The Lost Weekend (1945) ****

The Lost Weekend features Ray Milland, in an Academy Award winning performance, as an alcoholic suffering from writer's block who has one particularly bad weekend when he skips out on a trip he was supposed to take with his brother. Don Birnam (Milland) was an extremely talented writer in his young age, so much so that he left college early to pursue a professional career. After a few books that didn't fare so well with the public, his self-confidence hit an all time low and he began to be tempted by the drink to help alleviate his fears and focus his mind. Needless to say his new found addiction only caused him to spiral further out of control until he can barely write a single paragraph before giving up and spends whatever money he has feeding his habit in a desperate bid for inspiration to strike.

The film doesn't merely focus on just the titular weekend, as his first meeting with the lovely Helen St. James (Jane Wyman) is also recounted and how the beginning of their relationship led to a brief reprieve from his problem. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting her parents and how they would view his "success" sent him on a long-overdue binge. Once the cat was out of the bag, he lost his motivation to hide his drinking and delved deeper into the pit that alcohol had dug for him. Despite the numerous attempts made by Helen and Wick (Phillip Terry), his brother, to try and get him some help, they are both at their wit's end since it's clear that Don does not want any. All he cares about is getting that next drink and it doesn't matter to him who he hurts in order to obtain it.

The film is a dark look into a serious affliction and highlights the personal tragedies as well as health hazards that accompany such an addiction. Don has sunk so low that even the local bartender, Nat (Howard Da Silva, whose scenes with Milland are some of the film's best), has grown concerned about his health and welfare. He reluctantly pours each shot that Don orders and is disgusted by how Don can be such a letdown to Helen or when he makes a date with Gloria (Doris Dowling), a young woman quite smitten with him, despite the fact he never has any intention on keeping it. He slowly descends into a maddening spiral of drunken and boorish behavior, waking up each morning unaware of what happened the night before. The only thing he is sure about is that he needs another drink. At one point he desperately tears apart his apartment trying to figure out where he hid a bottle of whiskey while drunk the night before. He's even publicly humiliated when caught stealing a woman's purse in a bar for money to cover his tab when he has none.

Billy Wilder uses many different techniques to draw the audience into understanding Don's situation. The heavy use of the theremin in the soundtrack gives a surreal, sometimes nightmarish, musical arrangement to underscore Don's loss of grip with reality and his descent into the depths of despair. Little touches such as the multiple rings of spilt alcohol on the counter of the bar to highlight the quick passage of time and the growing number of milk bottles outside Don's door that he can't even be bothered to bring in gives a subtle hint as to how much of a one-track mind he has. Even the first shot is one that flies over the city, passing the windows of an apartment building until, rather than settling on Don packing for the trip, first focuses on the bottle he has hidden outside the window. The presence of alcohol is as prevalent throughout the film as any other character and the entire film is a struggle for Don to let go of the self doubts that drive his need to drink and accept the help that Helen and Wick continuously offer him.

Favorite moment: Probably the most memorable scene of the entire film is when Don is attending a performance of La Traviata and during, suitably, the "Drinking Song" piece all he can focus on are the prop glasses and bottles of alcohol being held by the cast during the number. He begins to fidget and perspire as he cannot shake the need to take a drink and remembering that he hid a small bottle in his checked raincoat, he imagines the entire cast as swaying raincoats with a noticeable bulge in the pocket signifying the bottle he needs so much. A seemingly comedic scene at first glance, it's the best visual signature of Don's obsession and certainly leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

Glory (1989) ***½

Glory is a historical drama about the first all-black volunteer company in the United States Army that was instituted during the Civil War. These were soldiers who were fighting people on both sides of the war to be accepted into society as free citizens and desperate for the chance to fight for their own freedom. They truly had everything to lose by signing up for the Union Army, as the South made a declaration that any blacks captured in uniform would be summarily executed. The least they could hope for was a return to a state of slavery. They risked their very lives to fight in a war not all of them believed in or understood. Some only signed up simply because they had nowhere else to go and once the war is over the same problem for them will remain.

The featured small group of soldiers serves as a microcosm for the black population as a whole that were now looking towards their new lives following the Civil War. Private Jupiter Sharts (Jihmi Kennedy) is the uneducated field hand who seeks the shelter and food the army provides that he would have found by no other means. Corporal Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher) is the free man who doesn't know the true extent of the suffering of his own people and unaware of the horrors of war he is about to experience. Sergeant Major John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) is the wise gravedigger looking at the big picture after the war, the one the men follow because of his aura of leadership and comfort. Finally there's Private Trip (Denzel Washington, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), so full of hate he is willing to fight anyone, whether it be the Confederate Army or his own people.

They are all lead by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), who is fighting his own personal demons after a speedy promotion through the ranks and a previous failure to lead his men into battle. He cannot connect with the men until he understands that there is no uniform purpose driving them to fight, but a myriad of reasons each unique to a particular soldier. He also comes to realization that he is the only one concerned for the safety and welfare of the soldiers under his command. He pushes for them to prove themselves in battle because he's aware it will give the validation of self-worth they have been aching for after so many years of oppression and torment.

The film switches from violent battle scenes that never shy away from the more gruesome aspects of war as well as highlighting the seemingly foolish battle tactics of marching one army at the other, constantly firing as they inch closer together with major casualties on both ends. This formal approach also easily degenerates into a more chaotic, free-for-all style where it's hard to keep track of who is fighting who and which side is actually winning. These set pieces are juxtaposed with the quieter moments of character interaction where each man finds true purpose for going into battle, washing away whatever their original intentions were for signing up. The dedication and bravery of those soldiers is certainly proven by the end of the film and those that sacrificed their lives in the battle for freedom will not soon be forgotten and will always be honored for those that benefited from and followed in their footsteps.

Favorite moment: Having discovered that they will be paid less than white soldiers, despite being told they are now all equal, Trip succeeds in motivating the soldiers to accept no pay and rip up their stubs in protest to this unjust action. Moved by the spirit and unity of his men, Colonel Shaw follows suit and says no one will take pay until all is equal. This is the first visible step Shaw takes to bonding with his men and the trust that begins to be forged on this day will continue to grow up until that last battle charge into almost certain death.

Another Change of Tactic?

It wasn't too long ago I limited the amount of TV shows that were eligible for reviews. Time constraints have forced me to make another alteration. Rather than cut the numbers of movie reviews, I'm simply going to have featured reviews, the longer ones that have been present so far, and snippet reviews, summing up thoughts and feelings in a shorter format. I also wanted to get back to the more personal type of entries like how I started out. I preferred that to the more formal dissection of films that has become standard procedure. I feel this method will prevent further cuts and make the review process more fun and feel less like work. Hope it's more enjoyable to those out there reading as well.

Fringe "Power Hungry" (2008)

Fringe returns to form as the team investigates a man who has undergone scientific experimentation and has now been given the capability to harness and control electromagnetic activity. Sadly this ability was given to him without his knowledge and results in several deaths, particularly a woman he is quite fond of and his own mother. Of course this all ties back to previous work done by Dr. Bishop, however ironically it was not the intent of his experiments to grant people this power. His work was focused on programming carrier pigeons to hone in on the unique electrical signature of a specific person. However the field generated by the human body is too weak and therefore must be enhanced in order for the tracking system to work. He was never able to harness the power correctly, but it seems that now someone has been able to and Joseph Meegar (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is the unsuspecting lab rat in this new experiment.

Joseph serves at the continuing personification of those innocents that are taken advantage of by the shadow group responsible for these Pattern-related events. Here Dr. Jacob Fischer (Max Baker) has taken out ads promising to help unlock hidden potential mixed in with programs to aide with weight loss, hair growth, etc. These unwitting subjects are then the basis for these experiments to test out this new technology based on Dr. Bishop's work from the 1970s. Right now it's only assumed there is the one organization out there, whether it's Massive Dynamic or some other yet unnamed group has not been clarified. Incidentally The Observer is briefly glimpsed getting out of the elevator that Joseph would unintentionally send plummeting a few moments later. Does he work for the same group as Dr. Fischer or another? Many questions continue to be raised in each episode with only the illusion of answers being received with each passing week.

Stepping away from the mythology and toward to the team (need a name, will work on it), it looks like they're really starting to come together now that Peter is fully on board with these strange investigations with even him and Walter showing a better camaraderie, although they still occasionally banter back and forth, but with amusing results and not the resentment of last week. It seems that even Walter and Astrid may be making up as at the beginning of the episode she appears more cold to him but eventually lightens up and even shares a laugh with him by the end as they are monitoring the carrier pigeons via GPS trackers. How quickly the tide turns as she snaps at him as they are about to release the pigeons, but his childish delight when they take to the skies seems to be enough to win her over. It's impossible not to like Walter, even in his more sinister moments, as he plays the absent minded professor role to perfection and is quickly able to gloss over those moments of awkward hostility. All this and Gene and the piano even make return appearances.

