Favourite TV Shows, 2010-2014

Orphan Black (2013-
Actor Tatiana Maslany is superb at playing multiple distinct characters in a role that many actors would love to have, but few would be able to handle, in this conspiracy thriller featuring cloning experiments, humour and paranoia. The show's closest reference point would be something like Utopia (see below). Both begin with a mystery that feels utterly obscure and impenetrable, then is revealed to be more credible, involving and relevant, not to mention ruthless. Both shows generate a lot of humour from their situations without sacrificing the danger and tension. 

 Utopia (2013-2014)
Ludicrously already cancelled, despite winning awards, acclaim, and a David Fincher led remake to come. Bold, theatrical and unlike anything else on the box at the moment – Dennis Kelly's graphic novel-influenced drama was as shocking as a chilli eye-bath, and you need to make sure you see it.

Doctor Who (1963-) 
Although as a life long Who fan I was delighted to have the show back on TV in 2005, I didn't enjoy huge swathes of the Russell T Davies era, which concluded on New Years Day 2010. Generally the only episodes from that period that I would happily watch again now were written by Steven Moffat - so lucky old me that he took over as show runner at that point. Although the show does still frequently suffer when Moffat is not the writer, the quantity of his episodes and the influence he has had over the others has made for a much more satisfying experience, and the show is gradually moving back towards the creature it was in the 60s and 70s rather than the Buffy-fied incarnation that was so popular under David Tennant. I regard this unreservedly as a GOOD THING.

 Fresh Meat (2011-2015)
This generation's nearest equivalent to the Young Ones, this university based comedy-drama has it all - characters, jokes, pathos, engaging story arcs - and despite being set a decade after I was at uni myself, and the student experience moving on immeasurably since, I find it incredibly nostalgic to watch.

The Thick of It (2005-2012) / Veep (2012-)
Armando Ianucci's latest genius show concluded this decade and immediately spawned a surprisingly good American re-imagining. But the original was still the one to watch - the vast cast of characters were placed into rather different circumstances post-general election, and the show resolved plot threads and character arcs of genuine depth spanning the whole course of the show in an elegant and thought provoking way, especially in the extraordinary penultimate episode, a double length court based show. And in case I didn't make it clear, this was a comedy - and a mighty fine one at that.

Forbrydelsen (The Killing) (UK transmission 2011-2012)
The show that heralded the onslaught of Scandi dramas to British TV, and led to an awful looking American remake, The Killing spanned 40 hours and 3 storylines, and brought a refreshing grittiness and anti-glamour to crime drama. It also managed to intermingle individual crime cases over the course of each season (rather than crimes of the week) while managing to entangle that crime with domestic political machinations of variable levels of interest, managing to make what could have been simple storylines into incredibly convoluted ones that demanded, and rewarded, extreme patience from the audience. The Bridge might've been more fun, but the original is still the best.

Favourite films, 2010-2014

Scott Pilgrim vs the World (Edgar Wright, 2010)
Edgar Wright's adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic-book series exudes the energy of a watershed moment in cinema. In this electric explosion of videogame imagery, the PlayStation Generation came of age.  Scott Pilgrim is a psychedelic 8-bit trip through the mind of a gamer, forged by Streetfighter 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog, a daydream where love is something that must literally be fought for. It declares that junk culture is culture And as it does so, Wright dresses the film in the visuals of both games and comics: power meters, one-ups and action based sound effects. Niche hit or game-changing classic? Time will tell, but I know which side I'm on.

Dredd (Pete Travis, 2012)
Despite being based on my all time favourite comic, I was far from alone in having low expectations for Dredd. The previous attempt at adapting the source material, 1995's Stallone starring abomination, missed the mark by a country mile, but at least it had major studio backing and a decent budget. This had neither, and yet it used these handicaps to its advantage, as this time it was crewed by proper devotees with a genuine love and understanding for the property. And what a result - one of the great b-movies, the best 18 rated sci fi film since the Alien saga was at its peak, and the best film John Carpenter never made. It is criminal that so few people have been willing to see it, but those that have will rarely speak ill of it.

