The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Review

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The Dark Knight Rises Prologue Review

The fire rises. And hopefully, so does the movie's sound mix.

Yes, I have seen the prologue for The Dark Knight Rises. And much like the bank heist prologue from The Dark Knight, it is six minutes of perfect, appetite-whetting AWESOME. It perfectly shows off the mood of the movie, as well as the first real unveiling of the film's villain. And, along with the trailer, it builds the anticipation for this flick that was already at The Phantom Menace-level anticipation to a fever pitch, whilst unfortunately reminding us that there are still seven months to go until the release of the final film. (SPOILERS AHEAD) The prologue itself deals with the CIA taking custody of one Dr. Leonid Pavel (the "mad scientist" announced months ago to be played by Alon Aboutbol), a character who's heavily figured into the marketing campaign, while also attempting to gather information from henchmen on their leader, a mysterious masked muscular mercenary (M's, lol) named Bane. Eventually, while the interrogation on a plane is ongoing, Bane reveals himself, and crashes the plane with the help of his cronies. A few exchanges of dialogue establish that Bane's men are fanatically devoted to his cause (that "the fire rises" line stuck in the head), while managing to toe around the actual plot of the film, which is still a complete mystery. In addition, there was an opening that recalled Gordon's speech about Harvey Dent from the end of TDK, and a short montage of clips at the end (some from the trailer and some not), before showing a shot of all hell breaking loose in Gotham as Bane's men appear to collide in battle with the GCPD. The last shot, of Bane carrying a shard of Batman's broken cowl (as depicted in the above poster) is truly chilling, and, combined with the timeline, gives me the idea that The Dark Knight Rises plot will be something of a hybrid of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Bane's introductory storyline, Knightfall. Of all the good things I've said about this prologue, however, it has one major flaw: Tom Hardy's Bane voice is quite difficult to understand. Some sentences are easier than others, but his last lines were pretty much unintelligible. Christopher Nolan himself has stated that he's only going to make minor sound alterations to the voice, so I hope that they make it count. Still, this prologue only made me more excited. I won't apply a star rating to this one, as six minutes of footage is hard to rate.

The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20.

"When Gotham is ashes, you'll have my permission to die."

Dexter - "This is the Way the World Ends" Review, Season 6 Recap

They finally f'in did it. Only one season too late.

So, I'm back. After an extremely long hiatus due to studies, I'm home for Christmas. So, I figured I'd make up for lost time, and write a review for the season finale of Dexter, and the season in general as well. First the season 6 recap.

To be perfectly honest, this season of Dexter was not as bad as many TV critics and fans made it out to be. It had its moments, particularly in the early part of the season, where the writing was about up to par with the usual standards. By far, the series' most interesting guest character this season was Brother Sam. I'll admit that I had some worries about Mos Def's acting ability, but dammit if he wasn't pretty good. Brother Sam worked better than either Doomsday Killer as a character, if only because his positive story provided the season with some much-needed perspective on religion. Sadly, after Brother Sam was killed off midseason, the writing took a nosedive. Since I haven't reviewed any episodes since the first, I've never had time to comment on the Ghost Gellar story, but I too was inclined to believe he wasn't real by the second or third episode. Edward James Olmos was wasted in a thankless, one-note role as the overtly fanatical religious professor, while Colin Hanks surprised me as being fairly good as the unsure, doubting Travis Marshall. However, they stuck to the gimmick of Ghost Gellar for far too long, dragging it out over NINE. FREAKIN'. EPISODES. They could have easily had the reveal be in the closing moments of "Sin of Omission", the eighth episode, or even better, had done it even earlier simply by having a scene of Travis talk to himself as the camera pans out, much like the closing moments of the season one episode "Shrink Wrap", in which Dexter's brother Brian/Rudy (who also returned this season, in a nice little guest spot as Dream Brian, the physical embodiment of Dexter's Dark Passenger) was revealed to be the Ice Truck Killer. But alas, no such luck, so instead, in possibly the series' worst episode "Get Gellar", we get the reveal, which is treated as a massively dramatic twist, when in reality, it was one that pretty much EVERYONE IN THE WORLD KNEW AT THIS POINT. Gellar was merely Travis' Dark Passenger, and once Travis realized that, his character took a ridiculous 180, suddenly becoming as insane as his Ghost Gellar, a homicidal maniac hellbent on bringing out the world's end. So, in the remaining three episodes, things arguably improved a little, but the story still took on some really absurd directions. Deb being in love with Dexter?! That's not only the sickest and most twisted thing I've ever heard (I call bullshit on the "they're not related by blood" thing, they lived together in the same house for DECADES, they're siblings, blood or not), but it's also just unbelievable in terms of the direction of the character of Debra thus far. Still, the story was fun and kept me engaged, though not quite as much as previous seasons. There was also the interesting subplots of Louis the intern, who seems a little too interested in Dexter and his connection to the Ice Truck Killer. And then there is Deb's conflict with LaGuerta over her throwing Captain Matthews under the bus. And as "Talk to the Hand" ended, Travis left Dex in a pool of fire, stranded in the Atlantic Ocean, as Travis' tableaus to end the world neared completion with the solar eclipse. And with that, the review of "This is the Way the World Ends"....

