BobStage

I just finished the first two episodes of this show. While I wait for the next ones, I'll give a brief review.

First, I would be lying if I said that the show was great. It isn't quite there yet. The pilot falls prey, as so many TV pilots do, to clunky exposition in its attempt to establish the story. One of the most egregious examples is when a character tells his wife "You know why this is important" before explaining exactly why it's important for the audience's benefit. The acting is also a little shaky at times, sad to say, including in that aforementioned moment.

However, with that said, I've noticed that TV pilots are almost always the worst episodes of the show, so I would only urge people to watch both the first two episodes before making up their minds on whether to continue.

And discounting its flaws, the pilot has an interesting premise. The protagonist is very likeable too; Siaja is a young woman who got married right out of high school to the small-town hero. Ting is wildly popular, but he is also a complete and utter douchebag to her, taking her for granted while flying high on his own fumes. When he pushes her too far, Siaja has had enough. In an act fuelled by substances and her own impulsiveness, she breaks up with him. Thus, she and her daughter move in with her mom, and she embarks on a plan to rebuild her life as someone more than just the local hero's wife.

The second episode, without spoiling anything, is a big improvement to the pilot. Now that a lot of exposition is out of the way, the story is able to move forward. Anna Lambe proves her mettle as Siaja once again, as do the rest of the supporting characters. Ting is believable as a man who's used to being the popular guy, and like so many guys who peaked in high school, he's got an infuriating sense of entitlement. I also liked Siaja's complicated relationship with her mother, as well as the rest of the community.

In short, the series is decent thus far, with a unique focus on a deeply underrepresented culture in Canadian media. It isn't without its flaws, but the good easily outweighs the bad. I'm looking forward to the next episodes, with all hope that it keeps getting better.

Having seen this at the Ottawa International Film Festival, I can say that this is a film worth checking out if you're interested in a decent crime flick.

The movie follows Bryce, a tough criminal who leans dangerously towards self-destruction. His first scene in the movie has him playing a game where, in the style of Russian Roulette, a gun with one bullet is pointed at his hand. The same willpower and determination which allows his hand to remain steady at that moment is the same kind of energy which keeps him going throughout the film.

Bryce (played by a very competent Adam Beach) finds out that a group of criminals who work for the same boss as he does have been betraying their employer, threatening the stability of the organization. Bryce eventually finds out that this sort of double-dealing is leading him into a series of violent confrontations where his own loyalties are tested.

Elsewhere, the crime boss, Tony Deluca (Luigi Saracino), whom Bryce works for finds threats of his own when a former associate decides that he has had enough, and plans to take over. His prize weapon involves a record of corruption within the municipality's governmental structure. Meanwhile, the associate's own sexual appetite involves a young prostitute named Tricky, who has her own connection to Bryce. Rounding out the list of competitors is the veteran police officer (Bill Lake) who is determined to arrest Deluca and bring down his criminal organization.

The film takes place entirely in Ottawa, where it was also filmed. The cold weather and scattered snowfall are both complimentary to the film's cold portrayal of hardened criminals who talk loudly and react violently. Allegiances are questioned, hasty decisions and rash actions lead to various people being shot, and the struggle for money or information changes for some of the characters to simply becoming a fight to stay alive. The formula of the story is hardly novel to the genre, but any fan of a good crime thriller will find things to enjoy in "Crook".

This is my first Uwe Boll film. I have only ever heard of his movies, which mostly flop and are derided by critics and audiences. Recently, I heard about this movie, and I saw familiar faces in the cast. I wondered if this might be the film that convinces audiences that Boll has ability to make a good movie. I watched the trailer and researched production information behind the project, and all of it seemed to point towards a great film in the making. Boll appeared a calm, reflecting instructor in front of the camera. He spoke about the issues of Darfur and expressed hope that the UN and NATO would finally get involved somehow. All this added to my eagerness to see the movie for myself.

I finally got the chance today. One night in my city, special screening in the cinema, with the assistance of STAND Canada. All the profits this movie makes on this tour will help fund STAND Canada and its attempts to raise awareness of Darfur's genocide.

Let me just say, the film is shocking. The film is ghastly in its realism, and many a time came where my hand flew up in horror and I struggled to continue watching the film. Boll does not tone down anything for the audiences, and gives us a vicious film that is simple in showing us what happens in Sudan.

In the midst of this are six Western journalists, being led by a small group of military units from UA. They take the journalists to a small village where they see for themselves what is happening here in this region of the world. Darfuri speak to them in hushed voices, restraining tears or speaking with quiet resentment towards these people who promise to show the world what is happening.

Much of the dialogue was improvised, and most of the people playing the villagers are themselves survivors of Darfur. The knowledge of this lends an eerie sense of realism to the film, and it is fascinating to see how the American and British actors prepared and developed their characters in the film.

Most prominent are Malin (Kristanna Loken) and Freddie (David O'Hara). Malin is moved by the plight of the people as she asks them questions with terrible answers. Freddie observes the village and the attitude with some hint of disgust at this endless cycle of violence, where both blacks and Arabs are guilty of killing each other. As a journalist, he is relentless, bombarding the captain who is supervising them with questions on why nothing is being done, though he is himself reluctant to put himself on the line for the people. This leads to a revelation in his character that leads to perhaps the strongest performance of the journalists. O'Hara's gravelly voice and his grim face dominate the scene where he is present, and his character develops well as he is exposed to this world.

Also present are Billy Zane, Matt Frewer, Edward Furlong, and Noah Danby. They all give their characters specific quirks and opinions on the topic of Darfur. Zane is emotionally moved by the answers he gets from the villagers. Furlong's character remains aloof and tries to escape the horror of it all emotionally. Danby stares at all around him with a determination to tell this story to the world, while Frewer's character is most concerned with the safety of his camera and taking pictures for his daughter.

What happens next is evident in the synopsis; a group of Janjaweed arrive with an intent to massacre the village. The journalists must decide whether they stay and attempt to protect the villagers with their status as foreigners, or flee to tell the world of what is going on. In two of the strongest performances in the movie, we are given the Captain (Hakeem Kae-Kazim) who is ultimately responsible for the safety of the journalists, and the leader of the Janjaweed band (Sammy Sheik) who has no need for subtlety when dealing with those who oppose him.

The film is brutal, violent, and graphic. The issues it tries to show are real and the film is very effective in giving us this scene of terror and carnage. It is certainly not for all to see; do not come in expecting to feel fine walking out.

Uwe Boll gives us a mighty film about the issue of Darfur, and relating to his previous filmography, I don't care if he made ten times as many flops as he has. All that is forgotten while watching this film, at least for me.