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Peter Dinklage

Cyrano – Who is worthy of love?

February 24, 2022 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“I’d give anything for someone to say….”

We long—to be heard, to be seen, to be loved. Such loving is the driving force in Joe Wright’s film Cyrano, a reimagining of Edmund Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, by way of a musical stage play written and directed by Erica Schmidt, who wrote the screen play. It is the story of people who long to be loved—even though they don’t feel worthy of being loved as they would like to be.

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Peter Dinklage as Cyrano in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The classic version of Cyrano de Bergerac centers on the title character, a guardsman who is known for his skill as a swordsman and for his wit, but is even more renown for the size of his nose. In this version, Cyrano’s nose is not the issue. Instead, he is played by the diminutive Peter Dinklage. It is his size that makes others scorn and ridicule him (but they do so at their peril). This is more than just a gimmick. Dinklage bring a certain reality to the role that actors in fake noses don’t have. We sense that he truly understands Cyrano’s feelings about being different.

Cyrano is in love with Roxanne (Haley Bennett), his friend from their childhood. But he feels that he can only love her from afar, because no one would accept him because he is so different. When Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) arrives in town, he and Roxanne lock eyes and are immediately smitten. Roxanne asks Cyrano to take care of Christian, a task he accepts out of love, but it breaks his heart. When Cyrano encourages Christian to write to Roxanne, Christian balks because he does not have the words or poetry that Roxanne desires. So Cyrano writes the letters for him, and together they win her heart, but it is obviously complicated (and comic).

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Christian in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

There is another rival for Roxanne, Duke De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn), a foppish, but rich and powerful nobleman. It would not be accurate to say he is courting her. Rather he has decided to possess her. He is the personification of entitlement. De Guiche’s main song is “What I Deserve”.

Those familiar with the original play will know that for all the comic aspects that play out in the romantic triangle of Cyrano, Roxanne, and Christian, the play evolves into a great tragedy of unfulfilled love.

The songs that are a part of this production fit in naturally, some more so than others. (Although the production numbers with large numbers of dancing guards seem less organic to the story.) Some of the songs are more spoken than sung, which works especially well in an early scene set in a theater, in which Cyrano’s lines have an almost rap quality.

Peter Dinklage stars as Cyrano, Haley Bennett as Roxanne and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Christian in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

There are various themes entwined in all of this. One of those focuses on love and our desire to be loved. Often, however, at the same time, we feel unworthy of love. Each of the three main characters are deeply in love, but they each feel that for whatever reason, they don’t deserve to be loved: Cyrano because of his abnormal body, Christian because he can’t live up to the words that Cyrano has put in the letters, Roxanne because she wants more from love than she thinks anyone can give. It raises the question of what it means to be worthy of love—or more precisely if it’s possible to be unworthy. Love is not something we earn, but something bestowed upon us as a gift. That is a key point of the Christian faith: that God loves us not because we are worthy, but because God deems us worthy.

Honesty is another issue that this story deals with. Obviously, Cyrano and Christian are not being honest with the woman they both love. But we also know that Cyrano writes honestly. Everything he writes is from his own heart. The only dishonest thing about it is having Christian sign the letters. In time, Christian realizes this truth, and demands that they come clean with Roxanne—that she deserves the truth and to know of the love they both hold for her. De Guiche’s dishonesty is evident from when we first see him. His ostentatiousness, his highly powdered face and ghastly wig, serve to hide anything that might be considered common. His more shameful nature is hidden from view by his wealth and power.

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Ben Mendelsohn as De Guiche in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We also see the way pride interplays with a sense of inferiority.  De Guiche may try to hide himself with makeup and clothing, but Cyrano has no way to hide the part that makes him different. But both of these men have a great measure of pride. De Guiche’s pride is much more in the nature of hubris. His pride comes not from accomplishment, but from his position. For him, pride is just another bit of makeup to cover his lack of love. Cyrano’s pride comes from overcoming his adversity. However, he allows that pride to stand in the way of achieving the one thing he desires in life.