I must say, most of this finale of Dexter surprised in how laid-back, assured, self-contained, and low-key it was. There was no closure on the plot of Louis, so I'm assuming that that will play a part in what will almost definitely be a very different season of Dexter as opposed to its predecessors (I'll get to why in a minute). They also remained fairly unconcerned on the subplots of Quinn and Batista, and Deb and LaGuerta, which will probably continue into next season as well. The main problem with this episode, and the season as a whole, lied in the fact that, until the very final minute, is that NONE OF IT MATTERED AT ALL TO THE OVERARCHING NARRATIVE OF THE SERIES. In season 1, Dex discovered his past, met his brother, and was established as a character. In season 2, he fully embraced his nature, began to feel for Rita and the kids, defeated a powerful adversary in Doakes, and very barely evaded capture. In 3, he attempted to make a true friend and mold a successor, while preparing himself for marriage and the arrival of a son. In 4, he faced off against his most powerful adversary ever, while attempting to reconcile his killer side with his family man side, which failed completely, resulting in Rita's death. Season 5 had him deal with loss, then channel it by helping a similar lost soul find purpose in life, and found his own in the process. Season 6, while it attempted to wedge in some overarching themes of legacy and faith, failed to leave any lasting impact, mainly because, from an emotional perspective, Dexter ends in pretty much the same place he did before, wanting to be a good father to his son while still being able to kill. Travis' defeat at the exact moment of the eclipse was quite satisfying, and involving Harrison in the plot was certainly an interesting dramatic turn. Dexter's plan to nail Travis also worked well, thinking ahead of Travis in terms of his tranquilizer needles' effects, and while the climax was not as intense as Dexter's chase to Trinity in season 4, or his showdown with Lumen against Jordan Chase in season 5, or even as he was captured by the Skinner in season 3, it was still good to see Travis finally get his comeuppace. However, this is where the episode's logic faltered. Deb told Dexter to do a last sweep of Gellar's church, right? So why, in all hell, WOULD HE TAKE TRAVIS RIGHT TO THE SPOT WHERE DEB EXPECTED HIM TO BE? It was a serious character issue for me, and almost, almost ruined the ending. But thankfully, the moment of the ending was simply too magnanimous to be screwed up, despite the somewhat lazy logic that led to it. As Dexter finally Saran wraps Travis to his table, and stabs him as he does all his victims: we see Debra walk into the church, and, at long last, we get this:

Oh, God.

Although it was a full year late (the reveal easily could have happened in the season 5 finale "The Big One", when merely a curtain separated Deb from Lumen and Dexter as she talked to them with Chase's body over them), the reveal was everything it should have been. I may have had a few problems with the episode, but most of those are because of the season rather than the ep itself, and it did give the moment that Dexter fans have been waiting for. And now, with it behind us, season 7 will begin in a whole new light, hopefully setting up an explosive endgame for the final two seasons of the series. So, in conclusion, an mediocre episode becomes a good, not great one through a fantastic final shot. Be back in October for season 7.

"This is the Way the World Ends" - 3.5/5 stars

Posts Update (I'll Be Back).

Yeah, I went there.

Wow, it's been forever since I've typed in here. I've been distracted by my studies in recent weeks (and a lot of mindless procrastination), so I haven't been reviewing as I did before. I meant to continue to review Dexter, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, among others, and I meant to crack into reviews of The Walking Dead, Beavis and Butt-head, and South Park. Suffice it to say that I have few, if any complaints about any of these shows' quality recently. My posts from here on out will be far more sporadic, mostly on whims, whenever I feel like talking about a movie or TV show or whatever. I may review Hell On Wheels, that new AMC show premiering Sunday, but I won't really review any of the above shows for awhile, at least until their season finales, or if I come across a truly compelling episode worth discussing. So, yeah just an update if anyone actually READS this blog, it's only been around for about 5 months. So, until later, then.

