My Top Ten Favourite Angel Episodes

This is tough. After finishing Buffy (my top ten episodes can be found here) i began on Angel more or less immediately. I needed more of the Buffyverse, i simply wasn't ready to leave it, to an extent maybe i'm still not - it's a good thing that there are comics, i suppose. I wish i had watched Buffy and Angel concurrently, like how it was meant to be done, but I wasn't even sure if i'd enjoy Buffy, let alone another show that i had seen all of one episode of that i could barely recall.

It was silly of me, at this point I should have learned that Joss Whedon probably wasn't going to disappoint me (in fact, aside from Dollhouse's shaky start he hasn't done that yet at all) but I always viewed Angel as the Torchwood to Buffy's Doctor Who. That it was never going to be as great as it's parent, that it would suffer in comparison to the groundbreaking pop culture titan that spawned it. I think that belief might still hold some weight (even if Angel is a better show than Torchwood) but it's not very accurate. Angel had flaws, I'll never forget my anger and disappointment in season 4, when they turned one of my favourite characters into a mere vessel for evil for the majority of her screen time (and the uncomfortable sex scenes were just... no), but it was also capable of tremendous depth and emotion. It's true that season 4 brings down Angel's batting average considerably, that as weak and ridiculous as Buffy could get it never went that far down (what? I'm a defender of season 6, if Dark Willow had been better handled i think it would be more highly regarded), but ultimately I fell in love with these characters. I loved Angel, Doyle, Cordelia, Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Lorne just as much as I loved the Scooby gang.

Angel at it's best was dark, funny, and packed with character development and emotional nuance. Let's hear it's for Angel Investigations (or Angel's Avengers, if you'd like.)

10. The Trial (Season 2, Episode 9)

No photo will ever do justice to this

Julie Benz as Darla is something i don't think I could tire of, from her very first appearance on Buffy The Vampire Slayer (and she had the first lines ever heard on the show too) to her death(s) she gave us such glee and intrigue. Which is why Darla being returned to life - as a human - is so horribly painful. She feels every piece of guilt and shame and on top of that she's dying from the disease that was meant to kill her 400 years ago before The Master stepped in (on a side note, how great is Mark Metcalf?) Seeing Angel try in vain to save Darla's life is bad enough but then there's THAT final scene. I'd enjoyed Angel before and just as Passion pushed Buffy into new and exciting territory The Trial commits a similar feat AND creates one of my favourite end scenes of a Buffyverse episode. Drusilla coming through that door is haunting, beautiful and perfectly executed. Juliet Landau, how do manage to look so menacing and so gorgeous at the same time? HOW?

9. Orpheus (Season 4, Episode 15)
Cordelia and Connor's entire storyline is something I hate so much that I found myself yelling at the TV several times. So why does a season 4 episode make the list? Well for one thing Faith and Angelus sharing a dream space gave way to some pretty cool (and often hilarious) stuff and, brace yourselves, Willow is here! Willow in general I really a like lot, ever since I first began on Buffy I knew she would be my favourite Scooby, and her interactions with everyone are priceless. Cordelia (except... it's not. God, that storyline sucked) and Willow had a fun yet tense interaction, then there was the 'darkness off' with Wesley ("I had a woman chained up in my closet... but that doesn't even compare to-" "no! you've been to a place.") And my (normally nonexistent) shipper heart simply fluttered when she and Fred started to talk. I don't know why i never thought about it before since they have so much in common - Frillow for the win. But then, both Alyson Hannigan and Amy Acker could have chemistry with a squashed cockroach.

Side note: season 4 grossly mistreated Cordelia and Connor (i'm not that into his character but geez i felt sorry Vincent Kartheiser and Charisma Carpenter in that storyline) but there are still episodes I really liked, so it's not a complete loss - even if the way we got to the finale was unfortunate. Maybe season 4 is better on rewatch, but i don't think i'll regard it as highly as any of the other seasons. Still, even if i hate that story, that has little bearing on the fact that a fair amount of episodes in season 4 are great.

8. Fredless (Season 3, Episode 5)
Amy Acker rightly gets a lot of praise (there's a reason Whedon says she's the best actress he's worked with) and Fred is one of my favourite Buffyverse characters, i know i say those words a lot but i can't help it if a I gravitate towards awesome. She's just a loveable character through and through. I was impressed with how this episode took a plot I was already familiar with (and that Whedon had already used in Buffy's 'Family') and twisted it on it's head. Fred spent most of the episode retreating from her parents, of course that would lead the gang to think there was something bad about them. But then when we finally get the confrontation things are revealed to be far different - Fred didn't want to believe that what happened to her in Pylea was real. This girl wasn't the same person she was five years ago and didn't want her parents to see how the experiences had changed her. That just gets to me. That's not to say the episode is all emotion, all the time. The scene where Wesley and Cordy parody Angel and Buffy is hilariously spot on. What can i say? I love when a show can laugh at itself.

7. Reunion (Season 2, Episode 10)
Darla and Drusilla should have had their own series or something, or at least a whole episode where they wreak havoc that has nothing to do with the plot of the show at all. Just a day in the life of Darla and Dru. Their fight,  their reconciliation, the girly shopping (Drusilla and her phone was all kinds of wonderful), the playful chatter, the everything. Reunion is an out and out pleasure to watch. In general i love the Darla arc, it's hard to believe that a character that was dusted in the first season of Buffy became a character I adored when she returned years later. Actually, it's the same with Drusilla - apart from the dusting thing. With the double bill of Trial and Reunion i think she too became one of my favourite vamps in the whole show. Can Darla and Dru please just show up randomly in TV shows, call people out on their shit and then eat them? Please? It doesn't even have to make sense.

Pictured: Badass vampires

Since this episode wont be making my top ten i need to give a shout out to Darla and Dru's flashback appearances in season 5's The Girl in Question. They were great fun.

