Chimpomatic

Apparitions

Episode One

BBC1

Spooky atmospherics with Martin Shaw as a Catholic exorcist, fighting off a series of angry demons and the people they've possessed.

The first episode crams in a visit to the Vatican, a repressed novice priest who was once cured of leprosy by Mother Theresa and a dad whose Satanic babbling isn't scoring him too many points on the parenting front. 

Sounds like it's been toned down from the original full-on version featuring a man's skin being ripped off his body in a gay sauna thanks to the kind intervention of the Sunday Express - can't have helped that it's being broadcast so soon after the nonsense of Sachsgate or whatever we're calling it. Which in a way is probably a sign that it's the sort of thing you might enjoy if you're not an Express reader.

With this and Dead Set, looks like horror's back on primetime TV - BBC3's vampire flatshare Being Human is coming in 2009 as well...

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9th Nov 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

Undeclared

(creator Judd Apatow)

Undeclared follows the lives of a group of freshman students at a fictional US University. While not exactly a sequel to the excellent Freaks & Geeks, this comedy drama is a something of a logical follow up - featuring some of the same actors, in similar roles, with the high school setting upgraded to a freshman University dorm. The most notable difference is the contemporary setting, as opposed to the retro 70's of Freaks & Geeks.

Judd Apatow moves up from the exec producer role he took on Freaks & Geeks into the fully-fledged Series Creator seat here, and the series he created turned out to be something of a training ground for many of his regulars - with the young Seth Rogan serving as a writer and story editor on much of the show and Jason Segel taking a major role. A pink-eye free Jay Baruchel puts in sympathetic performance as Steven, tentatively finding his way through college, as well as dealing with a parental break-up - while the cameos come thick and fast from the likes of Adam Sandler (as an asshole version of himself), Will Ferrell (as a temperamental essay forger) and even Ben Stiller. Loudon Wainwright also puts in a recurring performance as Steven's father.

College rights-of-passage could be considered dangerous ground and I would imagine it's the kind of thing BBC3 could fuck-up beyond all recognition. Storylines here cover many of the standard University plots, but that also provides the main reason for the show's success. You'll be able to relate to the underage drinking, the friend-making process, the sexually successful roommate, the cool kids/geeky kids divide and the driving around town with the one guy with a car in search of a party you're not really invited to. As this show finds its feet there is a natural feel to much of the dialogue and the humor is well-timed, comical, contemporary and believable, much like The Office or Spaced, and effortless performances from many of the lead roles really fill out the characters, making for an eminently watchable show.

Unfortunately, like its predecessor, this one bit the dust after the fickle US market failed to recognise its brilliance...

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#CSF

7th Nov 2008 - 1 comments - Add Comment - Tweet

Recount

(dir. Jay Roach)

HBO Films/ More 4

Fantastic dissection of the madness of the 2000 US election, when the world was left trying to work out what a hanging chad was and why it was keeping Al Gore from becoming President.

Even though you know the outcome (Bush stole it, Iraq 2.0 kicked off, thousands of people died) it's hard not to be swept up by the Democrats determination to play it out fairly and get the votes recounted. There's so much guff and propaganda talked about "democracy" from freedom lovers like Bush, that when you see what it actually comes down to up close and in action (adults arguing over tiny bits of paper on confusing ballot papers and what indentations may or may not signify), it's hard not to be at the very least, a little cynical.

At the same time, it presents a pretty forensic examination of the Republican attitude, and shows just how they manage to get their worldview across so fervently, using an intoxicating combination of lies, coercion, legal wrangling and attacks to simply wear down the nation - effectively planting the argument that the recount process was simply going on too long, so Gore really had better acquiesce because everyone was getting bored of trying to figure it out. Madness, but totally inspired media logic.

With a cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Laura Dern, John Hurt, Denis Leary, Bruce McGill and Tom Wilkinson this is a quality outing, pushing the story along with real-life news footage and reconstructions.

