The SMALL AXE MANGROVE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE MANGROVE on Seat42F.

Amazon Prime recently premiered a new series of films directed and co-written by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) entitled SMALL AXE. The first of these, MANGROVE, is available now. It follows the true story of The Mangrove Nine, a group of Black people arrested during demonstrations against the Metropolitan Police in Notting Hill, Kensington. So you’ll get a history lesson, a look at immigrant life, and hopefully think a bit about the racial injustice still prevalent in today’s society.

Shaun Parkes (The River) stars as Frank Crichlow, a man from Trinidad who has moved to London. Frustrated in dealing with the police, Frank opens a totally legitimate restaurant called the Mangrove, selling the cuisine of his native land, a.k.a. “spicy food.” But the local constable, PC Pulley (Sam Spruell, The Bastard Executioner), is deeply prejudiced, and decides that the Mangrove must be a place for unsavory characters, raiding it repeatedly for no legitimate reason. This only drives the community to embrace the Mangrove more, the local Black Panthers and others considering the place “theirs,” and things spiral far from Frank’s control. It all culminates during a march against the police in which Frank and eight others are arrested for rioting and affray. Off-screen the case is dismissed, and then tried again at the Old Bailey, a venue for only the most heinous crimes, as the police hope to make examples of the defendants.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE begins as one thing, a story focused on Frank and his restaurant, and halfway though, becomes a courtroom drama with varied protagonists. In lesser hands, this disjointed style and lack of strong focus might feel like a weakness. Instead, through flawless directing and performances, it feels like a complete piece, albeit one with two distinct halves. Yet, it’s also more than that. Frank’s story becomes the story of all these people, and the film enlarges to encapsulate that, minimizing Frank the way he becomes pushed to the background of his own fate. It’s actually a pretty cool move.

Parkes is great, full stop. He is not alone, however, and some of the best moments in SMALL AXE MANGROVE come from others. At the trial, one of the co-defendants, Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby, Devils) decides he should represent himself. The stuffier lawyers protest, but Ian MacDonald (Jack Lowden, The Tunnel) thinks it’s a brilliant idea. Altheia Jones (Letitia Wright, Black Panther), another person on trial, agrees and decides to do the same. Altheia and Darcus speaking up for themselves is powerful, especially when Darcus plays the legal game better than some of the fully-trained lawyers, winning through logic, not just emotion.

The system is broken, the no one exhibits that better than Judge Clarke (Alex Jennings, The Crown), showing his prejudice right off the bat. But the cause is righteous enough, even he is eventually forced to admit wrongdoing on both sides, which unfortunately echoes remarks by own American president not too long.

That’s what’s so powerful about SMALL AXE MANGROVE, though: it isn’t just a history story. It is relevant today, shining light on the continued issues. This was written and filmed prior to this year’s Black Lives Matter marches, but they make it even more timely. The trial of The Mangrove Nine was fifty years ago, and yet, the problems remain, maybe not in quite the same way, but still very serious. The ending text on the screen reveal Frank’s troubles didn’t end after the trial, as he continued to be harassed for the next two decades. It wouldn’t have been surprising to learn he was still being harassed today, if he were alive. The police were not punished. And though his kids have a better life (you may know of his daughter, actress Lenora Crichlow), that doesn’t mean the problems are solved.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE is an excellent film with compelling characters and a true story that hits home. Even were it not applicable to current circumstances, it would land. The fact that the fight lives on only helps boost its impact. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the SMALL AXE series has in store.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE is available now on Amazon Prime.

The Halcyon

Article first published as TV Review: THE HALCYON on Seat42F.

Ovation has imported the ITV series THE HALCYON, premiering tonight in the states. Set in a five-star hotel in London England in 1940, early in World War II, the show follows people of all classes, from the owner of the establishment and his family, down to the staff that keep things moving. The premise obviously sounds like Downton Abbey, but THE HALCYON is more gritty, with those coming to stay there engaged in a variety of scandalous, and in at least one case, Nazi-supporting, behavior that makes it more drama-filled than that former series.

