Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 3

Buffy Season 3 Falters, but Turns Round Right

By Kristin Battestella

I stalled for a bit in my rewatching of Buffy the Vampire Slayer over other things, but I also have never been super enthusiastic over Season 3.  After great strides in villainy and growing up in its sophomore season, round three seems somewhat uneven in its portrayal of rogue slayers, corrupt politicians, and romance run amok.  Thankfully, the latter half of the season hits its stride and says goodbye to Senior Year in style.

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) returns to Sunnydale High a little less than on the ball after running away last year.  She competes with Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) for Prom Queen, hides the resurrected Angel (David Boreanaz) from school librarian Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), and butts heads with new watcher Wesley Wyndam Pryce (Alexis Denisof).  Oz (Seth Green) still struggles with being a werewolf and Xander (Nicholas Brendan) can’t find where he fits in the Scooby Gang.  Willow (Alyson Hannigan), however, takes a liking to witchcraft- and faces newfound guilt over kissing Xander.  As if Buffy’s world couldn’t get any worse, bad girl slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) comes to town and corrupt Mayor Wilkins (Harry Groener) has more than a few demonic tricks up his sleeve.

Creator Joss Whedon takes Buffy on a slightly darker path this season.  The core cast is a little older, somewhat wiser for the wear, and the first fractures of the gang show thanks to love, slaying, and graduation.  Perhaps I’ve been watching too many mini series or short British shows, but Season 3 here is weak to start with moody, melancholy episodes that seem more like filler then a slow brooding build up.  Plots pick up with the introduction of wayward slayer Faith and the villainous henchman Mr. Trick (K. Todd Freeman, The Dark Knight) in “Faith, Hope, and Trick,” but the first half of the season spends more time on individual character episodes and high school allegories.  Some are a little slow and dated like “Homecoming” and “The Zeppo”- this season seems uneven and fractured itself because it has the uneasy task of showing us our gang as individuals.  What alternatives are their outside of the group?   What are the possibilities beyond high school? Is the season about the individual standouts and explorations of characters or is it about the slayer antithesis and the political Big Bads?  There are some seriously dazzling one off gems here including “Band Candy”, “The Wish” and its follow up “Dopplegangland”, and of course the controversial but brilliant and still relevant “Earshot”.  Beginning with “Bad Girls,” however, every episode speeds up the season long storyline and continues to build on the Mayoral villainy.  Once we return to the strong bond and relationships being the glue against the monsters of life and high school, Season 3 conclude on a great two-part “Graduation Day” whopper.  

I imagine there are some fans that prefer the dark and wild slayer Faith to our titular blonde cheerleader. It’s not that I don’t like Faith, but her up and down appearances don’t do the character justice.  Faith should have been much more involved early in the season; and with the considerable amount she is there for the later half, why isn’t she in the opening credits? Now that we’ve had a few years to know Buffy and her world, why not always have a bad girl slayer around to further antagonize and remind us how uneasy Buffy’s balance between life and school and good and evil is?  Interesting notions on how Faith should take up the primary slayer mantle while Buffy goes on with her life are dismissed for other ho-hum explorations before Faith goes too uber bad too quickly.  Some of her physically different dark looks and style to Buffy’s sunny charm is also obvious, and her angry over Angel all the time and latent yet still totally jealous thing gets annoying, too. Her storyline is wonderful once it gets rolling, but it seems there are more Faith, bad Faith, and Buffy versus Faith opportunities to explore.  Fortunately, later seasons do rectify some of the Faithy goodness, and it’s refreshing to have someone who doesn’t always do the right thing or has her own motivations for doing so. Faith- despite being so strong and capable- is so quick to err and get on everyone else’s bad bandwagon.  How could two slayers be so much alike yet so truly different? In many ways, Faith is correct in her ideas that Buffy’s got bad in her blood and a secret joy at killing just below her do-gooder sensibilities.  Her antagonism does indeed push Buffy to put her claws out and do the extremes she wouldn’t have previously done.  In some shows, the writers would just keep going and going with nothing major ever really happening for these opposites.  For each slayer to be true to herself, however, their relationship has to come to an end.  Faith’s mirror half to Buffy serves to strengthen our fair leader.  Buffy thought she wanted out of the Hellmouth, but her stance against Faith fully allows her to accept the slayer as who she is and will be. 

Adding nicely to the somewhat uneven slayer dynamic is the great fatherly relationships and examinations with both Giles and Mayor Wilkins. Giles supports Buffy wholeheartedly in her schooling and her slayer training only to have their bond fracture thanks to her secrecy over Angel and the Watcher’s Council interfering in “Helpless.”  For better or for worse, everything seems to break at some point this season- and it all leads back to the Mayor. Wilkins takes a while to build up exactly what he is - almost all season in fact.  However, his equally fatherish dynamic with Faith is kind of refreshingly bizarre.  Because they are bad and crazy, we expect neither to care; but Wilkins supports Faith the way the Scoobies uphold Buffy. Their affection is no less genuine-even bad crazy people can have feelings.  I actually can never decide if I like Mayor Wilkins or not.  He’s the evil politician with a hand in everything dirty in Sunnydale- and yet he is obsessed with cleanliness.  Groener (Las Vegas, Dear John) plays it all a little too tongue in cheek and ironic- a corrupt official who is actually eevvviill!  Perhaps one could find something kinky between him and Faith, sugar daddy jokes and all that.  It’s also creepy that the Mayor sees many truths Faith seeks to hide- as well as the real dynamic between Buffy and Angel.  Competent villains with a seed of the right are the scariest of all, even with the snake monsterness aside.  In fact, if it weren’t for the monster bits, Wilkins might have been a good guy.  He provides frank advice to the gang and even delivers the Class of 1999 commencement speech.  His solid rearing and giving Faith the attention for which she so yearned also comes back to bite Buffy, too.  

The ambiguous pairing explorations continue as our secondary players get somewhat deduced thanks to make ups, break ups, and illicit kisses. Xander spazzing over kissing Willow seems very annoying to me now.  Cue the sappy music every frickin’ time, too, as if we don’t get it!  Likewise, Willow gets weird with the make out guilt, and her ugly pink clothes and orange graphic shirts with overalls seem like a geeky regress- especially when we meet her cool vampire doppelganger. Again, it’s this antithesis what if I were bad possibility that allows Willow to come out of her shell more than silly boys. These seeds of witchcraft and gay leanings do nicely in combining the good, bad, positive, and negative characterizations that are to come for Willow much more than the smooches could.  Unfortunately, the overplayed Xander and Willow attractions completely cheapened Oz even more. Hasn’t this character been disused enough? He’s barely a part of the gang, and his werewolf issues only appear sporadically as the plot requires. While we explore all these new difficulties with everyone else, we still know next to nothing about Oz.  He’s in a band, likes Willow, and is a werewolf occasionally. Wow. One wonders why they graduated Seth Green to the opening credits if Oz was going to be so abused this season. 

Angel’s return from the hell dimension is also a little slow and sometimes painful. Outside of his stand out episode “Amends” and a critical point between Faith and Buffy in the finale, I’m not really sure why they went through these repeated motions of the slayer and the vampire making googly eyes at each other.  That part of Buffy’s life seemed over, why reopen old wounds?  Frankly, this is a stagnant relationship that can’t go any further, and it is very nice that Whedon was able to spin off the character into something much more than Buffy’s wannabe boy.  By contrast, the once shallow and one-dimensional Cordelia grows up plenty.  We spend more time with her beyond the weird relationship with Xander and see that the popularity, wealth, and fashion of high school are behind her.  Buffy, Xander, and Willow may learn up and down lessons about themselves in Season 3, but Cordelia is the one who has completely changed and developed into an adult ready to move on.  