Everyone on the team appears to be getting along smoothly and enjoying themselves, all that is except for Olivia who is visibly shaken about having seen Agent Scott in the previous episode. She thinks she is imagining him, and good dependable Charlie (becoming a bit concerned he may turn out to be evil, you never know) tells Olivia that running away is not the answer as she is questioning her abilities to deal with these cases. He gives her the validation she needs in herself and appears more at ease, at least until Agent Scott pops up again, this time giving her information regarding Dr. Fischer. He pleads with her about his innocence and how he intends to prove that he did love her and was not playing her. It's later discovered via Dr. Bishop that in fact the visions of Agent Scott are a piece of his consciousness that remained with her while they merged minds back in "Pilot". This accounts for how she has knowledge only Agent Scott had, as he was doing his own investigations into the Pattern without Olivia's knowledge. However, Dr. Bishop mentions that her mind is figuring out how best to expel his presence. Combined with her still strong feelings about the man she was in love with, his claims of innocence may be suspect since she would obviously prefer her lover not to be a traitor. Therefore her mind is in effect tainting his personality, mixing the knowledge he had with her own hopes for him. Plus if he is the villain, it's more likely that Charlie is not also evil.

Favorite moment: The chasing the pigeons across town sequence takes it because it shows the characters in a lighter mood as everyone seems to realize how silly this plan is but go along with it anyway. Normally Peter would be complaining about how this will never work, his father is insane, etc. and Olivia would be pouting, worrying that it won't work, trying to get Walter and Peter to work together, etc. but instead showing that they're growing as a team and starting to have a little bit of fun during the course of their investigations, which is probably necessary given the horrific events they've seen, brings a more enjoyable feel to the show. No one wants to see constant bickering every week, and a team that can get along, and work better for it, makes each new episode an event to look forward to. Olivia is the final piece of that puzzle, although with the discovery that John was going to propose, it looks as if it's not all smooth sailing for her just yet.

Ghost Town (2008) ***

This delightful comedy from director-screenwriter David Koepp (whose last dual foray was 2004's Secret Window) features Ricky Gervais, best known as the boss from hell from the BBC's The Office, in his feature film debut as a leading man. Dr. Betram Pincus (Gervais) goes in for a routine procedure, however complications with the anesthesia result is him being technically dead for several minutes. This occurrence has lead to his ability to see the ghosts that roam the streets of New York unable to cross over due to their unfinished business. Having spent his life avoiding the living at all costs, Dr. Pincus now finds himself hounded by the dead as he is the only one they can communicate their final wishes to. It's not a new story by any means, Dr. Pincus seeing dead people which serves as a catalyst for him to open up and become an actual person capable of caring for others feels like a cross between The Sixth Sense and As Good as It Gets, however, the film is able to overcome this familiarity with its bright sense of humor and its comedic little jabs at bits of everyday life.

Gervais was well suited to the leading role as he has perfected the hopeless exasperation required for the character of a man who just wants to be left alone and now unfortunately has another population vying for his specific attention. His performance comes as of as bit of a toned-down version of David Brent from The Office with his more negative qualities removed. From bits of dialogue to physical actions it's almost as if he's been lifted right out of that infamous series. He still manages to entertain however, and by removing those traits which made Brent such a heel and impossible to like, Dr. Pincus is someone the audience can sympathize with and hope that he will see the light (not the same light his new clients want to see) and make the changes in his life that are so desperately needed in order to overcome his fear of becoming close to someone again. Dr. Pincus is the textbook case of anti-social behavior who has allowed his fear to justify the need to keep everyone at arm's length. He prefers to be alone and not engage in the social customs people do every day without a second thought. He doesn't wish to chit-chat with his coworkers or show any common courtesy to someone else, such as holding the elevator doors. He has even picked an apartment next to his office so as to limit contact with as little of the population as possible.

Of course movie logic would dictate that this would be the man who would now be the only one who can see the dead and have social interaction forced onto him from this newly discovered population. It's interesting to think that Dr. Pincus couldn't possibly be the first person this has happened to, just considering how often people flat line on ER, and it's not even possible that in New York he would be the first person to see ghosts due to a near-death experience. But these concerns only come up after the credits have rolled and the time is taken to reflect back on what has been seen. It moves along at too brisk a pace, and certainly has its share of belly laughs to keep people amused and to ensure time isn't spent dwelling on potential plot holes. The change is Dr. Pincus' character was inevitable but his missions to deal with the unfinished business of the ghosts provide some of the most touching moments in the film. Despite its status as a comedy, there are moments of genuine emotion sprinkled throughout the film, particularly regarding Gwen's (Téa Leoni) loss of her husband, Frank (Greg Kinnear), and her budding relationship with Dr. Pincus.

What elevates Ghost Town above "been there, done that" status is its successful mixture of comedy with a story that at its core has real heart. Dr. Pincus' initial infatuation with Gwen, and his increasing affection for her as they spend more time together highlights the chemistry between Gervais and Leoni and the growth of their relationship is believable on its own and not just as a plot necessity. In a rare move, the two don't fall madly in love with each other and the status of their relationship is left ambiguous at the end, although there are strong signs they will still get together. This element proves that even in covering similar ground to previous films, Ghost Town tries its best to forge its own path and to tell a realistic story given the fantastic circumstances the characters find themselves in. It's these little moments of real life that give the film a more grounded nature when the plot could have easily devolved into slapstick. Does this mean the film takes itself too seriously and tries to be renegade in a system of conformity? Not at all, the writers are simply telling the story they want, and have given a surprisingly adult love story a veneer of comedy and it's not the juvenile antics that are usually seen in comedic films today.

Favorite moment: Returning to the hospital where he received his routine procedure, Dr. Pincus is hoping to get some answers about why he is being chased by ghosts that insist only he can see them. Unwilling to go into details about what occurred during the procedure, the Surgeon (Kristen Wiig) attempts to stall before asking Dr. Pincus to join her and the Hospital Lawyer (Michael-Leon Wooley) in her office where it is revealed that he died, albeit briefly, on the table. Not only providing an amusing satire of hospital politics in any effort to avoid being sued, it also is a great scene for Gervais who shows what he does best, continued frustrated attempts to get through to people who simply aren't telling him what he wants to hear. He got more laughs from me in this film than he got in every episode of The Office combined. This is only due to Dr. Pincus being a much more likable person than David Brent and not against Rickey Gervais whatsoever.

El Laberinto del fauno (2006) ****

Guillermo del Toro's international hit of 2006, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, is the surprisingly adult story of a young child's retreat into a world of fantasy to combat the harsh reality of her new living conditions. Ofelia (a truly wonderful Ivana Baquero) and her mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), are en route to a new life with Carmen's new husband, Captain Vidal (Sergi López), who has been placed in charged of a unit of the Spanish army tasked with finding and eliminating anti-Franco guerrilla resistance fighters hiding in the surrounding area. A stark contrast to the world of wonder that Ofelia finds herself increasingly drawn towards as she learns what a truly despicable man her mother has married and her only avenue for happiness as she is ripped away from everything she has ever loved to be brought to the last place on earth a child belongs. She has transported herself from a world where no one care about her existence to one where she is the long absent princess of the underworld whose father is waiting for her return to his kingdom. It's not difficult to see how alluring such a life can be given her current circumstances.

It's never definitely stated whether or not the fantasy world that is calling out to Ofelia is not just her imagination. Only she can see the fairy that constantly calls her to the labyrinth which is the gateway to the underworld. Twice when Pan (Doug Jones, who always excels in these types of roles) is standing right in front of her, he cannot be seen by anyone else who enters the same room. There's also strong evidence that the entire world is simply constructed based on her fears and concerns of her new life. She immediately starts to fantasize en route to the base where Captain Vidal is stationed, at the same time her mother is experiencing pain due to her pregnancy. The world she envisions is also a dark and terrifying world in and of itself. It's populated by horrifying creatures that serve as a visual metaphor for the ugliness lying beneath the surface of Captain Vidal's seemingly calm and civil demeanor. It's quite possible Ofelia has retreated into her mind as she is unable to deal with the real life pains and torments following the death of her father and her mother's new marriage. Even the princess' parents are images of Ofelia's own earthly ones and since her final arrival at the last moments of the film are suspect as a hallucination, but it is strongly hoped that Ofelia can find happiness in this new life that she couldn't find in her old one.