At the center of things is Richard Garland (Steven Mackintosh, Luther), the general manager of the titular waystation. Richard is very customer service oriented, working to keep his employer, Lord Lawrence Hamilton (Alex Jennings, The Crown), happy, even when that goes against the wishes of Hamilton’s wife, Priscilla (Olivia Williams, Manhattan). Things get more difficult when Hamilton’s outspoken mistress, Charity Lambert (Charity Wakefield, The Player), decides to take on a more public persona. This does not go unnoticed by American reporter Joe O’Hara (Matt Ryan, Constantine), who is staying at the hotel. And then there’s Garland’s daughter, Emma (Hermione Corfield, xXx: Return of Xander Cage), who has a flirtation with Hamilton’s eldest son, RAF pilot Freddie (Jamie Blackley, If I Stay), who is in a relationship with someone else.

That is just the tip of the iceberg of events at THE HALCYON, which boasts a sprawling cast and many plot lines. It’s a classic soap opera, with lots of drama, too much at once to be thought realistic. The pacing is quick, moving through various threads, and it’s hard to keep track of everyone and their relationships to one another at first viewing.

It’s a very beautiful show, the production design and set decoration superb. Part of the joy of watching the series is just to imagine oneself in the hotel. Most of the characters, despite their bad behavior, adhere to the classiness of the setting in outward manner, painting us a picture of a specific place and time, or at least a fictionalized version of it. The world is enticing enough to quickly get sucked into the plot.

While not as high-quality as Downton Abbey in terms of storytelling, there’re enough elements to satisfy most. The lack of believability hurts, but the actors play the roles earnestly enough to keep viewers interested and invested. Coincidences may stretch the bounds, but there aren’t any big or obvious plot holes in the first hour.

In fact, my only complaint about the premiere is that it starts with the end of the season, then jumps back seven months. This has become overdone enough that I automatically roll my eyes at any series that dares still do it. However, for THE HALCYON, it’s less annoying than in most because with the density we’re about to jump into, it does provide an intriguing hook to get the audience to expend the effort learning all of the players.

My main caution with this show, though, is that it has already been canceled, and does not contain a definitive ending. Because it aired early in the year in Britain, you can google fan reaction, and a very vocal group are calling for its return to, in part, resolve major cliffhangers. As pretty as THE HALCYON is, knowing it is incomplete and extremely unlikely to be concluded is enough to make it a pass for me in the age of so many other options. Were it airing simultaneously and its future in doubt, I’d be tempted. As it stands, I don’t see the point of spending my time on it.

THE HALCYON premieres tonight at 10pm ET on Ovation.

DVD Review: ‘The Lady Vanishes’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘The Lady Vanishes’ on Blogcritics.

In 1938, Alfred Hitchcock made a film based on the novel The Wheel Spins. It was remade in 1979 starring Cybill Sheperd, Angela Lansbury, and Elliott Gould.

Recently, the BBC and Masterpiece created a new version of this story, The Lady Vanishes, this one reportedly more closely hewing to the novel than the previous two, and released it on DVD.

This version stars Tuppence Middleton (Spies of Warsaw) as Iris Carr. A carefree socialite, she hangs around a hotel after her friends leave and ends up riding back to London on a train car with assorted strangers. She finds a friendly face in fellow Englishperson Miss Froy (Selina Cadell, Doc Martin), but after Iris wakes from a nap, Miss Froy seems to have disappeared. Iris grows more and more upset as she can’t find a witness to support her story that Miss Froy even exists, other passengers presumably lying, and a bout of what might have been sunstroke leaves her own testimony circumspect.

There is a diverse contingent of players on the train, a confined setting for the story that adds a feeling of claustrophobia to the mix. The Baroness (Benedikte Hansen, Borgen) could be the villain responsible for the drama, if indeed Miss Froy has been abducted, or she could be an innocent rich person that serves as a target for Iris’ delusion. Young, dashing Max Hare (Tom Hughes, Silk) would like to believe Iris, whom he takes an instant liking to, but even his chivalry can’t erase doubts as Iris’ claims seem to fall apart. There is also a Professor (Alex Jennings, Whitechapel), a Doctor (Jesper Christensen, Arvingerne), a Reverend (Pip Torrens, Fleming), his wife (Sandy McDade, Lark Rise to Candleford), and others who come into play, some with their own motivations, and some who remain more mysterious.