Cyrano is the story of all who long to love and be loved. It calls us to allow ourselves those blessings.

Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne in Joe Wright’s CYRANO A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Peter Mountain © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Cyrano is playing in wide theatrical release.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: based on a play, comedy, Cyrano, Joe Wright, musical, Oscars, Peter Dinklage, romance, Tragedy

The Croods: A New Age – Stone Age Meets the Modern Age

February 23, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

If you want to look at the present, sometimes we need to start with the past.

Following the events of 2013’s The Croods, The Croods: A New Age follows the ‘first family’ as wander through the wilderness. Their simple lives are turned upside down though when they stumble upon the Bettermans, a family that has built a life of privilege through their innovative technology and their high value on self-protection. When the Bettermans decide that the Croods are a threat to their life of luxury, they attempt to rid themselves of their visitors but, in the process, unleash the danger that lurks on the other side of their incredibly high walls.

Directed by Joel Crawford, Croods: A New Age was not a sequel that seemed necessary yet proves to be most welcome. Whereas the first film focused entirely on the Crood clan, New Age opens up the world considerably (and creatively) with the addition of the Bettermans and their utopian realm. While the first film was fairly well-received, the world in which they lived had a relatively limited colour palette as the Croods trudged through their largely dusty terrain. However, with a new environment comes new opportunities for innovation and Crawford and his team let their imaginative juices fly.

Featuring wild creatures and dazzling bursts of colour, there’s an energy within New Age that was missing from its predecessor which also gives the franchise new life. (Personally, I believe that anyone who came up with the idea of ‘wolf-spiders’ really needs to seek some professional help, regardless of how adorable they look.) Filled with modern references like ‘window addiction’ and enough technological wonders to make The Flintstones jealous, Croods: A New Age feels relevant to the modern family and keeps the laughs going along the way.

Even the cast seems slightly more… well… animated in the sequel now that they some new blood to play with. Given the opportunity to work alongside Dinklage’s sophisticated but slimy Phil Betterman, Nicolas Cage’s Grug seems much more likable and endearing. At the same time, with their relationship now firmly established, both Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds are much more comfortable with one another as their characters move towards their ‘forever’. Stealing the show, however, are the aforementioned Bettermans, played by veterans Peter Dinklage and Leslie Mann. Stepping into the role of antagonists to the Croods, Dinklage and Mann are a joy to watch as the obnoxiously wealthy Bettermans. (‘Emphasis on the better,’ they remind.) Though detestable for their celebration of privilege, Dinklage and Mann embed their performances with a nervous desire to protect their family that somehow makes them seem more sympathetic. 

Similar to the first film, A New Age also wants to explore what it means to be both an individual and valued part of the pack. As they settle into the Betterman’s luxurious villas, the Croods finally have the opportunity to have some privacy… but is that something that they really want? As they adjust to living in a technological paradise that allows for them to finally have some space between them, the Croods also find themselves more divided.

Having built a bond between them by always sticking together (primarily out of fear), their new environment provides a certain sense of ease to it that gives them freedom. While this can be life-giving to some, innovations like the ‘man-cave’ and Thunk’s obsession with the window also create roadblocks within their family. In this way, the film recognizes the modern challenges of relationships as we continue to find new ways to create space between us and struggle to maintain open communication in the family unit.

What may be most surprisingly, however, is that A New Age is also unafraid to venture into a new age of ideas by adding the numerous layers of cultural subtext to the family-friendly adventure. From the female empowerment of the Thunder Sisters to the abuse of the environment, the film explores a broad range of culturally relevant issues that help elevate the film’s story. (In fact, through Betterman’s control of the bananas and water supply, the film even suggests the socio-economic ramifications of creating a caste system where the divide between rich and poor continues to grow.) In doing so, there’s a certain level of bravery to A New Age as it intelligently explores some of the deeper issues of our current culture while never becoming overburdened by the conversations or losing the fun.