6. Harm's Way (Season 5, Episode Episode 9)
Let me say first off that this isn't a list of best episodes. If it were this wouldn't be on here. Just as The Zeppo does for Xander, Harm's Way positions Harmony as the lead of it's story. I guess i just have a soft spot for Day in the Limelight episodes. Now, I became a fan of the self absorbed valley girl turned vampire in Buffy's fourth season, and it's interesting that an underdeveloped character who barely registered on my radar in the first three seasons would become something I looked forward to so much. Not because she was a particularly fascinating character, just that she was so much fun. Mercedes McNab is the only person in the main cast of Angel's fifth season, aside from Boreanaz, to have been in the first season of Buffy (she appears in The Harvest and a fair amount of subsequent season 1 episodes). I bring this up to illustrate just how long she's been around, so it's fitting that she finally got an episode where she is in the drivers seat. McNab really brought all her comic chops to the table and imbued Harmony with a sense of sincerity, sure she's a soulless vampire but she still works hard for Angel and she's right: he doesn't appreciate it. This is a rewatchable and entertaining episode, and it's down to her.

5. Waiting In The Wings (Season 3, Episode 13)
The gang goes to the ballet and some weird shit is going on. Normal, in other words. Written by Joss Whedon this episode is enjoyment of the highest order, while I can't say I'm a fan of Groo coming back (i like him, but Cordy and Angel were about to tell each other their feelings damn it!) when the rest of your episode is so good, i can deal with that one thing and it helps that Mark Lutz is adorable. Summer Glau makes an appearance as a ballet dancer, I believe this was how Whedon discovered her for Firefly. This episode became a personal favourite the second I watched it - Gunn loves the ballet! I feel like they should have brought that up again because J. August Richards has amazing facial expressions in this episode.

4. You're Welcome (Season 5, Episode 12)
"I swear, one of these times you're going to wake up in a coma." BTVS, season 3 episode 11. This one off joke will forever be tinged with my tears.

Get ready for an onslaught of season 5 episodes guys. As you know, Cordelia is one of my favourite characters in the Buffyverse, hell - in the Whedonverse. From the moment i saw Buffy - the first time - I liked her. She was a self absorbed cheerleader who could send you back to where you came from with a well timed quip but when push came to shove - she would save your ass in a fabulous fashion. This is why so much of season 4 pissed me off. But You're Welcome helped. It didn't undo the past mistakes, but it reminded me why i loved Cordelia Chase. She comes back one last time before her death to get Angel back on track, she kicks some ass - she has a freakin' samurai sword! - quips about Spike's hair, fights the bad guy and says *sniff* "you're welcome." This was the first of many times i cried in season 5. That conversation with Angel is just heartrending, even more so when you think about how far, both separately and together, these people have come. Now I pose a question about Cordy: Great person? Or the greatest person?

3. A Hole in the World (Season 5, Episode 15)/ Shells (Season 5, Episode 16)
These deserve to go hand in hand.
Ladies and gentleman I introduce you to the episodes that broke me. You know that Fred is one of my favourite characters in the Buffyverse (Joss Whedon loves to kill my favourite characters), so her death was brutal for me. Even more so though, it was awful watching the characters try and fail to rescue her. In most Whedon shows the deaths are quite quick (Tara, Joyce, Jenny, Anya, Doyle, Wash OH GOD WASH) and when we look at Buffy's death (both times) she was prepared to face it, she was noble, the same as Doyle and Cordelia were. But Fred didn't want to die, another creature was consuming her from the inside, she was in agony and she refused to be cut down by it - she wanted to live. I don't know when i started to tear up exactly, maybe it was Spike's hole in the world monologue (special props to James Marsters in this scene) about the, literal, hole in the world. Maybe it was everything with Fred and Wesley (Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker are fantastic here). I don't know. But Fred's death will never be okay.

Then there is Shells. Which is a brilliant follow up in every possible way, it's the kind of thing that made me ridiculously impressed for the 40 or so minutes it ran. I cried again in this one. The Buffyverse makes me cry too much, it's unnatural. Every single member if this cast brought it, from the usual heavy hitters to the actors who were never really given much to work with. No other show has ever given me such a painfully emotional and well written two parter.

2. Smile Time (Season 5, Episode 14)
A Hole in The World/Shells are better episodes, but Smile Time doesn't destroy my soul, so i've put it ahead of them. Angel being turned into a puppet is adorable, hilarious and I love everything Smile Time chooses to be.  Is there much else i can say here beyond that? How about that those children's faces are creepy as all hell!? Oh also: look at the Angel puppet! He has a scowl and his hair is all fluffy! This episode is the epitome of happiness.

1. Not Fade Away (Season 5, Episode 22)

Illyria: Worlds most badass Smurf

The final episode. Now, i think it's been made abundantly clear that i loved season 5 of Angel so it makes sense that this would make it. Whereas in Buffy i put Chosen on the honourable mention list because I found the way it wrapped up the show extremely satisfying, NFA is simply a better episode. This is such a deeply amazing final stand for Angel that i can't even begin to tell you about how great it is unless you yourself have seen every episode preceding it. Including Buffy.  I love this finale. I love that each characters 'final day' is spent doing something so perfectly 'them'. Angel visits his son, Gunn visits Anne from the shelter, Wesley patches up Illyria, (though it's sad that outside of wanting to be close to Fred in any way Wesley doesn't have much he desires), Lorne sings,  and Spike recites his poem (which we heard some of in Fool For Love) to an adoring audience. I loved every part of it. I take you to the fourth time i cried in Angel season 5: Wesley's death hurts so much. The bumbling goof we met in season 3 of Buffy became a tragic hero on Angel and there was really only one way he could go, but damn it if it didn't make me still feel all the emotions. "Would you like me to lie to you now?" When "Fred" comforts Wesley in his dying moments I just cried, it occurs to me now that Wesley and Fred are probably the only characters in history to comfort each other as one of them dies. Wesley has the best character development in the entire Buffyverse, I'm saying this right now. There's competition but none to this level. Can these people please stop hurting me?! And then there's that end scene, well - it's perfect isn't it? Angel's redemption was always about the fight against evil, not the overcoming of it, so (like the Buffy finale before it) this was a thematically and emotionally appropriate ending for Angel Investigations.

It just hit me that Angel is the only original AI member standing in that alley. *sobs* 

Honourable mentions -
Damage - a dark and haunting look at the ramifications of Buffy's finale in regards to a very unstable woman turned slayer.
Spin The Bottle - a narrow avoid, it's Angel's answer to Tabula Rasa, though unfortunately it's not quite as good (still hilarious though.)

