Mr. Wakefield’s Crusade: Episode 3 (1992)

 

The last installment of Mr. Wakefield’s Crusade brings the story to a fairly satisfying conclusion.  I correctly guessed certain twists early on, and I suspected the big answer about halfway through this episode, but that’s all right.  Luke is much slower to catch on, and some good tension is pulled from concerns that he’ll get it wrong and do something stupid, dangerous, and/or insane.

 

Here, his crusade leads him to several people closely connected with Marion, and we see, more than anything, how eager Luke is for company.  Throughout the miniseries, he indulges a habit of rigging his phone to call his own number, so he can have conversations with imaginary people on the other end.  He uses it to fill the space, to talk through his confusions, and even to bluff others, but it’s nothing compared to the anxiousness and energy he pours into his investigative work/burgeoning friendships in this episode.  He rehearses every conversation numerous times before he has it and fantasizes about becoming the inseparable friend of a man who may or may not be an accomplice to murder.

 

I won’t get much into the resolution.  Suffice it to say that it works for me and seems plausible for the near-surreality of Luke’s world.  Overall, I’m definitely pleased with the series.  Fun, watchable, and interesting, and PC plays Luke with terrifically-unhinged vigor.  This is why I enjoy exploring the filmography of actors I like – while there are always some clunkers, I inevitably find the reverse as well, great works that I never would’ve found otherwise.

 

Wrapping things up:

 

Accent Watch

 

Considering that this role is fairly early relative to PC’s career, I’m impressed with his RP here.  It stays on track, and if I didn’t know he was Scottish, there isn’t much to tip me off that he’s putting on the accent.

 

Recommend?

 

In General – Yeah.  Engaging story, entertainingly told and well-performed.  Definite thumbs up!

 

PC-wise – Of course!  It’s a fantastic, funny leading role with a lot of range.  What are you waiting for?

 

Warnings

 

Nothing further to be added.

Mr. Wakefield’s Crusade: Episode 2 (1992)

 

In episode 2, “more than a little off” increasingly becomes Luke’s dominant trait.  The man is rapidly unraveling at the edges, thanks to the one-two punch of his crusade and a lot of unfinished business with his ex-wife.  The police have picked up the Marion trail, and Luke is convinced that they’re wrongfully trying to string him up for the murder.  As such, he can add paranoid to his laundry list of neuroses, which also includes unhinged, hypochondriac, and delusional.  If he doesn’t solve his mystery in the final episode, the guy might actually implode.

 

Even aside from the obvious mental instability, Luke and his story continue to be tons of fun.  This episode involves surreptitious calls to an anonymous tip line, a sanatorium siesta, and the full undercover monty (we’re talking hair dye and false mustaches – Luke don’t mess around.)  There’s also a brief appearance from Miranda Richardson (Queenie!) as a prostitute/potential lead, and I should mention the late Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon from Harry Potter) in a supporting role as the porter for Luke’s building.  The jocular doorman seems well-meaning and friendly, but Luke clearly regards him as one of several banes of his existence.

 

PC is delightfully off-kilter in this, just balls-out crazy but still kind of sweet and sympathetic.  While I don’t know if this role could unseat any of my top ten performances of his, it could definitely make its way into the top twenty.  I’m so glad that PC’s casting as the Doctor has brought these little-known projects to light, because some of them are really great.  It’s wild, the kind of stuff that can slip through the media cracks (although at least PC’s work has survived better than the Second Doctor’s!)

 

Plus, that hair ought to have its own screen credit.  Ah, the ‘90s…

 

Warnings

 

Add prostitution to the sexual content – no sex scenes, but plenty of talk and implications.

Mr. Wakefield’s Crusade: Episode 1 (1992)

 

And here’s the start of what I imagine will be the final Capaldi Fall entry before Who starts up again – at least, I assume another rare Peter Capaldi project won’t surface on the interwebs before next Saturday.  I’m certainly glad this one did, though.  Not only is it a starring role, it’s a highly entertaining one that, if I didn’t know the miniseries was based on a book, I’d suspect of being tailor-made for PC.  A third of the way through the series, and I’m having a bang-up time.

 

Luke Wakefield is a lonely, awkward man whose life is changed at the post office.  When a fellow mailer drops unexpectedly dead, Luke pilfers the letter the man had been planning to send.  One steamed envelope later, and he has a mystery on his hands:  the late Sebastian was writing to his wife Marion at their shared address.  Initial inquiries reveal the more disquieting fact that Marion died six months before her husband, evidently at his hand.  Luke takes it upon himself to pinch the couple’s complete correspondence and discover the full truth.