Despite having little that’s new to the standard animated release, the disc Little Red Bronana Bread and Dear Diary: World’s First Pranks are not spectacular but are effective and entertaining. What’s more, director’s commentaries are always welcome as well. Still, the simplest shorts may be the most helpful. For parents looking for something to do with their kids during a lockdown, shorts that offer creative options like ‘FamiLeaf Album’, ‘How to Draw: Caveman Style’ and ‘Stone Age Snack Attack’ may help bring some activities into your home. It’s also worth noting that the colours really pop onscreen with the home release, especially on the 4K disc.

Filled with humour and heart, The Croods: A New Age is a worthwhile venture. Once again, Grug, Eep and the rest of the family prove that the value of knowing your place in the pack and the importance of supporting one another in the most difficult of circumstances. 

Without question, they have peaked my interest to see what happens in the next age.

Croods: The New Age is available on VOD, 4K, Blu-Ray and DVD on February 23rd, 2021.

Filed Under: DVD, Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Emma Stone, Leslie Mann, Nicolas Cage, Peter Dinklage, Ryan Reynolds, The Croods

I Care a Lot: Two Wrongs Make it Right?

February 20, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Vicious and brutal, I Care a Lot is a relentless exploration of what happens when greed is allowed to run rampant at the expense of the vulnerable sector.

It’s also a tonne of fun.

I Care a Lot follows Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), a highly successful legal guardian who takes responsibility for the elderly and then exploits them for their vast fortunes. Sensing a huge potential windfall, she takes on a seemingly innocent new client named Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), immediately placing her in a nursing facility and strips her of her financial assets. However, when Jennifer’s ruthless benefactor Roman (Peter Dinklage) hears of her plight, Marla and her partner (Eiza Gonzalez) must go to war to protect their investments and potentially, save their lives.

Written and directed by J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), I Care a Lot is an energetic dark comedy that commits to its wicked machinations and never looks back. Bursting with fire and entertaining from start to finish, Blakeson’s script pops with devilish glee as it highlights the malicious nature of corporate greed at the expense of the poor and oppressed. Though we have seen Dinklage in villainous roles before, he is in top form here as Wiest’s mysterious and vicious backer, Roman. Even so, the greatest surprise here is Pike who positively relishes her role as the morally bankrupt Marla. Bouncing with energy onscreen, Pike wheels and deals with a maniacal grin that is both enticing and intense. (In fact, even the usually docile Wiest underscores her performance with a sinister darkness.)

With that in mind, one of the more fascinating aspects of I Care is that it really has no hero (or heroine). Whereas most films would emphasize the honourable lawyer fighting to protect their client or the unjust system that takes advantage of the underserved, I Care has no such interests. In this world, corruption is rampant on both sides of the battle and victory seems to stem from the person who ‘wants it more’. By unleashing its inner darkness, I Care allows greed to become the soul of Darwinian business practices. Ferociously attacking each other’s livelihood, both Marla and Roman exemplify the very nature of ‘survival of the fittest’. While Marla views her elderly clients merely as numbers within her check book, Roman is equally merciless, refusing to lose what he feels belongs to him out of sheer tenacity and pride. (For this reason, the title I Care a Lot carries a sense of irony as ‘caring’ takes on an entirely different meaning in this world.)

Having said this, it goes without saying that the characters of I Care seems to care little about what is ‘right’ objectively within this world. At a time when large corporations continue to value profit margins ahead of people lives, I Care becomes a cautionary parable to the all-consuming nature of greed. As the two titans collide in a battle for dominance, both Roman and Marla seem blissfully unaware of the lives who are impacted by their recklessness. For both characters, acquiring wealth and power are the greatest good, regardless of who stands in their way. (Wall Street’s Gordon Gecko would be pleased.) Though families are torn apart and destruction rampant, they continue to remain focused on themselves. While the film eventually does acknowledge the suffering that their actions cause, Marla and Roman seem largely content to create chaos for their own sake.