Let's all take a moment to adore Alexis Denisof

To Shanshu in LA - Buffy does season finales better, at least it did before Not Fade Away came along, that is just my opinion but there it is. In fact, Angel's season finales had a way of disappointing me when compared to it's parent show, but Shanshu simply doesn't do that. Not at all. DARLA.
Lullaby - An emotional roller coaster.
Hero - The death of Doyle was Angel Investigations' first big loss, it's even sadder in hindsight knowing that Glenn Quinn is no longer with us.

The Buffyverse has drawn to a close, on television anyway, and I'm glad i watched it all. Both Buffy and Angel went to places i didn't always care for, sometimes they mishandled a few things and lost their way, similar to the characters i suppose, but the shows eventually found their way back where they were meant to be and ended in a way that felt right. Angel's quest for redemption has been a fascinating, at times frustrating, sad and hopeful journey filled with characters I grew to love. I'll miss this universe and i'll miss these people. So what do i do now? Well personally, i kinda want to slay the dragon.

My Top Ten Favourite Buffy Episodes

What can I say about Buffy The Vampire Slayer that hasn't been said by countless others? This is a show i watched almost two seasons of but never finished almost five years ago. To this day I regret not going further, and yet i feel that now that I'm older I can see more of the show than i could have then. I can see the character development, the continuity nods, the arcs and, perhaps most importantly, the emotion prevalent in this wonderful series. I came out of this show with a sense of satisfaction, that I'd watched something that I would be proud to introduce to others. As it is I have introduced it to others. I love the characters, I believe this is the reason anyone should see this silly teen show about vampire slaying starring a 5"4 (and that's being generous) girl and her pals - these don't become mere characters on television, these become people you care for. I don't think I would be remiss in comparing it to my favourite show of all time - Fringe. Neither of these shows work without it's characters being who they are. I acknowledge it's flaws, it pushes the romance a little far sometimes, i disliked how singly it was aimed at teenaged girls in it's first few years and it's final season seems almost superfluous in the wake of the darkness that preceded it and the ending of season 5. Yet i can't ignore my love, it's not a perfect show, but that's okay.

I don't believe there has ever been a show quite like this, nor do i believe there will be again. Here is a series that dragged itself up by it's bootstraps and morphed itself into art when it had every opportunity to coast on it's ridiculous title, attractive cast and cheesy effects. but no, it felt the need to break it's shackles and transform into a breathless comedy, an epic romance, a layered drama and a supernatural actioner. Often in the same episode. What other show could give us episodes like the ones I'm going to talk about?

SPOILERS, SPOILERS EVERYWHERE.

10. Doppelgangland (Season 3, Episode 16)
Season 3 nearly feels like a different series to my weary eyes now but it remains my favourite of the high school years and while i could narrow it down to a few things (mostly having to do with The Mayor and Faith) it also comes down to the fact that it's got way too many memorable episodes. In many ways a sequel to The Wish, Doppelgangland brings us Vampire Willow from the Wishverse. Vamp Willow is fun to watch almost entirely because she's so deliciously evil and Alyson Hannigan plays her with such delight, but when she's wrapped up in a case of mistaken identity, swapped clothes and, of course, paired with our Willow it's a hilarious ride from beginning to end.

FORESHADOWING

9. Passion (Season 2, Episode 17)
Season 2's Passion is enjoyable in all the ways that Doppelgangland isn't, it's not a lark, it's not full of screwball fun, it's Angelus beng a big ol meanie and leaving a truly unnerving present for everyone's favourite librarian/watcher.  Jenny Calendar is dead, her body laid out in an apartment filled with tokens of affection and roses. A beautiful and haunting picture that pushed the show, at least for me, from good to great. Even better is that he snaps her neck, he doesn't even deem her worthy to drink from. That is cold, Angelus.

8. After Life (Season 6, Episode 3)
This episode made me feel hollow, it made me want to burst into tears,, it made me feel so lost and alone. It made me feel like Buffy. I had felt strong emotions for this show previously, but until After Life I don't think my heart ever felt as though it were lodged in my throat for 40 minutes. I just felt so awful. It's almost flabbergasting that Jane Espenson wrote this episode. She of Band Candy, Earshot, Pangs, Intervention, Storyteller and countless other highly quotable and hilarious episodes. This woman had managed to completely shake me to my core. Everything in this episode honest to god hurts. And I just love it.

7. The Wish (Season 3, Episode 9)
Whenever I talk about Buffy I will often explicitly point out that the show simply shouldn't work. It's a teen show based on a so-so movie after all. But if i were to narrow my opinion down to a few specific episodes as examples of the shows power, some of which i will mention later, The Wish would be one. It works in spite of the odds stacked against it. We are essentially dropped into an alternate universe where everything is bleak and depressing and every member of the Scoobies, minus Giles and Oz, die and Buffy is a hell of a lot more broody and sad. As much as I love Doppelgangland, and you know I do, I think it would've been very fascinating to have seen the two Buffy's interact instead. But that probably would have been a much darker episode. The Wish is a beautifully written, shot and directed installment - and I LOVE The Master. I just love him to bits. This episode could have come off hokey and filler-ish but instead we got this. And haha, Anya is so young and different in her first appearance, it's fairly obvious she wasn't planned to be as prominent as she would later become.

6. Selfless (Season 7, Episode 5)
I agonized over this one. On the one hand i love the character of Anya (yes i knew what happened in the finale, the burden of researching things before i watch them...) but on the other hand i always found those (Swedish?) flashbacks cheesy, if Anya were watching that on TV she'd change the channel and make a snide comment - probably saying that these people are terrible at speaking 'swedish.' It also messes with continuity a bit, although i can understand Anya not noticing a guy singing about mustard on his shirt because she's very busy thinking. Then there's the the "i'm good at math" line, which goes against Doppelgangland, but as someone who is pretty good with money but terrible at math as a subject i can't say that's a big discrepancy. But those complaints are dismissive of the vital development we have of everyone's favourite ex-demon, the trademark wit and, yes, the song really sold me on it. Selfless is arguably Emma Caulfield's victory lap as this character, and the flaws can't possibly compare to it's power. Also she used to love bunnies - this makes me ridiculously happy.