I know I’ve been very picky and probably whining and uneven and annoying just like my Season 3 complaints.  Nevertheless, the players both regular and recurring and the guest stars do wonderfully all around.  In addition to his pertinent observation, “Why couldn’t you be dealing drugs like normal people?”, we bid adieu to Armin Shimerman’s Principal Snyder in style. Kristine Sutherland’s Joyce also has some fun and becomes a more equal figure with Giles for Buffy’s slayer welfare. Robin Sachs as Ethan Rayne has always been more entertaining to me then Mayor Wilkins, and future Angel cast member Alexis Denisof’s Wesley is greatly repressed fun compared to how uptight we thought Giles originally was.  Of course, James Marsters’ lone appearance this season as Spike in “Lover’s Walk” is sweet- simply because he isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. And future importants Emma Caulfield (Beverly Hills 90210) as Anya and Danny Strong (Gilmore Girls) as Jonathan make their presence known in memorable Buffyverse fashion.

Again, we may find quibbles with such old television effects in our CGI stylized eyes.  However, the dusting designs in Buffy are more than tolerable; and though the “Graduation Day” finale would look a lot different if made today, the visuals in Season 3 are better than previous years. Boys will still eat up the dual gal slayer action and fight sequences, but fashions again have not stood the decade. Some of the short skirts and skimpy dresses are iffy at best and mostly kind of hoochie. Dingoes Ate My Baby is also still dumb, and most of the music presented has become really nineties dated now.  There’s also a slightly different credit design and remix for Buffy, and sometimes, you just like to watch the opening sequence for all the cool action and sound effects, admit it!    

Budding vampire fans looking for some quality examinations or old school audiences returning to the ups and downs of high school can find what they are looking for in Buffy’s Third Season.  With so many characters coming and going or changing with too many things happen here, perhaps Season 3 is not the place to introduce one to Buffy.  However, returning fans can revisit Senior Year and walk down memory lane with Buffy anytime.  After all, only she can blow off high school in such style, literally.

Death Race 2

Death Race 2 Is Actually Really Cool

By Kristin Battestella

Okay, there are certain series where I would not recommend one watch the after the fact prequels first: coughstarwarscough.  However, I decided to take in the 2010 Death Race 2 prequel before its 2008 pseudo predecessor Death Race, which itself is a remake of the 1975 cult classic Death Race 2000.  While some fans may find faults here or in the original and its recent update, Death Race 2 was actually fun, entertaining, and pretty dang cool.

Carl Lucas (Luke Goss) drives heists for Markus Kane (Sean Bean), but is arrested during one job turned wrong and sent to Terminal Island Prison.  Run for profit and entertainment, these anything goes prisons are controlled by Weyland (Ving Rhames) and his Weyland Corporation.  Luke’s fellow prisoners Lists (Frederick Koehler) and Goldberg (Danny Trejo) are forced to compete in Death Match- a televised fight to the death orchestrated by Weyland’s ruthless and profit minded host September Jones (Lauren Cohan).  When ratings begin to fail on Death Match, Jones ups the deadly action and drama with Death Race, where prisoners compete in remodeled vehicles with the likes of machine guns and napalm. Survive five races of auto carnage and you win your freedom. Luke reluctantly competes in the race- but Kane fears he will testify against his criminal enterprises and orders a $1 million hit on Luke, making the Death Race even more, uh, deadly for Luke and his navigator, female prisoner Katrina (Tanit Phoenix).  

Despite being just an action racing direct to video sequel at face value, director Roel Reine (The Marine 2, Black Ops) adds some interesting concepts and onscreen stylings to put Death Race 2 a cut above the rest.  Corporate penitentiaries run for profit with built in ways for keeping down their population- i.e. let them kill each other.  Of course, it is a preposterous notion; but one might not expect to find some intelligence and debate here about whether death and entertainment incarceration is any better than traditional attempts at protecting society and rehabilitating criminals.  There are also intriguing possibilities with freedom for the victor- you could end up releasing some seriously wicked people!  However, this offer of renewed opportunities and hope could be just the salvation for which these imprisoned men are looking.  Death Race 2 kind of reminds me of The Quick and the Dead actually.  Is this not a 21^st century take on Wild West themes of revenge and redemption and gunfights with style? It’s really neat the way we see the Death Match television design onscreen- even if the announcer does sound like they borrowed him from Ultimate Fighting or something.  Yes, writer Tony Giglio (Chaos) and franchise producer Paul W. S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Alien vs. Predator) know who their audience most likely is- that ever precious 18 to 34 male demographic.  Nevertheless, it’s again pleasantly surprising to have this film within a film attention to detail not often seen in the usually made on the cheap action genre.  Death Race 2 does indeed have all the action and sex and treats today’s hip shows need, plus some fun and wit in the dialogue, too.  We can’t take all this prison stock car racing super seriously! Although this is certainly better than the Episode 1 pod race, I’ll tell you that.  And hey, isn’t the Weyland Corporation causing all the trouble in Aliens? 

I didn’t think that much of Luke Goss in One Night with the King, but he seems cool enough for Death Race 2.  Is he as worthy as his predecessor Jason Statham in the minds of B kick ass action aficionados? Perhaps not yet, but he’s getting there.  Goss’ accent is tolerable- not necessarily American but unable to place elsewhere- certainly not like a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie where his French ways must always figure into the plot.  Again, unlike One Night with the King and the weird straggly hair, I personally think Goss looks much better with a shaved head; was his casting and style meant to mirror Statham? It need not. Carl Lucas is quite likeable, with a firm sense of honor and loyalty despite his criminal of all trades profession. This future Frankenstein is a completely different character that comes into his own here and needs no comparison.  Likewise, Danny Trejo’s (Desperado, Predators) Goldberg is a lot of fun as the seemingly big and scary but lovable and sardonic pit manager.  Not a lot of people could get away with lines like, “Mother fucker’s crazy. But cool.”  The cast is very well rounded and perfectly international, too- even if some are only given room to serve in the usual stereotypical roles.  Frederick Koehler (Death Race, Oz) as the annoyingly innocent Lists is just as cool as Deobia Oparei’s (Doom, Dredd) ruthless Big Bill.  Also returning from Death Race, Robin Shou as 14K sticks to a fine code of honor- in some ways, the folks in prison aren’t half as wicked as the people on the outside!

Speaking of juicy and corrupt, Lauren Cohan (The Vampire Diaries) is love to hate worthy as September Jones. Yeah, she’s kind of bad, but it’s the so bad its good type. How wicked is it when she looks at market shares while sending men to fight to the death for entertainment? Of course, it’s all bitchy and shallow and meant to be sexy, even nasty in all the good ways; but it’s nice to see some leading lady ruthlessness. Although, if she’s going to show some balls, September also has to wear some ridiculously boobs out slutty corporate suits, naturally.  Fortunately, there’s also some cheesecake round card girls to be had, too. Tanit Phoenix (Lost Boys: The Thirst) has plenty of physical action presence, but either her dialogue is really bad or she can’t deliver her lines very well.  We get quality talk about healthy sex, for sure, but naturally, there’s also a lot of rape potential in these prisons where my goodness the chicks wear so little! Hot prison sex is only good when it’s consensual- and my goodness isn’t anyone concerned about diseases in this place? At least the navigator girls are included in the racecars for equal opportunity deaths!

Now then, in addition to all the other unexpected goods of Death Race 2, any film listed as “with Ving Rhames and Sean Bean” is a-okay in my book, oh yes.  It should be understood that Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, GoldenEye) can and should open any and all films by having breakfast with an unnamed topless girl fresh out of the pool. I’m just saying.  Even the talk of soccer being the greatest sport in the world earns a free pass thanks to that introduction!  Bean also has the sacrilegious privilege of destroying a flat screen television- but who knew such destruction could be so cool? Oh, and his relatively quiet woman can also be found later in an equal state of undress on top of the kitchen counter.  Bean’s got a full service- if a little unsanitary- household, eh? Thankfully, Kane isn’t afraid to get down and dirty in the violence while still delivering some aptly badass dialogue.  Bean is in the film for a respectable amount of time-unlike some of his recent stateside appearances coughpercyjacksoncough- but there should have been more. Kane’s cruel and deceptive and we know he will get what he wants. Hot diggity dog. Likewise, Rhames’ (Pulp Fiction) pimpin’ corporate suits and business attitude is sweet.  We know he can put Miss Jones in place when needed, damn straight.  He sees the bigger and much more interesting possibilities of playing with prisoners’ lives rather than their deaths and has the know how to do it.