It's already been on in the US, More4 are showing it 9pm, Fri 3 Oct - just before the first Vice-Presidential debate.

For further insight into the inner workings of the modern republican dirty tricks machine, BBC Four are showing Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story in their Storyville strand in a few weeks time, another essential recent history lesson.

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29th Sep 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

Heroes

Season 3, ep1: The Second Coming

ABC/BBC

Much better opening for the next chapter of Heroes: Villains. Really tested my powers of endurance last time with all that nonsense about the wonder twins who couldn't quite tell just why Sylar was such a bad tour guide. Sticking the most likable character, Hiro, waaaay back in the past (and not letting him time-jump out of it for almost the whole series) wasn't that great either, and having a neutered Sylar meant that the threat level just wasn't really there. Never quite got to grips with the whole Shanti virus thing either. 

Anyhow, this time we're back with Nathan Petrelli's shooting at his press conference - whodunnit and why? Not quite a question to keep us guessing like JR or Mr Burns, but not bad either. Seems like they've used the writers' strike break to focus it all a bit more. Hiro has a great beyond-the-grave dvd interaction with his dad Mr Sulu, Sylar's back to his evil watchmaker ways (is it my imagination or is there always a tick-tock sound effect whenever he's onscreen?), and Claire gets one of the best moments of the series so far when she manages to out-gross Sylar during a particularly uncomfortable moment. 

Mama Patrelli looks like she's shaping up to be more of a player this time, there's a new super-speedy girl who doesn't get affected by Hiro's time-stopping and it also looks like we're going to see some of the non-powered up cast joining the freaks. If it can keep up this pace then it might just have been worth wading through the last lot.

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27th Sep 2008 - 2 comments - Add Comment - Tweet

Fiona's Story

BBC One

Intense take on a middle-class nightmare, with Gina McKee as a mother of three whose world collapses when husband Jeremy Northam is arrested on suspicion of downloading child pornography.

With such heavy subject matter, this was never going to be an easy watch. But the performances from both leads make this a compelling watch. Both run through a dark kaleidescope of emotions, from denial to anger, heartbreak to despair, confusion to frustration. The script avoids the hysteria the issue commands in the tabloids, in favour of a quiet, understated exploration of what it would be like to witness firsthand such a shocking disintegration of a couple's belief and trust in each other. 

There's a restrained fury at the betrayal underpinning the one-off drama's understanding of the complexities and nuances of the situation, lending it a rigour that's undeniable. Not an easy Sunday night watch, but still one that is both rewarding and illuminating.

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31st Aug 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

The Nominees (aka We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian Of The Year)

ABC (Australia); FX (UK)

After the break-out success of Summer Heights High on BBC3 this year, FX are smartly re-running Chris Lilley's earlier series The Nominees. 

If you've got into SHH, you'll know what to expect - edgy, dry mockumentary humour, with Lilley cast as all the leads. He's playing five characters here, all candidates for the "Australian Of The Year" award.

Daniel Sims, a hoon teenager living in the outback, who's been nominated because he's going to donate an ear-drum to his deaf twin brother.

Pat Mullins, a suburban housewife who clearly likes wine-time, and is a champion "roller", planning to roll on her side all the way to Uluru (rock and roll...).

Phil Olivetti, a publicity-loving ex-cop who's nominated himself after a rescue attempt involving a bouncy castle that floated off from its moorings. 

Ricky Wong, a physics PHD student who'd rather be acting in his own play, Indigeridoo

This was also the debut for the mighty "I don't mean to be a bitch but..." Ja'mie King, SHH's popular exchange student, who's in her own school here. She's been spending her time sponsoring 85 Sudanese children who she organises in a Pop Idol-style popularity contest in her bedroom. She also fasts for them, which helps raise money and "keeps me looking hot".

V funny, worth catching if you've run out of Summer Heights High.

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#chimp71

10th Aug 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

House Of Saddam

BBC/HBO

Decent attempt to make some sense of the Saddam Hussein era, with a four-part drama that plays like the Sopranos with more sand. 