The film is a wondrous mixture of the unique and original creature designs and the soulful human stories that never get lost in the whimsy of bringing del Toro's magnificent imagination to the screen. His love for the unusually beautiful never gets in the way of the emotional connections of the characters, a fact he is well known for in his films. This film continues in that tradition remarkably with Fauno an excellent addition to the pantheon of characters that have been developed in his artistic mind. The truly stunning design works hand in hand seamlessly with Doug Jones' portrayal who always looks more comfortable under heavy prosthetics rather than just himself. Jones is the perfect actor for del Toro as his performance never suffers despite the burdensome make-up effects and actually enhances the awe-inspiring look of the creatures. Jones also appears as the terrifying Pale Man, illustrating just how far a range he has in portraying the two vastly different characters, one of whom does not even speak. The Pale Man is also evidence of the flip side to del Toro's vivid imagination, the truly horrifying beings that dwell in the darkness, quite literally the stuff nightmares are made of.

With regards to the terrors usually inherent in del Toro's films, this one is punctuated with quite a few scenes of shocking and brutal violence. While never excessive, it certainly highlights the dark times in which the narrative is taking place. Del Toro never shies away from the ugly side of human nature, and while this may be his most violent film of a realistic nature, it largely serves to fuel the desire for Ofelia to escape such dire circumstances. Captain Vidal is a cruel and sadistic man of the worst kind, whose only joy out of life comes from his inflicting pain on others. He is responsible for many of the deaths in the film and the character has been painted with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. While this may seem one dimensional, he is established as the personification of evil that is the main cause for many of the atrocities that occur. This allows the audience to feel enormous satisfaction when he does get his just deserts especially since right before his own demise he is hurt in the one place that he cares about. He dies knowing that his worst fear will come to fruition and it certainly makes up for the pain that he has caused throughout the film.

The film is not all gloom and doom, as the child-like wonder Ofelia has for the world she has discovered provides some much-needed brights spots in the story. Her relationship with Fauno is a complex one, since he does not always appear as trustworthy as she may want. There is a comforting nature about him however as he is made up of the elements of the earth, signifying the underworld that is calling Ofelia home. He even helps with Carmen's pain because he sees it distresses Ofelia to be so worried about her mother's condition. The other rewarding relationship is between Ofelia and Mercedes (Maribel Verdú), the only one in the camp to show her any kindness and the one bright spot in her new life. Mercedes serves as a substitute mother figure, as Carmen becomes bed-ridden and unable to spend time with her daughter, and has a genuine affection for Ofelia proven when she is willing to kill to protect her. It's elements such as these that always elevate del Toro's work above other fantasy films. They are content to allow the audience to wallow in the wonder and majesty of the new and usual lands, however del Toro always brings it back to reality with the human stories because those are the aspects of the film that will continue to resonate with the audience long after the awe has begun to fade.

Favorite moment: After exposure and execution of her partner, Captain Vidal then discovers that Mercedes is also working for the revolutionaries and prepares to torture her for information. Not having to pay for any of his actions up to this point, it was reassuring and a relief to see Mercedes get the upper hand against Captain Vidal and inflict some torture of her own on the man who could not deserve it more. While a bit graphic, Vidal is forced to pay for his sins and rather than kill him, Mercedes is willing to allow him to live, albeit scarred for life as constant reminder of how close the revolutionaries were able to come to his own private kingdom.

The Verdict (1982) ***½

In Memory of Paul Newman (1925-2008)

Sydney Lumet's legal thriller features a brooding, masterful performance from Paul Newman who plays Frank Galvin, a washed up lawyer who has resorted to combing the obituaries for potential cases. He can find solace only in alcohol over his failed career despite a promising start and a partnership at a prestigious law firm. The film chronicles his decision to take on a medical malpractice case that is a guaranteed huge settlement opportunity. However, Galvin decides to try the case so that the plight of his client, who remains in a persistent vegetative state, will not be swept under the rug simply for the chance to receive a large payout. As the case moves to trial, it's far from the sure thing that was originally envisioned as a key witness disappears, the resources of the large, successful firm handling the opposing side, led by Ed Concannon (James Mason), managing to outwit Galvin at every turn and a judge who clearly favors the defendants. Galvin's the archetypal underdog that can only rely on his own intelligence, wits and best friend, Mickey Morrissey (Jack Warden), to try and win this case.

It's hard not to sympathize with Galvin as he is being constantly outmaneuvered at every turn. In the beginning, he's a hard man to like, an alcoholic with a failing practice that even his best friend wants nothing to do with. He's had a handful of cases in the past several years and he's lost all of them. He appears barely conscious throughout the first half-hour and it's only this case that wakens him from his depression-induced slumber. Originally setting out to maximize the damages he can collect from the hospital, the plight of Kaitlin Costello (Lindsay Crouse) who may never wake up from her coma and is forced to live out the remainder of her so-called life in a convalescent home moves him into action. He begins to realize the significance of the case when he's taking her picture in order to elicit pity from the opposing counsel. It's not until he sees the offer however, specifically how easily it's divided into three, one-third being his cut, that he realizes how far he has fallen and is resorting to exploitation of an unconscious woman in order to make money. The scene is shot with Galvin sitting in a chair, all alone in the frame, as the camera slowly pans in and it's here that the audience finally connects with Gavlin, as they are drawn to him, matching the camera movement.

As a legal thriller there are some general holes in the plot which are plot necessities in order for the story to take the route it needs to get to the ending warranted by the script. For one, Judge Hoyle's (Milo O'Shea) blatant bias against Galvin's case is a little difficult to reconcile. The scene where Judge Hoyle begins his own questioning of the expert witness and dismisses him without giving the testimony needed to make Galvin's case seems quite unrealistic. It's more believable behind closed door when it's just the attorneys, such as when he tells Galvin to take the deal or later when Judge Hoyle states he has no sympathy for Galvin when asked for a continuance. But that display in the court room is unjustifiable and opens the door for a gross judicial misconduct charge. It's hard to understand why the judge would act this way other than to throw further obstacles into Galvin's path. The ending is also a bit hard to swallow as the verdict that comes in does little to reflect the sentiment of the trial. It does provide one of the best shots, as the camera swoops in over the jury box into a close-up of Galvin's reaction. These issues are minor however as the trial is largely just a backdrop for the character evolution of Frank Galvin.

The evolution of the plot follows the return to form for Frank Galvin who essentially is forced to learn how to be a lawyer again. Once it is seen that he is the only who cares for making the men responsible for Kaitlin Costello's condition pay, and not just in monetary terms, he evolves into a more identifiable character. Later Mickey relates to Laura Fischer (Charlotte Rampling) exactly how Frank arrived at this lowly state. It is here that it is learned that Frank is not just a deadbeat who allowed his drinking problem to ruin his life, which up to this point can only be assumed what happened. It turns out that his circumstances are of a more a tragic origin. He refused to go along with the shady and illegal dealings of the firm where he was partner and was forced to resign, after spending some time in jail on false charges. He lost his wife and began to drink due to the death of his promising career. Through this tale, it is now known that Frank is a good man that refused to compromise his ethics and lost everything as a result. This new case isn't so much about redemption, since he is not a man fallen from grace, but rather a chance to prove that he is as strong a legal force now that he was then. He's disgusted by the hospital administrators and their horde of lawyers using the same dishonest methods to cover up their own mistakes that he refused to go along with before. It's a second chance to take on those that have ruined him and now seek to do the same with complete disregard for Kaitlin Costello's welfare. It becomes his own personal obsession and he presses on even when given multiple opportunities to withdraw.

Paul Newman received a much a deserved Oscar nomination, his sixth, for his silently suffering portrayal of Frank Galvin. Lumet spends a great deal of time showing the audience Newman's face, where he can convey his emotional state more clearly than any monologue could ever hope to match. Jack Warden is also a delight, as the only person Galvin can trust and the two share a great deal of chemistry and camaraderie in their scenes together. James Mason as "The Prince of Darkness" manages to balance the line between good and evil and lands his performance squarely in the grey area necessary for the character. He's never truly sinister or despicable, but he is Galvin's opposite and quite willing to engage in the shady practices that Galvin himself abhors so much. It would have been all too easy to paint Concannon is a strictly negative light, but rather here he's presented as a hired hand, an excellent lawyer who is tasked with defending his client, no matter who it may be. He's certainly an expert in the legal profession and is in the unfortunate position to have been given this case. The Verdict will be best remembered for the soft, nuanced performances of its superb cast and the slick execution of the script that moves along at a gripping pace.