Though the heart of I Care a Lot may sound bleak, the film’s style and enthusiasm are hard to resist. Featuring solid performances across the board and a brutally fun script, Blakeson’s film breathes satirical fire that demands attention. As the stakes continue to rise and the inner darkness of his characters is unleashed in all its fury, Blakeson never loses sight of the damages caused by their carelessness.

Even if they seem completely unaware.

I Care a Lot is currently streaming on Amazon Prime in Canada.

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF, VOD Tagged With: Dianne Wiest, Eiza Gonzalez, I Care a Lot, J Blakeson, Peter Dinklage, Rosamund Pike

TIFF20: I Care a Lot

September 18, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

I Care a Lot follows Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), a highly successful legal guardian who takes responsibility for the elderly and then exploits them for their vast fortunes. Sensing a huge potential windfall, she takes on a seemingly innocent new client named Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), immediately placing her in a nursing facility and strips her of her financial assets. However, when Jennifer’s ruthless benefactor Roman (Peter Dinklage) hears of her plight, Marla and her partner (Eiza Gonzalez) must go to war to protect their investments and potentially, save their lives.

Written and directed by J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), I Care a Lot is an energetic dark comedy that commits to its wicked machinations and never looks back. Bursting with fire and entertaining from start to finish, Blakeson’s script pops with devilish glee as it highlights the malicious nature of corporate greed at the expense of the poor and oppressed. 

By unleashing its inner darkness, I Care allows greed to become the soul of Darwinian business practices. Ferociously attacking each other’s livelihood, both Marla and Roman exemplify the very nature of ‘survival of the fittest’. 

Though the heart of I Care a Lot may sound bleak, the film’s style and enthusiasm are hard to resist. Featuring solid performances across the board and a brutally fun script, Blakeson’s film breathes satirical fire that demands attention. As the stakes continue to rise and the inner darkness of his characters is unleashed in all its fury, Blakeson never loses sight of the damages caused by their carelessness.

Even if they seem completely unaware.

I Care a Lot is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Diane Wiest, Eiza Gonzalez, I Care a Lot, J B, Peter Dinklage, Rosamund Pike

Game of Thrones – Season 7: Divided We Stand?

December 15, 2017 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

Winter has come.

In the seventh season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, which may be the most addictive television show of all time (at least, since Lost), the separate worlds held apart by power, water, and dragons finally crash together in an explosive penultimate season in George R.R. Martin’s wickedly created series. Now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD, the family dynamics that have been brewing, clawing, and screaming for attention end up front and center, even as the ultimate threat to humanity, the White Walkers, threaten the Wall.

What follows is a theologically-inclined recap/expose of the things that occur and the way they relate to our lives, today.

In the first two episodes, “Dragonstone” and “Stormborn,” the worlds of Westeros and Essos collide. Arya (Maise Williams) settles the Stark debt with the Freys in a way that is clever, creepy, and apropos. On the other side, Euron (Pilou Asbæk) proves to be true villain, wreaking havoc on the Sand Vipers, as well as his fellow Greyjoys, all in efforts to win Cersei’s (Lena Headey) favor. All of this is pretty standard Game of Thrones stuff, with heavy influences in double-crossing and violence, politics and maneuvering. But the show is at its best when there are bigger fish (or dragons) to fry.

[Daenerys] protects people from monsters, just like you do. —Tyrion to Jon Snow 

In “The Queen’s Justice,” Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) find themselves stuck in the middle of trying to run Westeros – and figuring out what enemies are really worth fighting. Daenerys has just gotten to Westeros; Jon realizes that the threats north of the Wall, the white walkers, are greater than battling with Cersei or not. Thankfully, Jon and Daenerys get some help, in the person of Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), who may just be the star of the seventh season.