 

If episode 1 is anything to go by, Luke is one of PC’s most substantial roles not written by himself.  He’s the undisputed lead (just in case the title didn’t tip you off,) and in addition to appearing in every scene and playing opposite all the other characters, he has long stretches where he’s alone onscreen, talking to himself or monologuing via voiceover. 

 

Beyond that, Luke is a dynamite role right up PC’s alley.  He’s a potent combination of deeply awkward and starved for company, resulting in plenty of priceless exchanges with complete strangers.  He’s also sensitive, a bit full of himself, slightly fussy, obsessive, and, on balance, more than a little “off” – prone to flying off the handle at inopportune moments.  He’s a character that lets PC play all over the place, both large and small, and allows his eyebrows to operate on their own agenda.  I get a huge kick out of Luke and can’t wait to see more of him.

 

As for the miniseries itself, I love the premise, and I’m fond of the cheeky storytelling and filmmaking.  In particular, hard cuts are used to great effect.  For instance, after some fiddling with the stolen letter, Luke resolutely shuts it in a drawer.  Followed instantly, of course, by a shot of him steaming the envelope open.  Clever, fast, funny, and off the wall – loving it.

 

Accent Watch

 

A crisp, almost prissy RP.

 

Recommend?

 

In General – So far, a definite yes.  I’m having a great time.

 

PC-wise – Undoubtedly.  Massive amounts of screentime, comedy, drama, and everything in between, and a bit bonkers.  What more do you want?

 

Warnings

 

Sexual references, implied nudity, lots of drinking, and references to violence.

Top Five Stories: The Second Doctor

Two is undoubtedly my favorite classic Doctor.  I just adore the little cosmic hobo – he’s wonderful and funny and Doctory and has fantastic companions.  It’s insane that so many of his stories were scrapped.  Yet, even though I’ve recently started listening to audios of the lost episodes, I’m not including them here.  To be honest, it was hard enough narrowing down the seven serials I’ve seen; the audios might need their own separate post later.  Despite Two’s limited extant episodes, there’s still too much to love!
 

“The Mind Robber” (Series 6, Episodes 6-10)

 

This is just a delightfully creative serial.  The Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe find themselves flung out of our reality into the Land of Fiction, where the trees form words and storybook characters and monsters alike make their home.  Zoe kicks some serious butt, and it takes the Doctor two tries to put Jamie’s face together – love it.

 

“The War Games” (Series 6, Episodes 35-44)

 

Two’s last story has another remarkably original premise.  What seems at first to be a World War I battlefield soon proves far more complicated, what with all the British redcoats, Confederate soldiers, and Roman centurions running around.  Plus, we get our first look at the Time Lords!  The Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe are all fantastic, and the final moments are heartbreaking.

 

“The Invasion” (Series 6, Episodes 11-18)

 

This almost-complete serial (filled in with two animated episodes) is an awfully nice Cyberman yarn.  We get an early Brigadier appearance as vintage Cybermen terrorize London.  While the Doctor and Jamie get amusingly captured, Zoe is all kinds of amazing – she wears a fabulous boa and blows up a computer with her words.  Really, though, this is one of my favorites because, at the start of the story, a cloaked TARDIS is left invisible in a cow field, all so we can have the incredible visual of our intrepid heroes groping around trying to find it at the end.  So much love.

 

“The Tomb of the Cybermen” (Series 5, Episode 1-4)

 

The sole story I’ve seen with Victoria.  While I love Zoe more, Victoria’s no slouch, and she works well with the Doctor and Jamie.  There are low-budget Cybermats, an amazing frozen Cyber-hive, cool Cyber-hieroglyphics, and one awesomely terrible Cyber-pun.  The Doctor mocks Jamie’s kilt, has a lovely conversation with Victoria about his family, and accidentally opens the door to a Cyber-tomb because he just can’t help solving puzzles.  What’s not to love?

 

“The Dominators” (Series 6, Episodes 1-5)

 

Okay, so the plot is a bog-standard “team TARDIS saves a race from a group of robot-wielding oppressors,” but that’s not important.  What’s important is Zoe grumbling about the ugly local clothes she has to wear, the Doctor playing stupid to stay under the radar, and Jamie bending the heavens to get back to his friends.  Also, the sonic screwdriver is actually used on screws!