"Yes, i have a new boyfriend, we just had lots and lots of sex." Anya Jenkins FTW.

5. The Zeppo (Season 3, Episode 13)
I'm a person who always appreciates a Marx brothers reference, so this title already had my attention. A Xander-centric episode intrigued me from the get go and The Zeppo is brimming with meta humour, character development and a wry self awareness that instantly drew me in. Xander has his own side adventure while Buffy and Co fight another world ending demon, no one will ever know about his insane night of dead rising, Faith sex and life saving. It's a neat side story turned a A-plot and I don't know why it doesn't show up on more 'best of' lists.

"Hey, they're not baking a cake!" The cake is a lie, Xander.

4. Hush (Season 4, Episode 10)

The most Gif-able episode ever

Season 4 is often named the weakest season (personally I'd pick season 7, even if it's still entertaining) but Hush is so consistently named one of the shows greatest episodes that the fact that it came from a 'weak' season never enters into my mind while watching it. It's an inventive piece of television, an example of the way words can get in the way of communication and how society could deal with the lack of connection. I won't pretend that Hush scared me, but the idea of not being able to scream when someone is tearing my heart out? That's creepy as fuck. The Gentlemen were fantastic villains, they looked like they came straight from the mind of the brothers Grimm and that Elfman style score further cements it as a slice of delight. It's pure undiluted entertainment that still develops the plot and characters. It's telling that an episode with comparatively minimal dialogue would earn an Emmy nomination for outstanding writing.

Yes, the most Gif-able

Episode

Ever

3. Who Are You? (Season 4, Episode 16)
Wow, how did a weak season manage to nab two spots in the top 5? Who Are You concerns Buffy and Faith's body swap and while it would be reasonable to expect body swap hijinks we also get a pretty intense character study on the dark slayer. Albeit with the dark slayer being portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar - can i just say that she is utterly awesome as Faith? Seriously she gets Dushku's mannerisms down pat. From Faith's sense of humour, to her underlying turmoil and self loathing this episode is my favourite of that character's appearances on this show - i can't wait to continue her redemption arc on Angel when i finally see that series. EDIT: I fucking loved how Angel handled this storyline. And i forgot to mention that Tara and Willow are adorable in this episode, so there, I mentioned it (I miss Tara.)

"You can't do that! It's wrong." - Faith mocking Buffy.

2. The Body (Season 5, Episode 16)
If this were a list of 'best' episodes this would make number one without a second thought given but it's not and i am the law. The emotions on display in this episode are palpable, as someone has experienced the death of a loved one i can tell you that it's painfully accurate to the degree that I was left speechless by it. I loved the character details, i loved how Buffy, practically a superhero who saved lives many times over, simply had nothing to seek revenge on, she couldn't focus her attention on big bad Glory, couldn't hunt down the killer - she had to call 911 and desperately recall CPR training. It was so real and yet so abnormal. This wasn't meant to happen, this was Buffy. But she can't do a thing. Good god, the acting in this episode is out of this world phenomenal, look at Sarah Michelle Gellar in this, just fantastic in every moment. It's a beautifully effective piece of television, made all the more powerful by the complete lack of music. There is no reprieve here, nothing to distract you - you have to sit and watch as people deal with the loss of someone they loved dearly, who maybe you loved dearly too (because Joyce was awesome.) Anya's speech by the way? Perfect, heartbreaking and true. Anya attempting to deal with and understand human emotions and social cues was a source of humour for most of her run on the show, it was almost like a mystical version of aspergers. So it's interesting to me that a comic relief character would have the most deeply emotional reaction, but in retrospect it shouldn't be surprising.

This episode is not one that you show to someone whom you want to get into the show properly, but it is the one you show those who say the show is just Dawson's Creek with monsters.

1. Once More, With Feeling (Season 6, Episode 7)
I just love this episode. Any show that has a musical episode automatically has my interest piqued but it's legitimately difficult for me to think of any show that has done a better one than Buffy.  The songs not only reveal the depths of the characters feelings but also their motivations, it causes them to say things they never would have said if they were in a regular episode of the show. The cast all sing well, with Anthony Head, Amber Benson and Emma Caulfield standing out, the songs are all cleverly written with each managing to match perfectly with the character(s) that sing them and fit into various genres. It's an outright fantastic episode that bursts with creativity and passion, while I would call The Body the better episode I'd called Once More With Feeling the most giddy and infectious episode on this list, there's certainly an underlying sadness to it - it is after all part of the darkest season - but that does nothing to quash the toe tapping numbers. Side note: Xander being the one to summon Sweet? That was a lazy writing move Joss, I forgive you because i love this episode, but it's not in character for Xander (season 6 Xander anyway) to do that.

"I've got a theory, some kid is dreaming, and
we're all stuck inside his wacky Broadway nightmare"

This episode needs all the memes

Honorable mentions -
Normal Again - this narrowly avoided the top ten. Some consider it controversial (i think it's only controversial if you think it states irrefutably that the show is inside Buffy's head, a theory i don't subscribe to). It's got people who hate it and people who love it, I won't say it's a perfect episode (and it messed with continuity a bit because Joyce finding about Buffy's slayerhood should have had a reference to her time spent in a mental hospital) but I do consider it an episode that further proves that Sarah Michelle Gellar was fantastic in this show.
Tabula Rasa - the characters losing their memories? Well how can that NOT be entertaining?
Storyteller - Season 7 might be the weakest season, but that doesn't keep me from enjoying parts of it and Storyteller is one I love. I love it's goofy sense of humour, i love how Andrew embellishes, I love it's affectionate spoofing of Buffy's long winded speeches and that ending? It's mood whiplash in the best way. Who knew Tom Lenk was so good? I was out of the loop on that.

