Reviews
Homeland (2011)
Intriguing Drama with an immensely talented cast.
If you wanted to see a gripping thriller with incredible characters, you have come to the perfect place. 'Homeland' is the new Showtime Drama that entertains you throughout and never lets you go, thus succeeding in slipping in some really unexpected twists in the plot. With writers who've previously written for '24', the show does look inspired when it comes to keeping the audience in the dark.
The show is blessed with a small but amazing cast whose performance is worth every penny. Claire Danes plays an intense CIA analyst who believes that recently recovered P.O.W. (Damian Lewis) is plotting to attack America. Her character is unstable and makes it hard for the audience to believe her which adds to the beauty of the script. Damian Lewis, on the other hand, plays the 'guy in uniform' with ease as he did splendidly in 'Band of Brothers'. The show hasn't revealed much about Damian's character and I have a feeling they wouldn't do that any time soon, since it keeps the suspense going.
The pilot was top-notch and certainly the best that premiered this fall. If the show continues to be intriguing and maintains the high quality of the pilot, it can surely be a genius.
10 stars at least for now.
Person of Interest (2011)
Abrams' Genius meets Nolan's Class
With Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams at the helm, I had great expectations from this show and it delivered in the best possible way. 'Person of Interest' is a sophisticated, intriguing, intense thriller with an exciting plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. After '24', this is probably the only show that stands out in this genre.
Jim Caviezel (Reese) plays an ex-CIA hit-man (which itself sounds cool) who is a tough guy but at the same time has strong feelings for his dead girlfriend which he tries to suppress. Michael Emerson, who we know as 'Benjamin Linus' from 'Lost', plays a scientist who hires Reese to do his dirty work. Emerson, who is known to play complex characters, keeps up his end of the bargain by giving a flawless performance. Even though the show has just began, I can see Jim and Emerson sharing great on-screen chemistry in the future (hopefully there is one).
There is a vast difference between writing a screenplay for a movie and a TV episode. But, that did not matter since, Johnathan Nolan, making his debut in the TV industry, had great help in the form of Abrams, who has been doing this day in, day out for so many years. Apart from the talented writing, the show also showcased some riveting action sequences, good editing and awesome visuals. The surveillance cam shots added another dimension to this show.
'Person of Interest' has a lot of potential and I would hate to see it become just another crime show. I hope it continues to impress and gets a renewal soon.
The Hangover Part II (2011)
It couldn't have been better
Having seen the first part, you must be fooling yourself if you didn't expect the sequel to be absolutely crazy and awesome. The movie offers exactly that and much more. Its plot is more or less the same as the first, the only exception being Bangkok instead of Vegas. Even though the comedy is more hardcore and below the belt, it leaves you with tears of laughter and you're jaw stuck to the floor. Some scenes were so hilarious that for a second I almost forgot that it was a sequel.
It may not be as good as the first movie, but it was a pleasant relief from the drought of comedies this year. The Wolfpack was awesome as ever with Zach leading the way. No offence to anyone, but, no one plays a weirdo better than Zach.
Having said all that, I didn't quite like the ending, maybe because I knew what was going to happen next. This lack of originality may be the only reason for low ratings. But then, you don't expect the sequel of a movie like Hangover to be original, do you? I think the director did the best he could with this movie and delivered a gut-busting, rollicking experience.
Hangover-II is the best comedy this year and if you watch it without any cynicism, you're sure to have a laughter riot.
Source Code (2011)
Keeps you on the edge.
I was told about Source Code by a friend of mine who was psyched about it. So I decided to give it a try. I was expecting a usual action packed thriller with not much of a storyline. But, what I saw was a very well scripted, intellectually challenging movie with not too much action. I actually had to watch it again to get the full gist of it. The story revolves around a soldier played by Jake Gyllenhaal who did full justice to his role. This might be his best performance after Donnie Darko and Brokeback Mountain.
Source Code, being a science-fiction, had some non-explainable facets to it. But, the writer did his best to keep things clear and not make it too complicated. It may probably not win an Oscar next year, nevertheless, it is the best thriller this year and deserves to be watched at least once.
Hustle (2004)
Hustle - the 'Oceans' of TV.
Hustle is my first British TV show. Before watching this show, I was told that British Television was full of boring stereotypes. But, Hustle really stood out for me as it was witty, entertaining, slick and stunningly stylish. The show is about a group of diversely skilled con artists who perform a series of scams and heists which are elaborate and challenging. It first looked like an Oceans rip-off but came into its own as the pilot progressed.
Adrian Lester plays the clever, charming con man 'Mickey Stone' who has a perfect record in conning the rich. He is the leader of these 'pros of con' and completely outclasses rest of the cast on screen except Danny Blue (Marc Warren), a young talented short con expert who tries to join Mickey's team. Marc Warren certainly adds a touch of class and elegance to the show by his super comic skills and sarcastic nature.
Another unique quality of this show is the 'freeze frame' shot along with 'thought tracking' in which time stops so that the characters can explain the minute details of the sting. The technicians crew have to be credited for this amazing camera-work. The writers also have done a great job by adding plenty of twists and turns in the plot, thus, making it worth watching.
I have only watched the pilot till now and for that I would give it 8/10 but the show is bound to get better with time.
Californication (2007)
A Showtime Wonder
I have watched 3 seasons of this show now, and I have to admit it is one of the most well written shows. Along with the nudity and the explicit nature of the show, it most importantly has a beautiful storyline. Its not just one of those shows with sex, drugs and booze. Its also about love, father-daughter relationship, loneliness, infidelity and regret.
David Duchovny is the soul of the show (no wonder he got a Golden Globe for it). He plays 'Hank Moody', the f**ked up, vulnerable, dysfunctional writer. He tries to grapple with his feelings for his ex, played by Natascha McElhone (who is absolutely stunning), and also tries to raise their daughter by trying to be a 'cool dad'. At the same time, he deals with his desire for beautiful women by charming his way through to them and mostly ends up f**king them. His agent Charlie Runkle (Evan Handler) helps him with his writing career which just didn't take off after his first book. Runkle and his wife Marcy (Pamela Adlon) are involved in some hilarious sub-plots together.
It is difficult to classify this show in a particular genre as it has everything from dark comedy, sex to family drama. Californication and Dexter have taken cable TV to an all new level making Showtime as good as HBO. I strongly recommend this show for its lovely plot and amazing cast especially David. Season 2 may get a bit boring but please keep going as season 3 is outstanding. The soundtrack is really soothing.
Finally, the show is a must watch and very well scripted. I would like to give it 9 stars most of which are for Duchovny.