Suckerpunch

lady blah blah

After accidentally shooting her younger sister, Babydoll is committed and scheduled to have a lobotomy (which terrifyingly used to be a mainstream treatment for over 2 decades)  At this point she slips into a double fantasy world one where she's trapped in a brothel and from there into a computer game world with boss fights.

This highly stylised film has no humor, likable characters or soul much like the soundtrack with it's horrible cover versions of great songs like Sweet Dreams, Where is my Mind and White Rabbit. This would actually be no problem if you were simply watching it for escapist action but it includes such sleazy depictions of men and such a vapid main protagonist, who looks like a blow up doll, that this just doesn't sit right.

Some of the design is cool, I like the mobile phone charm embellished gun and rabbit faced robot, Zach Snyder is obviously inspired by manga and I'm sure there will be plenty of Baby Doll costumes for Halloween/cosplay.

NO - anime Virginia Andrews novel for the PS3

Eastbound and Down

I hate sports and guys who are dicks but I really enjoyed this show about a guy who plays baseball and happens to be a massive dick.

Danny McBride is Kenny Powers a washed up major league player who returns to his hometown to start again. He's arrogant, delusional has anger management issues and acts like a shit to his family but somehow you end up liking him.

Kenny gets a job as PE teacher (which involves re enacting Thunderdome in the gymnasium) all the while planning to win back his girlfriend and get back in shape for the league.

It's pretty easy to watch this short series in one go but when you get to season 2 don't except more of the same. The creators make a not so successful decision to set the show entirely in Mexico jettisoning all characters except for Kenny oh and Matthew Mcconaughey is in it.


YES - fuck yeah

Boardwalk Empire

what does motherfucker mean?

Set during prohibition in 1920s America this series follows politician Enoch Johnson, the unofficial boss of Atlantic City with a penchant for whores, gambling and bootleg liquor.

This is an incredibly handsome series, the sets and costumes amazing (I love the young men's haircut of shaved undercut with long on top slicked back) it's a fascinating period to spend time in.

Steve Buscemi is fine as Enoch but it's mysterious Michael Pitt as Jimmy who is the star. I've always liked him as an actor since first seeing him on Dawson's Creek and even then he managed to convey psychotic intensity behind a baby face. Like all the great HBO productions it's the eccentricity of characters that make the series and this is no different with the self flagellating obsessive Agent Van Alden and the war vet Richard who wears a painted iron mask and in a stand out scene takes on the role he's born  to do as Jimmy's phantom marksman.

It's only the female characters that let this down and prevent it reaching Deadwood heights. The main character of Margaret is a bore and the vile Lucy is a revolting Paris Hilton of the 20s, it's only Jimmy's mother who comes across as smart and tough.

Bring on Series 2 when no doubt we see Al Capone become a mob boss, Enoch and Margaret become King and Queen of Atlantic city before the inevitable Saint Valentines Day Massacre and the end of prohibition.

YES - a noble experiment indeed