Lee Childs and later, MacQuarrie tried too hard to portray him as some kind of cold monster, willing to do anything to survive . . . even chew off his fingers while in prison, in order to prevent himself from succumbing to gangrene. The Zec even forces one minion to either chew off a finger or face death for the latter’s mishandling of Reacher. I would have been impressed if it were not for the fact that the willingness to do anything to survive . . . or self-preservation is something of which just about every human being is capable. It is simply human nature. And in the end, I was not that impressed by the Zec. Also, I could have sworn that the Zec and his men were carrying out a contract on behalf of someone else. I certainly got that impression in his first scene, which I eventually found rather misleading.

However, I was impressed by the film’s cast. I have already commented on Werner Herzog’s portrayal of the mobster called the Zec. Australian actor Jai Courtney gave an equally chilling performance as Charlie, the Zec’s main henchman and the shooter who kill those five people, in cold blood, in the opening scene. Robert Duvall made an entertaining addition to the cast as a former USMC veteran, who operated a gun shop frequented by the main suspect and the real killer. The year 2012 seemed to be the one for British actor David Oyelowo. He started out the year in “RED TAILS” (okay, not much of a start), but he finished out the year with an appearance in “LINCOLN” and a major role in this film. And I was very impressed by his portrayal of Detective Emerson. One, Oyelowo seemed to have a pretty good grasp of an American accent. And two, I found his portrayal of the police detective to be deliciously complex and murky. I could also say the same for Richard Jenkins, who gave a slightly twisted and sardonic portrayal as District Attorney Rodin. It seemed a pity that his appearances in the film seemed slightly limited.

It occurred to me that I have not seen Rosamund Pike in a major film production in quite a while. I do recall that she had appeared as Sam Worthington’s leading lady in “WRATH OF THE TITANS”. But I would rather forget about that particular film. Thankfully, she was much more memorable as Helen Rodin, the feisty defense attorney who hired Reacher. She possessed a solid American accent and more importantly, I enjoyed the way Pike infused both professionalism and emotion into her character. And her screen chemistry with Tom Cruise reeked with sexuality. Although I would not consider “JACK REACHER” to be among Cruise’s top films, I must admit that I think his role as the eccentric former Army investigator might prove to be one of his better roles. I really enjoyed Cruise’s performance as Reacher. Not only did he maintain the character’s eccentricity, but he also projected a subtle weariness that made me understand the character’s disappointment with society at large. He also infused a good deal of subtle humor that struck me as both entertaining and off-kilter. But more importantly, Cruise did a great job in projecting the character’s unstoppable force, without having to be the same height (6’5″) as the literary Reacher.

Like I said, I would not view “JACK REACHER” as one of the most memorable action movies I have ever seen. But I certainly would not regard it as mediocre. It possessed a solid story, written and directed by Christopher MacQuarrie. The movie also benefited from first-rate performances by a cast led by Tom Cruise in the title character.

Top Favorite “THE WEST WING” Season Two (2000-2001) Episodes

Below is a list of my top favorite episodes from Season Two of NBC’s “THE WEST WING”. Created by Aaron Sorkin, the series starred Martin Sheen:

TOP FAVORITE “THE WEST WING” SEASON TWO (2000-2001) EPISODES

1. (2.01) “In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part I” – Following the shooting at the Rosslyn, Virginia town hall at the end of Season One, President Jed Bartlett is rushed to hospital. Meanwhile, West Wing staffers field questions on executive authority and the Secret Service protection measures. Flashbacks show how key staff members joined the Bartlet campaign.

2. (2.22) “Two Cathedrals” – A tropical storm approaches Washington D.C., while President Bartlett prepares to disclose to the American public that he has multiple sclerosis (MS). Meanwhile, he wrestles over a crisis in faith during the funeral of his secretary, Dolores Landringham; and his decision over whether to seek re-election.

3. (2.10) “Noël” – Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman is ordered to seek psychiatric help during the Christmas holidays, when his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over being shot during the Rosslyn incident causes him to become increasingly volatile.

4. (2.20) “The Falls Gonna Kill You” – White House Counsel Oliver Babish questions Press Secretary C.J. Gregg and First Lady Abbey Bartlett about the President’s MS cover-up. Also, the staff begins to develop a strategy to deal with the impending MS crisis.

5. (2.18) “17 People” – White House Communications Director “Toby” Ziegler finally learns about Bartlett’s multiple sclerosis, becoming the 17th person to know. While he and the President have a heated argument over the matter, the rest of the staff struggle to punch up the President’s speech for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“WANTED” (2008) Review

“WANTED” (2008) Review

Based upon the comic miniseries by Mark Millar, ”WANTED” is the story of Wesley Gibson, a meek Chicago accountant who discovers that the father he had never known was part of a thousand year-old secret society of assassins called The Fraternity. Upon being informed that his father had been murdered, and longing for a different life outside a hated job and unfaithful girlfriend, Gibson joins The Fraternity in order to find his father’s killer.