Favorite moment: Discovering that his lover Lauren is a spy for Concannon's legal team, he goes to their pre-arranged meeting place and after a few seconds of awkward silence, where Lauren realizes that Galvin knows of her betrayal, it comes to a shocking conclusion with him punching her in the face. Both an unsettling and satisfying end to their relationship, the filmmakers should be credited with the courage to have their lead character, who has already redeemed himself in the hearts of the audience, commit such a polarizing and brutal act against a woman. However it strengthens the connection between Galvin and the audience, if it can be forgiven, since to be honest, she sure as hell deserved it.

Fringe "The Arrival" (2008)

Fringe is taking a different route than expected and for now it's unclear if that is either good or bad. Originally the premise appeared to be the exploration of pseudo-science areas that had been relegated to the realm of science fiction/fantasy: regeneration, psychic ability, etc. There's been a decrease in focus on this since the pilot and this episode had little to do with the "fringe science" and more to do with extraordinary occurrences of the Pattern. Granted there is a brief torture scene with a mysterious device that can read minds, but this is practically a slimmed down rehash of the experiment from the pilot where Olivia was allowed to merge her mind with the unconscious Agent Scott. It's been stripped down from the drug-induced, surreal experience to painful rods jammed up the noses of unsuspecting providers of information. This is the first episode to break from the standard mold of the team in effect "cleaning up" the mess of someone utilizing Dr. Bishop's previous research and focusing more on general Pattern-related activity providing evidence that it may not just be recent times that have played host to these strange occurrences.

Not to say that this episode doesn't provide some worthwhile material such as giving Peter a reason for sticking around and caring for Walter. Maybe now less time will be devoted to his whining about how Walter kept him up late the night before and how he doesn't have full access to the federal building. Between his complaining and Olivia's moping, the stage is set up so that only Walter looks favorable and John Noble certainly shined again here. Here is a man with an encyclopedic knowledge in areas of expertise that other authorities of the same caliber can be counted on one hand. Yet his eccentricities and endearing child-like wonder, this week it was an obsession about obtaining a root beer float, mask a dark side, one that occasionally creeps out and rears its ugly head. It's almost unsettling how quickly he can shift gears and go from being a lovable absent-minded professor to next injecting poor Astrid (Jasika Nicole) with a sedative in order to sneak out of the lab with the mysterious metallic cylinder, this episode's piece of the Pattern.

The cylinder is an exact duplicate, or perhaps the same, of one that appeared in the Pentagon back in 1987. This appears to be the first reference that this type of activity is not relegated to the past few months or maybe it's becoming more frequent and therefore more noticeable now. It's of an unknown origin and expected to disappear with as little warning as its arrival. For now it's purpose is unknown other that the fact that it resonates on two different frequencies which Walter discovers while analyzing it in the lab. It's also the object of desire for a hit man who is killing everyone he comes across that has had contact with or knowledge of the mysterious cylinder. He carries a strange sonic gun, which resembles the really cool firearm from Minority Report, and also has access to the previously mentioned mind reading, nostril probing machine that he uses on a former mentor of Olivia's and later on Peter. Other than a brief mention about how the cylinder could be related to a project regarding subterranean torpedoes that Walter was involved with and the fact that the hit man that was previously wanted for a double homicide no further origin or purpose is given for either.

This episode also introduces "The Observer" (Michael Cerveris), a strange man who shows up at Pattern-related events and simply watches the events unfold, as far as Broyles and the gang can tell anyway. What they don't know is that he is also reporting these events to someone, perhaps Nina Sharp, who was noticeably absent this week? According to Walter, he first met this man many years before, looking exactly the same as he does today, when he rescued Walter and Peter from a car accident by pooling them out of a frozen lake. They would have died if not for this man, and somehow he gave Walter instructions for the future that would compel him to keep the cylinder out of the hands of the hit man. The Observer even has an effect of Peter, as his simultaneous mimicry of Peter's speech (attention Russell T. Davies: this is stolen from your Doctor Who episode "Midnight") coupled with his mind reading torture finally opens his eyes to the strange occurrences he must have been sleeping through the last three episodes. He is now dedicated to these investigations, even agreeing to remain as Walter's guardian. Now all that is needed is to break Olivia out of her slump, which might not be too easy since Agent Scott appears in her apartment in the final shot. Cue more emotional turmoil!

Favorite moment: Proving that Walter is the definite audience favorite, he gives not one, but two dressing downs to Peter when he simply cannot take, much like us, any more of his griping or ignorance as to what's going on around him. The first in the lab was the most enjoyable as Walter is driven to angrily inquire why Peter must question his every decision. It gets more uncomfortable after Walter has been picked up following his jaunt to hide the cylinder when Peter is constantly questioning his every statement about having talked with The Observer. It seems that even Olivia was becoming annoyed judging by her facial expressions. Peter's incredulous nagging leads Walter to make a scathing and hurtful statement that hits a sore spot with Peter, giving him the excuse he needs to walk away. It's all too familiar when out of anger, something truly hurtful is said that is immediately regretted. The ones closes to you always have the ability to hurt you the most.

Les Girls (1957) **½

Rashômon meets the musical genre is this mad-cap look into the history of American dancing act "Barry Nichols and Les Girls" and whether a scathing tell-all novel provides the true story or not. The film is broken into three flashbacks over the same period of time described in Lady Sybil Wren's (Kay Kendall) new book that is currently facing a libel suit from fellow dancer Angèle Ducros (Taina Elg). Each version paints a distinct picture of who exactly was carrying on an affair with Barry (Gene Kelly) and driven to suicide once he breaks it off with them. Both Lady Wren and Angèle give wildly differing accounts of the other's actions during their time in Paris, with elements of truth pervading through on both sides. Only Barry can provide the illumination as to which is the true version of events, and of course, he provides a third account, completely different from the other two.

It's never really known what exactly happened, as even Barry's supposed real version is suspect of purposefully omitting a few details, such as if Barry was having an affair with both girls, but it is comforting to know that in the end all can be forgiven. It's a fun romp and an interesting look to see how separate people can remember, and choose to forget, certain elements of the past. The only problem is that the story can become repetitive but the comedic talents of the cast ensure that it never lags or becomes boring. In fact, the desire to see who exactly is telling the truth about what happened sustains the momentum for the final third of the film despite the fact that events are being witnessed again after two previous glimpses.

The true highlight of the film is Kelly, who continues to impress with the way he throws himself into the role he is given. Here he smoothly switches from an overbearing, sleazy director to caring protector and finally to lovelorn manipulator and he is completely believable as each one. In fact, despite the changes in his overall demeanor, he is pretty much the only constant in all three stories as his charm wins over the audience even when he is at his worst, usually right before he drives his respective ladies to suicide. His character transitions are acceptable because at his core he is still the same man, a determined individual who will do what it takes to get what he wants. Whether this is seducing the new girl, taking care of another to help her through her troubles, or trying to convince the third, Joy (Mitzi Gaynor), that he is dying to win her sympathy and love, it makes no difference. In every account, he is shown to genuinely care for his girls even if he may be a little devious in his dealings with them.

Some of the best bits from this film come from the comedic sequences such as Angèle's account of Lady Wren's drinking problem. Kendall is a comedic tour de force in these scenes, dancing about the room, loudly singing and generally causing her roommates the most grief possible. Angèle's story also contains a hilarious scene on a train, where after Barry has gotten into a scuffle with Sybil's intended husband, Sir Gerald Wren (Leslie Phillips), Sybil attempts to comfort him, but he can only find solace in the wine bottle offered to him by the car's only other passenger. The wine bottle is continually passed around as Sybil and Barry argue giving the film some of it best laughs. Focusing on the more comedic elements in the second story helps to assuage the feeling of duplication as the events are shown again.

Les Girls is an entertaining examination of the differing perceptions held by separate individuals regarding the same events. Its comedic scenes tend to overshadow the more serious drama which hurts the overall tone of the picture. It attempts to shift gears from light-hearted fare to heavy subject matter at the flick of a switch and succeeds only occasionally. The constant shifts in tone give the film a disjointed feel that becomes a distraction as the film continues. The cast is first-rate however, with Kelly and Kendall being particularly noteworthy and by far the comedy does work. It succeeds in large part due to the talent and effort of its cast and makes the film quite an amusing diversion.

Favorite moment: The fight between Sir Wren and Barry is one of the most hilarious scenes in the film as a misunderstanding in communication leads to a physical brawl. Sybil gives conflicting information to both of them which leads Barry to make some wildly inappropriate comments regarding Sybil. It quickly degenerates into each man hitting the other, with laugh-out loud worthy results. The fact that it leads into the equally comical train scene makes for one of the most enjoyable sequences in the film.