"We are as gods"

Graduation Day - I know people always point to The Gift but I'm going against the grain here and saying i think this is the best season finale. And it's a two parter, and i love a good a two parter. It actually surprises me that it didn't make it on to this list, i think I was trying to keep my season 3 love to a reasonable level.
Fool For Love - Spike isn't actually my favourite character, a lot of people would pick him as theirs but personally he'd only be about 5th/6th for me. But this is a damn fine episode. A near masterpiece in a season that was not lacking for brilliant episodes. These flashbacks give so much depth to Spike and I imagine that pairing it with Lies My Parents Told Me would be an interesting experience.
Chosen - yes, Willow, it was nifty. I don't care if the apex of your development had a weird glowy effect, I will forever love how nervous little Willow became... I have a lot of Willow feelings. Seriously, i love how thematically and emotionally appropriate this final episode is. And Robin and Faith! If Faith had gotten that spin off would Robin have been there? No, i don't want to know, because then I'd be more bitter about Faith not having a spin off. And that Cleveland line! Is this not one of the subtlest/best callbacks? The Wish.... good times.

I wasn't sure how to fit this into the list
because 'Him' isn't a top tier episode.
But it does have a great season 2 vibe
and I LOVE THAT SHE KEPT THE BAZOOKA

Conversations With Dead People - I think I might be misjudging season 7, hell I could love it on rewatch (it's happened before), but no matter what my ultimate opinion of this season is, this episode will probably rank amongst the finest of Buffy episodes. It's a brilliant piece of work from beginning to end that manages to blend humour, heartbreak, horror and several other 'H' words I'm sure. But seriously: flat out fantastic. I'm actually confused as to why this isn't on the list. I'm an idiot. Oh well. But I loved this episode and it's gorgeous cinematography, terrific acting (I love everything Alyson Hannigan does in this episode) and thought provoking stories. This is a class act.
I Only Have Eyes For You - i don't recall being particularly fond of this episode when i first saw it. Did i like it? Yes, I did. But i didn't love it. It was only when i rewatched it that I truly fell for it - what a fantastic episode. If it weren't for how much of an arc episode this is I would give it to a newbie to watch, beautiful work by longtime Buffy writer Marti Noxon.

I need to talk about this - one of my biggest love/hate things in Buffy was Dark Willow. As an idea, I love it, it had been building for a long time and I'm impressed with the hints we had. Then it became a drug metaphor and Tara (the nicest character in the entire Buffyverse by the way, extra tragedy points) was killed off just to fuel Willow as the season's big bad. Now, even though i really liked Tara, it's the drug metaphor and the handling of Dark Willow that bugs me. Remove that subtext people! It's not even subtext, just text. All that said though, i actually like season 6 more than most people (Buffy's depression arc was fairly well done) and Xander talking down Willow? That was actually emotional to watch. I feel like Nicolas Brendan doesn't get enough kudos for his acting, so there, kudos.

Having just finished the series, i have to say i've enjoyed the ride immensely. This show never ceased to surprise me, make me laugh, make me cry and it never really lost it's roots. right up until the end we had wisecracks combined with charmingly sub par special effects and loveable characters. I loved this series that i so casually dismissed as supernatural teen fodder only to find an underlying streak of intellect and warmth. I think season 7 was the weakest season, or at least the one needed the most changes in writing, at times it could feel like it was killing time, it was still fun with a lot of great ideas, but it lacked something that other seasons simply didn't. But i enjoyed Chosen a lot, just like the show itself it was humorous, dramatic and at times a little messy. Also Anya's death kind of hurt my chest, i knew it was coming but holy shit I could not prepare myself. People complain about how it was handled but I was fine with it. I went through emotions, damn it. this whole series made me feel emotions. I actually also rank Chosen above The Gift, in terms of emotional pay off season 7's finale hit me more. Graduation Day is still my favorite though.

It's been a great ride, I recommend it.

Smashed (2012)

Here's film i read about ages ago but never got around to seeing. It's the story of a young woman (i'd guess nearing 30) named Kate who is a functioning alcoholic, but as she realizes her drinking is becoming a problem decides to get help. Unlike her husband who continues to drink heavily.

I'm not usually a fan of movies about alcoholics, due to my own upbringing they tend to be a little depressing and sometimes woefully inaccurate - one of the things i dislike about them. However, this is not one of those movies. Both Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof, Scott Pilgrim, Die Hard 4) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) are fantastic at playing alcoholics and craft sympathetic and likable characters. And Kate would have been an awesome 1st grade teacher to have. Except for the whole vomiting in class thing.

But as good as Paul is (though he isn't given all that much to work with) the lion's share of credit needs to go to Winstead who is a revelation. She's not an actress i ever paid attention to, she'd show up in movies and i'd nod and say 'she was okay'. Nothing i'd had ever seen her in indicated she could do this. She's funny, charming, sad and completely without the Hollywood pretense that i expected. I wish she had been nominated for an Oscar, it's a powerful performance and one that didn't deserve to go under the radar. Actually, this is one of the best performances I've seen by an actress for sometime (yes, i am including Jennifer Lawrence), she completely becomes this character and doesn't go over the top like some actresses could have. She's just gained herself a fan and I can't wait to see her movie (currently in pre-production) Faults.

The supporting roles are filled by wonderful actors Megan Mullally (Will and Grace), Ron Swanson Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Octavia Spencer (The Help). While they aren't given roles as meaty as Winstead or Paul they do their jobs well and Nick Offerman is so far removed from Ron Swanson that it will certainly surprise some people. One complaint is that Mullally's Principal Barnes is turned into something of a caricature by the end of the film, it's hardly Mullally's fault but it was a little jarring.

The film makes use of very natural lighting, giving a great sense of realism, and director James Ponsoldt will hopefully have great things ahead of him. His direction of actors is particularly worthy of praise.

This is a solid and engaging movie that generally to avoid the cliche's associated with 'movie-alcoholism' as i tend to call it. Winstead and Paul play the roles of alcoholics very well and without a hint of glamorization. Worthy of a rental and even buy.

It’s Time to Rethink Remakes

“Remake or original, making a movie still comes down to good old fashioned hard work.” - John Carpenter, director of Halloween (1978), The Thing (1982) and your other nightmares.

As a movie fan I know I am supposed to be opposed to remakes. Most of the time I am, especially if the movie didn’t need ‘updating’ in the first place, the upcoming Robocop remake for example. I recall balking at the idea of remaking Total Recall, honestly, who remakes a Paul Verehoevan movie? Apparently everyone, since he made Robocop as well. But in spite of my inherent disdain for remaking things that were just fine to begin with, there is something to remakes that we overlook: some of them have actually become great films in their own right.

