The Walking Dead

I was recently having a conversation with a fellow movie lover about the downfall of quality films lately. It seems movies just aren’t that good anymore. The box office slump as of late is proof we’re not the only ones who refuse to pay money to see crap flicks. What are the choices these days? There’s action films geared toward those suffering from attention deficit, the crude and unfunny comedies, or another remake of a much better film from the ‘80s. So in times these like these when there’s not much to see at the movies I’ve turned to cable tv series. The writing is superior, the acting is of higher quality, and the stories are just far more interesting! Hollywood had better take a good look at their box office receipts in comparison to the ratings of these cable shows and get with the program. Stop putting out garbage and work on being creative for once! Anyway---I’ve been a long time fan of shows like Dexter, True Blood, and recently Game of Thrones. My newest little obsession is AMC’s The Walking Dead. Being a horror fan, especially when it comes to zombies, I find this show to be such a treat to watch. It contains just the right amount of intensity and character development with plenty of gore as well. It’s not as vicious as films like 28 Days Later or even the original old school Night of the Living Dead, but it still works on many levels.

Originally based on the comic book of the same name (which I never read), The Walking Dead is simply about a plague of infected zombies (a.k.a "walkers") taking over the world leaving behind a few survivors who must band together and go on living. What drew me initially to this series were the walking corpses. I’ve been watching zombie films for years especially the ones directed by George Romero and Dan O’Bannon. “The Return of the Living Dead” tops my list of all time favorite living dead movies. I always found reanimated beings (or objects like dolls) more gruesome and terrifying than vampires or wolves or most any other horror creature. Something about the reanimation of a once alive, but now dead person running after me just gives me shivers. Yet it’s fun to watch at the same time. Frank Darabont who of course directed The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile uses his talent of directing human emotions to great use in this series. It’s not just about “walkers” invading and running past the living like a herd of vicious animals. It’s about how these people relate to each other and are being forced to inhabit the same space and form a life together. They also must form a new society in a way. It’s kind of like The Stand except all those dead people are still roaming around. So not only must they keep humanity going in a spiritual sense, but they must keep themselves alive so the entire population doesn’t completely die out. Without rules or some sort of guide it’s easy for people to turn on one another in order to save themselves. For the young kids who will quickly forget what it’s like to live in a zombie free existence it’s hardest on them to find real enjoyment and hope. Or maybe not since they barely remember what it was like to have normal humans walking around not trying to eat them all the time.

There’s a little twist involving those infected. They don’t need to get bitten in order to turn. They just need to die. So you could have a heart attack and next thing you know you’re trying to rip off your loved one’s face.  How’s that for messed up? I recently watched all thirteen episodes of season 2 in one weekend (due to reasons of my own) and thoroughly enjoyed each episode! The storyline picks up where Season 1 left off with a gang of members trying to find a new safe place to try and build some existence. Along the way they encounter more ruthless flesh eaters and even some not so trustworthy still breathing members of the human race. Most of all they still deal with every day life. There’s a sense of friendship, family, respect, and understanding. There’s also a lot of anger, resentment, bitterness, and jealousy. These few are forced to live together in a way they never imagined. All their dreams and former lives are altered forever. They’ve lost loved ones and left the life they knew behind. But the goal remains the same which is to keep on surviving for another day. One of the lead actors (Rick—played by real life Brit Andrew Lincoln) tells his son there is no way to stop death. He will die, his son will die. Every one will die eventually. All they can do is put it off and avoid it as long as possible. That’s all anyone can do even when there’s not vicious walkers outside the door. As long as that spirit of wanting to go on remains in tact there will always be a battle with whatever disease, destruction, or monster awaits to rob you of it. I think that’s the true essence of the show (and life) and what makes it so appealing to watch.

I won’t go into any storyline details or spoil it, but I think it’s one of the best shows on tv right now and just in time for the most wonderful season of all....Halloween! I think we all need a little scare in our lives to make sure we stay on the right track.