Fringe "The Ghost Network" (2008)

Another attack on a mode of transportation, this time a bus, brings the investigative team another case of Pattern-related activity and delves deeper into Dr. Bishop's work prior to his being committed. The people on the bus are killed via some kind of gaseous attack which renders them immobile in an amber-like material and suffocates them to death. This attack however is merely to cover up a theft of one of the passenger's book bag in order to retrieve something she had in her possession. It seems strange that such a public attack would be staged for a simple robbery. Perhaps it was meant to cover up that she was the victim, but there certainly could have been a less attention-grabbing way to have done it.

Perhaps the toxin used fits in with the Pattern, but the fringe science actually explored in-depth for this episode was psychic ability, or rather the new scientific explanation for it that Walter is all to eager to explain. During his prime experimenting days, Walter was responsible for surgically implanting receivers in unwitting student test subjects to exploit the spectrum of sound waves that emanate from every human as a means of secret communication. Unfortunately for Roy McComb (Zak Orth) his implants are tapping into communications of the group Agent Scott was working for and he thinks he has been receiving horrific visions of the future.

In a weird way Peter is more upset about this one unsuspecting man being manipulated by Walter's experiments than all the deaths that have come before. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the loss of life from the first two episodes had more to do with others taking advantage of and abusing Walter's earlier work but here the blame rests squarely on his father's shoulders. Roy has practically been driven mad by the images his mind receives that he is forced to draw in order to eradicate them from his subconscious. It's horrible to imagine the feeling of an unknown force penetrating a person's mind and essentially taking it over with frightening images that are next to impossible to forget. The fact that Roy has been receiving Pattern communications and all the horrors associated with those incidents makes it even more disturbing. This albeit small incident really hits home about the implications and dangerous ramifications of Walter's work and it sets Peter off in a way Walter wasn't even expecting. It's hard to imagine what this seemingly benign, kooky old man was and still is capable of and it surrounds his character with an aura of menace that is still palpable beneath his seemingly non-threatening exterior.

There are the quiet moments though such as their trip to the diner for breakfast where it is discovered that Walter has devised his own special brand of self-medicating cocktail that includes all anti-psychotics. John Noble continues to impress and amuse and Walter Bishop is easily the most interesting character of the bunch. Not to say that the seeds aren't being planted elsewhere with Peter and Olivia. Peter discovers a man has been tailing him and photographing his every move. Hopefully the future will provide a further glimpse into why he needs to be constantly on the move. There's also a sweet scene where a grand piano has been added to the Harvard basement lab, so that Peter's playing can soothe Walter's addled mind. This laboratory now has quite the eclectic collection of various odds and ends and a piano is a fine addition to the mix.

This episode didn't seem to pack the same punch as last week's and more time is spent rather laying the framework for the characters. Olivia starts the episode with Agent Scott's funeral and still seething with the anger of his betrayal. It doesn't look like this plot thread will diminish any time soon since the end of the episode has the not-so-dead Agent Scott connected to some machine in a secret lab at Massive Dynamic. The dance also continues with Nina Sharp and how much of a role her company is playing in these recent events attributed to the Pattern. It appears Massive Dynamic has the right tool for every job with each event linking back to work currently being done at the highly advanced corporation. It also seems Broyles may be linked to them as well, as he gives the mysterious disc to Nina at the end of the episode. Only time will tell if more is given than more and more questions and the characters can firmly establish themselves as the best possible team for these investigations.

Favorite moment: Just when it's possible that Olivia may just be overplaying her anger at her former lover and his treason, which she brings up at every possible moment, Agent Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo) manages to successfully defuse the awkward situation by confessing that John also said he loved him. A quick little aside, but it's able to put a smile on Olivia's face (must she always be so sour?) and more importantly the audience's. Charlie hasn't been given much to do so far in the series but maybe he'll grow a little more and bring a light touch to Olivia's uber-stern façade.

Righteous Kill (2008) **

The third film to star Hollywood living legends Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, but only the second to have them share screen time, seems to be have been produced simply for the event of bringing these two together again. It's a shame as these two are utterly wasted in a film thrown sloppily together and hoping to ride on simply the thrill that it has both Pacino and De Niro. The first pairing was in Michael Mann's Heat, where they played a master thief and the cop determined to hunt him down, and only share the screen for two scenes. As adversaries who rarely meet up in the film, they had far superior chemistry there compared to here where they are partners constantly together investigating a serial killer than has been gunning down criminals in cold blood on the street. Sure they are comfortable with one another, joking and throwing friendly insults back and forth, but how gripping is that? They practically walk through the picture barely giving a glimmer of the A game the audience knows they are capable of providing. The sad fact remains that the parts written for De Niro and Pacino now fit the stereotypes of their acting styles, as if the writer was planning a skit for Saturday Night Live. De Niro frowns his way through most of the film, occasionally showing explosive anger while Pacino makes cheery wisecracks and ends with a manic rant that has become all too familiar.

There is a genuine lack of suspense throughout what should be a thriller about two veteran police officers who are hunting a merciless vigilante striking down those who have managed to avoid the swift sword of justice. From the beginning the culprit is strongly assumed to be Turk (De Niro) mainly due to the video where he brazenly admits to his killings without an ounce of regret. He's killing them since it's the only way justice can be served. He's a police officer that has grown tired with the faults and loopholes of the system that allows these vermin to roam free and therefore has taken it upon himself to do what the lawyers and courts cannot. To highlight his desensitised nature, he is currently dating Karen Corelli (Carla Gugino), a forensics specialist that is into rough sex and has strong masochistic tendencies that Turk finds himself having to provide. It's also shown that he has no qualms with bending the law to suit his own needs as he is seen planting evidence in order to convict a child murderer who had gotten off on a previous charge.

To contrast with the morally shaky Turk, his partner Rooster (Pacino) is a go with the flow type of guy who seems to be well liked by all whereas Turk tends to rub them the wrong way. There is a warm camaraderie between Rooster and Turk, as it seems Turk has no one else besides his partner to confide in and there is no one else that he trusts as much as him. Of course this friendship only gives a fraction of the chemistry that Pacino and De Niro obviously share that has been evidenced in their previous film. For partners, there is little spark between the two which only highlights how they work better against each other, feeding off one another which makes for a more dynamic exchange. Rooster backs his partner every step of the way, even with everyone else convinced that Turk is the obvious identity of the killer. Even when Lieutenant Hingis (Brian Dennehy) tries to talk some sense into Rooster, he will have none of it. He knows his partner inside and out and knows "to a moral certainty" that even if he is hot under the collar quite often, he is utterly incapable of these evil acts. It goes against every fiber of his being, and it's comforting to see that the bond between the two of them cannot be broken under any circumstances. Unfortunately it's a comfort that is not to last given the finale of the film which turns their friendship and partnership on its head.

In the end Righteous Kill is a wasted opportunity to feature two of Hollywood's biggest starts since as the years pass it seems less and less likely they'll get to work together again. De Niro and Pacino are utter professionals in every sense of the word and it is an insult to their skills and legacy that this was the best that could be devised to reunite them on the silver screen. Only their presence saves the film from being an complete disaster as it's made more palatable by simply having them both in the film. Unfortunately it will probably be remembered for the lazy fashion in which Pacino and De Niro are brought together for what could very well be the final time. Perhaps it would have been best to allow Heat to have that prized distinction but in what has become standard practice the glitz has overtaken the substance and this film is but one of the many victims of that unfortunate system.

Favorite moment: Being forced to speak to a police psychiatrist following a sting operation that goes wrong and ends up in the death of a henchman, De Niro and Pacino positively shine giving their dead-pan answers to the shrink not so subtly communicating their general disdain and boredom of having to go through the mandatory requirements to get back to doing their jobs. Oddly mirroring how the actors probably must have felt doing this film, it's a humorous bit of self-reflection that gives the film one of its more enjoyable moments.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) ***

A summer trip for two young women results in a touching, sometimes hilarious, look at the meaning of love as defined by the characters' combined experiences. In Woody Allen's newest film, if there is to be a definition of love, it would have to be best described as "whatever works". There is no secret formula one needs to follow in order to find love and happiness, which as seen here does not always go hand in hand. It's a unique set of needs and desires that is the never the same for one as it is another. It's best exemplified in the two titular characters, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) who are introduced via the voice over narration (by Christopher Evan Welch), as the one who has dedicated her entire life to being committed, from her work to her boyfriend, and the other who is not sure of what she really wants out of love, but is using a process of elimination to determine what it is. The two take a trip to Spain to stay with a family friend of Vicky's, to relax, sight see and also provide for Vicky some firsthand research for her final dissertation. Both, due to their own respective viewpoints on love, never plan to find something new in Barcelona, however circumstances change when they meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem).