The cast includes Igal Naor (Rendition, Munich) as Saddam Hussein, Shohreh Aghdashloo (24, House Of Sand And Fog) as Saddam's wife Sajida, Philip Arditi (10 Days To War) as Saddam's oldest son Uday, Said Taghmaoui (Vantage Point, The Kite Runner, La Haine) as Saddam's half-brother Barzan Ibrahim, and Christine Stephen-Daly (Casualty, Cutting It) as Saddam's mistress Samira.

With occasional glimpses of the real Saddam in period news footage, you get a sense of what was going on behind the CNN image. LIke the Sopranos, or even the Corleones, life with someone like Saddam is like life in a volatile feudal court - you never know if you're about to be handed a great new job, or shot in cold blood to make a point. 

The history's handled well, taking us back to the roots of the first Gulf War and the first President Bush, before bringing us up to date by the final ep. Noar doesn't play him sympathetically, but does a good job of essaying his obvious charisma and showing the kind of drive he must have had to become President. Occasionally feels like they've perhaps made them all a little more eloquent than they might have been just to get some great lines in, but on the whole it's an intriguing, convincing portrait of one of the world's most recent political monsters.

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30th Jul 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

Burn Up

BBC2

The planet’s in crisis! The ice-caps are melting! The oil industry’s like, really, really bad!

In Burn Up, a new two-part mini-series eco drama, that’s pretty much what we learn, along with other IMPORTANT INSIGHTS like: Don’t trust the Americans. Don’t trust the Brits. And really, really, don’t trust the pesky Chinese.

Rupert Penry Jones (nice English man from Spooks) stars as a nice English man who somehow finds himself promoted to head honcho of some oil company when his father in law decides he’s had enough of getting his hands dirty. For someone who’s obviously been working in the oil industry for a bit, he’s pretty naive about how the whole oil thing is going down. He hires nice wind-farm lover Neve “Scream” Campbell to make it look like his company gives a shit about investing in sustainables (but they don’t really, mwah ha-ha), then seems surprised when he starts to work out that actually she’s the one making sense (around the same time he notices she’s quite hot) and all his nice corporate buddies, like shady Uncle Mack (Bradley Whitford from the West Wing) are actually the real loonies running around the planet, digging stuff up, destroying those nice polar bears and casually killing anyone who gets in their way.

Marc Warren seems to be having quite a good time as an ambiguous British diplomat moving and shaking behind the scenes, scoring points off the Americans and generally being a bit shady. But other than that, it’s all pretty cartoony, one of those message-dramas where they’re so busy cramming lots of IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD that they forget to write a believable drama.

It’s hard to accept that anyone at the top of the oil food chain could really be so uninformed about anything to with the reality of the situation. But more importantly, are we really supposed to buy the idea of a post-Kyoto eco summit where all the delegates are schmoozing in the same after-hours disco, bopping and drinking while images of ice-caps melting are projected on the walls? Hey international delegates! Worn out by all that complicated chat about production caps and carbon trading? I know! Let’s all wind down by going to a rave sponsored by Greenpeace! And as for the final big dramatic bit (I’d say this was a SPOILER, or even a spOILer, but really it’s not giving away much to let you know that this predictable drama ends in a chase) - are we really supposed to believe you can just sneak into Calgary stadium in the middle of the night for some clandestine meetings on the steps just because it makes for a scenic location? What? Security’s so lax in a major city where they’ve got thousands of diplomats and eco-protesters running around that you can break into such a public space? Could you break into Wembley like this on a normal day, let alone one when your city is under international scrutiny? The O2? Koko’s got better security! It’s totally ridiculous.

Obviously it’s good to see that fiction isn’t operating in a bubble, that people are trying to draw our attention to the plight of the penguins etc etc. But this doesn’t really help. Maybe the planet would be better off if we turned off our TVs for the four-odd hours it takes to watch Burn Up...

