Lucy Liu as Watson? Well, I guess it’s Elementary

From Chappelle's Show

I'm a hater and if Ice T has taught us anything, it’s that haters gonna hate. So when I heard that Lucy Liu was cast as Watson for CBS’ modern take on Sherlock Holmes, I took a sip of my chocolate milk, booted up my computer and prepared to get my hateration on. It turns out that I was too late cos the internet was literally aflame with the coals of hate directed at this show. So I took a moment to remember all the times I’ve hated on a wacky idea that actually turned out alright. When Daniel Craig was cast as the new James Bond, I literally lost my shit. But it turned out that he was a great actor that did the role and his predecessors proud. When I first saw Plan B, I thought “Oh God, not another rapper from East London that is going to embarrass us on a global scale.” But no, this kid’s got skills. I mean, real soul. So you know what Lucy Liu, you are hot and talented so I am gonna give you the benefit of the doubt. But if I am not impressed after two episodes of Elementary (the name of the show), then I am bringing the hate – Ice T style.

Chill haters

Seriously though, what was the creator of this show thinking? I mean I understand the need to cash in and ride the wave of success of both the TV show - Sherlock and Guy Ritchie’s - Sherlock Holmes, A Game of Shadows but this can only end badly. Even if the show is good, it is always going to be compared [negatively] to Steven Moffat’s Sherlock. Like I said, I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt but I will be very impressed if this lasts more than a season. Watch this space, I guess.

Preview on YouTube and below for the eagle-eyed.

Ratings or reality? You decide...

I have a bone to pick with the television production companies of today. And it’s a big bone. A moral bone.

These production companies strive to be truthful, to be real, to be raw. And they do this through ‘hard-hitting’ shock-umentarys about ‘real life people’ in ‘real life situations’, all under the guise of ‘raising awareness’. You know the shows I’m on about; Channel 4’s ‘The Undateables’, BBC’s XXX and so on.

Don’t get me wrong, I can’t knock their sentiment or their intentions – I genuinely believe that as people, a greater understanding of one another is something the whole world could benefit from – and so I am completely and entirely behind anything that can help give people a greater appreciation of our fellow man.

But while their heart is in the right place, I can’t help but think that the way these production companies are going about it is somewhat…contrived.

When you look at the sort of material independent film makers are creating, it is the very definition of real and raw…this is because they don’t have thousands and thousands of pounds for the editing and post-production niceties…but it’s also because the subject is true to their heart, or because they have a genuine passion for the message they are trying to convey. This is when we get the unedited truth of reality. And it can be beautiful.

Just look at this wonderfully true, remarkably real and also naturally beautiful film from Will Robson-Scott as he follows a skateboard enthusiast with Asperger's.

http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/will-robson-scott-graeme

This is the epitome of what I see independent film-making as being all about.

In comparison, it is the opinion of this lovable little blogger, that studios or production companies create something with the goal of chasing those all important ratings. They do this by making sob stories or pity cases out of the subjects when, one could argue, the focus should be on celebrating how these individuals deal with their various medical/psychological conditions, and look to generate more of an understanding into what the condition is and what it means for people who have it…

I know I sound bitchy, and I do appreciate the value of the role studios play in both disseminating important messages as well as assisting independent film makers – without the money made from the viewing figures achieved through the rating-chasing shows, there would be no independent arm – no Fox Searchlight, for example – to seek out the budding talent who go on to be the Edgar Wrights and Shaun Meadows of this world…and yes, the shows they make do indeed raise awareness about their individual subjects, I just think it could be done in a more neutral – or dare I say, positive – light that shows how people who don’t live ‘normal’ lives, manage to live happy lives all the same…y’know?

I guess what I’m saying – if I’m saying anything at all – is that we should be allowed to be more in tune with what other people are going through…not the studio’s, BBFC censored version, but real, raw, natural people…or in the words of Graeme; "we should be more in tune with nature"

Just a thought…

(image taken from the Facebook page this hyperlink)

Paradise can go f**k itself

“Paradise can go f**k itself.” – now that’s not something you hear bandied about everyday…normally folks are clamouring to get into paradise, but George Clooney’s Matt King (in Alexander Payne’s ‘The Descendants’) has had enough of paradise. He’s done with it. And who can blame him?

Y’see, Matt King lives in paradise – on a small island just off of Hawaii – but paradise gets turned upside down and inside out when he’s forced into becoming more to his two daughters than the absentee parent he had been used to.

For Matt, paradise gets turned around because his wife was involved in an accident which has left her in a coma that she won’t wake up from…which is pretty shitty in itself, but then his eldest daughter (played the fantastic Shailene Woodley) drops the bombshell that his wife has been cheating on him for some time…when it rains it pours, right?? So I think we can all forgive Matt for being less than enchanted with paradise...

But it’s worth a thought though…what good would paradise be without your own personal pieces of paradise? Your partner…your inside jokes...your memories…your love…surely these are the things that add meaning to, or even create, paradise? I mean God knows I love the sun, the surf and the sea – these are the most rejuvenating and liberating of nature’s wonders, but what would paradise be if you couldn’t personalise it? It would be like Christmas without the crackers; winter without hot water bottles; mum’s cooking without your mum cooking it…paradise is only paradise if we’ve got all of our personal prizes with us – and if we haven’t got that, what good would it be?

Besides, am I the only one who suspects that paradise might be just a bit boring? I mean if you’ve got everything you’re looking for, what would you have to search for once you’re there?? After all, isn’t the idea and the hope of our heart’s desires the thrill of life? Isn’t the chase infinitely more exciting than the getting there?? Well I think so at any rate, so I’m gonna side with Matt King on this one; “Paradise can go f**k itself” – I’m more than happy with the idea of paradise (for now…)