From what I had learned about the two versions of “WANTED”, the movie version turned out to be quite different from the comic book version. In the former, The Fraternity consisted of assassins whose victims end up being selected by ”Fate” to be hunted and killed. Due to The Fraternity’s founders being a group of weavers, “Fate” chose the order’s victims through a series of codes embedded in the material woven by The Fraternity members. This business of The Fraternity’s victims being chosen by “Fate” never played a part in Millar’s comic story. This is because the assassins turned out to be out-and-out villains. Including Wesley.

There were positive and negative aspects of “WANTED”. I was impressed by the performances of both James McAvoy as Wesley Gibson and Morgan Freeman as Sloan, The Fraternity’s leader. Angelina Jolie, as usual, displayed her strong screen presence as Fox, one of the order’s assassins. Unfortunately her character seemed to possess little depth, despite the small flashback about her childhood, provided by screenwriters Michael Brandt, Derek Haas and Chris Morgan. Her character seemed more like an action icon, instead of a character with any real depth. Others such as Terence Stamp, Common, Marc Warren and Konstantin Khabensky provided solid support as a rogue agent and members of The Fraternity. But I found nothing memorable about their performances. Two performances really impressed me. Despite his brief appearances as another rogue agent of The Fraternity, Thomas Kretschmann certainly made an impression as a memorable adversary, who seemed determined to get his hands upon Wesley. And I was also impressed by Lorna Scott’s portrayal of Wesley’s overbearing boss, Janice. Although her portrayal seemed a bit over-the-top, somehow it seemed to fit her role like a glove.

As for the movie’s action, it strongly reminded me of “THE MATRIX”, with its outrageous stunts occasionally shown in slow motion. But “THE MATRIX” is now at least nine years old. And quite frankly, I am beginning to find this form of action a bit outdated. The screenwriters tried to surprise the audience with plot twists, especially the one regarding the character of Cross. But to be honest, I managed to spot these plot twists before they were even revealed. And I ended up being spoiled and not taken by surprise. The story for “WANTED” struck me as pretty solid, but with a strong streak of a melodrama. However, a part of me wished that the screenwriters, director Timur Bekmambetov and the producers should have ditched the idea of The Fraternity’s method of choosing potential victims (and so-called “bad guys”) via a textile loom. I found it rather ludicrous.

In the end, “WANTED” proved to be a solid adaptation of Millar’s comic story. I found it solid, but not particularly memorable. As far as I am concerned, I wish the production team involved with the movie had stuck with the more dangerous choice of adhering more closely to Millar’s comic book version. I suspect that this would have made a more interesting film.

“The Rain Chronicles” [PG] – Book III

“The Rain Chronicles” [PG] – Book III

Rain Robinson of ”Future’s End” ends up on Voyager, following her adventures with Tom Paris and Tuvok in late 20th century Earth. Here is Book III.

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RAIN ROBINSON – May 27, 2373:

Today, I began my first shift in Stellar Cartography. It did not turn out too bad. I barely managed to keep up, but at least I didn’t make a fool of myself. Even better, I also made two friends, who didn’t seem to mind answering my questions every five or ten minutes.

My new friends happened to be sisters, twin sisters – Jenny and Megan Delaney. They seemed very friendly, a lot of fun to be with and a big help. Let’s face it. My knowledge of astronomy and stellar cartography is at least 300 years outdated. Thanks to Jenny, Megan and some late-night study sessions with the ship’s computer, I managed to catch up to the latest findings within two weeks. There is still a lot I don’t know. But, if all goes well, I should be able to keep up with them and the rest in Stellar Cartography by the end of the year. One last thing I like about the Delaneys – they seemed to be among the few on this ship who don’t seem full of themselves. In other words, they don’t look upon me like some cavewoman from prehistoric times.

Megan is the quiet one. Dimples usually form on her cheeks whenever she smiles. I also believe that she once dated Tom Paris, some two years ago. Okay, I must admit that I felt a little . . . no, a lot jealous when I first heard this news. Until I also learned that Megan and Tom had put their relationship behind them, a long time ago. And now, they only consider themselves as good friend. In fact, Megan has now developed an interest in another crewman, whose name has escaped me.

Unlike Megan, Jenny does not have dimples when she smiles. And she also seemed more like the outgoing type. Very talkative and with a lot of jokes. In many ways, she reminded me of Tom. After learning about the holodecks from Jenny, I wonder if she would be interested in creating programs from some of my old favorite “B” movies. She seemed like the type who would enjoy them. There is one thing about Jenny Delaney that I cannot fathom. Namely, her interest in one Ensign Harry Kim. She seems to like him. A lot.

What Jenny sees in him, I have no idea. I suppose one could say that he is very good-looking and smart. Despite his quiet nature, he also seemed to have a sly sense of humor. I almost grew to like him. Until I encountered one of his less admirable traits. Like a lot of people on this ship, Harry Kim has this smug superiority that tends to manifest itself whenever the subject of Starfleet or the Federation comes up. He seemed proud . . . almost a little too proud over humanity’s “evolvement” over the past 300 years.