Let’s look at Martin Scorsese’s Oscar winning film The Departed. It’s a remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. Both are worth the watch and deciding which one is better is a task that depends entirely on personal taste – personally I’m on the fence. It’s difficult for me to convince people The Departed is a remake due to that word being associated with unoriginality, but it’s true. Same story, same plot points, even some of the same dialogue. Now that you know it’s a remake does that lessen your opinion of it? I hope not, because it’s still a cracking good movie.

Another film that proves remakes aren’t so bad is Let Me In, an American version of Let The Right One In, a Swedish film. Let the Right One In is generally considered to be the stronger movie (despite one scene involving truly cringe worthy CGI), but that’s not to discount Let Me In – one of the best American produced vampire movies of the last decade. Of course due to the sad, sad, SAD, romanticizing of vampires this isn’t exactly difficult to achieve. Let Me In captures the spirit of adolescence and how horrible it can be while also displaying the wonder and naiveté of it. Thanks to it’s leads Kodi Smit-Mcphee and Chloe Grace Moretz it’s not only a good vampire film, it’s also a great coming of age story. With blood and violence. Obviously.

Allow me to tell you a tale of how I beat my remake-a-phobia (totally a real thing): The Evil Dead is one of my favourite movies of all time, the same goes for it’s two sequels (Evil Dead 2 and Army Of Darkness). So when I read of the impending remake I was sure that someone actually had read from the Necronomicon and had sent demons rampant through Hollywood, culminating in this travesty. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell producing it did nothing to set my mind at ease despite my respect for the two. Add on to that a director I had never heard of and I had a distinct feeling of: ‘this is the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake all over again.’ The cast didn’t give me hope, the girl from Suburgatory who kind of reminded me of Emma Stone but was totally not Emma Stone?

Not Emma Stone

But a few fantastic things happened: the trailer, the reviews and seeing it. Sure it was still a remake of the 80s horror classic that made Bruce Campbell the cult king of awesome. But damn it, i enjoyed so much i didn't care. There are a lot of nods to the original series – and rightly so, it’s horrible when a remake ignores it’s roots entirely – but it doesn’t get wrapped up in them, it gives you a reason to stick a round and watch THIS story, not a story that played out over 30 years ago. It doesn’t make you think to yourself: “hey you know what I could be watching right now? The first Evil Dead!” It’s a great example of homage without slavery to the source, of horror over fun, of fun over horror. That’s right those two last ones cancel each other out, but it’s Evil Dead you see, and nothing pertaining to it can or should make sense. In short: this remake is a worthy addition to the canon and if we can have a crossover between it and the original, well, count me in.

Jane Levy! Her name is Jane Levy. She’s pretty good in Evil Dead by the way, no need to panic.

What about the bad remakes? Things like 2012’s Total Recall, Neil Labute’s The Wicker Man (“not the bees!!”) or Gus Van Sant’s Psycho? You read that last one right, Van Sant did some sick experiment where he remade Psycho shot for shot with a cast consisting of Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn. But let me explain something before you start hitting me over the heads with the remake of The Pink Panther screaming at me to notice this terrible piece of filmmaking. Bad movies come out every year. Every month. Maybe everyday. Chances are someone out there is making a really bad movie right now, it could be a remake, it could be a rip off of Jaws (people still do that), it could be an adaptation. It could also be an original idea but don’t get your hopes up. It doesn’t matter what kind of movie it is, it could have the greatest actor of all time in it, fantastic production values and hold Bridget Fonda’s return to acting (you don’t think that would be awesome? Is my life a lie?) But it could still be a flop of Waterworld proportions.

Remakes aren’t the only movie related things that turn out badly; M Night Shyamalan released After Earth recently, a blockbuster with no discernible remake status. It’s getting a critical lashing. I can’t elaborate anymore for fear of making you lose faith in Will Smith’s career choices (as if you haven’t already). All I’m saying is that remakes aren’t all as bad as you think, some great films are remakes and some remakes are great films.

Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! (2004)

I’ve seen this on TV twice now and as much as I dislike ‘chick flicks’ this is one that I really seem to enjoy. Stars Kate Bosworth. Topher Grace and Josh Duhamel acquit themselves amiably and are all well cast, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t even big fan of any of these particular actors.

This movie is hardly looking to reinvent the wheel, it’s formulaic and often pretty cheesy, but the sheer enthusiasm it has guides it through. In a lot of ways Win a Date... reminds me of those 60s comedies, you know the ones, like Pillow Talk, Gidget, Bye Bye Birdie and the Beach movies. It’s not looking to be progressive, it just wants to entertain you. Whether it does or not depends mainly on your taste and whether or not you like the type of films I just mentioned.

I’m going to do a total 180 on my previous review (which was Superman Returns) and say that Kate Bosworth is perfectly cast as Rosalee Futch, the small town innocent who wins the date with movie star Tad Hamilton (Duhamel). Bosworth has a great energy and likeability and she displays it effortlessly here. I recall that she played Sandra Dee in the Kevin Spacey directed/starring Beyond The Sea. I think she plays Sandra Dee roles better than she plays Dee herself. But that’s an unfair comparison since Beyond the Sea wasn’t exactly a masterpiece anyway.

Topher Grace, best known as Eric in That 70s Show and for being a terrible Venom in Spiderman 3 (you’re damn right I’m still bitter about that), is also a nice presence - although he lacks some charisma and seems like he’s just playing Eric most of the time. I have a feeling that that is his default setting. Still, I wont protest too loudly on that since I enjoyed That 70s Show and his part in it, even if I wouldn’t call him the best actor to come out of it - that was Mila Kunis, who is just awesome.