Under the skin (Jonathan Glazer, 2014)
It does what it says on the tin: it gets under your skin. This electrifying sci-fi masterpiece from Glazer starred Scarlett Johannson as the alien invader in Glasgow, preying on credulous horny males. Scary, sexy, unforgettable.

Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson, 2012)
With Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson made a film about youth that felt like it was ripped from the overactive imagination of a 12-year-old. Very funny and very sweet, but also – and this one has often eluded Anderson – sincere also.

Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen  brothers, 2013)
Inside Llewyn Davis is not the first time that the Coen brothers have portrayed a period of distinctly American music, but beyond that the film holds little in common with O Brother, Where Art Thou? While music plays a crucial role in their latest work—in fact entire scenes are devoted to the performance of songs—for the Coens the point seems to be less about the music and more about documenting a particular moment in American history and specifically American themes. Whether it’s small-town murder, drug violence along the southern border, CIA paranoia, and now early ’60s folk music, the Coens have always masters of casting, plot and atmosphere. 

Submarine (Richard Ayoade, 2011)
Submarine wears it's influences on it's sleeve and is proud to show them off. The obvious one is of course Wes Anderson but also there are plenty of nods to the French New Wave films of the 60's - and as Wes Anderson and French New Wave films are two great passions of mine, how could I resist.? He films Yasmin Paige like Godard filmed Anna Karina, and it's beautiful to watch. Another huge telling of Ayoade's influences include the Le Samourai and Passion Of Joan Of Arc posters seen in the background of some scenes.  The acting and dialogue was top notch throughout, and the direction and art style is stunning for the majority. It's touching and funny, and I loved it.

Attack the block (Joe Cornish, 2011)
Balancing big laughs and big shocks, Attack the Block is a brilliant first film by anybody’s standards.

Only lovers left alive (Jim Jamusch, 2014)
Almost all of this vampire drama is set in the dead of night, and Jarmusch and cinematographer Yorick Le Saux vary the tone of their nocturnal scenes. Sometimes, the nights feel menacing. Other times, they recall the sleepless evenings left staring at the ceiling, wondering what happened to your life. And then on other occasions, the movie has a seductive, romantic spirit. The stakes may not be particularly high in Only Lovers Left Alive, but that’s part of Jarmusch’s point. When immortality is a given and your only concern is finding fresh blood, your life in some ways loses its urgency. And so like the movie they’re in, Adam and Eve drift and drift, finding their amusements where they can.

We are the best (Lukas Moodyson, 2013)
Stockholm, 1982. Best friends Bobo and Klara are surrounded by very annoying people: girls with princess-y hair and sharp tongues, teachers who make them do sport, parents who have drunken parties and play the clarinet in their underpants. So they react like any spirited, alt-culture-embracing 13-year-olds would and form a punk band. It doesn’t matter that neither of them can play an instrument. It’s more punk to start with nothing. 

Frank (Lenny Abrahamson, 2014)
Surrealist shenanigans are what we’ve come to expect from Welsh gonzo journalist and screenwriter Jon Ronson, but he surpasses all expectation with this charmingly off-kilter resurrection of cult TV and stand-up persona, Frank Sidebottom, who was brought to life by musician and comedian Chris Sievey for over two decades.

Sightseers (Ben Wheatley, 2012)
Does for caravanning what Deliverance did for canoeing.

Berberian Sound Studio (Peter Strickland, 2012)
A sensual and psychedelic riff on the Italian giallo films of the 1970s.




Bubbling under: Drive, Toy Story 3, Four Lions

Favourite Albums 2010-2014

St Vincent: St Vincent (2014)
Annie Clark has undoubtedly been my favourite musician of the last 5 or 6 years, the freakiest guitarist we've had since Jack White and a radiant, magnetic presence on stage, screen and record. My only question here was whether to opt for 2011's "Strange Mercy", a tricksy work which gives up more intricacies with perseverance and which convinced me of her genius, 2012's interesting but not entirely satisfying collaboration with David Byrne, or 2014's award gobbling, much more straightforward and approachable eponymous album. Today I have opted for the latter - despite my deep personal connection to the earlier record, "St Vincent" is the one she will be remembered for, a hugely confident and focused concoction, combined with its elaborately choreographed stage show it evoked thoughts of Ziggy Stardust for the 21st century, as well as comparisons with Arcade Fire, Blondie and Talking Heads.