One time, he came so proud and smug over the subject that I could not help but respond in a bitchy manner. Let’s just say that Mr. Kim did not take kindly to my manner. Hey! What can I say? When I hear bullshit, I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut.

* * * *

LIEUTENANT B’ELANNA TORRES – Stardate 50394.19:

I have a strong suspicion that Harry does not like Rain Robinson very much. At least, not anymore. However, that was not always the case.

When she first came aboard, Harry tried to make Rain feel at home. Typical Harry. Mister Collector-of-Lost-Souls. Both Tom and I had been amongst those lost souls during Voyager’s first year in the Delta Quadrant. Rain became another. Both she and Harry seemed destined to become good friends. Until that little conversation between them in the Mess Hall.

It happened about a week following Voyager’s encounter with the Q Continuum’s civil war. Harry, Tom, Rain, Ken Dalby, Megan Delaney, Golwat and I had gathered around one of the Mess Hall’s large tables, following dinner. Tom, Rain and I were recounting our adventures on 20th century Earth.

I had just finishing describing my and Chakotay’s encounter with those Arizona terrorists. Rain immediately added, “You must have come across one of those groups of right-wing terrorists. They’re people who feel that the government was slowly taking over their rights as citizens.”

Ken nodded. “Freedom fighters, right?” he asked.

A snort left Rain’s mouth. “Yeah, right. Freedom for white Americans. Especially if they’re men. As far as they’re concerned, everyone else deserves to be oppressed.”

“I noticed how they seemed to view both Chakotay and myself with a lot of hostility,” I added, remembering those stares. Curious, but hateful. “I guess it was a good thing Tuvok and the Doctor came to our rescue.”

Harry shook his head. “You were very lucky, Maquis. Quite frankly, I’m glad I had remained on the ship.” Then he faced Rain and made his big mistake. “I guess you’re lucky, also. Now that you don’t have to live in the 20th century, any longer.”

“Lucky?” Rain’s dark eyes narrowed. “How am I lucky?”

Harry continued, “Well, maybe not completely lucky. After all, you’re stuck in the Delta Quadrant with the rest of us. But once we return to Earth, you’ll find yourself in a better world. No wars, poverty, diseases and crime. It’s paradise.” His face lit up. Good old Starfleet. Optimistic, as always.

Another long pause followed. Rain continued to stare at Harry. Hard. “Hmmmph,” she finally said. “I guess the Earth of today is probably a better place to live. However, I doubt very much that you can still call it paradise. There’s no such place. At least not on this plane of existence.”

“I see what you’re getting at,” Harry said with a dismissive laugh. Unbeknownst to him, Rain’s body stiffened. “You’re speaking from some kind of spiritual point of view. Which is fine for those who are religious. But from our point of view, Earth is paradise. You just have to see it for yourself.” He looked as if he was ready to plant the Federation flag on the next planet.

A smirk threatened to tug the edges of Rain’s lips. “No kidding,” she said in a voice that dripped with sarcasm. “You know, I’ve been reading about your Federation in the ship’s computer. Earth is like you said. Somewhat.“

Golwat frowned. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Well . . . there are no wars. At least on Earth. But I’ve noticed that your Federation has been involved in plenty of wars elsewhere. From what I’ve read, you were just involved in a war with some species called Cardassan . . . uh, Cardasaiann . . .”

“Cardassians,” Tom added.

Rain shot him a grateful look. “Yeah. Thanks. Didn’t your Federation just have a war with these Cardassians about . . . oh, five years ago?”

Again, Tom provided the correct answer. “Six or seven years ago.” This time, Rain ignored him.

“But we’re now at peace with the Cardassians,” Harry explained. “The Federation signed a treaty with them about three years ago.” Ken Dalby frowned. As a fellow ex-Maquis, I didn’t blame him. Personally, I think the Federation should have dealt with the Cardassians when they had the chance.

And in typical Dalby fashion, Ken expressed what the rest of us former Maquis felt. “Not only did the Feds sign a treaty with the Cardies, they handed over their DMZ colonies in order to settle that treaty. A treaty that didn’t have a chance of working out.”

Rain nodded. “Yeah. I’ve read about that, too. Sort of reminds me of a certain event that happened on Earth, before my time.”

None of us seemed to have any idea what Rain was talking about. Including Mr. Twentieth Century himself. A confused looking Harry asked her to be specific.

“I read how your Federation gave up those colonies to ensure peace with these Cardas-si-ans. It reminded me of how the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler, allowing the latter to continue his conquest of smaller European nations in 1938. Chamberlain did all of this to avoid a war and yet, World War II began a year later.”

Tom cried out, “I remember reading about that!” He failed to notice the dark glance from Harry. “Now that I think about it, you’re right.”

The ‘Fleeters, with the exception of Megan Delaney, looked very upset. Especially Harry. Dalby naturally looked pleased by Rain’s analogy. As for Tom . . . Let’s just say that he seemed more enthralled by Miss Robinson herself, instead of what she had to say.

