True Blood, now with extra Wolf

First of all let's just say it's great to have True Blood return to our screens (well technically our monitors since so far I've caught the first two episodes of the series on iTunes) and it's still a great piece of work.

There are of course some spoilers from here on in as we take a look at the first couple of episodes (Bad Blood and Beautifully Broken).

It all opens just after the disappearance of Bill at the restaurant and Sookie is frustrated that no-one seems to take it seriously, with the Police not helping. Meanwhile Tara reels from the death of Eggs as Jason and Andy try to work what they are going to do about explaining it all.

To be fair this episode is a little bitty as it needs to set threads running after the fall out of last year but for the most part it is successful as we learn those we have taken Bill have a certain lupine quality about them. However Tara still is annoying for me as she manages to blame Sookie for Eggs' death within about thirty seconds of talking to her and then ignores LaFayette in favour of her unstable mother.

Things settle down a bit in the second episode of the series as we learn that Bill's captors in fact work for a vampire Lord who is maneuvering to take over the land of Bill's Queen. Who herself, is looking a trouble as investigations begin into the amount of 'V' being sold in her territory.

Along the way we see Eric and Godric in '40s Europe, posing as members of the S.S. no less as they track werewolves, Sam has some uncomfortable dreams about Bill and Jessica finds herself struggling to deal with a dead body as continues to learn about being a vampire.

It certainly seems like the series is shaping well with a lot of avenues to be pursued (why does Bill appears to have a dossier on Sookie?)and hopefully the number of strands will help avoid the bogging down that occurred last year during the Marianne sections.

The Girl With The Draon Tattoo

I recently caught up with this excellent Swedish thriller. It follows the tale of a recently disgraced journalist (Michael Nyqvist as Mikeal) as he investigates a forty year old disappearance for a reclusive rich business man and the trials of a twenty something hacker with an abusive past (and present) who ends up helping him.

The presence of the missing Harriet Vanger hangs over the film like a ghost for most of the runtime (indeed helped by the isolated setting) as Mikeal investigates the dealings of the Vanger family and their dark secrets meanwhile playing against the traditional thriller fair of the investigation we follow Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) as she endures and fights back against some terrible abuse at the hands of her probation officer.

Indeed this section of the film is very dark stuff indeed and is hard to watch at times but does go a long way to explaining Lisbeth's actions at the film's end. To really say more here would go a way to spoiling the mystery at the heart of the film but be warned this is some distressing stuff in here.

The mystery and investigation itself are compulsive and things take a turn once a series of murders is discovered connected to the family and echoes of Se7en enter the frame as each crime is played out in a specific way.

Sadly once the villain is revealed things stutter a bit as the last third of the film both dispatches them and ties together some lose ends in a slightly stilted way. But the motivations of a couple of the characters turn out to be distressingly similar and you will be made of stone if at least one part of the final third doesn't get to you.

Michael Nyqvist as Mikeal is solid in the role and does give you the sense of a man who once intrigued won't let thins lie but it's Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth who puts in the star performance. Given an incredibly complex character to work with she succeeds in making Lisbeth a rounded if damaged individual, someone who is looking for something in her life she isn't sure exists, love. Sounds cheesy I know but it is played and written excellently.

It's a great film of the type of investigative thriller you seem to get so rarely these days and am also indeed now very much looking forward to the US remake since remembering it's David Fincher calling the shots. The material is certainly right up his street and the last time he made something similar we got the masterwork that is Zodiac.

The NC-17 quandry

An interesting one from Mr Kermode here which I think I shall have to muse on as I think it's probably worth having a longer look at certification and the problems it can cause.

Trailers of the day.

This time round we have two trailers, one that doesn't inspire me at all and looks like a fairly tired comedy and another that trailer that looks quite cool and the film should hopefully be a barnstorming take on the 'ol alien invasion thing.

So first up the underwhelming looking 'Paul' with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost



It just don't make me laugh or smile and the CGI looks pretty poor if you ask me and Seth Rogen's voicework just feels out of place.



And that was Battle: Los Angeles aiming to give you alien invasion from the point of view of the army grunts on the front line. Could be pretty dumb but it looks like it's going to be pretty epic whatever the intelligence level.