Edward Norton Back to Back Double Feature

I had the pleasure of watching two Edward Norton films this past weekend. One was an old favorite and the other was new to me though released several years ago. I never ceased to be amazed by the subtle yet impressive acting chops by Mr. Norton. I was first introduced to him while watching 1997’s Primal Fear. That performance is still outstanding even after all this time. If there ever was an actor robbed of an Oscar it was him for role of Aaron/Roy! He was exquisite and so believable. I knew then he was a forced to be reckoned with and each subsequent role proved his staying power from American History X to the disturbing 25^th Hour. But I’m here today to talk about two his more romantic features which are both sadly underrated and unnoticed.

The Painted Veil (2006)

Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham of the same name, this story follows a recently married couple into a cholera epidemic in 1920s China. Despite its morbid tone, there’s actually quite a bit of hope and forgiveness in this film. It’s a tale of love, infidelity, betrayal, deceit, absolution, and growth. Edward Norton and Naomi Watts play the newlywed couple from London visiting Shanghai during a tumultuous time. Norton’s Dr. Fane is a bacteriologist studying microorganisms and has trouble relating to human beings. He’s stuffy, reserved, and socially awkward yet somehow manages to convince the lively socialite Kitty (Watts) to marry him and settle to China while he continues to study. Of course the marriage fails before it begins due to their differences in cultures, taste, and overall personalities. They simply don’t know each other that well. The wife cheats and the husband plots an ingenious revenge. He will take her on a voyage to a small town in China stricken with a deadly Cholera epidemic. I’m not making Dr. Fane sound all that appealing, but truthfully he wasn’t in the beginning. Neither was she. But in time they come to lower their shields and let each other in once the anger subsides. It isn't terribly difficult to see what’s important in life when surrounded by such despair and death. The local residents are dying quickly from the disease while Norton’s character tries to save the contaminated water from further spreading the outbreak. This movie is so superbly filmed. The scenery, the atmosphere, the tone, and the music all work so well to make it incredibly beautiful. These characters are not always the most likeable but it adds realism to how betrayal can bring out such ugliness. As Kitty explains to Dr. Fane people make mistakes, disappoint, and are much more complex than the microbes he religiously studies. What drew me to this film was it's perfectly paced tone. The characters slowly evolve and reveal themselves to its audience. We come to care for them and want them to find each other. Much of their dialogue is understated and yet we feel so much. The emotion pours through the screen due in large part to both Norton and Watts incredible acting. They play off each other in such a way that even when they’re arguing it’s like a little intriguing dance. I can’t say much more without spoiling the story, but it’s such a shame this movie wasn’t given more recognition not only by the Academy but by the box office. It’s an absolute gem all movie lovers must go and see immediately.

Down in the Valley (2005)

Here we have another romantic tale gone wrong. Norton plays Harlan…a 30 something unambitious cowboy working at a gas station in the San Fernando valley. When I say cowboy, I mean he really believes he’s from the old west. He seems oddly misplaced in this hectic city life where he simply wants to ride a horse and shoot his guns like Billy the Kid. He refuses to drive a car believing it's the same as being locked inside a box all the time. He likes to roam free by bus or horse, of course. He meets 17 year old Tobe played by Evan Rachel Wood. She’s spirited, feisty, and rebellious towards her father. So of course she wants to ride off into the sunset with the cowboy. As the story begins to unfold we see there’s much more complexity between the characters mainly stemming from Harlan. Does he really believe he’s a cowboy wandering the streets? What exactly is his deal? He doesn’t seem to have any career ambitions. He mentioned working on a ranch, but those of us who have visited Southern California know there are a very few ranches to come by. The straining relationship between Tobe and her father becomes increasingly strenuous as she grows closer to Harlan. Then there’s Tobe’s younger misguided brother who is quiet and could be easily misled which becomes obvious when he starts hanging around Harlan as well. Again, I can’t say much more without spoiling the story, but I will say this film took an unexpected twist half way through which threw me for a loop. Once again Norton is able to take on a character driven role and play it with such tenderness and innocence you almost walk away believing anything he says which can prove manipulating in the long run. It’s not a perfect film and I have issues with the abrupt ending, but it’s worth a watch for the acting performance from all involved. Still, if I had to choose The Painted Veil is a far more superior film.