"Entourage" Season 2 [DVD]

Back from doing an indy movie in New York, Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his posse return to LA, ready for their next movie. Focussing on Vincent’s experiences at Sundance and trying to snare the next big comic-book-adaptation, Aquaman.

The second season of this series is leaps and bounds ahead of the first. The first season of Entourage really left me feeling dissatisfied – I found most of the ‘laughs’ fell either flat or very far off the mark, and I found most of the episodes off-putting. True, Vincent’s tourettes-suffering agent, Ari (the impeccably talented Jeremy Piven) was perhaps the only gem of the whole show. In season two he continues to be the main draw of the series, but it is clear that the other actors have become more comfortable in their roles and the characters benefit from this.

Having said that, Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is still annoyingly feckless and for the life of me I can’t believe the other three tolerate his presence (he’s useless!). His gullibility do encourage a few pranks that were worthy of a good laugh (mandatory drug testing at an Xbox competition, anyone?). Vincent’s brother, Johnny “Drama” (Kevin Dillon) and Eric (Kevin Connolly) have both improved, and Drama has provided a much bigger portion of the better jokes this season. Eric still comes across as a little too fragile and holy-than-thou at times, and finds himself struggling with the position of being Vince’s manager, butting heads with Ari on a number of occasions, tripping up over the surface bullshit of Hollywood – such as the incident involving his lack of a business card or company name, which only lead to complete apathy from other vacuous denizens of Tinseltown.

Entourage continues to bring us a whole new take on the Hollywood lifestyle, showing us that while there may be a lot of parties and gorgeous women, there are still plenty of assholes and bottom-feeders ready to ruin the party for everyone. Unlike my feelings at the close of the rather weak season one finale, I actually find myself eager for some more. If you’re looking for a relaxed, glitzy show who’s characters you can really envy (but feel for at the same time), check this one out.

(The idea behind this show might not really be as new as proposed, though: apparently the idea of having an entourage of buddies like this is based on Mark Wahlberg’s true-life experiences – not so hard to believe considering how involved he is with the show: he’s an executive producer, appeared in the pilot episode, and provides one of the DVD extras by interviewing all the cast members).

"The Departed" (2007)

Martin Scorsese’s latest gangster-related movie is an amazing piece of cinematic work. Not only are the actors all A-List (it must have cost a fortune to make…!), but everything from the design, cinematography and – of course – the direction all top notch. The Departed follows the story of two kids from Southy in Boston, growing up in different circumstances, both passing through Boston police advanced training. One is chosen to hunt the mob (Damon) but is patronised by the don (Nicholson), the other is chosen to infiltrate the mob (DiCaprio) and help bring the don down. All very twisted so far.

The Departed marks the third movie Scorsese has made with Leonardo DiCaprio – certainly not something someone with a casual interest in Hollywood would have guessed not so long ago. (The others are Gangs Of New York and The Aviator) But, having truly laid to rest his reputation as just a pretty face, Leo has really stepped out as an actor, and I have found myself very impressed with his recent performances (and it looks like he’s going to give us another stellar performance in Blood Diamond, out this year). In The Departed, he shines as the mole-within-the-mob, mixing street toughness and vulnerability in his portrayal of Billy Costigan, ably demonstrating the angst and fear that must go through the mind of an undercover agent in such a situation.

Matt Damon, further proving that he’s better than Ben Affleck (was there really ever any doubt?), is equally compelling as Colin Sullivan, the rat-among-the-cops. Effectively raised by Jack Nicholson’s Frank Costello to be a mole for him, Damon ably makes his part a character who, though clearly the bad guy, we can sympathise with when things start going a little awry for his various plans.

Mark Wahlberg, as the potty-mouthed Sergeant Dignam, second to Martin Sheen’s Captain Oliver Queenan, make for equally compelling television, as we really start to dislike the guy, almost from the start, just as we're meant to. All is forgiven, though... eventually.

Newcomer Vera Farmiga, who plays Madolyn - Damon’s girlfriend and shrink for the Boston police force, who has DiCaprio for a patient – is also brilliant, even if it did occasionally feel like her character was little more than a prop. She interacts between both Damon and DiCaprio, providing perhaps the only human link between the two.

On to the bigger names. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with the rest of the cast. Martin Sheen didn’t play that much of a role in the movie, but his scenes were very good – it’s just a pity he wasn’t given more to sink his teeth into. Alec Baldwin played Alec Baldwin, but with a cop’s badge. Nothing new there. But, to tell the sad truth, Jack Nicholson disappointed perhaps the most. True, his character was meant to be a little unhinged and zany, but all I saw was a mixture of two previous characters of his – Melvin Udall (As Good As It Gets) and his most famous part, Randle Patrick McMurphy (One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest). Interestingly, he got an Oscar for both of these parts, both of which were well deserved, but here it came across as nothing new. A pity.

A movie ably carried by the venerable director and his crop of younger actors, but sadly let down (though only slightly) by the more established names.

(The Departed is now available to buy on DVD in both the USA and UK)

"Ice Age 2"

Just a short one, this movie is very enjoyable.

Like most of the audience there, the main draw for us was the ever put-upon Skrat - the prehistoric squirrel on an everlasting quest for acorns. Ice Age 2 didn't disappoint! More time is spent on his side-quest than on the first Ice Age installment.

The main storyline - the ice is melting, run away! - is enjoyable enough, but the overall feeling of the movie is that they wanted an excuse to use Skrat again - after all, he prominently adorns every publicity shot and every poster.

Manny (Ray Romano) is as whiney as always, Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo) is as odd as before and worshipped by a horde of mini-Sids, while Diego (Dennis Leary) is... softer - he's scared of swimming and nowhere near as cutting as before.

