28.1.07

Spoooon! A review of The Tick Series.

Larger than "larger than life," and bluer than any blue, the Tick (Patrick Warburton) is one superhero that you can't miss — even if you tried to.

Originally an animated show, The Tick is a parody of the superhero genre. Though he is immensely strong and invulnerable, he lacks the intellect to go with it. In fact, one would think he doesn't have any intellect at all.

He is joined on his unintentional adventures by his sidekick Arthur (David Burke). A simple accountant by profession, Arthur's dream has always been to become a superhero, and when the Tick comes along, he gets that chance.

Arthur doesn't have a superhero name, but his powers are based on a moth, and he often gets mistaken for a bunny. His character is the antithesis of all sidekicks: he is nervous, jittery and anxious. Then there are other superheroes and supervillains ranging from the ridiculous to the insane (case in point, the villain called "The Mad Bomber Who Bombs At Midnight").

Overall, the show is a poor adaptation from the animated series, purely because this show is live action and it loses some of the animated appeal with that transition. There are moments however that make up for it being live action, as the writing is more witty and clever. Such as the incident when Arthur comes to terms by telling his family that he is a superhero with disastrous results.

There are no special features in the boxset, as this show was cancelled due to poor ratings. A shame really, as it will be enjoyed by fans of good comical writing.
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21.1.07

Tokyo Drift: OST

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftImage via Wikipedia
If you like fast shiny cars and loud music, then you're in for a treat with the original sound track (OST) of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. This is a definite must have for all those speed demons out there. And although you might have missed both Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in this installment of the series, you will find that the soundtrack more than makes up for the movie (which wasn't that bad either).

This album is a very good blend of international 'east meets west' music. The opening track by the Teriyaki Boys (produced by Pharrell Williams) is also the promotional music video for the movie, Tokyo Drift. The band 5,6,7,8 made their name in the Kill Bill OST and hearing them again in the track called Barracudda, shows the talent of these Japanese artists.

Evil Nine's track Restless lives up to its name in a monstrous march of bass beats. The Japanese rap tracks make for fresh and interesting listening, though you will have to get used to it at first. Fans of DJ Shadow and Mos Def will get a treat when the two giants of their genre come together for the track Six Days. Rock hasn't been left behind either as Atari Teenage Riot prove on their track Speed. Okay, so the track is more industrial than rock, but it still fits into the album perfectly.

Overall this album offers a good mixture of American hip-hop and Japanese culture pop, pacing at floored-pedal speed. Producer DJ Shadow has done a great job of harmonising the sound of the two cultures while keeping the pace intact.

The lack of variety in pace might deter a few listeners, but do give it a listen. Be warned though: drive safely as the music might have an effect on your driving.
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Getting Lost Again. Lost Season Two Review.

In the last season of Lost, a lot had happed. Lives were lost, trust was lost, and the only thing that the survivors of the Oceanic Flight 815 were left with was hope.

The second season opens with the discovery of what lies behind the hatch –– the discovery that the island isn't really what it appears to be. The survivors have already realised that there are "others" on the island. Just what the "others" are is something even the survivors are not sure of. The original cast has returned and this time, though we are familiar with what they have been through, we do not know who they are. Individual past stories continue to reveal shocking and sometimes outrageous twists. And then there is the meeting with the "others."

Giving too much information would spoil the show in this review, but this much is true: there are few series that keep you on the edge and with this show, you will find that there is no edge, because even the edge is lost.

Another feature in this show — something that other shows lack — is the soundtrack. Also labelled as incidental soundtrack, pieces of music are tailored to the moments of the scene, rather than to the characters. Because the characters are so rich anyway, the focus of the music shifts to the moments, particularly the twists and cliff hangers.

The boxset is again loaded with goodies. Behind the scene features, special documentaries, plus special commentaries on selected episodes. There is so much to view that you will only end up getting Lost.

14.1.07

Sex and the City

Sex and the CityImage via Wikipedia
Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends journey through singlehood in modern day New York in Sex and the City, a truly girly show based on a book by Candace Bushnell of the same name.

Though there is no coherent plot , the show is narrative driven with Carrie's colourful comments on the lives of the four stars within. We have Carrie herself, who is a columnist, often interacting with fictional and non-fictional celebrities. The character is brilliantly portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker, who up until now was not finding much success on the big screen.

Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is a young, almost aristocratic, art dealer who sternly believes in traditions. Cynthia Nixon plays Miranda Hobbes, the career minded lawyer who has a pessimistic view of the world and yet is the voice of reason for the entire group. We finally come to Samantha (Kim Cattrall), the eldest of the group, but the youngest at heart and the secret star of the show.

The first season introduces us to each character and also the premise of the show — New York City, which is a star of the show itself, not to mention a supporting cast of shoes, dresses and jewelry.

The DVD box set is loaded with special features such as commentaries and behind-the-scene footage. Also included are cast interviews. This is a must-watch and must-have, especially for slumber parties.
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7.1.07

From the Earth to the Moon - A Review

From the Earth to the Moon (miniseries)Image via Wikipedia
There are very few wonders of the 20th century that continue to amaze us in this day and age. Man’s journey to the moon is one of them. HBO’s mini series From the Earth to the Moon looks at this journey from its very inception. Based loosely on the book by Andrew Chaikin, the series has a cast of epic proportions whose stories span the generation of the infamous space race.

The series starts off with a setback against the United States it is 1961 and Yuri Gregarian is the first man in space. Inspired and urged by the words of John F. Kennedy, the team at NASA was determined to achieve the target of putting a man on the moon by the end of that decade. We’re shown that every person on the team, from the contractors, subcontractors to even the wives of the astronauts, played an important role on putting a man on the moon. Perhaps the highlight of this series is the episode, Mare Tranquilitatis, the sixth episode in the series; we see Neil Armstrong (portrayed brilliantly by Tony Goldwyn) and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (Bryan Cranston) make their journey into history books, and of course we get to see the infamous “small step” and the “giant leap” on the moon.

This series comes with behind the scene features, including a special introduction to each episode by Tom Hanks (the executive producer of the series), and commentaries on selected episodes. So sit back, relax and enjoy the journey From the Earth to the Moon.

(This review was originally published in the January 07, 2007 Edition of Dawn Images)
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