While I like cars, I don’t know anything about how authentic all the weapons and armored car designs are here.  However, they look damn sweet and most of the super duper car information, ammunition, and modifications are displayed in the Death Race onscreen graphics.  Sometimes, it’s tough to tell who is who in the race, but the graphics are used to name everyone and amusingly mark off the fatalities accordingly. The Terminal Island design is also high tech future apocalyptic and yet crappy destruction with dangerous rusty metals at the same time.  The dark and dirty street design juxtaposes nicely with Bean’s sunshiny sweet pad, too.  The filming and race choreography is fast paced, but the camerawork is not so herky jerky in design that nothing can be seen.  The use of slow motion is actually nice as well- being reserved for the stillness, somber, and sweet or deadly mistakes. It’s not the badass slow-mo of 300 with pimpin’ music narrating, but rather time is allowed for the viewer to breathe and pay attention to more than just the cool car chases and violence.  Dare I say it; Death Race 2 seems longer and deeper than it probably really is. Who knew all this could be done in a ninety minute direct to video action prequel?

It might be possible to make a big screen serious action science fiction drama with this material- at least it used to be done with the great Escape from New York types.  Then again, perhaps the eighties and early nineties superior action heyday is truly past? For as low end as Death Race 2 is supposed to be, it isn’t half-bad.  With some of the poor quality theatrical releases in recent years, it’s easy to say this film is better than the likes of The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift or some of those Nicholas Cage movies that go to the cinemas just to go bust. Perhaps Death Race 2 could have been released in theaters; but it probably would have gone unnoticed anyway and not made as much money as the DVD designs can.  Looking smashingly, the unrated blu-ray edition contains both rated and unrated versions. Although, I think it is somewhat strange for a direct to video release to have two versions plus deleted scenes, but it’s nice it’s all there. Super intrigued fans can enjoy the featurettes detailing all the stunts and cars glory, too.  I am, however, becoming more and more annoyed by all the BD live ‘fresh preview from the internet’ things that hog up the blu-ray rental discs.  Actually, I’ve yet to rent or own a blu-ray in which I’ve been interested in accessing all the instant interactive magic.  When you only want the movie, the blu-ray interface sometimes seems more trouble than its worth.  Subtitles are of course also necessary here for the low dialogue, and handy volume control is a must as the damn menus and action are so effing loud. I think I woke the neighborhood!

In addition to the language and female treats, some unsightly male prison nudity frames keep this one out of the youth viewing column.  Some of it is hot- like when the pretty men and women end up in the showers- but some of the other flabby prisoners on display, eh, not so much.  Some of Death Race 2’s also a little flawed in its overall need to be cool WWE badass design.  There are audiences that will eat all that up, but there are also viewers who can find more substance here. Fans of the cast, tantalizing T-n-A, sweet action, cool cars, and some surprising credibility should give Death Race 2 a chance.  It won’t win any Oscars, sure, and I might or might not follow up with Death Race.  But I can certainly think of far worse ways to spend ninety movie minutes!  Cool. 

Fish Tank

(I Actually Can’t Think of a Good Review Title to Properly Describe How Much I Love Fish Tank)

By Kristin Battestella

I’ve been struggling for the past few weeks on exactly how to approach my review of the 2009 Andrea Arnold Jury Prize winner Fish Tank.  Can I abstractly discuss the philosophies of Brit despair and downtrodden lost youth herein and properly capture the exceptional gist of the film? Or, can I write in all the finite spoiler examination glory that I’m just itching to investigate and talk about with the twisted twists and twisted turns burning up the screen?  Sugar foot, I just can’t help myself with this film!  We’ll do the pleasantries first, with the juicy bits hidden beneath to follow.

Mia’s (Katie Jarvis) life pretty much sucks.  She’s been kicked out of school, doesn’t get along with the local girls, and tries to free a dying horse before returning home and getting in a routine and curse-laden shouting match with her young and blonde mother Joanne (Kierston Wareing).  Little sister Tyler (Rebecca Griffiths) is also surprisingly capable of handling the foul-mouthed wit, drinking, and smoking that fills their tiny council apartment.  Mia’s only escape is some booze, the lame local boys, and a neighboring empty apartment where she practices hip hop dancing.  One day, Mia meets her mother’s latest boyfriend Connor (Michael Fassbender).  Quickly he ingratiates himself into the girls’ lives and seemingly becomes the stable male figure that could set the household straight.  Or not.

Refreshing Film Design

Writer and director Andrea Arnold (Red Road, Wasp) wastes no frame in establishing the crappy corner of Essex that is Mia’s world and doesn’t let up for a solid two hours. I’m an American adult, and yet after seeing Fish Tank, I feel like I’ve been to the unpleasant of ye merry England and spent a shitty teenhood there.  To say the least, anybody who’s been around a crappy neighbor can relate.  Perhaps one can simplistically hinge this tale on the stereotypical coming of age teen sexual drama. However, by time your well and deep into Fish Tank, you don’t think that at all.  This almost feels like a documentary not a movie; a lone camera following a girl, a person with pain and passion that we can all understand.  One may not notice initially, but Arnold smartly filmed Fish Tank in old fashioned, square full screen glory.  Yes, the symbolism of being boxed in with the titular small fish is a little obvious once you notice the aspect ratio, but it’s more interesting that Arnold even thought to have the film itself reflect the dated and crappy onscreen world when so many other directors go for more and more effects and detracting visuals.  In a way, the audience is meant to feel like the Peeping Tom of the piece, observing everything from just over Mia’s shoulder.  It’s refreshing to return to such classic A Christmas Carol “And I am standing in the spirit at your elbow” filmmaking.

Arnold wastes nothing onscreen. The small, colorful TV/DVD combos within the film continue the trend, and heck, why have a film composer when you have a CD with the song you want handy?  Fish Tank was made on the cheap, for sure, and a lot of that leads to its ingenuity, yes.  However, if you can make great films like this with next to nothing, why the heck aren’t we?  The handheld camerawork is not the jagged, in your face herky jerky and extreme of faux reality yarns like Ghost Hunters- it is natural, fluid, personal, and even uncomfortable for the viewer thanks to what it finds.  The audience also feels like we’re blushing over this private peep show thanks to Arnold’s tight script.  Again perhaps out of scheduling necessity but also by smarts, Arnold filmed Fish Tank in chronological order and gave the cast the script piecemeal. Like the viewer who doesn’t know what will happen next, the actors didn’t know the turns their characters would take.  Now that we see the realistic and successful results of this arrangement in Fish Tank, again one wonders why more films aren’t done this way.  While we may have never given it a second thought before, now in comparison, it seems strange to think how other movies will have their players filming critical plot twists and character motivations out of order.  How can that possibly be genuine?

The naturally made to look crappy set design also adds a layer of character to Fish Tank. Mia has a very old and dirty room for which she is probably too old- with a half empty snow globe highlighted as one of the few things she actually owns.  She must go to a rundown internet café to watch break dancing videos and has to mail things from the corner convenience store.  Little sister Tyler also should remain a little girl and innocent as her room suggests- with some kind of hamster, a dog aptly named Tenants, and drawings of cats on the walls.   All they ever seem to do is watch music videos.  Mom Joanne dresses like her daughters, their rooms are all the same garish pink color, they have sheets on the windows, and they all seem stuck in the seventies.  Not retro, just shitty with a tropical mural in the living room and low to the floor designs with junk piled everywhere and laundry hanging on the balcony.  Oh, and the mini refrigerator in their kitchen is empty.  Well, if that doesn’t get you in the mood of this world, nothing will!

