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The Big Issue : Edition 477
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DVD THEBIGISSUE6–19FEB2015 39 While Sherlock relies on plot pyrotechnics and sleight of hand, the American version has a greater focus on storytelling and drama. Sadly, that’s where this season of Elementary falls down a little. Second series – particularly those as wonderfully formulaic as this – tend to be caught between drama’s need for character conflict and the viewer’s resistance to sweeping format changes. Here, the writers insert a wedge between Holmes and Watson in the form of Holmes’ brother, Mycroft (Rhys Ifans). Ifans is a welcome addition to the cast, but there’s a sense the writers aren’t too sure what to do with him. Similarly, attempts to divide the starring pair feel at once overworked and halfhearted. We all know Watson isn’t going anywhere, no matter how the writers sorta- kindatrulyruly try to convince us otherwise. Which is just as well, because Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu remain a winning take on the detecting duo. Although the casting does seem a little back-to-front: Liu would surely excel as a cerebral, drug-addled, sex addict Holmes. MYLE BARTLETT At first glance, E xtant looks like a frontrunner in any discussion of the Golden Age of TV, if only by virtue of the talent involved in this science- fiction/mystery series: anything that could lure Steven Spielberg and Halle Berry to the small screen must be a cut above. But while Extant has top-shelf production values and a thought-provoking central storyline that branches off in some intriguing directions, it doesn’t quite have the style or ingenuity to distinguish itself further. Still, there’s something compelling about the story of astronaut Molly Woods (Berry) returning to Earth after 13 months alone in orbit and discovering she’s pregnant. This is the first in a string of strange events linking human emotions, a robot child, high-tech developments and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Rather than delving deeply into the questions it poses, though, Extant prefers to follow the traditional TV path of keeping the story moving forward, which makes it worthwhile for anyone looking for their next big binge-watch. GUY DAVIS WHEN CARTOONY, FILM noir pastiche Sin City: A Dame to Kill For hit cinema screens late last year, it’s safe to say it was not critically acclaimed. A lot of the criticism said it had missed the boat, coming as it did nine years after the success of the original Sin City. Partly that was because what seemed like cutting-edge visual effects in 2005 (the Sin City movies are shot in stylised black and white to replicate the visuals of the Frank Miller comics they’re based on) now seem somewhat quaint; partly because the first Sin City sparked a now long-dead trend for films that used a similar visual style, such as Max Payne and The Spirit. And yet, considering how brief a part the cinema run now plays in the life of a film, dismissing a film because it feels dated seems an odd criticism in 2015. Even now there are people who are only just discovering the first Sin City film on DVD; with A Dame to Kill For just out on disc, the gap between the two might only be a matter of weeks for them. And what about people who never saw the first Sin City and end up watching it after they see the EXTANT: SEASON 1 *** 1/2 ANTHONY MORRIS > DVD Editor sequel? A Dame to Kill For is basically more of the same as the first film. Watched back-to-back, it’s hard to pick much of a difference between the two. Nine years might have passed on the big screen, but at home it’s barely the blink of an eye. BANSHEE: SEASON 2 **** After the insanely over-the-top shootout that ended the first season, it’s a surprise there’s anything left standing in Banshee County. But this season begins with the status quo barely touched: a professional criminal (Antony Starr) is still somehow passing himself off as town sheriff Lucas Hood; Amish crime boss Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen) is still feuding with the local Indian casino; and everyone else in town seems only mildly phased by the massive level of violent crime and sexy hijinks taking place – until the son of the real Lucas Hood shows up. ‘Lurid’ is too mild a word for this massively entertaining crime series. The violence is bloody and the sex rivals Game of Thrones. But while Banshee is aware it’s trashy, it never acts like that’s an excuse to short- change the audience. The characters are clichés, but they’re entertaining ones enlivened by quality performances (Thomsen is rapidly becoming a notable villain), while the storylines are fast, smart and satisfyingly pulpy. It’s no classic, but it’s loads of fun. ANTHONY MORRIS ELEMENTARY: SEASON 2 *** 1/2 JOSH BROLIN IN SIN CITY
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