“You should never believe a thing just because you want to believe it.”— Tyrion

In the midst of a season where Tyrion’s wisdom sometimes falls on deaf ears before finally breaking through, he counsels the future rulers of Westeros (my guess, anyway) about what it means to be leaders of people, and rulers of others. In fact, he makes one clear distinction about the difference between Cersei and Daenerys: “My sister’s [Cersei’s] army fights out of fear. The unsullied fight for something greater, for freedom.” This is the beauty of the show, that even in the midst of the violence and carnage and power plays, there is still a morality that rises above the rest.

You’ve made impossible things happen, and maybe the people following you believe you can make a world that’s different. If you use them to melt castles, you’re not different, you’re just more of the same.—Jon to Daenerys

By the fourth episode, “The Spoils of War,” the two rulers-to-be have come together to some accord, realizing that their mutual destruction would occur without coming together. In fact, in a cave full of dragonglass, Jon tells Daenerys that they must take the example from thousands of years ago, when their relatives bonded together: “They fought together against a common enemy, despite their suspicions. We need to fight together because the enemy is very real.” This belief, this coming together of likeminded rulers comes from the heart of Jon, and the constant exploits of Daenerys who makes the forgotten about remembered, the ignored important, and the slave free.

This ideal is no better seen than the intense opportunity that Daenerys gives the captured Lannister men after a battle in “Eastwatch,” when she says, “I offer you this choice – Bend the knee and we will leave the world a better place than we found it, or refuse, and die.” Her desire to create a better world, to break the wheel that has so long held everyone down. She and Jon turn to this – even as the army of the undead grows stronger, crashing toward the Wall, like something even more diabolical than those in The Walking Dead.

In “Beyond the Wall,” the sixth episode of the season, Jon leads a small band of brave soldiers on a daring mission that ultimately requires some unexpected help – several unexpected helps. There are some funny quips, “Fighting is more important than smart. Smart people don’t come up here looking for the dead,” but more often than not, the principal subjects are debating which gods matter. My favorite protagonist, Jon, asks, “What’s the point in serving a god when nobody knows what he wants?” when referring to the Lord of Light. It’s an interesting question about the theology of Game of Thrones, as people debate religiously – and as Cersei steadily refuses to believe in what she can’t see, including morale and love.

After we break the wheel, how do we make sure it stays broken? – Tyrion to Daenerys

While there are spills and thrills to see throughout the episode, like one bear attack that I literally recoiled from, the exploration of what it means to be a hero and what it means to be a leader. For most of the sane people watching the show, the pairing of Jon and Daenerys makes sense, even as Jon says, “They’ll all come to see you for what you are” to his dragon-riding heartthrob. And he’s not talking about dragons, he’s talking about the way she values life, love, and freedom. But these guys are up against it – even as the season ends with “The Dragon and the Wolf.”

This isn’t about living in harmony, this is just about living. — Jon

While Jon, Daenerys, Tyrion, and their posse go south to make peace, at least temporarily, with Cersei, it’s apparent that there are comparisons to the world we live in that just… defy logic. While we have people focused on what divides us, like race, politics, or sexual orientation, even to the point of conflict, a storm like Hurricane Harvey finally reminds us … temporarily… of imago dei, of the fact that we have more in common than we could expect, and less to hold us back if we would work together. Suddenly, the world of a fantasy is abundantly more applicable to our lives than one would expect.

Special features here start with the additional Blu-ray disc that lays out the history of Westeros spun out through animation and narration by stars like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Sophie Turner, and others, thanks to the script from show writer Dave Hill. The Blu-ray set also includes in-episode guides to background, characters, locations, and histories, as well as a separate set of “Histories & Lore” told by the cast. “From Imagination to Reality: Inside the Art Department” takes us behind the work of production designer Deborah Riley and her team, showing the way that the sets like Casterly Rock and Dragonstone were created. “Fire & Steel” shows how Westeros was invaded via footage and interviews, while eleven additional commentaries by instrumental figures like David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Kit Harington, Lena Headley, and others show us the mentality behind many of the highest moments. 