Bardem is a real treat in this film, a complete reversal from the sinister and sadistic killer in No Country for Old Men, as the warm, artistic and sensual painter who sweeps both women off their feet in short order. While for the plot it may have seemed inevitable that he would steal the hearts of both, Bardem brings a warmth and sincerity to the role that ensures it never seems implausible that both young women succumb to his charms. Juan Antonio also serves as the catalyst that brings Rebecca out of her protective shell, as the two spend a day sightseeing in Oviedo while Cristina is sick in bed. Initially hostile and standoffish to Juan Antonio, as he is completely honest about his intentions with both women, Vicky is drawn to him for his artistic sensibilities and the in-depth look into his past, including meeting his father and discussing the tumultuous relationship with his ex-wife. Unsure how to cope with her unresolved feelings after spending the night with Juan Antonio, Vicky makes the decision to ignore them and pretend it never happened, re-affirming her previous outlook by being committed to her fiancée.

Having been attracted to Juan Antonio from the start, and feeling as if she had ruined her chances when she fell ill in Oviedo, Cristina is pleasantly surprised when he calls to ask her out. The two embark on their own romance and through her relationship with Juan Antonio, Cristina is able to realize her own artistic skill in photography, an outlet for her internal thoughts and feelings. In fact their relationship is progressing nicely, until Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz) reenters the picture after having attempted suicide. Cruz has to be the best aspect of this picture as the sexy and feral ex-wife who storms back into Juan Antonio’s life, and contrary to initial predictions, rather than damaging the relationship between Juan Antonio and Cristina, she helps to make it flourish, even becoming romantically involved with both of them herself.

Maria Elena also facilitates Cristina’s budding talent and acts as a muse for her creativity and passion. Juan Antonio and Maria Elena tell Cristina she is the missing link that prevented their marriage from being successful the first time they were together. Both of them still harbor strong feelings for one another, but were unable to make it work as they felt there was something missing. Love was not enough to keep them together, and they would argue and fight until it drove them apart. Now with Cristina, they discover again what drew them together in the first place and the three of them work as romantic “couple”, that is until Cristina’s outlook also returns and she realizes that while she may be content for a time with this arrangement, it is not what she wants forever.

The film’s central theme of “whatever works” has actually little to do with love and more to do with what people can live with for the rest of their lives. Despite the love the characters have for one another, it’s either not enough to keep them together or not enough to keep them content with what they have. For Vicky and Cristina, they leave Spain much as they arrived, with little change in their outlooks despite the discovery and change that have occurred during their trip. Vicky is content to remain with Doug (Chris Messina), who she does love, but is wary of the idea of being with him for life. Her experience with Juan Antonio wasn’t so much that she fell madly in love with him, but rather that her attraction to him allowed her to question her commitment crazy method to relationships. On the flip side, Cristina was quite content with Juan Antonio, and Mary Elena, and only became restless since she appears to be the type of person who avoids commitment at any and all expense, even if it is her happiness. This fact best illustrates how similar Vicky and Cristina are, in that they’re both willing to give up what they want in order to fulfill that what they envision themselves to be.

The same is true for Judy (Patricia Clarkson) and her feelings towards her husband, Mark (Kevin Dunn). She loves him and stays with him out of loyalty, but their long time together has resulted in her falling out of love with him. Her situation is eased through her interfering with Vicky’s life and seeing that she ends up with Juan Antonio. This outlet for her inner turmoil is enough that she can live with his situation longer. Again on the flip side, Juan Antonio and Mary Elena both admit they will love each other forever, and are meant to be together, but without Cristina they cannot make it work and it all falls apart as it did the first time around.


Bardem and Cruz are the true highlights of this film, as their fiery arguments and scintillating passion make for some of the best moments. Hall and Johansson never reach the same level as them in terms of interest or believability, but their interaction with Bardem and Cruz does bring up their game somewhat in the scenes they share together. Clarkson and Dunn are given little to do, but both are always a pleasure to see no matter how little screen time they're given. Continuing his European sojourn, Allen shot this film on location in Spain and the beautiful sights add an extra layer of romance to the proceedings. It's easy to see how people could fall in love in such a setting, but even the magnificence of the Spanish locations isn't enough to overcome the basic human curiosity to see what else is out there.

Favorite moment: Just when Vicky and Juan Antonio are about to reunite and it's possible that maybe she will break the bonds of her self-imposed commitment prison, the unstable Maria Elena barges in with a gun and starts taking potshots at Juan Antonio. This crazy display of passion is enough to shake Vicky back to her reality and send her fleeing to the arms of her fiancée. A hilarious scene just in terms of the circumstances, it also gives one last look at the arguing Juan Antonio and Maria Elena, probably the most successful couple of the entire bunch. They are brutally honest with each other, aware of the pitfalls of their relationship and madly in love. There just happens to be the odd murder attempt every now and then, but that's what works for them.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) ****

This cinematic adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's novel of the same name is one of the most powerful anti-war films to ever grace the silver screen. Showing the trench warfare fighting, and its after-effects, on German soldiers during the course of World War I, the film gives a horrific glimpse at the dangers and conditions faced by soldiers fighting in a war that many didn't even understand how it started. Being released a little over a decade after fighting had ceased, this film must have been a grim reminder to all those lucky enough to return home who could appreciate its tale even though it was told from the "enemy's" perspective.

The fact that the film follows the lives of German soldiers who are fighting against the British and French never comes between the audience and these young boys who are destroyed, either mentally or physically, by their experiences in the trenches. It's hard not to sympathize with these teenage boys, driven by fanatical patriotic rhetoric to enlist in the army, as they honestly believe they are doing their God-given duty for the Fatherland and are attracted to the powerful allure and grandeur of being a mighty soldier in the German army, and all the respect and love their position is supposed to command.

These boys, still well wet behind the ears, are pushed to enlist by the professor who, rather than instill them with knowledge as he should be, uses his position of authority as a bully pulpit to influence these susceptible young minds to do his bidding. Despite some worries and initial hold-outs, once their leader, Paul Bäumer (Lewis Ayres) is committed, the rest all manage to fall in line. They march boldly off to enlist, never aware of the tortures and pains they are about to undergo, tragic considering how young and impressionable they are and how they were manipulated into doing something rather than make the choice of their own free will.

Any fantasies are quickly quashed by their drill instructor, Himmelstoss (John Wray), who works them day after day until they are a well-oiled unit that can march in perfect harmony. Part of his hard training is derived from the fact he knew most of the boys in civilian life, and they have no real respect for him because of these previous acquaintances. These boys are still heavily tainted by youth, as the gripe about having to clean their uniforms and how Himmelstoss screwed up their leave time. Their act of revenge before shipping out to the front lines is justified and comical, however it highlights just how mentally unprepared these boys are for the life they are about to undertake. Driven by emotion and immature behavior, they are a far cry from the hardened soldiers needed to survive the trenches.

For such an early film, the horrors of war are shown quite graphically given the time in which it was produced. The film was made before the Production Code went into effect and therefore the battle scenes are given a more realistic treatment. In one scene a shell lands on a soldier clutching a barbed wire fence, and when the smoke clears only his hands remain. Such images would not have been tolerated under the Production Code and the film would not be as striking or poignant without them. To be the audience back in 1930, their reaction regarding the lengthy battle sequence in the middle of the film must have been similar to audiences in 1998 who saw the first twenty minutes of Saving Private Ryan.

For those who have not been in the war, it must have been a shock to see that it is not glamorous or beautiful, there is nothing but death and destruction raining down upon the soldiers from the heavens. The enemy is rarely seen and most of the time is spent in a confined bunker with the rest of the unit, unable to do anything about the constant, unrelenting munitions assault, praying that the roof does not collapse on top of them. When the barrage of fire does stop, there is no time to relax as this means the battle proper will now begin. Those charging the line not mowed down by machine gun fire, come leaping into the trench ready to jab a bayonet into an enemy soldier's gut. War is a dirty and ugly affair and there is nothing honorable about it, and this film gives a glaring and unabashed portrayal of it for civilians as best as it can.

The story may not have been so galvanizing if the war had been seen through the eyes of older, battle-weary soldiers, but since our heroes are only sixteen when they first enlist, it provides an extra layer of investment to the proceedings. They may have been drilled mercilessly, but within the safe confines of the training center, they are no where near prepared for what to expect once they reach the front. The terror they experience on their first night of barbed wire duty is apparent as many throw themselves quickly to the ground at the first sound of a shell.