The music and diegetic sound design also adds dimension to Fish Tank. Though I’m not a fan of modern hip hop music (I much prefer the old school rap), the songs chosen here are pretty good ones- great dance tunes with hard hitting lyrics and subtext. One might also debate whether Arnold expressly lets certain snips of lyrics from the onscreen music videos be heard in place of dialogue to suggest more innuendo. Again, it’s a little indicative of the urban, music video generation that Mia would be interested in American Rap music just because it’s all she sees on television, but the despair of youth in song shines through. Bobby Womack’s California Dreamin’ rendition contrasts these contemporary grooves perfectly with a mellow, nice and easy, seemingly blissfully comparison.  As much as I love The Mamas & The Papas classic, their version would not have played as well for today’s teens.  Although the timing of Arnold’s writing and the filming of Fish Tank doesn’t coincide with Mackenzie Phillips’ recent sexual claims about her father John Phillips (ew and thanks for ruining all their songs for me!), I do think its ironic California Dreamin’- arguably Papa John’s most famous tune- is in this particular film about the grey line between father figure and budding iffy sexuality. This does make listening to The Mamas & The Papas a little weird now, doesn’t it? Likewise bleak and disturbing are the real council housing locations in Fish Tank.  I’ve seen my share of American projects, but my goodness these places- even the higher up areas we see- look twenty years behind the times.  As Connor says, “Get on out, girl!” and after living in Fish Tank’s world for a few hours, the viewer has to agree.

People, not Characters. 

While some critics have dismissed newcomer Katie Jarvis as having it easy and simply playing herself, Mia is much more than that.  She dresses kind of dated, at least to me her hip sweats and track suits seems so nineties, indicating a lack of fashion and style know how.  She only begins to wear makeup and come out of her angry shell once she meets Connor.  Mia even goes in her mother’s room and goes through her things. Perhaps this is a pissy knee jerk reaction at first.  But, it’s also almost as if Mia’s playing dress up, mixing youth- trying eyeliner- and adulthood- finding birth control- in ways she knows nothing about.  She hasn’t even learned to present herself properly and is now confronted with all this budding whirlwind drama!  All the girls in Fish Tank seem this way. All the females seem made to look ugly and dress like hos. Cunt and Bitch are terms of endearment as well as insults. Not only is this not an easy world clearly, but Arnold also somehow tastefully implies this place is a little antiquated and misogynistic. Oh, a man will fix this whether the chick wants him to or not!  You get the feeling that if Mia had a father figure to begin with, none of this might have happened. Is that, however, such a bad thing? Fish Tank argues that these life changes will happen whether you are ready for them or not, and it is up to the individual to make the outcome positive or negative. While the horse symbolisms for Mia are a little much- freedom and chains and all that- these archetypes are also lovely and relatable, too.  Despite her youth, energy, vitality, and latent sensuality, Mia is as chained up and starving old as the animal.  Again, the jerking camera moving with each stroke as she tries to free the horse is more about letting her own anger out without having to say anything.  Mia lashes out with overused hollow curse words because it is the only way she knows how. Jarvis in this debut captures the range of rage, emotion, realism, underlying softness, and hope needed to keep us rooting for Mia when things get ugly.  Trainspotting, anyone?

The dancing elements- while also perhaps stereotypical- do go deeper. Fish Tank is not a dance film. The empty, abandoned apartment where Mia goes to dance is as bleak and despairing as she herself may very well seem. However, this is a free, uncluttered space with an open view.  It does not contain all that makes her home so broken- shouting and violence.  Ironically, I personally think Tyler is correct- Mia’s dancing isn’t that good. At the very least, it’s a few years behind- but the quality of movement is not the point.  Dance is simply Mia’s chosen vehicle of art, self, freedom of expression, and potential talent that isn’t supported at home.  Since she speaks with her body or seems to think that is the only outlet she has, I don’t wonder if Mia has been assaulted before? The creepy boys in the neighborhood are certainly implied as rapacious. Is this why Mia further crushes on Connor- the only seemingly stable man around? Why, after being so bottled up for so long, does she confide in him and want his opinion about her dance audition? How much can we read into why she chooses his song for her audition? Is it the song’s melancholy yearning for sunny California or is it her newfound feeling for him? Instead of the dated music video imitations, Mia’s unfinished (ah, life is unfinished, hint hint) dance routine becomes almost ballet: graceful, fluid, very beautiful, truly expressing herself in an artistic and sensual way. Isn’t that, by definition, sexy?   

Fish Tank takes our inability to not judge someone and puts it on its ear. Kierston Wareing (The Take, It’s a Free World) looks completely different from Joanne in real life.  The ‘mother’ of our piece is definitely some form of abusive, always hitting her kids and cursing in a sort of self loathing jealous and reflective anger at her own lost youth.  In some ways, she is the immature teen here, caught in a time warp and listening to reggae music. She even likes to dance, too- but her impromptu parties downstairs turn into a sex fest with Mia seeing two couples getting it on.  This is not a pretty part- we tend to look over these types of characters because they are so ugly. Is it Joanne’s fault? Perhaps, but not really. In a different world without their circumstances- or maybe with their hardships to boot- these three girls could have been a real trio with nothing to stop them.  By contrast, if Joanne were a cool, wayward free spirited adventurous friend instead of parent, we’d probably think badly about her just the same. Instead, we have a difficult and angsty in between: a mom who is jealous of her own daughter.  Joanne even seems jealous of Tyler and tries to compete with her youngest over Connor’s attention. Frankly, the fact that they are adults is the only thing she has in common with her new boyfriend- that and drinking.  She is desperate to keep him to value herself.  Why does she feel she needs a man for self worth? Joanne cooks and cleans the house for him, but not the kids. She even goes along with plans to send Mia to reform school, embarrassing and insulting and agreeing her daughter has always been trouble.  If they sat together in the living room like family before Connor, maybe Mia wouldn’t be such a “bad seed”.  Joanne hates Mia because she hates herself.  And what does she do for a living, anyway?

Well, kid sister Tyler is a molestee waiting to happen.   She tans in front of adults, smokes, drinks, curses-all learned behaviors from the upstanding examples in her community no doubt.  She calls her mother by her first name and does nothing but watch TV. In real life, I would probably hate this full of shit arrogant little brat who curses whilst swinging on a swing.  At best, it’s kind of weird to watch such a foul mouthed kid.  It’s a shame though, because she has some of the best lines in the film!  “I like you. I’ll kill you last!”  Newcomer Rebecca Griffiths holds her own against the leads with great zest and natural fun. Her “What the hell?” in response to Fassbender’s “I’m going to catch a fish.” cracks me up and I’m not really sure why. Is it really so absurd to this little girl that a man can catch a fish with his hands?  Tyler may talk big, but her talk is just that, talk.  You can’t help but wonder what is going to happen to her by time she reaches Mia’s age, even though she deserves to be a kid now, she’s also clearly caught in some sort of limbo in between. Tyler doesn’t call Joanne “mum” until they are cruising to the countryside with Conner and playing animal guessing games in the car.  You know, like a real family. Everyone seems to like being a family except for Joanne.  In some ways, Connor coming along is a good thing.  He is the stable force all three of these girls need in different ways.  Unfortunately, things just kind of get a little mixed up!