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#chimp71

22nd Jul 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

Glastonbury Festival

Somerset

June 27th-29th, 2008

It's the scale that kills you. The cliches about it being a temporary city really are true - Glastonbury is huge. The stages are all great - loved the Park Stage especially, with Santogold, Franz Ferdinand and The Duke Spirit all on rocking form - but it's the sheer size that make this festival so special. As a GlastonB virgin, it's such a different experience than spending all weekend dipping into the BBC's comprehensive coverage.

After taking a strategic decision to bail on the afternoon and make it back in time for the Euro final (and a seat on the train) it's funny seeing it on TV again. You're so close up, and you can see what the bands are actually up to, but you lose that amazing sense of being with thousands and thousands of freaks who are all up for a good time, from the weirdos in costumes (loved the cow and hotdog combo, and the banana/gorilla couple - the pig gimp mask being lead around by  a prosthetic cock was a little step too far at four in the afternoon...) to the kids in cricket jumpers watching Band Of Horses, or the unannounced acts like Franz Ferdinand popping up (always thought they were a bit overhyped, but they're a v good live proposition), and the chance to see new faves like Santogold (possibly my festival highlight) as well as Chimp hits like Band Of Horses and Black Mountain (breakfast rock? you can't beat it) and then big pop acts like Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Jay-Z - who put on a full-on show - totally subtle fuck-you to Noel Gallagher and then a great set full-on of hands-in-the-air hits.

Missed Dizzee Rascal, The Ranconteurs, Hot Chip and Edwyn Collins, (and Vampire Weekend, who pulled the Jay-Z diamonds-in-the-air trick for their night time version of Oxford Comma). Heard they were all great - but did catch an impromptu jazz set from a random trio who'd somehow dragged a clarinet, sax and double bass all the way up to the stone circle for sunrise on sunday morning - had to summon the force myself to get up there, so maximum points for effort to them all lugging that all up there. The other surprise hit was wandering into Trash City (imagine a disco zone in Mad Max 3 are you're halfway there) and finding the full-on hands in the air party that Horsemeat Disco were putting on in the NYC Downlow club - brilliant trannied up mood, with a dark, sweaty murder on the dancefloor vibe. Totally entertaining, with fake taches given out as the get-you-back-in passes.

Bailed early on Sunday to get back up for the real world on Monday so caught The Verve and Neil Diamond on the BBC's catch up, but totally loved it. If you haven't been: do it. 

#Music
#Gig
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30th Jun 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet

Criminal Justice

(dir. Otto Bathurst, Luke Watson)

BBC

Excellent thriller running over five consecutive nights on BBC1 (Mon 30 Jun - Fri 4 Jul) that manages to combine elements of prison, police and the legal system to bring a 360 sense of what it's like to be thrust into a murder trial. 

Ben Whishaw (Perfume, Nathan Barley) wakes up after a wild night to find there's blood on his hands (literally), panics, and then finds himself the prime suspect in a gory murder. 

What's great here is that each episode shows the experience from as many different perspectives and in as many arenas as possible. We get the full-on Oz-like terror of suddenly finding yourself in a British prison, not knowing who to trust or make deals with. There's the confusion of being grilled by the police while your brief is advising you to offer "no comment" to everything, even though you just want to explain yourself. There's the frustration of the arcane legal system, making deals behind the scenes, playing a dangerous game of oneupmanship in court. The tension of his parents who don't quite know what to believe. The desperate loneliness of a suspect who can't even fully trust himself because he simply can't remember what happened.

The top-notch cast includes Pete Postlethwaite, David Harewood, Bill Paterson, Con O'Neill and Lindsay Duncan.

Not sure how it's going to do in this format - five straight nights is probably no more commitment than catching Big Brother every night, but it's worth setting the Sky+ for or iPlayering (is that a verb yet?) it all - you shouldn't miss any of this. 

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27th Jun 2008 - Add Comment - Tweet