State of Play (2003)

 

I take a second to gush about this miniseries every time I review something that features any actor who was in it, as well as when I watch other news-media dramas like The Field of Blood and The Hour (both of which, incidentally, also feature State of Play alumni – all kowtow to the master.)  In light of all that, it’s high time I shine a little light on the series itself.

 

I saw State of Play years ago, when I was exploring James McAvoy’s work.  The six-part miniseries, with stellar acting, tight plotting, and twists that hit you like a train, introduced me to John Simm and David Morrissey and changed my appreciation for Kelly Macdonald and Billy Nighy into full-blown love.  It also showed off the impressive writing talents of Paul Abbott, a notion further confirmed when I moved on to Shameless, his other project featuring McAvoy.

 

It’s the story of a story – a news investigation that unearths deeper channels and darker secrets at every turn.  When the young researcher of British MP Stephen Collins falls onto a line in the London underground, it quickly becomes apparent to a small group of reporters that the woman didn’t die by accident.  Led by the dogged, sharp-witted Cal McCaffrey (Simm,) they follow a trail strewn with a mysterious stolen briefcase, high-profile infidelity, and shady dealings between Whitehall and its lobbyists.

 

As I said, the narrative is fantastic.  The show moves at breakneck speed where plot and intrigue are concerned, but it also knows when to ease up and deliver softer character moments.  It feels lived-in, like we’ve dropped in on characters who won’t cease to exist when the story concludes.  The first time around, it’s an adrenaline-fueled blast watching the tense scenes and trying to make deductive leaps along with Cal and his fellow newshounds.  It’s almost as much fun on see again, though, as you recognize the carefully-laid signs and hints that you missed on first watch.

 

I love the London newspaper culture displayed here.  The ins and outs of story-chasing, and the way the reporters’ any-means-necessary approach delicately toes the line of legality, is fascinating.  It’s gritty and smart, full of ingenuity, legwork, and just a little sleaziness.  I also like that the police department, with whom the newspaper is races to reach the right conclusions, isn’t a bunch of incompetent flatfoots or red-tape-toting bureaucrats standing in the way of the scoop.  Yes, that’s how Cal and company view them at first, much like DCI Bell thinks the reporters are nosey, disruptive flies in his investigative ointment, but we learn that both sides are truly trying to do their jobs, a task they accomplish better when they collaborate.

 

I can’t begin to cover all the superb acting here, so I’ll just hit my absolute favorites.  John Simm plays Cal with keen perceptiveness and a casual, offhand charm, a terrific lead who feels more like a person than a character.  Kelly Macdonald is excellent as his partner in crime Della, a smart young woman with good instincts and an interesting mix between hardness and softness.  And enough can’t be said about Bill Nighy’s performance as editor Cameron Foster; the offbeat long-suffering master of the newsroom, he’s by turns sly, commanding, and drily hilarious.

 

Warnings

 

Language, violence, sexual content (including sex scenes,) drinking, and thematic elements.

Best Moments: The Avengers

And here we are back at The Avengers, the movie with too much awesome for one review.  Granted, it also has too much awesome for two reviews, so I’m limiting myself – one great scene per Avenger.  It’s a hard job, but somebody’s gotta do it.  Spoilers ahead, obviously.
 

 

Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man:  Tony confronts Loki – Tony’s cockiness is no secret, and it’s been known to get him in trouble, but he puts it to good use in this scene.  He arrives at Stark Tower to threaten Loki (not stall – he’s very clear about that,) keeping his nerve as he gets up close and personal with the murderous trickster god.  He plays it cool and flippant, despite the obvious danger, and he’s also smart enough to have an admittedly-risky exit strategy planned.

 

 

(Couldn't find a picture from the scene I wanted, so here's one from earlier in the battle.)

Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America:  Cap saves a subway station full of people – Okay, so I adore the heck out of Cap, and he’s pretty amazing in this movie.  He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s BAMF, he’s humorously befuddled, he’s tactical...  If I can only pick one moment, though, props must go to the big save he pulls off during the final battle with the Chitauri.  He singlehandedly takes on a mess of Chitauri, calmly and capably facilitates of the rescue of countless civilians, and puts his shield to impressive use.  Cap for the win!