“You simply can’t compare the Federation to this Chamberlain fellow,” Harry declared in heated tones. “Especially since the Federation is still at peace with the Cardassians.”

Rain shot back, “How do you know?”

A smug smile appeared on Ken’s face. Golwait quietly excused herself. Megan remained seated. As for Harry – he opened his mouth to speak, but not a word came out. It didn’t surprise me. After all, it has been two years since we were all thrown into the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. A lot could have happened in the Alpha Quadrant during that period. I never realized until this moment on how much Harry put the Federation on a pedestal.

“By the way,” Rain added, “you also claimed that there was no poverty on Earth and . . .”

Harry nodded. “That’s right.”

“. . . no crime. And yet,” Rain continued, “you mean to tell me there is absolutely no crime on Earth? Including murder?”

Poor Harry. He looked as if he had walked into a trap. “We’re not violent!” he declared.

“But you still have murder. Right? I mean, money isn’t the only motive for all crimes. There are so many other emotions to deal with – lust, hatred, fear, you name it. I noticed that the Federation has a legal system.”

Tom quietly added, “And prison.” A faraway look had crept into his blue . . . I mean, his eyes. The ghost of prison in New Zealand seemed to have returned. I wonder if Rain knew about that aspect of his past? Or Caldik Prime?

Rain continued, “Look, what I’m trying to say is that this picture of Earth as ‘Paradise’ simply strikes me as being unrealistic. It might be a hell of a lot better than it was in my time. But from what I’ve read, it seemed far from perfect. And you’ve seemed to acquire a whole new set of problems over the past three centuries. Face it, there’s no such thing as paradise. Your Federation just might be spouting propaganda.”

Needless to say, Harry did not take Rain’s little speech very well. I don’t think even Golwat appreciated it and she wasn’t Human. Since both were regular Starfleet officers and Federation citizens, naturally both took Rain’s words very personal. Megan didn’t. Which surprised me. Perhaps the Delaneys had a more realistic view of the world than your average Federation citizen. I know that Tom did. And Dalby, not surprisingly, gleefully agreed with Rain.

And me? I may have been a Starfleet officer for the past two years, but I’ve also been around. Like Dalby and Tom, I’ve seen too much of the Universe’s dark side to view the Federation as paradise. Klingons believed that paradise awaits them in Sto-vo-kor. The Klingon afterlife. Judging from Rain’s comments about no paradise on this plane of existence, I suspect that she would agree with them.

END OF BOOK III

“MANK” (2020) Review

“MANK” (2020) Review

When it comes to biopics about Hollywood history, I must admit that I have a slight addiction to them. I really enjoy reading about Hollywood history. And I especially enjoy reading about the industry’s so-called “Golden Age”. So, when I learned about the upcoming release of “MANK”, a biopic about Hollywood screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz, I was pretty eager to see it.

However . . . I never got the chance to watch “MANK” in movie theaters during the fall/winter of 2020-2021. “MANK” had the bad luck to be released while the entire world was in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Netflix had released the film in theaters for a limited period in November 2020, the streaming service/production company eventually released it on its streaming service the following month. Because of this, a good number of months had passed before I had eventually watched it on television.

“MANK” began in 1940, when the then young wunderkind Orson Welles hired veteran screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz to write the screenplay for his new movie, “CITIZEN KANE”. Unfortunately, Mankiewicz is in Victorville, CA; recovering from a broken leg he had sustained in a car crash. With the assistance of his secretary Rita Alexander, he becomes aware of the similarities between the movie’s main character and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. This awareness not only inspired Mankiewicz to work on Welles’ screenplay, but also led him to recall his history with Hearst, the latter’s mistress, Marion Davies; and the smear campaign against Upton Sinclair’s 1934 California gubernatorial campaign.

Since “MANK” is not a documentary, but a historical drama, I knew that its narrative would not be completely accurate. However, I do believe that screenwriter Jack Fincher and his brother, director David Fincher, took a lot of liberties in regard to historical accuracies. Perhaps too much. Yes, the movie featured historical accuracies that included Mankiewicz’s car accident and broken leg, his employment with both Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Upton Sinclair’s bid for Governor of California in 1934 and of course, Mankiewicz’s collaboration with Welles and John Houseman on “CITIZEN KANE”.

However, the main problem with “MANK” is that Jack Fincher tried to connect the efforts to undermine Upton Sinclair’s gubernatorial campaign with Mankiewicz’s screenplay for “CITIZEN KANE”. And it did not exactly work. It failed to work due to Mankiewicz’s political beliefs. Considering that Sinclair had ran for governor as a Democrat, it seemed implausible that Mank would have been that upset over the state’s business leaders – which included movie studio chief Louis B. Mayer, studio producer Irving Thalberg; and newspaper magnates like Hearst and Harry Chandler – going out of their way to undermine Sinclair’s campaign. Mankiewicz’s politics tend to skewer toward conservative, except when it came to fascism.