The Fass Fassy Bender Bendy Smorgasbord 

So then, let’s talk about The Man Himself, the gorgeous shirtless dreamboat with a car and a job that puts Joanne on Cloud 9 and awakens this entire household with attention, life, and sexuality.  Fassbender (Hunger, X-Men First Class, Inglourious Basterds) seems so damn ^&*$##^ $@^&$# sexy in this film because everything is from Mia’s point of view.  She has a crush on him from the start, and therefore so do we. We are swept off our theater seats along with Mia and that infatuation blinds us to the things about Connor we might not want to really see- or more importantly, the things Mia in her youth fails to comprehend or misinterprets. Some of that is her mistake, yes, but he certainly contributes!  Connor genuinely seems a friend and role model initially; but as the film progresses, we see more and more budding inappropriateness. And again, though it’s so strange to say, it isn’t anyone’s fault. If he were unattached to her mother or their ages were slightly different, we might not have a problem with the hope of escape through a romantic relationship.

Unfortunately, the relationship between Connor and Mia becomes increasingly askew.  Things are well and good when he takes them all on a drive to nature, outdoors, freedom from dirty concrete. If Joanne is uninterested in all of it, whom is he trying to impress with the fish? He works security at a home improvement store- clearly, he is not that many steps above them, yet he seems to know each of them is in awe of him.  His camera and fancy car are as high tech as Mia’s ever seen. Connor seems to have more in common with her and goes out of his way to befriend her.  If he is already in good with Joanne and she could care less about her kids, why does he bother?  Does he really have to insist Mia climb on his back so he can carry her when she injures her foot? My favorite scene in Fish Tank is when Connor carries Mia to her room while she pretends to be sleeping.  We know she is pretending because she likes him, and the excellently distorted and slow motion camera angles and movements show this lucid mix of dream and reality perfectly.  This is romantic for her, and again we believe this could be a healthy romance.  Couples have to lift one another and support each other- not unlike a parental figure at times. Is this also, then, in a good way, a fatherly scene? Connor takes off her shoes, folds her clothes, and covers her up….was it all innocent, him proving his good intentions to her and her family? One might believe so.  He also carries Tyler upstairs to bed later, and has to put down a drunk Joanne as well- yet these scenes are played totally different.  Really, there’s no harm from him towards this family, is there?

Ironically, it is Connor, not Joanne, who inquires on the boy Mia is bombing around with- claiming a 19 year old is too old for her.  He seems the angry parent who is interested in her well-being.  Or, when the conversation turns to sex, does that make his interests something more? Connor wants to talk about Mia’s school plans, and it is she who angrily insists he is not her parent.  Why would she reject the one security she is getting at home? He was trying to be parental, wasn’t he?  He almost always uses the word family for them. Mia wants a father, she wants a boyfriend.  Though perhaps unaware of what she is really doing, she tries her darndest to get both from him- even watching him and her mother have sex then repeatedly slamming her bedroom door in response to them. Paging Dr. Freud! Eventually, Connor responds the only way he can- not that it by any means makes it everything all right. Again, we the voyeuristic viewer come away with no easy answers in Fish Tank.  And that is just the wonderful, stunning, delightful, and exceptional Fassy in all his effing glory.  Get on the ball, Oscar!   The Fassman is calling you…you can’t ignore him forever!

Modern Gem

Wow, I’ve already written a lot on Fish Tank, haven’t I? Fortunately, you don’t have to take my word for it; International awards and acclaim have followed 2010 BAFTA for Outstanding British Film recipient Arnold, British Independent Film Most Promising Newcomer Jarvis, and London Critics Circle Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Fassbender since the film’s debut at Cannes.  In fact, the only place that Fish Tank seems on the outside looking in on accolades and larger audiences is the US.  Hopefully, that will now change with the Criterion DVD and Blu-ray releases.  Though the interface is kind of clunky, the blu-ray edition looks smashing! Despite its American unlove, plenty of features have also been included on the Region 1 release.  These spoilery treats include a 14 minute in depth interview with Kierston Wareing (I love her idea that Joanne’s girls probably have different dads), a 25 minute audio conversation with Michael Fassbender, audition tapes, photo galleries, and three shorts films from Andrea Arnold.  A commentary would have been nice, but all this took long enough just to be released stateside!  Of course, not only is some of the natural dialogue in Fish Tank tough to hear, but some folks will definitely need subtitles for all the English English accents. 

Fans of the cast- especially Fassbender- and Arnold will of course delight; but this Hard R coming of age tale is not for youths, prudes, or those who can’t take gritty downtrodden sexual drama.  Despite her anti-Cockney ears, I keep thinking my 14-year-old niece might like Fish Tank for its dancing angles and intelligent maturity examinations.  Then, I think of those juicy Fassy scenes and think ‘Good God no! Maybe I’ll consider it at 21…maybe.’  Even if you like seriously good film and enjoy Fish Tank, some parts are very difficult to watch, and frankly, it’s meant to be uncomfortable.  My husband says that’s what I get for watching kinky movies. Unfortunately, at best, indiscretions like this happen in the real world all the time. We just turn a blind eye to the loss of innocence every day- be it Essex, England or Essex, New Jersey.  Fish Tank, however, won’t let you look away.  It’s that good. 



Continue to our Fish Tank Spoiler Edition examination here if you dare! 

Andrea Arnold: Film Shorts

Andrea Arnold: 3 Short Films

By Kristin Battestella

In addition to my praise for Fish Tank, I wanted to spend a few moments discussing the three Andrea Arnold Short Films included on the Criterion Fish Tank release. While it’s somewhat strange perhaps to have 3 additional films as supplements, I’m just pleased these fine films have seen the light of DVD day, as most critically acclaimed short, foreign work is often so obscure.

Milk (1998) looks older than it is, but the dated period style works with this examination of a couple dealing with a stillbirth. Arnold moves quickly from conception to loss to ungrief with straight cuts and no fuss.  Granted, the swift pacing is because it’s a short film. However, the time makes one wonder why we make superfluous two-hour films when this kind of pain can all be captured in ten minutes. Is cohorting around with a younger man grief or is it going off the deep end? Is there that big a difference between the two when one is dealing with this kind of loss?  As she says so perfectly in the film, “Goodbye? I didn’t get to say hello.” 

2001’s Dog again presents so small a world in tight focus of one topic, and yet it’s something so understandable to all.  This film is actually very similar to Fish Tank; full of dated downtrodden dirt mixing with budding youth romance and the predatory or whore-like implications it can bring.  In its short ten minutes, Dog may seem a little random- but hey, that’s life, and the monotony and useless waste is far worse when you’re a teen with nothing but sex and crime to do. The topper of how the titular dog factors in just caps off the tragedy perfectly.

Wasp is the longest ‘short’ here at 25 minutes.  The 2003 Best Live Action Short Oscar winner begins with a barefoot catfight witnessed by four barely clothed kids with foul mouths and empty bellies all to match and gets trashier from there. Danny Dyer (Outlaw) and a picture of David Beckam on the wall are as good as it gets for these folks thanks to one seriously bad mom and only a half a bag of sugar to go round. Is it her fault? Are the kids brats? Regardless of what judgments you want to pass, the audience obviously sees no one deserves to live like this.  Disturbing as that is, such attention to ambiguous character and universal human condition makes for beautiful film.

Wow, that was short and sweet!

Fish Tank: The Spoiler Fest

Here There Be Spoilers! (And Dragons in the Fish Tank!)

by Kristin Battestella

Please see our tame critique of Fish Tank here if you want to remain chaste and unspoilt.

Don't Say I didn't warn you!

Well, then, I’ve speculated and suggested, and if you’ve researched Fish Tank online elsewhere, you probably know that things turn seriously drastic in the final act of the film.  I’ve given the philosophies and generalities, but now we can talk about the finite layers and details of the juicy drama!