Filed Under: DVD, Featured, Reviews Tagged With: Cersei, dragons, Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones, Kit Harington, Lannister, Peter Dinklage, Wall, Westeros

Game of Thrones Season 6: The Blind will See, The Dead will be Raised

November 14, 2016 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

gotjon

“The past is already written. Stay too long where you don’t belong and you will never return.”– Three-Eyed Raven

The sixth season of HBO’s Game of Thrones has received critical renown (winning twelve of its twenty-three nominations for Emmys) and grown the fan base that watches each episode. Combining original material with elements of two previously written George R.R. Martin novels and the upcoming Winds of Winter, the season is remarkably dark in tone and depiction – dragging us farther and farther into the entangled manipulations of fiends and heroes that populate Westeros and beyond. It may not be clear which characters are which, because every viewer has their own favorites.

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All of us have to tell ourselves we’re decent to sleep at night. How do you tell yourself that after all of the things you’ve done? – Edmure Tully

For me, the season is defined by two things. The first is the early re-entry of Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who was stabbed a la Julius Caesar by his own men at the end of the fifth season. Thanks to the Red Woman, Melisandre (Carice van Houten), or at least it appears, resurrection is a huge theme of the season. Thanks to an Entertainment Weekly cover a week after the episode aired, that was spoiled for me – but it was sufficient enough to make me want to tear into the sixth season as soon as it arrived. Snow’s ‘resurrection’ and subsequent coronation are worthy of investigation by anyone who has dabbled in the novels or the show (both of which I am a fan). His response that he was “nowhere” after death lends itself to some head scratching, too, but we figure all will be revealed. (A secondary “wow” moment – the origins of Hodor are revealed. Heartbreaking.)

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It’s never too late to change. — Septon

Snow is not however the chief focus of the series – there are simply too many characters for one to dominate. But over and over, the theme involves characters who are broken and then put back together. We also find Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), finally tangling with dragons long after he first requested one for a birthday as a child. We see the ongoing struggle of two queens, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headley). We watch Arya’s (Maisie Williams) transformation from battered blind girl to fearsome warrior under the tutelage of the Waif (Faye Marsay). We see absolute switch of Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) from innocent pawn to weapon-wielding leader of men. While those are just the stories that have kept my focus since I first started reading the books – there are also the Ironborn Greyjoys, and the wretched Boltons, led by Ramsey (Iwan Rheon), one of the most twisted villains in recent years in any medium.

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You were born a fighter. You walked away from the fight. How did that go? –Dondarrion

Short version highlights (without spoiling anything for those who haven’t seen the season yet) of metamorphosis and redemption:

-Jon Snow’s obvious transition from dead to living, from uninterested leader to thrilling warrior.

-Arya’s development from “The Red Woman” episode on, finally thinking for herself despite the odds (Ironically, Sansa’s character moves leaps and bounds forward, too.)

-Bran Stark’s visions in “Home” and “Blood of My Blood” that develop him into the Three-Eye Raven. (The battle with the Night King in “The Door” is one of the coolest scenes included in this season

-Sam’s decision to steal Heartsbane in “Blood of My Blood” as signifying a several season story arc from cheerful, pudgy punching bag to actual man on his own.

-Daenerys rides some serious dragon.

-The baddest battle you’ve ever seen (the fight for Winterfell) putting Helm’s Deep to shame, including Dortmund’s moment and Wun Wun, the giant giant.

There are still solid main characters we have loved from the beginning, but the peripheral, extended world of Game of Thrones remains just as detailed. No character is too insignificant to not become a major player down the road. And yet, the second takeaway I took is that while so many shows reduce women to side projects or pawns of machismo power, in Game of Thrones, there’s a greater chance when the smoke clears, that one of these women will rule the throne.