It seems quite obvious that Jack Fincher needed an explanation for why Mankiewicz had been willing to write “CITIZEN KANE”, a scathing portrait of William Randolph Hearst. So he invented one. But you know what? I find myself wondering what topic had really caught the Finchers’ attention – Mankiewicz’s connection with Hearst, Davies and “CITIZEN KANE”; or the 1934 California gubernatorial election. Because honestly . . . it seemed as if both screenwriter and director were more interested in the latter. If that was the case, then the Fincher brothers should have solely focused the movie’s topic on the election.

I have another quibble about “MANK”. One I found some of the dialogue in the film’s first half hour a bit too stylized for my tastes. In one early scene, it seemed as if the Finchers had tried too hard to recapture a West Coast version of the Algonquin Round Table. Also, why did the Finchers shot this film in black-and-white? What was the point? Because to me, this decision to film in black-and-white seemed like another attempt at a homage to Hollywood’s Golden Age via a gimmick. And I am getting weary of gimmicks – especially unnecessary ones in Hollywood productions.

Otherwise, I did not have a problem with “MANK”. There are at least three reasons why I ended up enjoying this film. One, the movie featured a first-rate character study of Herman J. Mankiewicz. I have read a good deal about him. Granted, the movie was not completely honest in the writer’s characterization. The latter’s political beliefs would have never led him to get upset, let alone outraged over the campaign against Upton Sinclair. However, David Fincher’s screenplay did a very admirable job in capturing Mankiewicz’s other traits – including his wit, his addictions and air of weariness. If I must be frank, I believe Gary Oldman’s superb performance achieved this even more than the Finchers’ screenplay and direction.

Two, although I found the creation of “CITIZEN KANE” rather interesting, it did not strike me as particularly unique. Well . . . I take that back. “MANK” did tell this story specifically from the screenwriter’s point-of-view. The 1999 HBO film, “RKO 281”, told this story mainly from Orson Welles’ point-of-view. However, the movie’s depiction of Hollywood’s connection to California’s 1934 gubernatorial election struck me as the film’s more interesting and original aspect. This was especially apparent in scenes that featured a montage of the phony newsreels criticizing Sinclair and the election’s final night.

One aspect of “MANK” really impressed me – namely the performances featured in the film. They either ranged from competent performances from the likes of Tom Pelphrey as Joseph Mankiewicz, Charles Dance as William Randolph Hearst, Ferdinand Kingsley as Irving Thalberg, Joseph Cross as Charles Lederer, Toby Leonard Moore as David Selznick, Sam Troughton as John Houseman, Bill Nye as Upton Sinclair and Arliss Howard as Louis B. Mayer. Mind you, I believe there were times when Howard’s performance threatened to become a bit too theatrical. But I still enjoyed it. I was very impressed by the performances from Tuppence Middleton as Sara Mankiewicz, Tom Burke as Orson Welles and Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies. As much as Seyfriend’s performance impressed me, I do not believe she had deserved an Oscar or any other acting nomination for her performance. I do not believe her performance was that exceptional.

There were a handful of performances that I really enjoyed. I thought Jamie McShane gave a very emotional performance as test director Shelly Metcalf, who shot the anti-Sinclair newsreels. Frankly, Lily Collins’ performance as Mankiewicz’s no-nonsense secretary Rita Alexander impressed me a lot more than Seyfriend’s performance. And I thought she and the leading man had managed to create a superb screen chemistry. Although I believed that Seyfriend’s acting nominations were undeserved, I cannot say the same for Gary Oldman’s performance as Herman J. Mankiewicz. I thought he was superb as the screenwriting icon agonizing over his earlier apathy toward the governor’s election, while struggling over his alcoholism and creation of the “CITIZEN KANE” screenplay. He truly deserved his acting nominations – especially in one scene in which the main character went into a drunken rant against the Hollywood machine and Hearst.

“MANK” was definitely not the best movie of 2020. Perhaps it was one of the better ones. I still believe it could have been a better film if David and Jack Fincher had not attempted to connect the creation of “CITIZEN KANE” with California’s 1934 governor election. But its re-creation of the latter proved to be one of the film’s highlights. And the movie also benefited from excellent direction from David Fincher and excellent performances from a cast led by the always superb Gary Oldman. Honestly, I would have no qualms about buying a DVD copy of this film.

“CHARMED” RETROSPECT: (6.17) “Hyde School Reunion”

“CHARMED” RETROSPECT: (6.17) “Hyde School Reunion”

(6.17) “Hyde School Reunion” is an episode from Season Six of the TV series, “CHARMED” (1998-2006). It is viewed as controversial by many fans of the show. I wish I could say that its controversy revolved around any innovative storytelling. I wish I could say this . . . but I cannot. Because “Hyde School Reunion” is without a doubt one of the worst “CHARMED” episodes to air on television.