Now for Duhamel: unlike the other two members of the main cast I have never seen Duhamel in a movie where he outright impressed me, generally he’s in charmless rom-coms such as Life as We know it and When In Rome. But he sells Tad’s persona well and I could totally understand why Rosalee would be attracted to him. I don’t expect to change my overall opinion on him anytime soon, but I did enjoy his performance here.Supporting performances are all unique and fun, Nathan Lane and Sean Hayes are a good pair, although I will say that they could get a ‘Tad’ (sorry but it was right there) irritating. Ginnifer Goodwin is not an actress I particularly follow and I haven’t seen a lot of her work – no, not even Once Upon A Time – but she’s a good addition as Rosalee’s friend Cathy. The ever-reliable Amy Smart also features in little more than a cameo as a nurse in one of Tad’s movies. Oh and here is my personal favourite: Gary Cole as Rosalee’s father. I just love Gary Cole in general, but he really is very funny here.

As I said before, the film isn’t interested in trying anything new but it’s the likeability of all involved that give it that much needed push to being above average. Maybe it’s the way Grace yell’s “guard your carnal treasure!” at Rosalee as she leaves to go on her date, Duhamel’s laid back demeanour or that sunny disposition and smile of Bosworth’s that gives the movie such a great sense of fun. Whatever it is I plan on watching it again when it comes on television, it’s light-hearted, cute and you could do a lot worse on a Friday night.

Superman Returns (2006)

Having reviewed Man On Steel (see my previous post), I also mentioned my desire to review Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer. There's no time like the present. This movie get's a lot of flack and i can somewhat understand the hate, Superman has a son, the plot holes are noticeable and the film doesn't really address them and, yes, Kate Bosworth is really miscast as Lois. But I don't care.

Growing up I was very familiar with Superman, my definition of hero was Superman and Luke Skywalker and their images are imprinted in my brain to this day. But unlike Star Wars i do not feel nostalgic for Christopher Reeve's films because he is not the Superman i grew up with. Max Fleischer's cartoons (which we had on VHS) is still the Superman I see when i picture him. Ripping through a wall, leaping over a tall building in a single bound, to me that its Superman. But I saw Chris Reeve in Superman III when i was about eight, for the most part i actually enjoyed it - and kept wondering where i had seen Lana Lang before, later finding out she was on Smallville, a show i 've never been into but respect. I then saw Superman IV. I don't remember much except that Jon Cryer was in it.

I didn't see the first two films for a number of years (not of my own choice i wanted to seek them out but kept putting it off) but boy when i did see them knew what the fuss was about. Reeve was amazing, I loved him and every facet of his performance, I loved Margot Kidder as Lois and I'll always love Zod - even if he is super evil. When Superman Returns was released i was 11 years old (so i hadn't seen Superman or Superman II yet) and i wanted to see the movie, but regrettably couldn't. I accepted it and moved on, later finding out that apparently the film was awful. So i avoided it like the plague.

But one night i came across it on television, I figured nothing could be as bad as Catwoman (and nothing is) so i watched it.

I love Superman Returns. If only i had seen it sooner.

Superman having a son initially rubbed me the wrong way, I liked the dimension he gave Superman, Jason himself didn't annoy me and it gave way to some genuinely moving scenes. But it felt a bit heavy handed, I admire Singer's audacity and intentions, but I tend to go back and forward on this one. Kate Bosworth was far too young for Lois and looked nothing like Margot Kidder, but she endeared to me, the way she stood up on that plane absolutely entranced by Superman's return - she sold it. The logic of Superman leaving earth is questionable. I can't imagine him doing that but it's never specified how long after Superman II this film takes place, sure it says five years, but that's five years since he left - things could have changed dramatically.

Brandon Routh's performance is fantastic and is absolutely the heart of the movie. He's not Christopher Reeve,  - who is? - but he makes the character his own and doesn't look silly in the suit. He looked confident and right in it. His Clark might just be the highlight though. Clark isn't really featured as much as his alter-ego, but Routh's physical embodiment is so sweet, precise and funny that i actually enjoy those scenes more than any others. Routh's Clark is just as funny as Reeve's, but in different ways. His comedy is in a look, a reaction, the way he turns around eating a burrito. It's subtle and Routh nails it.

Kevin Spacey's Lex is far more menacing that Gene Hackman's, a move i'm thankful for since as much as i love Hackman i thought his Lex could be way too goofy. Spacey is clearly having a great time in this role, spouting off the meme-making "WRONG!!!"and using his deadpan delivery to brilliant use, particularly when speaking to Kitty...

Which brings me to Parker Posey. Now, I love Parker Posey. I'll watch her in anything and if you haven't seen any of the Christopher Guest doco-comedies you owe it to yourself to see them, not just for her, but because they're hilarious. Anyway: Kitty is pretty much Miss Teschmacher under a different name but that's not a criticism - i liked Miss Teschmacher. Kitty is a lot snarkier than Lex's previous companion though and Posey revels in it. Posey also acts very well even when she's not being funny. When Kitty loses control of her car (to distract Superman while Lex steals something) and she's just about to crash into about 10 people the car just floats - Superman has saved her. That look Posey has as she is saved is difficult to describe, it's as though, shock, awe and fear had been rolled into one. It's a perfectly played scene, both in Posey's performance, the musical cues and the way Singer trains his camera upon her reaction.

Now for Kate Bosworth. I'm not going to rip into her, as i've mentioned before I actually liked her. She was just miscast. But she does display some flashes of brilliance, her delivery of 'how could you leave us like that' brims with an anger and hurt that is truly believable and her scenes with Jason also feel very authentic. But Bosworth was in her early 20s, too young to be a pulitzer prize winning journalist with a four year old son. I would have cast someone in the 30 - 35 region, maybe older. The Lois in this film is meant to be a more mature and weary version of the one we had previously met in Superman II. Bosworth is a nice a actress but she lacks conviction and she certainly doesn't come off as the disillusioned Lois that she probably should be. It's a problem I have with her portrayal and casting, but I can't honestly say i dislike her or her performance as a whole.

James Marsden also turns in a good performance as Richard, Lois' fiance'. I really enjoyed what Singer and Co. did with Richard, they could have easily made him a jerk so that Superman could jump in and push him aside, but they didn't do that. Richard is a great guy and it shows in just about every scene he's in. Had there been a sequel it would have been interesting o see where this character went.