Cate Le Bon: Mug Museum (2013)
Coming across like a latter day Nico fronting the Velvet Underground, or perhaps a slightly rustic Television, Mug Museum is by turns wistful, delicate and downright weird. It's a beautiful confection.

Janelle Monae: The Archandroid (2010)
A sprawling, insanely ambitious sci-fi soul concept album, the sheer number and quality of ideas make this an intoxicating record.




John Grant: Queen of Denmark (2010)

Wryly humorous tales of depression and addiction through a dreamy 70s soft rock filter. Funny and moving.

 The War on Drugs: Lost in the dream (2014)
I found this initially quite repellent, as it represents a distillation of all sorts of 80s stadium rock. However, it does this extraordinarily well, and adds a pleasant Dylan-esque lyrical element to the mixture. Once I got over my snobbery and embraced the widescreen vision of band, I found it utterly addictive.

 Radiohead: The King of Limbs (2011)
Precisely nobody's favourite Radiohead album - a lot of fan's actively dislike it - but I've got to admit I've been really keen on it from day one. Its subtle, snake hipped grooves seemed a bit tuneless and half-arsed to some, but for me it's a very enjoyable piece of work, and probably the Radiohead album I've engaged with most since Amnesiac.

 The Duckworth Lewis Method: Sticky Wickets (2013)
Second cricket based comedy concept album from members of the Divine Comedy and Pugwash, pushing the 70s rock influences (particularly ELO) even further to the fore. The most fun album on this list.

 Arcade Fire: Reflektor (2013)
Arcade Fire go Eurodisco on their latest epic. A lot of it takes some getting used to, but as time has gone by I have come to really appreciate the ambition and boldness of this record. Their best (possibly THE best) song of the decade was actually on their previous album though, the prototype for what was to come, Sprawl II (Mountains beyond mountains).

 Tame Impala: Lonerism (2012)
In the absence of a decent Flaming Lips album for quite some years now, Australians Tame Impala did as good an imitation as anyone and came up with a latter day psychedelic treat.

 La Roux: Trouble in paradise (2014)
Inexplicably unpopular with the masses, this long in gestation album is the best pure pop record I can recall in many a year.

 Beach House: Bloom (2012)
As with Tame Impala doing the Flaming Lips (above), Beach House do their best Cocteau Twins impersonation, and it pleases me greatly.

Tune-Yards: Whokill (2011)
Ramshackle, chaotic, and bursting with imagination. Great fun.





Bubbling under: Jack White, Pixies, Gruff Rhys, Courtney Barnett, Wilco, Tom Waits

2000AD Year Two - 1978 in review

Roughly a year ago I composed what was intended to be the first of maaaaaany posts discussing long running sci-fi anthology comic 2000ad, one of my lifelong abiding passions. For reasons that elude even me, it has taken until now for me to pick up the threads for the second post. If you would like to see the story so far, you can find it here... Let's hope it doesn't take me the next 30 years to get up to the current prog, eh?

So then - 1978. Still a little way off peak Toothy, but this is where things start to get much more interesting after the patchy and juvenile fare of the first year. Although some of the launch line up of strips endured into the second calendar year, they were, on the whole, starting to wind down and be replaced by superior, ultimately longer lasting stories. In 1978 we have the first proper Dredd mega-epic (and the start of the second one), and the introduction of some of the signature 2000ad characters who are still seeing publication in the comic to this day. Some of those characters were, admittedly, imports from the first 2000ad spin off, Starlord, a glossier and consequently more expensive comic which, despite outselling 2000ad during its brief existence, ended up being subsumed by its older sibling - an ultimately canny move, which gave the still young comic a bolstered, higher quality line-up and an improved sense of direction. A massive step in the right direction all round! These, then, were the issues and stories published in the earth year 1978:

Progs 46-93, Annual 1979, Sci Fi Special, Dan Dare Annual 1979 (plus Starlord 1-22, Starlord Summer Special)
                                         