 

1. Are there hints to Connor’s Marital Status? Yes indeed the careful viewer can see Connor’s twist coming throughout the film. Honestly, what hip guy drives a mini wagon car thing like that?  If the tattoo on his arm were really for an ex, wouldn’t he have the design redone and not just stick with a meaningless name? Naturally, there may be differences in Britain, but everything you wanted to know about Connor would have been revealed on his pay stub- if Mia knew how to read it, that is. Income, insurances, dependents and all that- the fact that she didn’t understand how to read it again proves she’s still a kid with no sense of real word details.  Connor’s immediate casual banter with both daughters, the way he barters with Tyler on the first morning- why is this guy, unlike most others, so comfortable with tag along kids? He makes 3 cups of tea- is he used to doing things in threes per his family?  He doesn’t object to a family road trip, in fact, he is the one who invites the girls along. Wouldn’t he rather spend some time alone with the hottie he’s just met?  Is he that used to having a family around? Instead of looking at Joanne in the car, he looks in the rearview mirror at the girls when he’s singing. Does he normally sing in the car and expects reaction or someone to join in? We can debate the sexuality and motivations of his taking of Mia’s pants after he carries her to bed-Fassbender himself says he did not perceive that scene as sexual- but why would he think of such a thing anyway-unless he is used to carrying someone to bed?  Later, he also carries Tyler up and comes back down stairs to retrieve her pillow- again, like he expects a child to cry for a particular blanket or doll.  Connor goes out of his way to get in the girl’s good graces, asking Mia if it’s all right if he stays with them.  Now, I don’t understand why in English English they say ‘us’ in the singular. However, when Mia calls Connor’s numbers, his phone message says, “This is Connor, leave us a message.” Later, he claims his cell phone battery died, so this was most likely his home phone. When Mia calls his work, they claim he’s taken a week’s vacation, and have no problem giving that information to a young girl over the phone.  Does a young girl, perhaps a child, often call work for her father? There are plenty of kids and families playing in his neighborhood, no one is surprised Mia is about his house.  Careful viewers will see the women’s gardening gloves by his window, the plant on Connor’s table. There is one can of Coke next to the beer in fridge- on the top shelf where a kid can’t reach! Toy bracelets are also on the table, and the scooter’s box is blurred in the frame behind Mia before she sees it. Actually, perhaps it’s not a question of if Connor has a family, but frankly, how many of these families could he have? If he hadn’t slept with Mia, how long would he have carried on with Joanne? Connor’s real life doesn’t seem so bad- why would he leave it? Did he marry young thanks to getting a girl pregnant and wants to reclaim his lost kicks- just like Joanne? We really never find out any more about Connor than we knew at the start, because Mia doesn’t get the complete picture.

2.  Does Mia come onto Connor?  A provocative theory, I know.  We definitely perceive him as the older, wiser, and should have known better man.  However, if we could attempt to see the film from his perspective, I think Mia would be very taunting indeed.  Sure, the first morning when he catches her dancing was just hot to happen, but she calls him a “donkey’s knob” at the party. Did he know she was pretending to be asleep when he carried her? She was lying in her mother’s bed where he just spent the night, what was she implying? Yeah, mom and I share boyfriends all the time! By undressing her, was he testing her reaction to him? Honestly, I don’t care if it is Michael Good God mother fucking Fassbender, I’m damn ticklish and would definitely recoil if someone started undressing me.  How can she stay so still unless she wanted him to take her pants off?  At that point, did he think her young and juvenile, because things certainly change when she comes downstairs in her underwear.  Is she not flirting with him in the kitchen by contesting her mother over being half-naked? Why would Joanne care now unless she is aware Connor is looking at her daughter? He was being kind and carrying her like a kid when she hurt her foot at the lake- but he had to notice the way she was holding onto him and resting her head on his shoulder. Is she playing a little ‘look, but don’t touch!’ with him? She does dance for him in the parking lot when asked, pleased to show off before him until her mother embarrasses her.  Surely, he knew he didn’t tell her where he worked- which means he also knew she had been snooping in his wallet.  He had to know it was for adult dancing on the flyer- but Mia says don’t tell her mother.  What else, like her sex life, does she hide from her mom? Did he take these events as signs of her pressing her maturity upon him? Repeatedly she tells him she is not a kid and he is not her parent, that he is nothing to her- as in, he is eligible to Mia? She brings Billy (Harry Treadaway, City of Ember) to his work to make Connor jealous- and when he suggests Billy is too old, Mia claims it is sexual. Was all this orchestrated to get a reaction from him? When they do finally have sex, he talks as if she liked it and wanted it. Sweet Jesus, the things Fassy says! In Connor’s mind, was she asking for it?  At best, perhaps he initially saw her as a kid with a crush, but as the days went on, did Mia turn into some sort of unknowing temptress luring him to worse on a hot and heavy drunken night? We try to find some sort of justification because we like The Fass. We don’t want to think him as bad even if she’s 15. This was however, in a strange way, both consensual and abuse at the same time.  She knew she liked him, and better her to be with someone she liked than be raped by a creepy, nasty non-Fassy older man.  However, Mia also seems very childlike and unaware of her feminine wiles- or what they are truly capable of doing.

3.  Were Connor’s actions premeditated?  Hmm, by contrast, we have to consider Connor’s potentially pedophile culpability.  I don’t think his attraction and eventual encounter with Mia was premeditated, as some certainly may. Strange to say that the film somehow leaves the issue open to interpretation. Rightly or wrongly because of him or her, his attraction does grow, there is no doubt. However, it clearly seems the affair with Joanne and his moving in with them was indeed carefully orchestrated.  Joanne- thinking Connor complete perfection- obviously did not know he was married. If it’s possible to have something more disturbing than an out and out pedophile plan, it’s that we don’t really know Connor’s motivations.  Does he periodically leave his wife for these types of flings?  How did he meet Joanne anyway? Judging by Joanne’s phone conversations with friends, this is a new whirlwind romance.  However, this couldn’t have been super spur of the moment if he was so able to coordinate keeping the car, his work schedule, and phone status. He has already made up a convenient excuse about a turbulent arrangement with his mother. Recalling his mysterious phone call when they went fishing, Mia asks if his mom kicked him out, and he agrees its something like that- lying with a smile!  Connor remains at work until his encounter with Mia. How does he explain her appearances there unless his buddies or employer at least know of his separation? There were other guy and gal friends at the party- where they aware of all this? Despite his charm, the fact that we don’t know what happened before the opening of the film further implies all sorts of creepy things about Connor.  If a man is so ready to deceive his family and effectively prey upon another, then the leap to other nefarious abuses doesn’t seem that far behind.  His ambiguity and hidden womanizing at best proves he really just shouldn’t be trusted around any attractive women regardless of age.  After they have sex, Connor still supports Mia’s audition and acts like a dad again, as if they just had to get the temptation out and that isn’t how he really feels about her- but which are his true colors? Again, it is Fassbender who lets Connor get away with these things.  He is a charming, good-looking jerk in many ways. If Connor looked like a Florida registered sex offender mug shot, we would think differently.  Instead, everyone looks the other way as he says they will talk about it tomorrow. He’s always putting off his problems.  While he didn’t seem to set out to abuse young girls, Connor is an opportunistic bigamist and all around irresponsible and selfish guy.  Though bad, is that a crime?

4. Is there something suggestive in Conner’s relationship with Tyler? Knowing what we know about Connor and Mia, it is certainly possible to see potentially iffy happenings between him and young Tyler.  While some of their relationship seems wonderfully fatherly and honest- the way he carries her to bed and takes her places- some of it gets a little too weird. Tyler hasn’t even met Connor yet when she is at the door in her tiny nightgown. He had gone upstairs after meeting Mia and says he met “one” daughter.  Where did Tyler learn to ask strange men for money to open the gate so he can get out the door anyway? (Isn’t that the definition of prostitution?!) While he could be used to such games with his own daughter, it is uncomfortable that he tickles a little girl he doesn’t know until she gives him a discount.  What’s even weirder is their off camera conversation in the bathroom. Tyler wants him to hurry up and shave so she can go to bathroom, and Connor says he doesn’t care and she should come on in.  Um, what? Okay, not only would most guys be grossed out by all that regardless, but hello, that’s nasty. Isn’t that even weird between a dad and a daughter, much less a stranger and a little girl?  When Tyler is reluctant and tells him to close his eyes, he jokes he can’t because he will cut himself shaving.  All of this happens while Mia mails her audition tape, and we never see them in the bathroom together.  So, what is Arnold implying by letting us overhear this conversation?  Is this a bizarre suggestion at the disastrous mix of mixing male role model with inappropriate sex that is to come with Mia? Or, is it a completely innocent example at his comfort with kids? But it’s just too damn casual to be nice, isn’t it?