In this episode, Phoebe inadvertently casts a spell – written in her high school yearbook – that allowed her wild personality from her “troubled” adolescent to take over her. And this all happened at her tenth high school reunion. At the same time, Piper is trying to figure out why the sisters’ new whitelighter Chris, who had recently been revealed as her son from the future, has been avoiding her. She recruits the help of her dad Victor Bennett to delve into the big mystery. In the end, Piper and Victor learned that Chris is wary of Piper’s presence, because she is destined to die fourteen years in the future. Ugh. Also, Chris is being hunted by Scabber demons. As for Phoebe . . . oh God, it resulted in one big mess.

In a nutshell, younger Phoebe or “Freebie” – as one of her old schoolmates had nicknamed her – wrecked havoc with magic by plotting the escape of an old classmate named Rick Gittridge from jail. When Rick realized that his former classmate can use magic, he wants her – namely Phoebe – to help him rob an armored car. I would love NOT to go into details of how this all unfolds. Must I? Must I do this? Sigh! I suppose I must. Anyway, the other two Halliwells whisked Phoebe back to the Manor before she could do anything about Rick. When she returned to Rick, Phoebe learned that one of her old school mates, Ramona, is missing. Rick had kidnapped her to secure Phoebe’s help. They robbed an armored car, but Phoebe cast a spell upon Rick, making him believe that the cops were almost upon them. They fled back to the Manor, where Rick ended up insisting that Phoebe give him a new face before he tells her where Ramona is. Paige appeared and Phoebe suggested that the younger sister give Rick, Chris’ face. Chris – who was being hunted by Scabber demons. Rick ended up pleased – until the Scabber demons showed up and killed him.

The positive aspects of “Hyde School Reunion” came in the subplot involving Chris, Piper and Victor. I never understood why Chris was able to warn his grandfather to stop smoking in order to avoid emphysema and prevent Paige from being killed by Titans (see “Oh Goddess!” from late Season Five), prevent Wyatt from turning evil, and yet . . . was not allowed to warn his mother that she will be dead in fourteen years for fear of changing the timeline? What the hell? What saved this subplot were the performances of Chris Fuller, Holly Marie Combs and James Read.

Unfortunately, the major plotline for “Hyde School Reunion” revolved around Phoebe’s high school reunion and her messy little “flashback” to her adolescent past. There was so much wrong with this story that I had to make a list:

*Phoebe had graduated from high school in 1994? Phoebe had been born in early November 1975. In 1994, she was eighteen, going on nineteen. What happened? She had to repeat a grade?

* I found Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan’s outfits at the reunion . . . questionable. Poor Ms. McGowan looked as if her jacket had been made from the fur of a dead animal that had the bad luck to be dyed in pale blue. Ms. Milano’s boobs looked as if they threatened to pop out any minute. Even worse, her nipples were so obvious that they seemed to shout at the television screen.

*In the previous episode, (6.17) “The Courtship of Wyatt’s Father”, Leo finally managed to boink Piper and plant baby Chris in her. Yet, in the following episode – namely this one – Piper was “months” pregnant. How many months had passed between the two episodes? I realize that Holly Marie Combs was pregnant at the time, but talk about ill timing!

*Why did nearly every Halliwell sister either seemed to possess that hideous look that consisted of either long hair and bangs, braces or all? Do you think I am exaggerating? Take a gander at the photos below –

Prue transformed back to her seventeen year-old self in (2.22) “Be Careful What You Witch For”

Piper’s high school yearbook photo in (3.09) “Coyote Piper”

Phoebe’s high school yearbook photo in “Hyde School Reunion”

Paige transformed back to her seventeen year-old self in (4.10) “A Paige From the Past”

*Phoebe wrote a poem in her high school yearbook . . . that turned out to be a spell? My God, how lame!

*How is it that one of Phoebe’s old gym teachers, Miss Hickok, had no idea that Phoebe had become a famous columnist, whose mug was plastered on billboards all over San Francisco?

*I realize that in this episode, “Freebie” has adult Phoebe’s powers. Could someone please explain how she had learned how to use magic? Please? Adult Phoebe knew nothing of magic until she was two months shy of her 23rd birthday. How did adolescent “Freebie” suddenly learn how to cast a spell and turn her old classmates into teenaged Neanderthals? Hell, the only magic that Phoebe knew around 22 and 23 were the old “The Power of Three will set us free” chant and her premonitions.

*Chris, who is the son of a chef, had no idea what mutton was? Being a vegetarian is no excuse. Unless mutton no longer existed in the 2020s of the “CHARMED” universe.

*Why were Scabber demons after Chris? That story plot had evaded me.

*Could someone PLEASE explain how “Freebie” managed to shapeshift Rick, who was disguised as a guard, back to his old self with a flick of her wrist? HOW? Even adult Phoebe lacked this ability. She would have had to use a spell or chant to do this. Shapeshifting was not one of her psi abilities.

*Between the time Piper and Paige had teleported Phoebe from the warehouse to the Manor and back took less than a minute. How did Rick managed to tie up Todd – another Freebie classmate – and hide Ramona in that short space of time?