Song line game

Well, it's the old opening lines from songs game. You know the score, name the songs. I suspect some of these might be quite tricky and be warned my musical taste really is quite far ranging

1. "For a long time I was in love/ Not only in love I was obsessed"
2. "Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner / But he knew it wouldn't last."
3. "Good and bad I swear I've had / Tho' both are overrated"
4. "You took my hand, you showed me how / You promised me you'll be around"
5. "Well she lives in a fairytale. / Somewhere too far for us to find"
6. "Lord, give me grace and dancing feet. / And the power to impress"
7. "I dreamed I was missing / You were so scared"
8. "Love, love is a verb / Love is a doing word"
9. "I got to testify / Come up in the spot looking extra fly."
10. "Are we growing up or just doing down? / It's just a matter of time until we're all found out"
11. "There is a house in New Orleans"
12. "Loose lips might sink ships. / But loose gooses take trips"
13. "I'm in the sky tonight. There I can keep by your side."
14 "In my happy home I barely breath. In my lover's arms I find relief"
15."Leaves area falling all around / It's time I was on my way
16."It's hard to rely on my good intentions. When my head's full of things I can't mention"
17."Five hours from now you'll be sleeping. I'll be lying awake wondering;; did we make the right decision?"
18."I rather be liberated. I find myself captivated. Stop doing, what you keep doing"
19."Just gonna stand there and watch me burn. That's alright because I like the way it hurts"
20."Standing in line to see the show tonight and there's a light on."

Quiz Time : A quick 2010 film quiz

Pretty much what it says on the tin. I admit I'm not in practice with writing quizzes so I'm not sure if it's too easy or too hard. Submit your answers and I give the answers once it seems everyone who wants to has had a go. (There might even be a promise of a drink bought for the winner) Stay away from the IMBD and qive it you best shot.

1.Let Me In was the English language remake of which Swedish chiller?

2.Scorsese’s Shutter Island was based on a book by which author also known for Mystic River?

3.Edgar Wright, pal of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, director of promise brought a comic very much to life in 2010 with which film?

4.Who took over as Lt Col James Rhodes in Iron Man 2 and who did he step in for?

5.Rickey Gervais and Stephen Merchant wrote and directed which slice of small town life?

6.The Town saw the second director’s chair outing for which former Marvel superhero?

7.Just how many levels of dreamscape where there in Cillian Murphy’s head in Inception?

8.Matthew Vaughn brought to screen the whirling dervish of Kick-Ass with his third stint as director, but which very different film was his second directorial outing?

9.The Social Network told (a version of anyway) the story of how Mark Zuckerberg established Facebook. But it seems his business partner and friend in the film is heading to grander things, as Spiderman. So who played friend Eduardo Saverin and is soon to be Peter Parker?

10.Four Lions is the film debut for director Chris Morris but it’s two writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong are the brains behind which Channel 4 sitcom?

11.Bradley “The Hangover” Cooper became one of The A-Team last year. But which one?

12.Toy Story 3 was a triumphant return for Woody, Buzz and the gang. Even Barbie found love, who was it that voiced the oh-so slightly camp Ken?

13.Just before the end of the year Sofia Coppola returned with the tale of a film star drifting through life. Name it.

14.Who was the other, other guy to Will Ferrell in the cop comedy The Other Guys?

15.M. Night Shyamalan looks like he may have finally killed his career stone dead with which family adventure derided by all?

16.The excellent Monsters appeared towards the end of the year, written and directed by Gareth Edwards who also worked on the visual effects. But through which country are the protagonists trying to find a safe way home?

17.The Bourne team of Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass reunited for which Middle East based thriller?

18.In the Summer Jake Gyllenhaal was the titular prince of where?

19.Restrepo was an unflinching documentary following a platoon for a year on tour in which conflict zone?

20.Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe teamed up once again and brought us their version of which legendary outlaw?

R.Tv.O.R.F.

Yes it's a little prentious but the tune is catchy and parts of the documentary style video shows a great eye for an image and a surefooted sense of timing.