What To Watch: March

The brainchild of Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan and House's David Shore, this series was bound to be a hit. And yet I'm surprised by how thoroughly watchable it's been so far. Battle Creek doesn't take itself too seriously; it does not pretend to be profound or original in any way. With Shore's signature brand of cynical humour and Gilligan's visual aesthetic, it feels more like a generic, light-hearted version of True Detective. If you're looking for a new show to watch with the same outstanding writing as the aforementioned, you'll be disappointed. But if you're into shows like Suits that are high in quality and consistently entertaining - this will do the trick. 

Dig is another epic collaboration between two hit TV producers, but this time, you get exactly what you bargain for. A hybrid between Heroes and Homeland, there's a mix of all ingredients: a mosaic of characters, inexplicable mysteries, Middle-Eastern influences and politics.  It may still be in its formative stage and hasn't yet reached its potential, but with a truly stellar cast - I should be mentioning Jason Isaacs and Anne Heche here, but I'm secretly more excited to see Lauren Ambrose aka Claire Fisher back on the screen - the slow-moving plot is easily forgiven. If you enjoy the type of show that raises more question marks than attempts to resolve them - you could have a real field day with this one and the one next on the list. 

I know I'm a year behind on this one, but The Leftovers still feels so fresh that I'll allow myself this inconsistency. Apart from featuring the best mancandy on TV since.. McSteamy probably (Jennifer Aniston, you lucky minx! Also, yet another Six Feet Under alumn - just saying), it's also amongst the best written and most compelling (weirdest) shows currently airing. The disappearing / reappearing - dead may be an overdone theme in television dramas these days, but in my humbly superior opinion, this series is the only one that gets it right. 

Better Call Saul: S'all Good Man

I'll admit it. As soon as I heard there would be a Breaking Bad spin-off, I did not intend to watch it. In general, I disapprove of spin-offs, sequels and similar commercial ploys to distort money from dedicated audiences. But, being the gullible consumer that I am, once I had read critics' rave reviews, I surrendered to my curiosity. Impervious to my initial skepticism, I decided to give Better Call Saul a chance. And I am so, so glad I did.

First of all, Better Call Saul is not Breaking Bad. This is made abundantly clear from the beginning, as we start off with a glance into the future in a desolate, black-and-white styled Cinnabon, watching an almost unrecognisable Saul Goodman. The entire mood of the series feels different; there are no deserts (for now), or dramatic violence (for now), what remains is the suburban life of a conflicted lawyer. The directing is accordingly different: there is a greater focus on slow camera shots, the cinematography saturated with a slightly more pastel glow. 

The effortless transition of Jimmy McGill (aka Saul Goodman) from sidekick to protagonist should come as a bit of a surprise to some. Though he managed to steal many a scene from Walter White with his quirky persona and memorable one-liners, he was never leading man material. For that, he was too underdeveloped. However, there's an element of mystery and otherness to him that the latter character lacked, which makes his journey a more interesting one to follow. His motives and causes for his conniving ways are unknown to us; and although we know his future, his history is a blank canvas for us to explore, an advantage which the writers have cleverly used to build his back story.

The way we come to know our protagonist is similar to Mr. White when he still limited his knowledge of chemistry to teaching: we see a more humanised, vulnerable man, struggling to attain his high ambitions in a small town. And despite his questionable ways of doing so, we cannot help but empathise and support him through his quest, even minus the cancer diagnosis. It is in our fallible nature to be fascinated by rags to riches stories, however unconventional they may be: we can excuse pretty much any behaviour as long as the behaviour is warranted by some sort of suffering, and there is no absence of this in Saul. Of course, it helps that we were already invested in the character - with all his flaws, and less redeemable qualities - before the show was even conceived.

With such a promising pilot as this, it is proving to be one hell of a ride. I for one am glad I hopped on board, and I can't wait to see where it's taking me.

Best Of Quirky Cinema: 2014

The first quarter of the year is usually the time I catch up on all the releases I've missed in the previous year. Call it procrastinating, or just my inability to stay in touch with the present, particularly movie-wise. Anyway, being somewhat underwhelmed by the Oscar picks of the year - with a few notable exceptions - here are some of my favourites that may have fallen under your radar. For anyone who has a penchant for the quirky, the surreal, and the downright absurd.

Under The Skin

Impossible to define, yet impossible to erase from your retina - this is one of those films you have to let wash over you, and you will be taken for one unforgettable ride. Scarlett Johansson gives the kind of performance she excels at: understated albeit resonant, and her ethereal beauty is the perfect fit for her haunting role. A modern take on the mythological Leanan sídhe: the beautiful seductress who tempts men into death. If you enjoy vengeful women, this is the film for you.

Mood Indigo

Michel Gondry is back, with his weirdest masterpiece yet. This time, the man responsible for The Science of Sleep tries his hand at adapting the French magical realist novel L'écume des jours (which translates to The Foam of Days), and does so wonderfully, with a little help from his enviable imagination and the latest revolutionising technology. A fairytale romance which rapidly descends into a nightmare when the woman, played by the endearing Amélie star Audrey Tautou, falls mysteriously ill.

Force Majeure

 

The Swedish equivalent of The Grand Budapest Hotel, but with the dialogue of Boyhood. Östlund proves himself a filmmaker of stature with this stunning cinematic achievement. Taking the premise of witnessing an avalanche during a family skiing trip, the film turns into a wider discussion about man's natural instincts in the face of a catastrophe. The interactions between people are so realistic and believable that at times you'd forget you were watching a film, if not for the larger-than-life cinematography. Moving and profound, this film is truly one-of-a-kind. 

Big Eyes

Whereas some might love Tim Burton for his gothic fairytales, I've always loved the more colourful side to his aesthetic, which for me makes this Burton's best since that other film that also starts with "Big". Thus it's only fitting that he brings back former muse Amy Adams, who is accompanied by the always charming yet sleazy Christoph Waltz. Based on the true story of Walter and Margaret Keane, the blend between the idyllic and the twisted nevertheless gives it a Burtonesque touch. A lovely film about art, love and authenticity. 

Magic in the Moonlight

Ever since Woody Allen has gone European, my love for his motion pictures has expanded. The change from New York to Europe has added a whole new dimension to his cinematic style, and even to some extent his writing. Yet this film still manages to be unmistakably Allenesque, by usage of one of his favourite recurring themes: skepticism of faith, and the unparalleled witty dialogue. Though in essence a simple story, I enjoyed every minute of it. And really, with Emma Stone and Colin Firth in the leading roles, what's not to love?

Frank

This delightful oddity makes for a pleasant surprise in British independent cinema. Despite the familiar themes - struggling artist navigating the world of adulthood, etc. - Frank manages to both be utterly original and capture our Zeitgeist perfectly. A sense of disconnectedness saturates the narrative, one that is unique to our contemporary world in that we are constantly connected through social media but rarely in real life. In essence, this is the unlikely journey of misfits in search of belonging.