Oh, and play Batman: Arkham City. It's EPIC EPICNESS.

EPICALLY AWESOME BATMAN-NESS.

Dexter - "Those Kinds of Things" Review

Dexter discovers the inconveniences of popularity. 

So, after nearly a full year without Dexter, everyone's favorite serial killer has, at long last, returned, with a few notable changes since last season's finale. For one, a year has passed since "The Big One", instead of the usual requisite weeks or months (or in the case of 4 to 5, no time at all). This allowed the writers to finally put the specter of Rita behind them, along with them also conveniently being allowed to dump Lumen in the process, as there was nary a mention of either of them in this episode, save references to Dexter's loss of wife. So what did I think of "Those Kinds of Things"? Well, for the most part, I got that usual morbid glee that came over me whenever I watched early-season episodes of Dexter. After the muddled, somewhat repetitive, and overly somber season 5, season 6 looks to be a fresh start for the series, and the premiere perfectly reflected the new mentality. Dexter appears to have been reborn in the past year, operating almost identically to how he handled his killings in season 1, from the syringes to the boat to the cover life. The only difference is one small case of personal investment: his little toddler, Harrison. After some fairly creepy foreshadowing about Harrison in season 5 (that indicated that Dex's Dark Passenger may have passed on to him through Rita's death), Dexter is absolutely sure that he wants Harrison to live a life free of his burden, but he doesn't know what he wants to give to him instead. Eventually, through looking at a Miami Catholic prep school, he comes across religion, and is (understandably) perplexed by the concept. As a man with a monster inside, who's always acted with a strictly one-track mind, religion must seem almost trivial to him, a mask to protect believers from the nitty-gritty of the world (in this case, people like him). Nevertheless, he is intrigued, and much as he attempted to discover about relationships in season 1, he attempts to glean information about God here, from asking Deb and Batista, to asking one of his victims. His main drive of the episode is the pursuit of a former high school classmate, who he believes killed his own wife. That is the weakness of the episode, as both the reunion plot and his murder strategy feel like a road already taken many times, though the payoff scene where he interrogates the killer about his beliefs was worth it. We are also introduced to the presumed seasonal antagonists, one Professor Gellar (played by Gaff himself, Edward James Olmos), and Travis Marshall (played by a very creepy Colin Hanks). We don't learn much about them here, other than that they have a penchant for very theatrical and ritualistic killings, which include replacing a poor fruit seller's intestines with snakes, as well as writing Alpha Omega on his chest, presumably as part of some twisted faith-based cult. The manner in which they're introduced is not unlike the introduction of the Salamanca cousins in season 3 of Breaking Bad, in which we learn very little about them, other than that they're very dangerous, and that they're bound to cross paths with Dexter at some point. No sign of Mos Def in this episode, though it looks like he'll appear next week. Also, Debra becomes a hero at a restaurant (where Quinn was about to propose to her, no less), and Batista's sister (and Harrison's new nanny) is hot, so hot that he acts like an overprotective father around her. LaGuerta's been promoted through blackmail to her old nemesis, Captain Matthews, and Masuka is still the best comic relief, the eternal pervert. Dream Harry also showed up a bit, including a hilarious sequence where he's egging Dexter on during a flag football game.

So, again, did I like "Those Kinds of Things"? Yes, I did, but the new antagonists better have something big planned, or this season may fall into repetition quite quickly. Luckily, Mos Def looks to shake things up next week, and things should be interesting. A welcome return to form. Welcome back, Dex.

"Those Kinds of Things" - 4/5 stars

How I Met Your Mother - "Ducky Tie" Review

What won't Barney do for a look at Lily's Pregnant Boobs?

