Don’t be a stranger

Hi Panda Lovers
My new home is going great guns and would love to see you there.
You can get your fill of TV, FILM, OP ED PIECES, and BRISBANE AUSTRALIA FOCUSED PIECES.

Some of the popular tv shows I review are:
SMALLVILLE, VAMPIRE DIARIES, NIKITA, THE WALKING DEAD, CAPRICA, FRINGE, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, MAD MEN, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, HAWAII FIVE-0, COMMUNITY and many more.

Some come visit.

You can also follow me on Twitter where I link my new articles where I talk back to my followers and love to hear your feedback.

Review – Nikita – Resistance

Hi there. My name is Nikita and I am here to help (aka bring down Division)

This week:
Nothing it really what it seems, even when you think you know the truth.

Pluses:
Brilliant Michael development.
Was good to see Nikita in the background.
Alex really stepped up.
Great story idea – neat twists and turns all the way through.
Owen backstory and intersection w Nikita.

Minuses:
Percy seemed a bit “off.”
Was really hoping to see Owen and Nikita buddy cop.

Dang this show can deliver. Action, drama, tugging the heart strings and possibly misplaced hope and trust. I am so pleased Nikita got the full season run. If the second half of the series is half as good as the first I am going to be one happy panda.

#fourpandas

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Review – The American #BIFF

Yes ladies, I am a paranoid, lean, mean, emoting machine.

Showing as part of the Brisbane International Film Festival was the advanced Australian screening of The American. This film tells the story of an assassin, on the run from those who recently tried to kill him. Tortured and paranoid as the result of his choices, Clooney’s character Jack/Edward lives a sheltered life – sometimes entering society, occasionally to bond but always busy (he takes on another assignment). His choice of relationships are a strong reflection of his own life choices, and the analogy of his own life to a noticable and endangered butterfly is nicely rounded out. This is a long con movie, with sporadic bursts of action or plot driving.

Pluses:
Italy – I want to go there now.
Clooney’s understated acting.
The slow burn.
Clara’s misunderstanding of Edwards behaviour for love, and him fooling himself into believing it.
The lack of dialogue – so very character and emotionally driven.
Beautifully shot.
Clooney going against type – it isn’t that hard to remember he is actually a very bad man. He is actually too bad to even call him an archetypal Byronic Hero.

Minuses:
Somewhat predictable. I guessed the every major plot point – though I did expect him to have something to do with the spate of murders (not the ones we actually saw him commit).
It is the standard hit-man plot.

I rather enjoyed this – it wasn’t outstanding, but it was on the mark. I can see this movie being a lot more popular with women than men – not just for Clooney, yes ladies you see a fair bit of him – but because it deals with the emotions that drive people’s choices and outcomes, not the large scale events – the action here is incidental.

#threeandahalfpandas

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Review – Nikita – The Recruit

When one door closes, The Division opens a window (or two)

This week:
Two new support characters. Two journeys. Two choices. Two very different outcomes.

Pluses:
Fantastic departure from the usual plot line.
Really strong acting by the guest stars.
Nice to focus away from the main players.
Great “The Division” development.
Amanda.
Questions vs blind faith of recruits.
Awesome twist.

Minuses:
Really? Noone ever notices all that time Alex is chatting on the computer?
What is with the ongoing and developing backstory? Are there that many new viewers each week?

Once again a very strong episode for Nikita. Week after week, solid character and action driven stories. Even when drive of the episode isn’t focused on the overarching arc, there is just enough of it there to take you that little bit closer. If you aren’t watching Nikita, you should be. Hurry up GO! and bring his gem to our shore before GEM nabs it.

#fourpandas

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Review – Fair Game

Only one of us is actually American, but my acting is just that good, Sean.

Tells the story of the lead up, and subsequent outing of Valarie Plame by Scotter Libby during those heady days when the some people thought that invading Iraq was a cool idea.

Pluses:
Amusing at times.
Great fun for political addicts like myself.
Outstanding performances by Watts and Penn save the film.
Interesting perspective – esp the fallout.

Minuses:
Some slow spots.
Bit too hokey American at times.
Assumes that the audience is as clever and well read as a Panda.

At times I think it tried a little too hard to make a point – dumbing it down, and at others it glossed over key facets that drive the story, assuming you know information. Better than a telemovie but not to the level I was hoping.

PS. Naomi Watts is looking old… and that brassy blond do didn’t help at all.

PPS. Thanks to Kelly Higgins-Devine and ABC Local Radio 612 for getting me and Snr Film Pie tix.

#threepandas

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Review – Covert Affairs – Season Finale – When the levee breaks

The truth is complicated.

This week:
There is a mission. Annie isn’t ready but is in it anyway. Flashbacks: Annie with Ben. Case solved (was it even really a case?). Cliff hanger.

Pluses:
Location stuff.
Augie being his pragmatic self.
Baily’s acting (Ben Mercer even if the character is still a blank slate).
Mercer and Walker Buddy Cop!

Minuses:
Not really a case to solve.
Going through the motions.
Lack of surprise as to Hern’s source.
Hard to empathise with Mercer as so little backstory.

Look, it was still an enjoyable romp, but after so much build up to Ben Mercer and Annie Walker – I found it hard to “get” Mercer given we still know so little about him. I thought it somewhat amusing that Walker was expressing my thoughts. I will be very disappointed if the dynamics change next season, and I am not sure that the writers have given themselves anywhere to go giving away one of the subplots (no mystery now).

#twoandahalfpandas