 

Thor:  Thor fights the Hulk – I’ve mentioned my love for this scene before, but it bears repeating.  Thor is just the man here; I love the way he engages the Hulk to keep him away from the human SHIELD agents like Black Widow, and I like that, though both parties are getting some serious knocks in, Thor is clearly just keeping the Hulk busy and tries to reach Bruce inside “the other guy.”  Oh, and Mjolnir busts through multiple walls to get to Thor when he needs it – the simple yet heartwarming story of a god and his hammer.

 

Dr. Bruce Banner a.k.a. The Hulk:  Bruce meets Black Widow in India – After hiding out as a doctor in Calcutta, Bruce is picked up by SHIELD following a heart-to-heart with Natasha.  It’s our first real look at Bruce, and he’s immediately fantastic.  He’s serious and soft-spoken, a naturally-gentle man who simultaneously lets it be known he’s not a pushover.  He regards Natasha cautiously and puts on a mask of rage to see how she reacts, apologizing afterwards on the grounds that the ruse was too “mean.”  This scene was all it took to convince me that we’d finally found the cinematic Hulk we’ve been waiting for.

 

Natasha Romanov a.k.a. Black Widow:  Black Widow fights Russian mobsters while tied to a chair – Oh, goodness gracious, how I love the chair fight.  This fast, brutal, stunningly-choreographed action scene makes it clear why a non-super-powered human like Natasha is one of the Avengers – she’s astounding.  And beyond the incredible fighting, she’s cool as a cucumber, taking phone calls in the middle of a prospective torture session and maintaining that the mobsters are “giving her everything” when she’s the one being interrogated.

 

Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye:  Hawkeye keeps a lookout – This one is tough, since Hawkeye spends most of the film as one of Loki’s brainwashed slaves.  By the end, however, he’s rejoined the fold and takes to the rooftops for the final battle.  His eyes in the sky survey the entire chaotic scene, directing his fellow Avengers to crucial areas, offering advice, and using his bow to pick off Chitauri without even looking at them.  Not a bad comeback.

Smilla’s Sense of Snow (1997, R)

There’s something in the air – do you feel it?  Could it be…?  Why, yes, it’s… Capaldi Summer!  After an absurd number of months sitting at the top of my Netflix queue, Smilla’s Sense of Snow has finally made its way to me.  Just in time, too.  We’re getting our first proper Twelve story on the 23^rd, and it’s nice to be able to cross this PC project off my list, finally.

 

The eponymous Smilla is a Greenlander living in Denmark, a guarded woman with high walls and a sharp mouth.  However, she’s developed a hard-earned soft spot for her six-year-old neighbor Isaiah, and when the boy dies unexpectedly, her spidey sense starts tingling.  Despite what the authorities say, she can’t buy Isaiah’s death as an accident, and her ensuing investigation takes her down a dangerous road.

 

Smilla meets many people throughout her crusade, some helpful, some nefarious.  PC’s Birgo Lander is one of the few trustworthy souls who makes an effort to aid her.  Her queries take her to the coast, and Birgo, a wealthy club owner with plenty of seafaring connections, can hook her up with the transport she’s looking for.

 

All told, it’s a decent little role (“little” being an operative word, since PC is only in a few scenes.)  Birgo is suave and urbane, with a perceptive eye.  He’s also impressively bold; as rich as he is, he probably leads a fairly cushy life, but he takes a not-insignificant risk for Smilla’s sake.

 

The movie stars Julia Ormond, who starred in previous Capaldi Fall participant Captives.  Gabriel Byrne, who will always be Professor Bhaer to me, plays a major role, and Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent, and Tom Wilkinson are all featured.  (And, side note – after getting this film, I did a cursory check of my online PC sources, and a rare miniseries of his has surfaced, so expect a few more Capaldi Fall entries before the 23^rd.)

 

Accent Watch

 

A very posh-sounding RP.  Pretty decent, but some of those Rs are out of control.

 

Recommend?

 

In General – I would.  The story’s interesting and well-told, full of suspense.  The acting is excellent, and I really enjoyed seeing a film with a Greenlander slant; don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a movie before.

 

PC-wise – It’s a good performance, but very short.  Save it for later, after you’ve seen PC’s more prominent stuff.  But hey!  If you put it at the top of your Netflix queue now, you might get it by the time series 8 of Who wraps up.

 

Warnings

 

Dark subject matter, some violence, swearing, and sexual content.