They find some comfort in Kat Katczinsky (Louis Wolheim), an experienced soldier who is famous for his innate ability to scrounge up food where there is none to be found. He wins the boys over with his laid back personality and his genuine concern for their welfare. For the boys, after their professor and Himmelstoss, this is the first authority figure of theirs worthy of admiration and they cling to his every word as he cares about them as people, not as soldiers destined to die for the Fatherland. One of the most telling scenes is while Kat is explaining about the different types of shell fire and Paul hesitantly reaches out his hand to place it on Kat's shoulder. He eventually wraps his arm around Kat as they walk to the depot to pick up the barbed wire. This exemplifies the faith they have placed in him and their gratitude for finding someone willing to look out and comfort them.

That first night laying the barbed wire is an education in and of itself as it is the boys' first experience under fire and one of their classmates is killed after being blinded by one of the shells. They're practically naked out there, the only defense is to hug the ground and hope the bomb does not land on top of them. They lose their first friend that night, and it's not to be last as the number of classmates constantly dwindles as the war goes on. Some of them break down simply due to the unrelenting assault of shell fire, slowly driven insane by the cramped quarters and the lethal danger that could strike at any moment. There's no food, and the days are spent lying around the bunker, desperately looking for any activity which can provide a fleeting distraction to the reality of their current situation. Others are killed in the heat of battle, either by shell fire or by enemy soldiers. The person you were talking to the day before might not be there today, having been ripped suddenly and mercilessly from this life.

The boys are forced to grow up in the worst possible circumstances, and as the film demonstrates, having gone to fight at such a young age, it taints and corrupts them for the rest of their lives. Even if they were fortunate enough to live, they are left a hollow shell of the person they once were, unable to relate back to their civilian life. The most trying experience in the war is when Paul is forced to seek shelter in a crater with an Allied soldier, who Paul is forced to kill in order to prevent others from discovering him. Immediately guilt-ridden Paul nurses the man's wounds, begging him not die and inconsolable with the fact he has taken this man's life. He may have killed in battle previously, but face to face with this man, stabbing him and then being forced to watch him slip away is too much for Paul and he can't reconcile these events in his mind. He's further traumatized by being wheeled into the "death room" at the hospital from which no man ever comes out alive. After preparing to die suddenly on the battlefield, Paul is now faced with the possibility of a slow, painful end in a bed which terrifies him and the audience as his screams echo in the mind for some time.

Once he does return home, he finds no comfort there, unable to relate to family or friends, as he is badgered about how to win the war by people who've never been to the front. He can't find any happiness in seeing his own mother again and cuts his leave short in order to return the front lines, the only place now left to him where he knows he belongs. It's a sad irony that he never particularly wanted to fight in the war, but driven by youthful dreams and the rantings of his professor he goes anyway, wishing every day he could return home again. Once he is there, he realizes he has grown too far apart from that life, and the life of a soldier is the only thing he now understands. There it's a constant battle for survival with no time to dwell on the ghosts of the past and reflect on the trauma that has been experienced. There's too much quiet time in civilian life for those debilitating memories to come flooding back to him and that drives his decision to return to the war as quickly as possible. The war is like a drug, where the addict goes from a playful fantasy of what to expect, until it begins to consume his every waking hour until nothing else matters except for more of it. It drains the life and joy of him, leaving nothing left but an empty husk in its wake, utterly destroying everything it touches.

Favorite moment: Once he returns to his company, Paul gets more joy out of seeing Kat again than he did with his own mother. He's not overcome with grief over the other companions he has lost while he was away, and to hear that Kat is still around, looking for food as always, gives him the joy he could not find at home with his family. Once Kat has been taken from him, it detaches him completely from life, and we last see him, dreary in the trench, barely conscious. His own death brought about by seeing a butterfly, a beautiful creature on a war-torn land. He reaches for it as he did with Kat when he first met him, leading to his final action in life, directly responsible for his death, trying to fill the void the war has left inside him.

Burn Notice "Good Soldier" (2008)

The mid-season finale for Burn Notice's second season doesn't provide as much closure as originally thought with many questions left unanswered and the entire Westen family in some sort of peril. I thought this week's SPI case would be related to the burn notice story angle, but continuing to prove it can do both at the same time, Michael takes on a case just as the planned assassination Carla has been arranging draws near. He does this for Fiona, who is doing it to make Campbell happy, and also trying to wheedle a little jealousy out of Michael in the process. It's hard to determine if Fiona really likes this guy or this is just a game to get Michael to confess his true feelings. She's more than willing to flout the fact they are having sex in front of Michael, but then when Michael asks her why she is doing all this, she appears genuine in her reply that she wants to make Campbell happy. Whether or not she does have real feelings for this guy, it's never been more certain that both Michael and Fiona still care deeply for each other. When Michael is on the phone with this week's mark, he and Fiona give some revealing deep and longing stares to each other and it's as if Michael is speaking to her when he says she's shown him the way and he's not afraid to be with her. Not sure how Campbell will take it, but it's certainly going to be a thread picked up on in the second half of the season.

Nate pops in again in this episode and convinces Madeline to take out a loan on her house to invest in his limousine business. Michael is of course wary, which leads Nate to storm off in frustration and Madeline bemoaning why he can't be more supportive. I didn't care for Nate when we first met him back in "Old Friends" as he seemed to be the clichéd troubled brother who would have to prove himself to his caring, older brother serving as the surrogate father. Nate seemed to be making a turn around in previous episodes, helping Michael out of jams and the two even reached some kind of understanding during their last meeting. Here, they go back to Michael's automatic caution of Nate's scheming and Madeline has to intervene to force the boys to get along. Their relationship should move forward, not constantly backtrack and reset each time Nate pops up. It's glossed over quickly enough though with Michael becoming his first customer by hiring Nate to aide in the operation. Carla's scheming at the end leaves Nate being hauled away by police and Madeline's house in the balance. Hopefully Carla's actions won't lead to more friction with Nate for putting Mama Westen in that position in the first place.

SPI's newest case involves the protection of a royal family's young daughter, requiring Michael to go undercover as an alcoholic security guard whose services can be bought by the kidnappers. It took me a few scenes to recognize the actor playing Lesher (John Allen Nelson) who also played the duplicitous patsy Walt Cummings on seasons four and five of 24. His plans here were equally unsuccessful as he unknowingly allows Michael to manipulate him into believing security is too tight to pull off the abduction. As always, the villains still find a way to move forward when Michael's initial methods don't pay off, and in an unusually violent move Michael crashes his car into Lesher's before they can go after the girl. Usually Michael tries to find a non-violent solution to the cases, but here he goes in full force. This could be due to him having failed several times to convince Lesher to back off, or because he is under the gun with the assassination looming ever closer and he needs to wrap up this case as quickly as possible. The mission this week was nothing special but did manage to facilitate the sweet scene between Michael and Fiona so maybe it was worth it.

Surprisingly we are given practically nothing regarding what was supposed to go down with Carla's assassin. Not only did constant surveillance of Carla take Sam out of play for the episode (a crime!), it was a bit odd that after having kept Michael in check so well for so long, suddenly he has an over abundance of opportunity to gather information. He breaks into the building where the assassin has set up his perch, Sam plants a bug on Carla's motorcycle, they set up their stakeout post in her hotel and even break into her room. It was suspicious that she could be so unaware of all this taking place in such close proximity, especially with the mission so close to fruition. There's no big revelation about who the target was or if Michael was to have a larger role to play in the operation. Since they booby-trapped his house and are willing to kill him, his usefulness must be at an end. It's confusing as to why he would be roped in to cause so much trouble for this organization and not provide any services that couldn't have been obtained from a hired hand who wasn't trying to halt their plans every step of the way. The only tidbit we're given is that Carla says things are bigger than Michael can understand, and hopefully it'll be shown what that is in future episodes since they were so quick to kill their would-be assassin and Michael in order to preserve what else they have planned. Also, Tricia Helfer is given absolutely nothing substantive to do other than lounge around in a bikini (okay, no complaints there) which makes her big return somewhat of a waste.

Favorite moment: The climax of the episode involves a high speed chase with Michael racing to his apartment on a motorcycle in order to get his spare key card so he can stop the assassination. Having Fiona run some proficient interference she is able to get the pursuing cars off his tail. However, Carla hops on her own bike and gives chase which leads Michael to attempt something the voice over actually speaks out against as possible but risky. I think this is the first time this has happened. Usually the voice over will dispel a widely perceived myth and give a more practical solution. Here, he highlights the dangers and does it anyway which was a bit of a surprise. The stare down Carla gives him from under the truck was a nice touch as well.