5. Did Mia and Billy have sex? Was Mia’s declaration that she had just slept with Billy just to impress Connor? Was it a vain attempt to stir something in her mother, who clearly does not respond positively? Joanne further insists that Mia should be shipped off to sleep with as many boys as she wants at her reform school.  But was what Mia said true? On one hand, kids in a drunken situation alone with nothing to do probably would screw around.  They really haven’t been educated on the consequences and don’t have much else to do in this perpetual cycle of youth breeding youth anyway.  So, at the least, you have to speculate that they certainly fooled around in some way. I do believe they did have full intercourse, because Mia doesn’t appear to be a virgin with Connor. Naturally, because of what we see in Fish Tank, one might assume that if we didn’t see Mia and Billy have sex, then they must not have.  However, it probably wasn’t that good or important for Mia, or she was just doing it because she saw her Mom and Connor and wanted to prove herself mature. It seems weird to say, but Mia probably did not enjoy it as much as Billy did- unlike her encounter with Connor, which ends up the other way around. What’s so upsetting about the scene with Connor is that Mia does seem to orgasm, and again what he says to her is just the worst!  Fassman’s talking dirty and asking her questions!  Mia doesn’t feel they did anything wrong and ends up more infatuated with Connor.  In fact, Mia may have had sex with Billy just to practice or be better for Connor.  Ew, I feel really weird writing that!  Ah, it’s nice to have a well-told, intelligent film that handles such taboo topics whether we’re ready to see them or not.

6. When does it become sexual between Connor and Mia? While for Mia, there is an instant attraction to Connor whether she fully realizes what is happening or not, when does the attraction happen for Connor? Was it just drunken titillation for one night, or did it grow on him sooner? His first day there, he lets her film him as he undresses, and gets super close to her for an opinion on his cologne. The camera angle here is lovely, even innocent in her enjoying how a man smells, probably for the first time.  He even asks her is she thinks he’s the best thanks to him giving her a camera- and his response to her insult is to spank her.  Well, so much for the innocence!  Again, you can speculate about him carrying her to bed and taking her pants off, but without a doubt there is definitely kinky here. While he clearly has the mom, Connor always ends up going for Mia when Joanne is not there.  When she comes upstairs and embarrasses Mia by saying she will probably break his camera, he warns Mia she’ll get another hiding. Previously he also told her she could have the camera only if she smiled, for “you look nice when you smile.” His tone is not in feigned kindness or a punishment jest; it’s flirtatious, as if something just happened that should be kept between them. I think Mia didn’t really know it, but the spanking turns her on.  She’s shocked but geez, she was on his lap struggling while he hit her in the ass, really! That night she is watching the video of him instead of her audition tape! It definitely had an effect on her. Likewise, the half blacked out camera shots for the sex scene with Joanne are wonderfully filmed.  Literally, the frame is outside the door, peaking in like Mia. Again, it is weird that she could care less about seeing her mother have sex, its Connor’s prowess in which she’s interested. Didn’t they know the kids would hear? They do get pretty loud! I think Connor does look up to the cracked door, too. Did he know she was watching? Why would Mia slam her door, admitting she heard, to say the least?  She goes after Billy the next day and brings him to the store to make Connor jealous. He apparently realizes this, as if he knows he can spank and mess with Mia but screw Joanne.  Mia jumps on his back again like she can play with him, too.  She declares she is not a kid, and he agrees and stuffs his money down her shirt. The underlying attraction was always there, so when the opportunity presents itself with alcohol removing all of his censors and inhibitions, Connor lets his id win. Now he puts the wasted Joanne to bed like a child in a much more fatherly tone. He didn’t get his rocks off with her and Mia comes downstairs admitting they’ve been “funny” to each other.  The dialogue here lets the audience know having sex with Mia has definitely occurred to him at this point.  The way he asks if they are still friends and offers her a drink- he is so full of compliments, but they don’t seem as genuine as when they first met. Oh, her hair is better down and she’s a “good girl” for getting that audition. Connor seems on the make, “If you can’t do it in front of me now, how are you doing to do it in front of all those people? I think you’re great already. Just thought I could help. It’s your call.”  Why does he put the ball in her court? He wants her sensuality to come out full force, doesn’t he?  The silhouetted and naturally lit dance scenes look wonderful- this is all well and good from Mia’s perspective, even if we-and he- know it’s iffy.  There’s so much simple beauty amid what turns into, actually, an ugly scene. Though steamy, their sex scene feels uncomfortable to watch but no less enthralling at the same time. On my first viewing, I kept asking, ‘How far is this scene going to go? Oh my!’ The filming is both dreamlike in lighting-ie this is really happening!- for her, but also shadowed out and hidden like abuse or scandalous sex one doesn’t talk about, much less see onscreen.

7. Did Joanne know what happened? Tyler claims to know what happened between Mia and Connor and threatens to tell their Mom.  How much did she know, and what did Joanne deduce? Is Mia looking for the birth control she found earlier when Joanne confesses she almost had Mia aborted?  Does Joanne finally realize her jealousy and confess that having Mia was the stem of all her troubles? Clearly it wasn’t, but the verbal and dialogue suggestions of what happened were in the film all along.  The fish is “a slippery little fucker!” and the TV sounds offer something like “full male nudity” and “wearing a ski mask waving his cock about.” Did Joanne finally see and resent? Her answer is to kick Mia out for whatever greener pastures she can find. Will it be any better for Mia? And how could Tyler fully comprehend anything that was happening?  Could this all have ended amicably? Would Joanne learn her lesson and appreciate her children more? No.  Simply because, in some ways, this could have been a beautiful relationship between Connor and Mia- a better relationship than Joanne had with him. If Connor and Mia learned to love each other as more than mentor and daughter type figure, that could have been fine- so long as it didn’t become sexual. Or, if she were just a little older and he was not dating her mom! Forget that he is actually married- what if they both got pregnant by him?!

8. Why did Mia pee on the floor and kidnap Kiera? When Mia discovers Connor’s family, I don’t think it is vengeance or a territory statement when she pees.  She’s shocked and traumatized, showing just how childlike and in over her head she really is. The song Connor’s daughter Kiera is singing on the video is exactly how Mia feels. She doesn’t understand that her being 15 is a problem “if you like someone” and is just as juvenile as Kiera, who is what, 8 tops? The peeing is the physical symbolism of how young, literally unable to control her bowels Mia is- like a child embarrassed at the school play. Afterward, she ends up going upstairs in the bathroom to wash her face and calm down.  As we debate Connor’s preconceived plans, I don’t think Mia planned to harm his family, but rather it was a knee jerk, spur of the moment decision.  She wants to hurt him the way he has hurt her- again in a purely undeveloped childlike manner.  Unfortunately, she does just as much bad to Kiera as Connor did to her, perhaps worse trauma in fact than the early threats of rape in the film do. Being a teenager, however, and older than Kiera, Mia is horrible and deceptive, luring her away with ice cream and games. The way we expected Connor to know better and suspect he was a pedophile all along, Mia certainly looks like an expert kidnapper!   As the abduction goes on however, we see how much Mia is screwing it up, because again she’s a child who doesn’t know what to do. What did she intend to do- bring Kiera home to her mother so Joanne will like her and hate Connor? Make Connor come back to the house and they can all be a family? Mia acts like her mother towards Kiera, yelling, cursing, hitting, you know, endangering the welfare of a minor and all that.  Arnold returns to great water symbolism here. Everyone is out of the fish tank now and into the turbulent sea, drowning because no one can swim. 