The main point of The Lady Vanishes seems to be to let viewers question reality and build tension. If everyone else is lying, why would they do so? Might Iris be as crazy as some accuse her of? Is Miss Froy alive or dead or made up? There are more questions than answers for most of the piece, which should be enough to keep viewers watching, if for no other reasons than to see how it ends up. It’s frustrating to watch, but that only mirrors Iris’ own feelings, so the tone does succeed in letting us relate to the protagonist quite well.

The 90-minute thriller is fine for television, but falls short for the cinema. The pacing is too slow and the emergency too tame, with decent, but not mind-blowing, acting. What this makes for is something that will feel familiar to fans of British period pieces and PBS, albeit moving into a slightly different genre than most of their productions, satisfying a particular, niche audience, but perhaps not appealing to the public at large.

The film’s production values aren’t particularly memorable. The train looks well-detailed, but with its muted, dark colors, it’s not a stand-out set, nor are the costumes lavish enough to really admire. Not being a student of this period, it’s hard for me to determine how realistic the program is, but I do find myself racking my brain, having a hard time coming up with elements to discuss, as the overall feelings is one of blandness.

That’s likely the biggest downfall with The Lady Vanishes. Athough I was interested while watching it, I wasn’t overly impressed enough to do so again anytime soon. It also didn’t stand out as something I would spend any time thinking of after the fact. It’s quick and forgettable, slightly interesting, but mostly dull.

It doesn’t help that there are no extras on this bare-bones DVD release. Perhaps if there were some clue as to why the producers thought a remake was necessary, or a discussion of the choices made, that might spark something more than a first impression leaves. Sadly, no audio commentaries or behind-the-scenes looks are included to serve this purpose, with only the film on the disc.

The Lady Vanishes is available now.

Being Human Series Four scares up disc release

Article first published as Being Human Series Four scares up disc release on TheTVKing.

The British series Being Human, not to be confused with the American remake that airs on SyFy, had a very dark fourth series last year. As the season begins, Nina (Sinead Keenan) and Mitchell (Aidan Turner) are dead, leaving an unraveling George (Russell Tovey) and Annie (Lenora Crichlow) to care for George and Nina's baby, Eve, as well as stop any forces that may seek to harm what's left of their small band.

Unfortunately, since the baby is the first known to be born of two werewolves, there is an evil gang of vampires that would definitely like to get their hands on her, fearing a prophecy that says the baby will wipe out all of the blood suckers from the face of the Earth. Griffin (Alex Jennings, Whitechapel, The Queen), the new head vampire, isn't about to take any chances, so he orders a death sentence.

The season is full of revenge plays and all-out war. There are a variety of new characters tossed into the mix. There are good guys, like the Vampire Recorder, Regus (Mark Williams, the Harry Potter films), and there are bad guys, like Cutler (Andrew Gower, Monroe), a vampire far more suited to the modern world than Griffin, and thus, more dangerous. There are also those who we aren't sure which side they are on, including the mysterious Mr. Rook (Steven Robertson), who is just getting started in his own tale when the series ends. We go deep into a vampire nest, and venture into a dystopian future. In the end, grave sacrifices must be made to save others, and the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance.

Besides the larger story arcs, Being Human undergoes a transition in its basic premise. At the start, the idea is to see how a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost could live together. With Mitchell dead, that leaves a hole in their threesome. This defeats the purpose a little bit, and it's not an imbalance that will be preserved.

So we meet the newest central cast member, Hal (Damien Molony), a vampire who has also been living as part of a very similar trio. However, his werewolf pal is now dying of old age, so it seems an appropriate time for him to transition into a new group. Hal is not the only possibility of who might become a new housemate, with others introduced as candidates, too, and the make up of the group does undergo a transition in series four.

Between Hal and the return of Tom (Michael Socha), now upgraded to main character, there is an infusion of new blood into the main cast. Annie and George need the extra help to fulfill their own destinies, and, without giving too much away, the end of series four sets up yet another shake up for series five, which should air later this year. Annie, especially, gets to shine in series four, so I look forward to seeing who will step up in the next run of episodes to match her.