Ant Wars
Bonjo from beyond the stars
Colony Earth
Dan Dare
Death Planet
Flesh
Harlem Heroes
Invasion
Judge Dredd
MACH 1/MACH 0
Robo Hunter
Strontium Dog
Tharg's Future Shocks
The Visible Man
Walter the Wobot

And these are the five stories that would make my representative dream prog:

JUDGE DREDD: The Cursed Earth
Progs 61-85, 25 episodes, 164 pages
w Pat Mills, John Wagner, Chris Lowder
a Mike McMahon, Brian Bolland

The first of the perpetually reprinted Judge Dredd mega epics, the Cursed Earth is one of the key stories in the entire canon, and adds a great deal of back story and additional depth and colour to Dredd's world. Unusually for such an important Dredd story, the majority of the writing is done by a writer other than John Wagner, the bulk of the credit traditionally being given to the original Tharg and creator of many of 2000ad's most popular series, Pat Mills, although it is widely acknowledged that the story owes a certain amount to Roger Zelazny's novel Damnation Alley. The Cursed Earth is notable for its episodic quest format (repeated in such later stories as The Judge Child), and consequently the sidelining of the strip's standard fascist cop trappings. It was also notoriously the subject of legal action from McDonalds, Burger King and the Jolly Green Giant which led to 4 episodes of the story never having been reprinted to this day. With its range of anarchic characters, epic scope, dramatic finale and impact on subsequent events, The Cursed Earth is the first of 2000ad's absolute must reads.

STRONTIUM DOG: The Galaxy Killers
Progs 86-94, 9 episodes, 45 pages
w John Wagner
a Carlos Ezquerra

Dredd parents Wagner and Ezquerra's other major joint creation, Strontium Dog originated in Starlord, although Galaxy Killers was the strip's first appearance in 2000ad. Although Dredd and Dog share certain similarities (merciless killing machine with bulky helmet and knee/shoulder/elbow pads dispensing violent justice to frequently bizarre criminals), Dog central character Johnny Alpha is very much an outsider in his world (universe?), and is on the other side of the norm/mutant divide to Dredd (although of course in recent years Dredd himself has developed his own pro-mutant tendencies) and is consequently frequently subject to discrimination and abuse from the people he meets. His stories frequently take place in Firefly style sci-fi/western outpost worlds, and have elements of space travel and intergalactic adventure that are extremely rare in Dredd. Galaxy Killers is by no means the best early example of Alpha, as there had already been superior stories printed that year in Starlord, but it was a solid and suitably epic re-introduction for the character in his new home, and was easily one of the best stories printed in 2000ad in 1978. For Johnny, though, many even better stories would emerge over the coming years.

RO-BUSTERS: Death on the Orient Express
Progs 86-87, 2 episodes, 12 pages
w Pat Mills
a Dave Gibbons

The other set of enduring characters from Starlord, Ro Jaws and Hammerstein of Ro Busters are still featuring in 2000ad to the present day. At the time of the transfer, the original basis for the strip was already reaching its natural end, and it started to morph into what would eventually become the ABC Warriors. A witty, subversive comic, Ro Busters didn't last very long at all, but it remains a fondly remembered strip from 2000ad's early years.

INFERNO
Progs 36-75, 40 episodes, 183 pages
w Tom Tully
a Massimo Belardinelli

The follow up to Harlem Heroes, Inferno is even more violent and extreme, and features some customarily imaginative artwork from Massimo Belardinelli. It is also an incredible 40 episodes long, making it one of the longest single stories in the 37 year history of 2000ad.

MACH 1: The Final Encounter
Progs 61-64, 25 pages
w Pat Mills
a Montero

OMG! They killed Probe!

One of the great things about 2000ad is that, unlike traditional American comics, they are unafraid to kill off popular characters and let them stay dead (apart from Johnny Alpha, grumble, moan). And so, having uncovered the gradually unfolding conspiracy and unpalatable truths about himself and his organisation, 2000ad's most popular character to this point, John Probe, bites the dust, and is never seen again. It's not big, it's not clever, but it's all decent enough fun.