9.  In the end, who suffers the most here? Well, the kids caught in the perpetual cycle of the downtrodden and abuses certainly pay the consequences for all, don’t they?  They are the ones ruined by the elder folk. Tyler says, “Say hi to the whales!” not even realizing how small her world is or what is out there, ie Wales. Most of us never really go beyond our usual little space, do we?  Despite his drastic influence, as quickly as Connor came into Mia’s life, he is gone. Mia won’t strip for the dance audition, proving she’s not ready to grow up too soon, like Joanne had to by having her.  Mia leaves Connor’s CD behind too, goes off to where ever, and maybe its better, maybe it won’t be.  When she rescues Kiera, hugs her, and takes her home, now Mia has perhaps grown up some.  She really was a kid who did wrong, and needed sorting out and punishing as Connor said.  Now he does hit her, and rightfully so.  Mia learned how to grow up the hard way, eh?  That’s life. Billy was stealing parts to get a car together and get out of dodge; you do what you have to do. The horse is dead, a bitter end, no reason to stay. Now Mia can finally cry because the lock is loose, things can’t go back to the way they were.  Bad as they had been, its no one else’s fault for the worst now. Joanne certainly thinks it will be better- or she finally grows up too late as Mia has grown up too soon. “I hate you! I hate you too!”  They had to see the best and worst of their family to appreciate what could have been. Mia’s smile and her getting out of the fish bowl implies that there is hope, maybe, for the next generation. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Highlander: The Series Season 2

Highlander Season 2 Finds Its Legs

By Kristin Battestella

Spring boarding from the pluses of its debut season, Highlander: The Series opens its second season strongly.  Though struggling midseason with some of the same growing pains as Season 1; the 93-94 Season 2 handles character departures and the introduction of the Watchers in fine form- allowing Highlander: The Series to come into its own away from the film franchise.

Immortal Highlander Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul) becomes increasingly suspicious of Joe Dawson (Jim Byrnes) and his Watchers- a secret organization who are pledged to observed immortals and never interfere.  Someone, however, is breaking the rules and killing immortals, making life more difficult for MacLeod after the loss of his mortal girlfriend Tessa (Alexandra Vandernoot). Richie (Stan Kirsch), now also immortal, has problems of his own learning how to fend off evil immortals after his head, and mortal dojo manager Charlie DeSalvo (Philip Akin) grows more and more curious about his new boss and Macleod’s secrets.

 

I don’t mean to be so spoilerly here, but Highlander: The Series hits the ground running in this sophomore season with critical departures and the establishment of its own mythos from here on out. The premiere episode ‘The Watchers’ introduces the critical organization and Season 2 stays strong thru ‘The Darkness’ and the exit of Tessa.  Unfortunately, midseason the show’s writers David Abramowitz and David Tynan flounder when Highlander: The Series once again returns to the action textbook crime of the week or immortal in the regular drama ho hum.  Issues about racism, sexism, injustice, and abused women are indeed handled very nicely thanks to MacLeod’s wise and chivalrous immortal angles. But again, these debates are on every other show then and now. Drastic character changes and internal fantasy mythology are enough for Highlander.  After such fine framework, Season 2 need not fall back on these stock scripts and filler episodes.  Smartly however, this season distances itself from the internal inconsistencies of the film franchise by dropping mentions of The Gathering.  The development of the Watchers, their deadly rogue faction the Hunters, and the wonderful observations and angst both provide pulls The Series away from the films once and for all.  Further examinations of mortals dying after having full lives versus immortals who are numb to life also establish great drama beyond the standard crime villainy. Grief, infertility, and child loss also add extra depth and dimension, again proving Highlander: The Series is at its best, nay superior, when it adheres to the quality of its own immortal design.

Yes, it is a little weird when MacLeod suddenly starts bagging some chicks so soon after Tessa’s exit, and there’s still a touch of those nineties hang ups with plenty of sweaty, shirtless dojo training montages.  However, it’s nice to see less Action Mac and more on the consequences of immortality.  He’s had plenty of time to develop his strict sense of honor and justice, but he also unhappily warns those around him that being his friend is deadly. Paul handles the kick ass, the somber, and the tears wonderfully. We think just as much of him when he cries as when he beheads the bad guy.  The loss of Tessa Noel is also very nicely done in character and performance.  Even though the leaving was largely Vandernoot’s decision, I don’t wonder if the exit of Mac’s steady girlfriend would not have happened in the future anyway. Obviously, there are so many more women and immortal bachelor angles to explore.  Sometimes, MacLeod may even seem to get over Tessa too quickly, but his new cynicism and pains of mortality make their presence well known during Season 2 and beyond.  Vandernoot’s exit and subsequent guest appearance in the two part finale ‘Counterfeit’ may even have the audience missing Tessa more, but her mortality reiterates that nothing on Highlander: The Series is sacred.  

Though I don’t really have a preference one way or another, I like Charlie DeSalvo and his lack of immortal awareness- and I like Richie’s new immortal status, too.  However, Season 2 seems unable to handle both characters at the same time.  Despite Philip Akin’s (War of the Worlds) initial antagonism and wonderful sardonic humor, it’s strange to see another man become MacLeod’s new best friend- especially when we already have two men in the cast who know his secrets.  Charlie’s continued questions and seemingly alternating appearances with an uneven and barely there Richie makes no sense. Why do something so huge like making a character immortal, and then have him largely disappear after learning the ropes of immortality?  These budding immortal questions and experiences are far more interesting to fantasy adventure audiences than oft seen dojo fu crime. Besides, isn’t that what Highlander is really supposed to be about?  The perfect Jim Byrnes (Sanctuary) as watcher Joe Dawson is also nearly non-existent in the first half of the season. Why set up the Hunters and the Watchers with such zest and intrigue only to string them along with random wrist tattoos for ten episodes?

Fortunately, returning favorites and guest villains raise Season 2 to a new level. The titular ‘Return of Amanda’ and ‘Legacy’ has Elizabeth Gracen’s immortal con visiting for some much needed humor and female familiarity post-Tessa. Forever Knight alum Geraint Wyn Davies also has some wicked fun in ‘Turnabout’, and rocker Roland Gift returns as Xavier St. Cloud to join rogue watcher James Horton (Peter Hudson, Cousin William) in the stand out ‘Unholy Alliance I and II’. Recurring regular Michel Modo as the bemusing and pesky French neighbor Maurice also provides some balance when the immortal life gets a little too heavy, and truly, I love the spooky Victorian joy of ‘The Vampire’.  

Though still a little dated with the pleated pants and too much denim, the styles of Season 2 are much improved.  The sweat suits and work out gear are kind of weird, but we’re in a more relaxed leather and jeans phase now thanks to the dojo. No high-end shoulder pads here!  Although I once again am hung up on exactly where those stairs in the dojo lead to, Mac’s new loft is a sweet pad. You can imagine him still living there today- and he even has a television now!  Again, the required latter half of the season French locations add ambiance and foreign immortal intrigue to Highlander: The Series. Even with some more of the iffy French dubbing, I think I wish they would just remain in France.  The period recreations are again wonderful, but I do wonder if they also follow a pattern of production.  Generally, it seems more recent past and American West motifs share with Seacouver; 18^th century and earlier designs are always in the second half of the season with France.  Some of the Quickening designs are also still better than others are.  Richie’s first one pops a few paint cans, wow. Eh, on a lighter note, where do they keep their ^$&*(%%# swords?

Highlander: The Series can be found online at sites like Hulu and for rent as well.  While the sets are affordable enough, again Season 2 provides an exhaustive amount of interviews, commentaries, and trivia that is best left for the complete franchise enthusiast and not newbies.  A few kinky scenes and some good old-fashioned violent beheadings might also be too much for super young audiences.  However, overall I am continually impressed with how well this series has held up in story telling and entertainment.  Highlander: The Series – learn it, live it, love it with Season 2.