Fringe "The Same Old Story" (2008)

As hoped the second episode of J.J. Abrams’ newest addition to the television schedule was an improvement over the exposition plentiful pilot. Having gotten all the necessary groundwork laid, and giving the audience the broad strokes of what to expect with this new series, the episodes can now focus on the finer touches. More time is spent developing the characters and how their personal and professional dynamics will play out. Last week I conjectured that there would be friction between Peter and Walter and Olivia would be forced to play mediator, but here we see that maybe Peter will be the conduit through which Olivia and Walter relate to one another. In the lab when Olivia requests Walter’s presence at a crime scene, he snaps at her for bothering him while he is working and only calms down when Peter intercedes. Peter is also the only one, as Olivia stated in the pilot, which can make sense of Walter’s ramblings and acts as interpreter to the scientific techno-babble Walter is constantly dishing out.

Peter and Olivia are also drawing closer, and Abrams has already assured us that the two will eventually end up together however it will be a slow progression (what a change of pace from every other series!) as their relationship, trust and feelings for each other continue to build. Right now they are both damaged and dealing with repercussions of someone who was outside their control. Olivia is feeling immense guilt about John’s treason and is now forced to reevaluate all the cases they worked on together to see if he was hiding anything else. Meanwhile Peter is learning more and more about his father’s secret government work that was done before he was committed. So many lives have already been lost due to Walter’s research and it looks like the body count won’t be dropping anytime soon. It has to be traumatizing to discover your father is indirectly responsible for so many atrocities and be forced to clean up the mess after he has let the genie out of the bottle.

Mirroring Walter and Peter’s relationship, Christopher (Derek Cecil) has similar feelings about his own father, Dr. Claus Penrose (Mark Blum) who by allowing his rapidly aging son to continue to live, requires him to murder and pilfer the bodies of his victims for their pituitary glands in order to stay alive. Before succumbing to his condition, he muses that his father should have never let him live. The guilt of the price to stay alive weighed heavily on his shoulders as he was dying and instead of being grateful to his father for his life, in the end he could feel nothing but shame and remorse. Almost everyone in this episode has suffered from the ramifications of someone else and it dovetails the weekly case and the personal ties very nicely.

Touching briefly on the scientific accuracy of the episodes such as rapid aging where a person can go from newborn infant to senior citizen in a matter of hours and specifically the myth of a person’s last image being imprinted on their eye, such leaps are tolerable if they are given some kind of scientific justification. Fringe takes place well in the realm of science fiction and makes no claims that events like these could happen in real life, but gives enough of a background to make them seem more plausible. Even Peter claims the last image theory is a myth based on the writings of Jules Verne, but Walter gives an alternate theory about how it could be done but it is not as straightforward as previously believed. With this regard, Fringe may not be for everyone, but for those who like to imagine that such things are possible and can suspend their disbelief, it will make for worthwhile entertainment.

There are few prime time science fictions shows out there and it fills that need for fans of the genre, like Star Trek: The Next Generation and The X-Files did in the years before. There is a willing audience for this type of show and they are the same group which made those that have come before so successful. Nothing in Fringe is any more outrageous than what was seen, and criticized, in its predecessors. With this episode Fringe proves that it can balance the science fiction, horror and drama genres successfully into an engaging and thrilling hour.

Some of the episode’s highlights include the entire teaser sequence: starting off with seemingly tedious post-coital small talk which switches gears quickly when we see that Christopher has brought along a tool kit and some drugs before jumping into higher gear with Loraine Daisy (Betty Gilpin) having a rapidly-developing pregnancy which echoes scenes in Species and Alien. The teaser was a thoroughly frightening and fascinating little sequence which leaps the audience right into the fray almost from the start. Phillip Broyles (Lance Reddick) gives a briefing about his new investigative team which includes Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) questioning his peculiar choices. Maybe I missed why an agent of the Department of Homeland Security was briefing the director of a multi-national conglomeration. Is it some kind of syndicate investigating the Pattern? Walter’s discovery of seat warmers and their awesome ability to warm your ass was both an amusing moment and a small, subtle reminder of all he has missed while locked away. Gene makes a welcome return appearance with Walter milking him to pass the time while he waits for Peter to arrive at the lab.

Favorite moment: The process of pulling the last image off the victim’s eye racketed up the tension to an all time high as it ran concurrently with Christopher and Dr. Penrose’s surgery on their latest victim. The anxiety in hoping that Olivia and Peter make it in time to save this woman gives the episode a thrilling climax and also makes for an alluring glimpse into the type of work Walter was involved with back in the 1970s. The dark lab lit only by the constantly flashing camera and the victim's exposed eyeball make for a dark, almost sinister scene that juxtaposes well with their actual reasons for undertaking this experiment. They're going to have to go out of their comfort zones in order to resolve these unique cases and this episode provides a perfect launching point for future episode structures.

Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari. (1920) ***½

Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari. is one of the earliest entries in the horror genre and a highly influential German Expressionist film. For such an early production, it carries with it many of the staples seen in horror films today, such as the mysterious, almost supernatural, killer and the twist ending. Being a silent film adds to the general spooky atmosphere as most of the scenes take place with characters alone at night, with obvious little need for dialogue and therefore no distracting intertitles to break the tension of the images on the screen. The entire production is keyed to eliciting the necessary sentiments of a horror film to make up for a lack of characters speaking to one another. The effective musical score does more to contribute than any dialogue ever would, as it conveys the necessary emotional states of the characters such as Dr. Caligari's (Werner Krauss) theme which alludes to his suspicious and sinister nature. The makeup for the character is a ghastly, sunken appearance so it's immediately known that this is a man not to be trusted. Even the set design works doubly well as both depicting the nightmarish world the characters have found themselves in as well as setting up the twist that everything we have seen has taken place in the tortured and fractured mind of Francis (Friedrich Fehér).

Being released shortly after the end of World War I, it can be postulated that the film serves as a visual depiction of the weariness and depression of the German people coming off their defeat and emotional isolation from the rest of the continent. Terror has pervaded even this small town, during a carnival, an event which should be filled with joy and wonder. Cesare (Conrad Veidt) serves as the embodiment of their fear, as Caligari leads him unwillingly from town to town committing unspeakable acts of violence and murder that Cesare would find abhorrent if not for his rare condition which leaves him prone to suggestion. Perhaps the German people felt similarly used and taken advantage of during the fighting of the war. It's never been publicly stated that the film is meant to be allegory of public sentiment, but it's not difficult to see the parallels between the story and real world events at the time of production and release.

There is genuine apprehension that Caligari will be free to unleash his powers of persuasion on Cesare to commit more evil deeds and a necessity to keep him under lock and key for the general welfare of society. As director of the local insane asylum, Dr. Caligari should be a trustworthy caretaker but he abuses his power and authority for own personal selfish needs. He allows his obsession to overcome his good judgment and his responsibility to those in his care. He abuses their conditions to fulfill his own desires. That betrayal of trust continues in the thread of expressing the public opinion of the German people. Even with the twist ending effectively mooting all these arguments as it was all an act of imagination, it's still symbolic in the sense that this fantasy is in the head of Francis who has a genuine fear of the asylum doctor he states in Caligari and what he is capable of in his nightmarish visions. Even with the events not necessarily having taken place, it's still a painfully frightful delusion on Francis' part. In effect his state of mind mirrors fears of the people even if it hasn't been done yet, the possibility still exists and that alone is worthy of caution.

The story is by no means an overly complicated one nor is it much of a mystery as the audience is tuned into who the killer is at any early point. The fascination comes with such a horrifying figure who stalks the innocent townspeople at night, murdering them in their beds while they sleep unware of the dangers creeping around outside. At such an early age in the art of film making, the plot must have been unsettling to people who were still acclimating to this relatively new medium, which saw relatively limited use prior to World War I in Germany. The horror motif itself had not yet become an established genre which certainly must have contributed to audience reaction. Dr. Caligari is quite possibly the first "mad scientist" in film who uses his controversial experiments as a source of evil. It set the bar high for all films to follow in the same vein as well as contributing a successful blueprint for how to shock and terrify audiences up to and including today's.

Favorite moment: Flouting the constraints of the silent era, Dr. Caligari's moment of madness when he becomes obsessed with emulating his historical namesake, his mental state is depicted visually by "I must become Caligari" being written across the frame and on the walls of the sets. A truly astonishing feat done in such an early age of cinema, it impresses with both its ingenuity at recreating an inner voice without uttering a single word and what must have been a difficult technical effect being done quite seamlessly.