John Ottoman's music desreves huge praise as well, his version of the Superman theme is fantastic and the 'how could you leave us' music is absolutely gorgeous. I also love that the music doesn't distract me, sometimes it's too loud or bombastic without any real sense of meaning. In this film every note feels like it's earned it's place.

Visually the film is stunning (if a little muddy, which i hope is corrected in future releases) and the casting, except Bosworth, was spot on. The first act needs some fine-tuning and the return to Krypton scene should have stayed in the film, but these are minor when considering the big picture.

Bryan Singer jumped ship on the X-Men franchise to direct this film and although I wish he had stayed on for X-Men 3 (he has returned for Days Of Future Past though) I'm glad he was able to give us this film. It brims with a pure love of Superman, every frame feels like a Superman movie and although the Donner reverence turns some people off it just sparks warm feelings in me. Superman Returns isn't a film that is ripping off the originals and i wouldn't call it a stone cold sequel to Superman II either, i'd say it's closer to being a continuation of the spirit of those films.

This is the Superman movie I'd always wanted but never thought i'd get. It's a movie made with passion and genuine love by a director who actually has something to say about the characters. After watching this film I actually felt bad for Bryan Singer and his entire cast and crew who had worked so hard to make this and then had it dragged through the mud by a lot of people. I particularly feel for Brandon Routh who was exceptional as Superman/Clark, i never see him in big roles anymore, as much as it's a shame he wont be Superman again i just wish he could find another role where he can play off that great humour of his.

This film is a solid 8 in my book, hell, an 8.5. It's a stunning film with wit, warmth, pathos and wonder. It's flawed, but it is definitely no failure.

Man Of Steel (2013)

It has been a long time, sorry about that i guess i got a little disillusioned with blogging. But i'm back to vent about a movie i saw upon it's release here in Australia: Man Of Steel

I didn't HATE the movie, it was fairly well acted and the effects were generally good. But the script... David S Goyer is a great screenwriter when he wants to be, The Dark Knight trilogy proves this. But he also wrote Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance and Blade: Trinity. I'd say his talents are falling a lot closer to Ghost Rider than it is to Christopher Nolan's trilogy when it comes to this film.

Okay, since i like to start positively when writing here's what i liked about the movie:
 - The cast was well selected
 - The acting was good
 - The flashbacks to Clark's childhood are well done
 - Kevin Costner can still pull out a good performance
 - Zack Snyder's action directing was fine (if a bit generic)
 - the overall look of the suit works well for this interpretation of Superman

All those things are what kept me in the cinema (that and i didn't want to waste $10), but they're not what I wanted from a Superman movie. I wanted Superman in all his glory.

Here are my problems with the film: Henry Cavill (as good an actor as he is) is really given a dull character to play in MOS, Clark feels like a regular brooding loner who you'll find in just about any other action movie that has come out recently. But he's SUPERMAN. Make him dark and brooding if you want but don't take away his personality just so he can seem tragic or something. Superman already has these elements in his story, why not just allow him to have a personality that reacts to these things rather than have one that is solely based on them? Here the Clark and Superman character feels oddly false and uninteresting. Something i have never associated with Superman. Supporting characters aren't really as interesting as they should be, particularly Amy Adams' Lois. I was very happy about Adams' casting but she isn't given a lot to do.

The story. Zod and company come down to Earth, now i've seen this in Superman II but that's not my complaint, i love Superman II and i love Zod, but there have been 5 previous Superman movies (four Christopher Reeve movies and Superman Returns which i hope to review at some point), most had Lex, one had Zod. Why not have a character that has not been seen on screen yet? If MOS wants to distance itself from it's predecessors - and everything about the film suggests that it does - why bring in a character that has been ingrained in pop culture as much as Zod, previously portrayed by the woefully under-appreciated Terrence Stamp? Bring in Brainiac or Bizarro, people haven't seen them in live action yet. I like Michael Shannon as Zod, in fact i'd put him next to Costner as the best performance in the film, but he can't save a script that has already doused itself in familiarity.

Taken on it's own merits the story isn't so bad, but the script is. There are logical flaws that i could accept if this film were't taking itself so seriously, such as the fact that Zod wanted Lois Lane brought aboard the ship even though he has no real reason to want her, any information she has Superman has. It's pointless, they could 'read' his thoughts anyway. there was no need for her and seemed like just a contrivance to get Lois to do action-y stuff. The additions to Clark's backstory felt convoluted, i understand that they were trying to show that he was truly alone as a Kryptonian, but giving him (spoiler?) the DNA codex/baby making eggs of his people just stretched it too far. Add into that that Jor-el's motives for doing such a thing aren't really cleared up.

I like Zack Snyder sometimes. I like his remake of Dawn of The Dead (although i still prefer Romero's)  and i think Watchmen might, visually at least, be his masterpiece. He can make some great movies. But he's also made Sucker Punch. The guy isn't consistent and his obsession with CGI and explosions really gets out of hand here and the action over powers any sense of story. It's overlong, it feels inconsequential and eventually i just got bored with it. Superman fighting Zod is nice and it looks okay, but how do they expect me to care when the characters are so dull?

The structure of the film needs work. the reason the trailers got us so excited is because everything felt as though it was in chronological order, we went on a journey with Clark. Here we get flashes back to a world we haven't connected with.

The visual style of the film is unappealing. The colour has obviously been desaturated in post-production which makes the movie feel at a lot less realistic (since they're trying to ground this is in dark, gritty reality this is not a good thing) and frankly makes it look silly. Snyder's use of shot composition and editing needs work as well, the action editing really isn't flash.

Overall, those who were disappointed with Superman Returns will enjoy it, personally i liked Returns but that's just me. This movie really looked amazing, and i thought it would surpass Returns and every other movie about Supes. Boy was I wrong, Batman Vs Superman doesn't sound as appealing as it once did. But could the studio do me a small favour? Rename it World's Finest, it sounds like a proper movie then and not a fan video on Youtube.

Overall i'm giving this a 6/10. It's solid action movie but it could have and should have been a lot more than just a dour, hopeless (the S may stand for hope but the movie doesn't really SHOW us hope, just tells us about it) and action overloaded mess.

I also reviewed this on YouTube (say pretty much the same stuff, but hey if you're curious):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sh5GjbZTPQ