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I’m angry that horrible people can treat good people that way, and get away with it. — Gilly 

Throughout the season, there is a sense that chief characters are taking back what is theirs – or at least attempting to. Jon fights his battles at the Wall – joining Sansa’s revenge tour – and recognizes that Winterfell is central; Cersei fights for control of King’s Landing; Daenerys fights just to stay alive… in the hopes of regaining her family’s lands. The difference between the efforts is that some fight for others and some fight only for themselves. That is one of the primary (only?) differences – all are bloody, violent, take-no-prisoners attacks that leave casualties on all sides. There is a struggle for land, for power, for relationships… but always for purpose. (None of this seems more deeply layered than Bran’s (Isaac Hempstead Wright) visions of the past and future, which intersect with the present in very tangible ways, or Sandor Clegane’s (Rory McCann) conversations post-“resurrection” about the gods and the way they might still have use for a man like him.)

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I am the Breaker of Chains…. My reign has just begun. — Daenerys

In Matthew 11:5, Jesus says, “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Game of Thrones seems to be pursuing some of these issues, wrestling with the faith of various characters (Tommen, Snow, Melisandre, etc.) But it is truly a season when miracles occur, and we wrestle with their purpose. Is that not akin to the world we live in today, seeing things which make us wonder but yet sometimes fails to provide its purposes? Instead, like the characters of season six, we are often left to be as faithful as we can, to pursue the good we can, to make the difference we can – and be as much part of the miracles as we can be.

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I choose violence. — Cersei

One of the practical applications of living out the way that faith (and morality) work is the battle over slavery in Mereen. While there are political complications (a la Lincoln’s negotiations over slavery and politics), there still remains an onslaught of rhetoric and decision making about what it means to be a humanitarian, what it means to be emancipated, and what it means to rule well. While Daenerys is the “Breaker of Chains,” Tyrion is not; while absolute freedom is what we all strive for, the struggle for it – for standing, for property, for identity, is one that is waged in words, in chains, in battle – throughout this sixth season. And somehow, it seems all the more important as I watch the sociopolitical landscape. Is there more going on here than ‘simple’ fantasy-laden, dragon-flying adventure?

Methinks, yes.

HBO’s special features are ridiculously important to the home media combo packs. On the Blu-ray alone are “in-episode guides” that provide a way to keep track of characters, situations, and places; there’s also a focus on mythology in several of the lands through “Histories & Lore.” The episode 9 feature, “The Battle of the Bastards,” looks at GOT’s largest battle royale to date — potentially the coolest onscreen mass throw down since Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. In “18 Hours at the Paint Hall,” we see how all three cinematography units took over the Belfast set to get their shots in, while we see the way that the Dothraki world of Season One makes a return in “Recreating the Dothraki World.” 

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Filed Under: DVD, Editorial, Featured, Reviews Tagged With: Arya, Cersei, Daenerys Targaryen, Dothraki, Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones, george r.r. martin, Jon Snow, Kit Har, Melisandre, Peter Dinklage, tyrion lannister

Game of Thrones Season 6 DVD – Free Copy!

October 30, 2016 by Jacob Sahms 3 Comments

gameofthrones

 

What happens in the sixth season of HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones? We could tell you or you could win this free copy. Just respond below with your favorite moment from one of the previous seasons and we’ll pick a lucky winner for ScreenFish’s drawing! Reply by November 15. One entry per person. You must be eighteen or over to win and live in the continental U.S.

Filed Under: Featured, Giveaways, SmallFish, Television Tagged With: d.b. weiss, david benioff, Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones, george r.r. martin, giveaway, HBO, kit harrington, Peter Dinklage, tyrion lannister

The Boss: The Melissa McCarthy Pattern

July 25, 2016 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

theboss

Let’s consider the post-Bridesmaids chart of Melissa McCarthy vehicles: Identity Thief (good). The Heat (hilarious). Tammy (forgettable). St. Vincent (good). Spy (hilarious). Of course, the next film is The Boss… and it falls into the “forgettable” category, setting up McCarthy’s next film in the good-to-hilarious pattern. (Here’s looking at you, Ghostbusters.)

