Hey there.
Literally just finished watching the final episode of Arrested Development, perhaps the best comedy on television.
Personally i felt the last series (the 3rd of 3 series) had an undertone of negativity or self-awareness about it. It was clear in a few episodes that the actors/staff knew the show was coming to an end because of Fox's idiotic decision to cancel the show after 13 episodes. The result was a more sombre show. Sure, some of the latter episodes (particuarly the penultimate one) are great but those containing the 'Mr F' storyline - involving the gorgeous Charlize Theron playing a retarded 30 something year-old - felt very poorly written and somewhat self-depricating in terms of the overall show. It was perhaps because these episodes focussed on Michael and Rita's relationship and impending (ruined) wedding, and not the rest of the family which was where the show's strengths lay.
All in all, it's sad that the show has ended, it was nice to see Onyong (not sure how that's spelt) make a surprise appearance and of course Ron Howard, executive producer make an in-joke aimed at the concept of Arrested Development. Thankfully a movie is rumoured to be in the works so i can only hope that it represents everything that's great about the show. The quick-wit, dry satire and wordplay.
As for Hancock, which i saw last night, i am in two minds about it.
On one hand, Jason Bateman's character (Bateman stars in Arrested Development) is played well. The audience sympathises with him and we see that he is an honest man, trying to do well at his job and provide for his wife and son. Playing his wife was a very hot-looking Charlize Theron who managed to look even hotter in the latter scenes. These were the two plus points about the film, as well as the cleverly implemented in-jokes referring to Arrested Development, which i was happy to acknowledge.
The downside was the plot. Sure, superhero movies aren't supposed to be realistic but i felt Bateman's inclusion in the film handed it an air of realism or currency about it. It felt like the film could have happened in modern times and that the storyline could have been credible. The backstory behind the main twist, however, completely threw me off completey and i was quite letdown. I won't spoil it for anyone but i will say that the backstory involved people living in the year 1000BC and this mention threw any reasonable viability about the fantastical characters out the window. I can appreciate fictional background stories but the way it was presented - semi serious - made me laugh more than it made me feel for the characters.
The ending was okay; Bateman's character saves Hancock, his wife survives a near-fatal attack and Hancock himself fights crime in New York.
The action scenes are fantastic to watch, and the acting in most places is respectable - especially in Bateman's case whereby he pretty much revives his Michael Bluth character from Arrested Development - but the over the top ideas that were tossed about in the imagining of the superheros and their history together spoilt what could have been a 'great' film.
Score: 6.7/10
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