And of the rest? One of the highlights of the year, and my personal favourite debut story, is Robo Hunter's Verdus, but the majority (and the superior sections) of that story was printed in 1979, so I will cover that in the next post. Visible Man is an ok but rather limited strip with a small cult following that I am not part of. Dan Dare is still trying to evolve into a format that works in the post punk era, and is still failing. Ant Wars is a cyclical and repetitive waste of time. Flesh is still going into 1978, and in fact in 2014 is still going, and if nobody knew why in 1978 it's a real mystery why we're still enduring it now. Colony Earth is another example of 2000ad's early material being aimed at a much younger and less demanding audience and is full of deus ex machinas and plot exposition. Invasion is drawing to a close for the time being and isn't making a big splash. Death Planet is a promising if cliched concept (mis-matched survivors crash on inhospitable planet) but does feature 2000ad's first female lead. MACH Zero is MACH One's rather weak and short lived replacement and doesn't live long in the memory.

Covers of the year:
5. Prog 60 by Brian Bolland

4. Prog 76 by Ian Gibson

3. Prog 59 by Mike McMahon

2. Prog 85 by Mike McMahon

1. Prog 61 by Mike McMahon

And that's it for 1978... see you soon when we discuss... 1979!

The Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice

To mark 100 tests of Ian Bell, from the Guardian last summer:

There was a boy. And the boy was doubted.

Over time, the boy became a man. Many runs did He score and many times voices were raised to proclaim His centuries, bringing great joy to His people. And yet still He was doubted.

Some called Him king. The doubters did not call Him king. The doubters saw flaws, His followers saw a man of their ilk, human in His fallibility. The doubters saw weakness, His followers saw a different kind of strength, one that echoed their own path. The doubters spat bile, His followers lifted their shields to deflect those words of hate, and the hate was turned upon them. Though they were few, His followers were bold and had great courage. They bowed their heads and braved the taunts and the endless torture of the beast Magraa in 2005, replayed not on televisions but upon the very plasma screens of their souls.

Springs followed winters. Summers followed springs. Leaves lived and fell. Years passed.

And lo, the Ashes of 2013 began. And lo, He did put the Australian bowlers to the sword with many runs. And the voices were raised in proclaimation to bring the good news of His centuries to the people of the land. Many did flock to the colosseums to see His blade flash and dab down to third man for a couple. The oversized Oompa Loompas, the Bananamen, the Flintstones, the Priests, the Borats, the Super Marios, the Scooby-Doos and Smurf after Smurf after Smurf did lift many a plastic glass in His honour.

And with each run carved into the rock of history did His doubters begin to turn their doubt upon themselves. Their eyes grew afeared as they saw what He had become. But so deep was their doubt that in the dark crevasses and cracks of their hearts they doubted still.

At last He came to the river side. And He did fail. And even those who had never given up hope shook their heads with grief and knew in their hearts that this indeed was a bloody shocking shot quite frankly. They bowed their heads. When they lifted them they saw through the tears the smiles of the doubters, their jagged teeth shining through oily jaws. And this filled their hearts with pity. And with anger. And with that they knew. They knew they still believed. They knew they still had faith.

And lo, they did come to the second dig. His comrades did fall. The sky grew black. But He did not fall. One by one they abandoned in the face of furious attack. But he did not wilt, nor did he fall to his knees and beg for the mercy of the good lord DRS. He stood. And He stood. And He stood. Until at last, with a ropey front foot prod forged from the fires deep within His soul, He made the voices of His people rise once more. For again He was a centurion.

The doubters scattered, bereft and broken. Tears did fill their eyes. Some pleaded for forgiveness. Some donned masks. Some scuttled for the dark and the filth and were welcomed back with open arms that clawed the meat from their bones even as they embraced.

And all was quiet.

The scribes came to Him and they asked him for His words.

"It was," He began, " a good challenge out there."

The scribes wrote his words on their tablets of metal and light, to be saved for the ages. But still they asked for more.

"I was pleased," He boomed, "to score a century."

He paused. Tapes whirred. Ink dripped. Breaths held.

"It was," He said at last, "a good challenge."

And the scribes were happy. For though he had no kingly words he had a kingly bearing and his with his actions he had shown he was indeed kingly.

The doubters were gone. And in their place grew hope. And the land rejoiced and sang His name.

And His name was Ian Ronald Bell.

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