Though I last expressed trepidations about the return of Victoria last week, I can now thankfully say that those misgivings were entirely unfounded. "Ducky Tie" was, through and through, a callback to the early days of How I Met Your Mother. It almost played like a direct sequel to "Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM" from season one, and this helped give it the feel of a classic HIMYM episode. The story of "Ducky Tie" played out in a delicate balancing act, between the funny and lighthearted Barney-Lily-Marshall story, and the deeper and heartfelt story of Ted, Robin, and Victoria. The issues between Ted and Victoria, left somewhat unexplained at the end of the aforementioned season one episode, are fully resolved here, and what be most surprising is that this appears to be the only episode in which Victoria will be, as opposed to my belief that she was back for a longer term. She gave Ted a few words of wisdom at the end, that, from Saget Ted's narration, allude to a coming change in dynamic in the group, particularly between Ted, Robin, and Barney. This could go one of two ways: either they will have a falling out, and go their separate ways for a while, or it's that Robin is, in fact, Barney's bride a little ways down the road. Then there's the previously promised Ducky Tie storyline, in which a wager is set: if Barney can do the Shinjitsu art of cooking, he gets to fondle Lily's enhanced pregnancy breasts (MOST. MATURE. BET. EVER.), and if he loses, he has to wear Marshall's ducky tie (brrr) for a year. As it turns out, Barney had been psychologically conditioning Marshall towards this bet for years, should he ever want something from him, and is an expert Shinjitsu cook. The intricacies of Barney's plan are gut-bustingly funny, and the denouement just makes it more so, and I look forward to watching Barney wear Marshall's tie for the rest of the season. Overall, though, this was both a nostalgic episode and a step forward, and continues the high quality trend that has begun early in this season.

"Ducky Tie" - 4.5/5 stars

The Office - "The List" Review

Robert California. Welcome to the winner's table.

So, here we are. The 8th season of NBC's hit comedy The Office. Or, as it shall be known to future generations, "The first season of the show without Steve Carell". Yes, Michael Scott is gone. And that's that. Now that that's out of the way, let's move on to the actual review.

It is unlikely that The Office will ever truly regain the heights of its earlier seasons (I'm thinking second and third), simply because it feels a bit long in the tooth at this point. We've been watching Jim, Dwight, Pam, Stanley, Phyllis, Meredith, Daryl, Creed, Angela, Kevin, Kelly, Ryan, and Oscar in action (with Andy, Erin, and Gabe joining in as the series came along) since early 2005, and let's face it, the characters are not as fresh as they once were. So, in the wake of the-actor-who-shall-remain-nameless' departure, the producers felt it was time to bring in a little new blood. And in the funny but uneven and ultimately disappointing season 7 finale "Search Committee" (I hadn't started this blog yet then, but if it had been, I would've probably given it a 3-3.5/5 star rating), they dangled Ricky Gervais (returning briefly once again as David Brent), James Spader, Catherine Tate, Will Arnett, Ray Romano, and a very odd fleeting cameo from Jim Carrey, in front of us, to see who we'd be most receptive to taking over at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. In the end, they chose Spader's Robert California (who was my favorite of the guest spots, with his domineering persona and insane "everything is sex" belief system), but not as Regional Manager. It seems that California felt the position was beneath him, so he somehow managed to talk Jo (goodbye Kathy Bates) out of her own job, and became the new CEO of Sabre. So, even with a new star thrown into the mix of our cast of characters, the manager position remained open until last night's episode. And the new manager of Dunder Mifflin is (*insert self-appointed drumroll please*) none other than Ed Helms' 'Nard Dog himself, Andy. While I was personally hoping Darryl would take over (Big Craig Robinson fan here), I also think Andy is an excellent choice, as he was given a significantly larger role last season, and they even alluded to him possibly being the manager a few times. Helms delivered in this episode, appearing flustered and truly confused in his new job, while having to attempt to reason with the occasionally bizarre California. Spader, as opposed to his guest spot last season, was a bit dialed-back here, and while this sort of dropped the comedy ball a bit, it certainly made him into a more believable character. The "winners-losers" list plot in this episode worked a bit less than the other elements, simply because it felt like a plot device created to cause headbutts between Andy and California. However, Andy's vouching for the losers side of the list was touching and a great character moment, and it highlighted some of his similarities to the former He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This will help the show continue to transition into this new era. The mentality here almost felt like a second pilot episode for the series, in which the show attempts to reboot itself, while honoring the stories that have come before. Overall, this episode was better than I expected it to be, and it's clear that The Office could have a few years left ahead of it yet.

Oh, and Pam's pregnant, with a boy this time. Here's to hoping that the writers don't screw the kid up like they did with Cece, who, like Deangelo Vickers, is on the top of my own list of "Babies I Don't Care About"

"The List" - 4/5 stars