*Why didn’t Phoebe simply use a spell to coerce Rick into revealing where he had hidden Ramona . . . instead of aiding him in his so-called crime spree?

For me, the major faux pas of “Hyde School Reunion” centered around the death of Rick Gittridge. Many fans have commented on certain acts surrounding the unfolding events. One, why did Paige fail to teleport the shotgun from Rick’s hand? Two, why did Phoebe suggest that Paige turn Rick’s face into Chris’ face before Rick could verify where he had hidden Ramona . . . so that the Scabber demons would go after him? Why did she not do the dirty deed, herself?

Some member of a “CHARMED” message board had once commented that this entire scene lacked sense because as “good witches”, the Charmed Ones would have never set up a human to be killed by demons. I say . . . bullshit to that! The Halliwells have proven in the past how murderous and self-righteous they could be. How many times has Prue – believing to be wronged – allowed her temper to get the best of her? In (2.08) “P3 H2O”, a very self-righteous Phoebe had accused Sam Wilder – Mommy Dearest’s whitelighter and Paige’s dad – of failing to save Patty before the latter was killed by a water demon. Paige was stupid, murderous and self-righteous enough to attempt to kill her former demon/human brother-in-law Cole Turner, when he had finally given up on getting Phoebe back in (5.12) “Centennial Charmed”. (2.02) “Mortality Bites” is a prime example of how murderous and self-righteous the Halliwells can be. I will tell you exactly what really bothered me about “Hyde School Reunion”:

Phoebe: How do we know you’re telling the truth?

Rick: You don’t. Now, my face. Make it different. Heartbreaking, charming, young.

(Phoebe gets an idea.)

Phoebe: You know, I’m thinking maybe you should use our nephew for inspiration.

Paige: “Who you were, you’re now another, take the face of Wyatt’s brother.”

(Rick turns into Chris. He looks in the mirror.)

Chris: Yeah, I like it. This’ll work.

Paige: Pheebs, watch out, this could get messy. (Phoebe and Paige hide behind a wall. Three Scabbar demons appear in the room. Rick shoots at them but doesn’t harm them. They spit the green acid goo at Rick which melts him to nothing. The demons disappear. Phoebe and Paige come out from behind the wall.) You okay?

Phoebe: Yeah.

Paige: You know you had to, right?

Phoebe: I know.

She had to? Phoebe had to give Chris’ face to Rick, knowing that her nephew was being hunted by Scabber demons? Why was it necessary for Phoebe to set up Rick to be murdered? Who in the fuck wrote this episode? Years ago, I discovered that a screenwriter named David Simkins had written “Hyde School Reunion”. I had been pretty cruel about Simkins’ writing talent. I also discovered that the series’ original show runner, Constance Burge, was the episode’s co-writer. I honestly do not know how to digest this. As a former show runner, one would think she should have known better. But I realize that the only person I can really blame is Brad Kern, who became the series’ second show runner. He had not only approved this script, I would not be surprised if this is what he had wanted in the first place. Moron. I wonder if Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan had expressed concerns about what Phoebe and Paige did to Rick. If they did not, they should be ashamed of themselves.

This episode truly ranks as amongst the worst of the series’ eight-year history. Honestly. And the fact that it had climaxed into the unnecessary murder of a human, thanks to the scheming of two of the three major characters really sticks in my craw. But what really pisses me off about “Hyde School Reunion” was that Brad Kern actually believed viewers would sit in front of a television set and accept that Phoebe and Paige’s murderous act was “necessary”, is an insult not only to my intelligence, but also to the intelligence of the series’ many other viewers and fans.

“THE OTHER GUYS” (2010) Review

“THE OTHER GUYS” (2010) Review

One could not imagine two such diverse Hollywood talents such as Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg co-starring together in a summer action comedy. I certainly could not imagine such a scenario. When I had first viewed the trailer for the 2010 comedy, “THE OTHER GUYS” over a decade ago, I had approached the film with a little bit of trepidation.

Directed by Adam McKay, ”THE OTHER GUYS” told the story of two mismatched New York Police detectives – Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz – who become determined to rise from the police department’s running joke in order to become the city’s top police detective, following the deaths of the city’s top cops, Highsmith and Danson. Standing in their way are a few impediments – namely their previous inability to form a solid detective team, Hoitz’s bad temper, Gamble’s inexperience in the field and previous position as a forensic accountant, another pair of detectives named Martin and Fosse, and a massive lottery scam operated by a multi-billionaire named David Ershon, who owns money to an investor.

