Hell of a cast, so I’ll definitely will be checking this out when it comes out. However, I feel very old, because I remember all of this.
J.K. Simmons
All posts tagged J.K. Simmons
Possible spoilers ahead!
“Counterpart”is the new Starz series that’s one part old-school spy drama, and one part mind bending science fiction. This is a show that features parallel worlds, a diverging timeline, and doppelgangers. In other words, “Counter Part has something for everyone, and I haven’t even mentioned it star the one and only J.K. Simmons.
Simmons stars as two versions of a man named Howard Silk. The first Howard we meet in the pilot is a mild-mannered man who has held the same mysterious and unchanging job at a UN spy agency for the past 29 years. Howard’s life became more complicated recently when his wife Emily (Olivia Williams) was struck by a car and is now in a coma.
The other Howard — the Howard Prime — enters from “the other side,” which is a parallel dimension in which the worlds and people are identical in some ways, and very different in others. Howard Prime (also played by J.K. Simmons) is an employee at the same UN agency, but unlike his doppelgänger, Howard Prime is a spy high up in the agency who can travel back and forth between worlds whenever he pleases.
Meeting one’s double is usually forbidden, but when an assassin (Sara Serraiocco) from Prime’s side crosses over, protocol is tossed out the window. While Howard Prime doesn’t know the assasin’s plan, he does know she plans to kill the other Howard’s wife.
The concept of doubles from a parallel Earth is nothing new in sci-fi shows. But “Counterpart” gives an educated explanation for why the two worlds are interacting. The reasoning the show gives makes sense and doesn’t complicate things much. “Counterpart” keeps things streamlined and focused on the Howards story. The show then becomes a study on humanity and their personalities rather than your usual sc-fi special effects bonanza.
All of that is cool, but J.K. Simmons is the driving force behind the series, and the reason the show nails the landing. Whether he’s playing the mild-mannered Howard, or the Howard who isn’t afraid to pull the trigger when the situation call for it, Simmons is brilliant in both roles.
One of my favorite parts in the pilot was the scene when the Howards are left alone so they learn about one another. The conversation covers everything from their childhood, marriage, and even cholesterol. This scene is funny, jarring, but always entertaining. After just one episode, I can’t picture anyone else playing the role of Howard Silk.
At the end of the day, I was highly impressed with “Counterpart.” The story is so gripping that you won’t want to look away because you might miss something. This show has spies, drama, and assassins, and though its early, J.K. Simmons’ performances as the two Howards may go down as some of the best work of his career.
“Counterpart” final score: A
Possible spoilers ahead!!
If you’re one of the twelve regular readers to this here blog, then you know I was not a happy camper when a Terminator reboot was announced a couple of years ago.
Things got a little worse when some of the filmmakers casting choices were announced. And none of the trailers did much to calm my fears, so it should come as no surprise I went to see “Terminator Genisys” with very low expectations.
Perhaps it was due to those low expectations, or maybe it was because Emilia Clarke is just so damn adorable, I don’t know. Either way, I really liked “Terminator Genisys.”
Feel free to shriek in terror now.
Emilia Clarke and Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Terminator Genisys.”
Thew new saga begins in the year 2029, where after decades of war with Skynet, John Connor (Jason Clarke) leads a human resistance against the machines in one final offensive.
The successful destruction of Skynet’s defense grid allows Connor and his merry band of rebels a fleeting moment of victory – until they realize Skynet deployed a failsafe weapon: a time machine through which a T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) will travel back to 1984 and kill John’s mother, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), before she can give birth to the resistance leader.
John’s closest friend, Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), volunteers to follow the T-800 back in time to protect Sarah – who, according to John, will be a young, naive, helpless, waitress who will be unprepared for what’s to come.
However, when Reese lands in 1984, the past is very different from the one John Connor described, and if the past has changed so drastically, what does that mean for the future?
After “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” and “Terminator: Salvation” both failed to reignite interest in the Terminator franchise, Paramount Pictures turned to screenwriters Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier to pen a new entry, and signed Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) to direct.
Regardless of how disappointed I was with the Thor sequel, I will say that Alan Taylor delivered a solid entry point for new fans, while also planting the seeds for future installments.