Series four has been released on DVD and Blu-ray in a three disc set. All episodes are present, and it is ripe with extras, including a trailer, prequels, sequels, and deleted scenes. We are taken behind the scenes in a featurette, and interviewers with the people who make the show are included. It's quite a bit for a short-format series, and definitely much better than some other recent British releases

Being Human Series Four is available now.

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Being Human picks up on the "Eve of the War"

Being Human returns to BBC American with "Eve of the War" this past weekend. The action picks up a few weeks after last year's finale. Viewers learn that, in the interim, Nina (Sinead Keenan) has been killed in retribution for George's (Russell Tovey) slaying of Wyndam (Lee Ingleby). Now, George is a shut-in, protecting his unnamed infant daughter by not allowing her out of her nursery. That is, until Tom (Michael Socha) shows up with information about Griffin (Alex Jennings, Whitechapel, The Queen), Wyndam's replacement who ordered Nina's murder.

Tom and George have their work cut out for them in the revenge game. Griffin is a few steps ahead, bringing in the Old Ones, and plotting to kidnap George and Nina's daughter, the first baby born of two werewolves. Disappointingly to the vampires, the baby appears all-human. The Vampire Recorder, Regus (Mark Williams, the Harry Potter films), reveals that the baby is prophesized to wipe out all the vampires from the face of the Earth, so Griffin decides to kill her.

The new vampire characters in "Eve of the War" are interesting, if a bit murky in their motivation. Is Regus really willing to see the annihilation of his entire species just to allow a prophecy to come true? Yes, he has dedicated his life to such works, and without prophecy fulfillment, his efforts seem to be a waste of time. But this is a serious offense against himself and his people, not to mention, he is missing a third of the scroll, and doesn't even know the whole story. Perhaps he is a good guy who just can't stand to see a baby killed?

The new vampire villain looks to be Cutler (Andrew Gower, Monroe), who is far more suited to modern times than Griffin is. Cutler tries to warn Griffin that his plans will fail, and is cunning enough to hide in the shadows when all hell breaks loose in the vampire place. Cutler will surely take over the local hive, and possibly the plans for world domination that Griffin aspires to. As such, Cutler will be the face of evil our heroes must defeat. Or so it seems from the season premiere alone.

It's a shame that Being Human kills Nina off screen. With the injuries she suffers near the end of last season, that seems a cleaner time to end the character than with an unseen hit. However, her death, and the way it is carried out, gives great motivation to George, who seeks to avenge her any way that he can, which eventually leads to his own reckless downfall. George dies a hero, in a powerfully moving scene, because the result of his actions is the saving of his daughter, whom he names Eve. Awesome way to take out George, which makes Nina's disappearance all the more regrettable.

This leaves Annie (Lenora Crichlow) with plenty of story going forward. Not only does she have to serve as a mentor to new housemate, Tom, but she has to raise George and Nina's baby. This is surely a lot for a ghost to handle, given her limitations. It also makes Annie even more the heart of the series than she previously is, which Crichlow should be able to handle with the ease that she has demonstrated repeatedly already.

To round out the house, because Being Human fans know that a vampire, werewolf, and ghost must band together to protect the human race, "Eve of the War" introduces Hal (Damien Molony). Hal has long been part of a similar trio as the main characters of this show, but his werewolf pal is dying. It is unknown what will happen to the ghost that he lives with, but Hal should have some guidance and wisdom to offer Annie, being that he has been a protector of mankind for so much longer.

Oh, and there's a plot set in a dystopian 2037, where a young woman (probably a grown Eve, though that is unconfirmed) has her friend kill her so she can, as a ghost, kill a baby and save the world. No idea how this works into the rest of the story yet, other than the prophecy connection, as she has Regus's scroll, including the missing piece.

"Eve of the War" is a fantastic season premiere. It changes the tone of Being Human into something a good deal more exciting than the original premise, and certainly a faster moving series. The new characters are interesting, and the plot arcs just beginning look to be really cool. One could not ask for a better premiere!

Being Human airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on BBC America.

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