In the end, ”THE OTHER GUYS” proved to be a solid comedy written by Chris Henchy and Adam McKay, and directed by McKay. Narrated by Ice-T, the movie provided plenty of comedic moments that actually made me laugh and some surprisingly impressive action sequences. One of the best scenes featured a bombing of an accountant’s office that left both Gamble and Hoitz slightly wounded. It gave Farrell the opportunity to make sarcastic remarks about similar scenes in other Hollywood action films. Another funny scene featured the over-the-top action sequence featuring Highsmith and Danson, which opened the movie. However, my favorite scene featured Hoitz meeting Gamble’s beautiful wife, Dr. Sheila Ramos Gamble for the first time. Mark Wahlberg proved he could be extremely funny, while conveying Hoitz’s barely controlled infatuation with Sheila and disbelief that she would find someone like Gamble desirable. The movie also explored the personalities and background of both Gamble and Hoitz, allowing the audience to understand their personal demons and the situations that led to their partnership and inability to get along. During college, Gamble became a pimp for a group of female college students-turned-prostitutes. Which in turn allowed his personality to become increasingly aggressive, until he found himself arrested for violent behavior. And Hoitz found himself partnered with Gamble after he accidently shot New York Yankee Derek Jeter during the 2003 World Series. An incident that Hoitz has been trying to live down ever since.

Not everything about ”THE OTHER GUYS” ended up smelling roses. The movie was hampered by at least two sequences that threatened to stop the movie’s pacing in its tracks. One sequence featured multi-billionaire Ershon’s attempts to bribe Gamble and Hoitz with expensive tickets to shows and sporting events in order to stop them from investigating his lottery ticket scam. At first, I found the sequence rather funny. But it threatened to stretch for a longer period than necessary and I found myself longing for it to end. Another such sequence featured Gamble’s attempts to send slightly pornographic messages to his wife, Sheila, using her mother as a carrier. Both he and Hoitz found themselves hiding from their fellow cops and a group of mercenaries, while keeping Ershon in their custody in order to use him to prevent the scam from affecting the police retirement fund. At first I found the scene rather funny, with most of the comedy provided by Mama Ramos’ growing discomfort at the pornographic nature of Gamble and Sheila’s messages. But like the bribery sequence, it threatened to go a bridge too far and I found myself inwardly screaming for it to end. One last problem I had with the movie dealt with its last half hour. Quite frankly, I thought ”THE OTHER GUYS” dragged a bit during that half hour. McKay and Henchy could have wrapped up the story a little sooner. And I found the resolution to the case to be rather vague. Almost confusing.

Both Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg proved to be a first-rate comedy team, much to my surprise. I had feared that Wahlberg would find himself overwhelmed by the comedic aggressions of Ferrell, but the actor proved that he could more than hold his own and be just as funny. And Ferrell proved that he did not always have to resort to his usual manic comedy style in order to be funny. Michael Keaton’s talent for comedy seemed to have resurface in both “THE OTHER GUYS” as Gamble and Hoitz’s crusty supervisor Captain Gene Mauch and the Disney animation movie, ”TOY STORY 3”. In fact, I thought he was so funny in this film that I had found myself wondering where he had been for so long. Eva Mendes proved to be just as funny as Gamble’s beautiful, yet off-the-wall wife, Sheila. Steve Coogan, along with Rob Riggle and Damon Wayans Jr. provided comedic support in their roles as billionaire David Ershon and the two leads’ rivals, Martin and Fosse. And both Samuel L. Jackson and Dwight Johnson gave deliciously over-the-top performances as the city’s two original and not-so-bright top cops, Highsmith and Danson.

I had a few problems with Adam McKay and Chris Henchy’s script for “THE OTHER GUYS” and all of them featured the pacing. Two of the comedy sequences stretched longer than necessary. And if I must be honest, I have to say the same about the movie’s last half hour. But the movie also featured some top-notch performances by a cast led by Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg. It also had a solid script ably directed by McKay. Overall, “THE OTHER GUYS” proved to be a pretty damn good movie.

Five Favorite “EUREKA” Season Two (2007) Episodes

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Two of the Syfy Channel series, “EUREKA”. Created by Andrew Cosby and Jaime Paglia, the series starred Colin Ferguson:

FIVE FAVORITE “EUREKA” SEASON TWO (2007) Episodes

1. (2.12) “All That Glitters…” – The metals in Eureka begin to spontaneously turn to gold, but the wealth proves to be fleeting, when the town when the structures begin deteriorating.

2. (2.06) “Noche de Sueños” – Groups of Eureka’s citizens begin sharing dreams in embarrassing and conflicting way and havoc ensues, due to a scientific accident that blended different technologies.

3. (2.13) “A Night at Global Dynamics” – In the season finale, a flesh eating virus has infected Global Dynamics and the building goes into a security protocol that endangers everyone’s lives.

4. (2.07) “Family Reunion” – The grandfather of Global Dynamics’ junior scientist Dr. Douglas Fargo is discovered in a cryo-stasis chamber, but no one can determine how he got in there. Elsewhere, Zoe Carter pursues another mystery involving her dad, Sheriff Jack Carter, and a dozen roses.

5. (2.03) “Unpredictable” – A surprise visit from Dr. Abby Carter, Jack’s ex-wife and Zoe’s mother disrupts their lives, while the Global Dynamics staff tries to track the appearance of strange weather before it can become an “ice funnel of death.”

R.I.P. Chris Gauthier (1976-2024)