Even if you’ve never watched a Terminator movie, you will able to enjoy “Terminator Genisys.” And if you have watched a Terminator film before, the new movie has plenty of nods to the James Cameron classics.
Arnold chwarzenegger’s aging T-800 known as“Pops,” is a highlight of the film, and the aging actor delivers his best performance in years. There’s plenty of “I’m too old for this crap” jokes, but I enjoyed the explanation of why the Terminator is aging. Meanwhile, Emilia Clarke’s battle-hardened Sarah Connor was a pleasant surprise.
I only known Clarke from “Game of Thrones,” but I felt she nailed her role in Genisys. Clarke’s best scenes come when she’s interacting with Arnold Schwarzenegger, but the actress also brought a fresh layer to the heroine. As a nineteen-year-old Sarah, Clarke is able to portray her as a skilled warrior, but also as someone who is bitter toward her fated role as mother to mankind’s only hope against the evil of Skynet.
The cast also includes Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese. This is a solid version of the hero, but he was overshadowed by Clarke and Ahhhnold. And recent Oscar winner, J. K. Simmons, brought in plenty of laughs. Meanwhile, Matt Smith was great, but he’s not in the movie nearly enough. Hopefully we get to see more of him in the sequel, assuming there is one of course.
The only cast member I didn’t care for was Jason Clarke. He had a lot of good material to work with, but I felt like he wasted key moments. A better actor could have done excellent stuff in this movie.
I know that liking this movie puts me in a minority, and that’s okay. But as I sat in the theatre something finally clicked: Nothing will ever top the James Cameron movies, and I need to stop expecting that the new Terminators will match Cameron in any way. I simply need to move on and enjoy the ride.
As fans, we always accept the new Doctor Who, and the new James Bond. But why do we find it so difficult to accept a new take on the Terminator?
“Terminator Genisys” final score: 8
It’s been a long road, but awards season culminates Sunday night with the biggest show of them all, Wrestlemania!! Err, I mean, the 87th annual Academy Awards.
Of course, plenty of A-listers are expected to walk the red carpet and make their way into the Kodak Chapter 11 Theatre in Hollywood. But after Ryan Seacrest makes an ass out of himself again, the real drama will begin.
For this post I will focus only on the big awards of the night. I will tell you who I think will win, and who I think should win. Got it? Good, and away we go…
Best Animated Feature Film
Who will win: “Big Hero 6″
Who should win: “The Lego Movie.”
The Academy loves Disney animated movies which is why “Big Hero 6” will win. But is it too much to ask for a write in vote? I think even the Academy knows it FD up not nominating “The Lego Movie.”
Best Supporting actor
Who will win: J.K. Simmons for “Whiplash.”’
Who should win: No complaints here, J.K. Simmons deserves this. Although I would not be surprised if the Academy went with Robert Duvall due to his age.
Best Supporting actress
Who will win: Keira Knightley, for “Imitation Game.”
Who should win: Emma Stone for “Birdman.”
I don’t have a problem with Keira Knightley winning here. Thing is, I would love to see an Emma Stone acceptance speech.
Best Director
Who will win: Richard Linklater for “Boyhood.”
Who should win: Wes Anderson for “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
I know “Boyhood has a ton of fans and critical acclaim. But to me its a gimmick film. I would rather see Wes Anderson, a director who’s given me a ton of laughs, win an Oscar this year.
Best Actress
Who will win: Felicity Jones for “Theory of Everything.”
Who should win: Felicity Jones deserves this award, and she should have won a bunch of others as well.
Best Actor
Who will win: Eddie Redmayne for “Theory of Everything.”
Who should win: Bradley Cooper for “American Sniper.”
This is one category where I wouldn’t mind seeing a tie. Redmayne and Cooper both deserve an Oscar for their performances, and there is precedent for an acting tie at the Academy Awards.
Back in 1969 there was a tie for Best Actress at Academy Awards, when Barbra Streisand won for “FUNNY GIRL” and Katharine Hepburn won for “THE LION IN WINTER.”
Best Picture
Who will win: “The Theory of Everything”
Who should win: “American Sniper” or “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
Three great movies, but I’m going with the two I liked best. I just hope we don’t see a repeat of the BAFTAs a couple of weeks ago when “Boyhood” won Best Film.
The Nerds Uncanny 