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.