The script is well written, again - with some funny, if daft exchanges between Sid and, well, everyone. Fast Tony (Jay Leno) puts in a nice appearance as a creature willing to sell anything for anything.

Overall, then, the kids will love it for the cute animals, and the parents will love it because Skrat is still a work of pure comic genius!

http://www.iceage2.com/

"V For Vendetta"

An unusual film for this day and age, with the War On Terror at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

A bleak look into the future of fascist government control, V For Vendetta contains a number of allusions to how the media – particularly news broadcasts – can be manipulated by the government to mislead and misinform. A good example:

“Do you think people will buy this?”
“Of course they will. It’s not our job to fabricate the news. That’s the government’s job.”

An Orwelian look at the future, for sure, but this movie is more than mere entertainment. A damning indictment of government corruption, media manipulation, and oppression. In this world that has become twisted by bigoted talking-heads into “believing” that the alternative (art, music, homosexuality) is deviant and treasonous, it takes a monster created through monstrous means - to paraphrase from the movie - to bring the oppressors to their knees.

Hugo Weaving is spectacular as V, the titular terrorist-hero. His grasp of the English language is exemplary and his performance flawless. It’s a real shame he won’t get an Oscar for this as he continues to impress audiences with every role he accepts. Natalie Portman, as Evey, is equally good, her English accent sounding almost there, and not at all Dick Van Dkye-ish (praise the Movie Gods for that small mercy).

Exploring the relationship between V and Evey, his brutal quest to make her fearless and strong, from the moment he saves her from two Fingermen (government sneaks) at the start, until the very end, they have suprisingly good chemistry considering one looks like an animated mannequin.

Overall, this movie is one that should entertain as well as make people think about terrorism and the modern, oh-so-narrow idea of what that word means, and who it refers to.

Thought-provoking, engaging, visually spectacular and engaging. A must see.

vforvendetta.warnerbros.com

"Capote"

The film chronicles Truman Capote’s pursuit of his great story – the murder of a family in late 1940-50s rural Kansas, trying to get into the minds of the two killers. In Cold Blood was the last book Capote ever finished, and turned him into the most famous author in America.

A good commentary on the mindset of an investigative journalist who lets the story consume him. His methods and demeanour throughout the movie eventually push many of his closest friends away from him, as he becomes more focussed. This is especially the case for his brilliant researcher, Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), who later leaves his employ as her novel To Kill A Mockingbird takes of and is made into a movie – something Truman “can’t really see what all the fuss is about”.

Towards the end of the movie, Capote has changed from the enthusiastic writer, eager to write the greatest story ever told, to someone praying for the death of his subjects, wishing it all to end – convinced that without their execution, he can’t finish his book. What makes the events more traumatic for him is that he's fallen in love - to an extent - with Perry White (Clifton Collins Jr.), the more demure and fragile-seeming half of the murderous duo. The relationship between the two is one based on deceit and avoidance, as both are not completely forthcoming with the other, as Truman finds out to his dismay when Perry reveals the truth about that fateful night at the farmhouse.

As a movie, Capote was actually quite dull. The plot meanders its way across the scene, alternating between scenes between Truman and Perry, Truman pontificating to anyone around him, and Truman feeling sorry for himself. The lack of any real soundtrack also makes the movie somewhat difficult to watch, when all you hear is Truman’s high, whiney voice coming through the speakers.

Philip Seymour Hoffman does, however, do an impeccable job at portraying Truman Capote. Arrogant, single-minded and manipulative, with a slight sinister air, he certainly earned his Oscar.

"Just Friends"

This was quite funny. Though not a lot. Because the jokes were pretty much the same throughout, and not wildly original, I did find myself checking my watch to see how much longer there was to go, before I could run out of the cinema and find something more cerebral to do.

Ryan Reynolds plays a suitably dorky and weird music producer, Chris Brander, who gets himself into plenty of painfully-embarassing moments (which, ultimately are highly predictable). Amy Smart, however, doesn't really do a whole lot, and comes across as a bit surplus-to-requirements, beyond the hook of her being the love interest.

Firmly in the same camp as American Pie and Road Trip, only not as good. In other words, we've seen it all before.

An enjoyable few minutes, but ultimately forgettable and unsatisfying.

"Walk The Line"

Following the rise to stardom and subsequent descent into addiction, despair, and eventual rehabilitation, Walk The Line is a dark, unglamourous look into the life of Johnny Cash - the man in black.

The most startling thing about this movie is the performances from Joaquim Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, both of whom have managed to make their characters their own. Phoenix's portrayal of Cash is superb and perfectly convincing, adopting his gait and his southern drawl with aplomb.

Reese Witherspoon, as Cash's love interest June Carter, also shines on screen, though never to the same extent as Phoenix. She does, admirably though, manage to refrain from devolving her character into some sort of farce, which would have been all too easy to do. Her sparring with Cash over his unfulfilled love for her, and his constant advances (eventually leading to an on-stage proposal of marriage, after failing on the tour bus so many times) is touching, funny, and sincere.

The story itself if a slow-burner, starting at the infamous gig in Folsom Prison, then returning to Johnny's childhood and the death of his brother - something that clearly had a lasting effect on Johnny, as well as his strained relationship with his tough, emotionally-distant father (portrayed admirably by Robert Patrick).

The movie has the overall feeling of a confession, without any pretence of self-pity or desire for it. This is understandable, considering it is based on two books written by Cash himself.

Seemingly endless and over-long, Walk The Line is only slightly hampered by the pace. A great insight into one of the 20th Century's greatest musical legends. Perfect for those who've never been introduced to Cash's music.