McCarthy stars as Michelle Darnell, a money-wrangling, speech-giving sociopath (okay, that’s a little strong), who tangles with her ex-mentor/lover, Renault (Peter Dinklage), one too many times. He reports her to the SEC, and she’s left with nothing. No one likes her. But her sympathetic ex-assistant Claire (Veronica Mars, er, Kristen Bell) and her daughter take in the homeless ex-billionaire. And then she takes over the knockoff Girl Scout group and we watch a movie about Darnell and Claire sparring as their brownie (get it?) company takes off.

Sadly, for all of my love for McCarthy and Bell, the film just isn’t funny. I rarely consider anything with Dinklage uninteresting, but this just doesn’t fly. Again, it’s written by McCarthy and her director husband, Ben Falcone, who also helped write and direct Tammy. Uh-oh. Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?

If anything, there’s something to be said for a billionaire who gets their comeuppance, but I don’t know if that’s clever enough for the populace. Right now, our political heavyweights are entertaining enough on their own.

For those fans who wade through and want more, there’s still an original sketch (Darnell was McCarthy’s Groundlings creation), more Dinklage, and the Gag Reel (sadly, the funniest part). 

Filed Under: DVD, Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ben Falcone, Groundlings, Kristen Bell, Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly, Peter Dinklage, Tammy, Veronica Mars

Angry Birds: Birds of a Feather

May 27, 2016 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

angrybirds

Based on the most downloaded freemium app of all time, The Angry Birds Movie has grossed over $157 million dollars in its first week. With a worldwide following for the game, it was a no-brainer that the film would follow. Seriously, we’ve seen news of PONG and Centipede movies in the works, so could a hammed-up version of our favorite birds really be denied?

In the ‘plot’ of this animated 3D lark, Red (Jason Sudeikis) is already living on the fringes of the bird community on Bird Island, where birds have forgotten how to fly. When he blows up a young chick’s birthday party, he’s sentenced to anger management class with Chuck (a yellow bird played by Josh Gad) and Bomb (Danny McBride), who become his friends. In the meantime, the pig king Leonard (Bill Hader) lands on Bird Island, lulls the birds into believing his benevolent, and, you guessed it, steals all of the eggs.

Red seeks out Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage), the once-proud leader of the birds, and find that he’s grown overweight and lacks any sort of fighting discipline. Left to rally the birds himself, Red proves to be the only one with any emotional or mental capacity for ‘war,’ and proves to be valuable to the society in a way that they never believed possible.

Littered with some funny moments, the laugh out loud moments are mostly thanks to the sarcastic quotient that Sudeikis and Gad bring to the film, intent on keeping the adults from dozing off. From a plot perspective, it’s like watching Titanic: you know this is going to end with slingshots, TNT, and flying birds, right? (Sorry if I spoiled it for you.)

Written by Jon Vitti (The Simpsons, King of the Hill), it’s no wonder that this is where the humor goes – even while the onscreen hijinks are aimed at entertaining kids. And yes, I’ll critique the plot of a movie based on an app momentarily. First, there’s little discussion of Red being “angry” after the pigs arrive; he’s simply doing what he needs to do to liberate the eggs. Red’s behavior pre-invasion is clearly inappropriate, but we’re to understand he now channels it into helping people. Okay … it’s based on an app, right?

More troubling is this Mighty Eagle avenue, where the hero, or god, of Bird Island, is found to be slob and reasonably worthless. Is this Wizard of Oz material or is it downplaying how our heroes were once heroic, or even how society once put their trust in a god? I’m not sure. I know it was over my kids’ heads, but I found myself distracted by this misadventure in the film, long after the camera had moved past the vision of an eagle urinating into a pool where other birds bathed, and drank from.

Yes, Angry Birds will entertain you. Just remember it’s based on an app – there are in purchase options that will cost you something.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage

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