Hiddleston as Hook

Okay, seriously. How adorable is this? He is THIS excited to be in a direct-to-DVD Disney Tinkerbell movie. I CAN'T STAND THE CUTE.

Hiddleston

Could someone please cast Hiddleston as a Bond villain already? Puh-LEEZE??? :) :) :)

"Rendezvous"

This is obviously the best commercial of all time. I don't see it being surpassed, in my lifetime at any rate! :)

Tom Hiddleston, Disney Prince

My friends, this list is SPOT ON.

this is never going to get old, is it?

It is a truth universally acknowledged...

...that videos of Hiddleston dancing will TURN YOUR FLIPPING DAY AROUND:

The Hollow Crown preview!

I feel like I've been waiting for this to air in the States for FOREVER.

The films – chronicling a bloody tale of family, politics and power — tell the rise and fall of three Kings and how their destiny shaped English history. Richard II (Ben Whishaw) is a vain, self-indulgent man who rules with little regard for his people’s welfare. He is ultimately overthrown by his cousin Bolingbroke (Rory Kinnear), who ascends the throne as Henry IV (Jeremy Irons). Henry IV’s reign is marred by his own guilt over Richard’s death, civil war, and the gnawing fear that his son Hal (Tom Hiddleston) is a total wastrel unworthy of the throne. When Hal comes to the throne as Henry V he is left to bury the ghosts of his father’s past while fighting both the French forces as well as his own inner demons.

Directed by Rupert Goold (Richard II), Richard Eyre (Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2) and Thea Sharrock (Henry V), The Hollow Crown features some of the most pre-eminent Shakespearean actors of our time. The Kings are played by Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston respectively, supported by a phenomenal cast including Rory Kinnear, Patrick Stewart, David Suchet, David Morrissey in Richard II,Simon Russell Beale, Michelle Dockery, Julie Walters and Maxine Peake in Henry IV and John Hurt, Anton Lesser and Paterson Joseph in Henry V. 

Watch The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare's History Plays Preview on PBS. See more from Great Performances.

The clip at about the 1:10 mark, where Tom Hiddleston as Henry V gives the Saint Crispin's Day speech...people, I GET CHILLS. And TEARS. If this preview is turning me into that much of a mess I may never survive watching the entire play.

The plays begin September 20th, also know as Ruth's Birthday EVE, so I will go ahead and thank PBS for basically the best birthday present of all time. :)

Tom Hiddleston is brilliant

People this just made my Friday...Tom Hiddleston re-enacting the plot of Thor 2 with action figures! :) :)

The Avengers

As if the freakishly hot weather wasn't a big enough clue, I guess summer is officially here with the first of the big summer blockbusters -- The Avengers. The Avengers has been one of my most anticipated films of the year, especially since Thor and Captain America gave the film such  great set-up last year. Now it's no secret I ADORE superhero flicks -- I've loved both Iron Man films, Thor, and Captain America, but with the addition of Hawkeye, Black Widow, and the Hulk, I wasn't sure how that much awesomeness could fit into one film. Taken singularly, anyone of the aforementioned denizens of the Marvel universe is more than big enough to carry their own movie, and given the action-heavy trailers for this group outing I was a bit concerned that character was going to be lost in the sea of explosions. Placing Joss Whedon at the helm of this movie was a masterstroke of genius. Whedon knows how to bring ensembles together and make you care about each of the players, and happily The Avengers is no exception. This movie is freaking AMAZING. Plenty of spoilers to follow... :)

So remember the Tesseract/Cosmic Cube thing? The Tesseract has been on lockdown in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility under the supervision of Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), who reports to the always enigmatic Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) has been the lead scientist on the Cosmic Cube project, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attempt (allegedly) to harness the object's limitless energy. What apparently no one realized was what, exactly, a live wire the Tesseract could be, serving as an energy portal between worlds. This is something that, of course, the exiled and angsty Loki (Tom Hiddleston) takes full advantage of, since he's the god of mischief and conniving and all.

Now I could sing Tom Hiddleston's praises from now until the end of time, I love him so much, I do  I do! :) He is such a delicious villain. I mean take his headgear -- it is ridiculous -- but Hiddleston owns it. Props to him for that. :) This time around, Loki is working on behalf of an alien race called t Chitauri. They (mustn't forget, they oddly reminded me of future predators from the TV show Primeval) want the Tesseract, and in exchange for the Cube they'll loan Loki an army so he can conquer Earth and show up his brother Thor. Yes, poor Loki really thinks that is going to work out. Bless his heart. :P Anyways, Loki is a lot of fun in this film -- all sturm and drang and stomping around (watch for the scene in Germany -- Hiddleston in a trenchcoat -- GAH I CAN'T TAKE IT). Loki destroys S.H.I.E.L.D.'s facility and in the process takes Selvig (WHY OH WHY COULDN'T HE KILL SELVIG?!) and Agent Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).

Hawkeye was briefly introduced in Thor, and after seeing Renner at work in this film I have to say it is a crying shame that he and the Black Widow didn't get their own origin film (it's never too late for that, Marvel...just sayin'!). It's really quite wrenching seeing Hawkeye in thrall to Loki, however briefly...but that is more than made up for by Renner's intensity and charisma. He is absolutely delightful in this movie people, DELIGHTFUL. (What's not to like about a guy with a bow?) I love the act that the likes of Hawkeye help balance the superhero team with some sense of humanity, if you will. Hawkeye isn't a demigod, isn't a super soldier, isn't impervious to pain or harm -- he's just a badass with an extremely dangerous skill set.

Hawkeye's partner, for lack of a better term, is the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff, first introduced in Iron Man 2. I can really take or leave Johansson in most films, but I think she does an excellent job playing the icy assassin/spy. This film does a great job of adding some much-needed layers to the Black Widow's character by allowing us to see the cracks in her armor, like letting us see the impact of nearly losing Barton to Loki's machinations or almost getting squashed by the Hulk has on her psyche. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that Romanoff is an woman who looks on her work with S.H.I.E.L.D. as her best shot at redemption. I would love, love, LOVE a film dedicated to Hawkeye and Black Widow's pre-Avengers shenanigans. It's refreshing to see a strong female character in a film like this grappling with issues of identity and her past (as opposed to forcing a romantic hook-up, you know?).

Fury sends Natasha to bring in Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), living in isolation, practicing medicine in India, trying to avoid turning into the Hulk at all costs. Now I've never really been all that into the Hulk, and given the fact that Hollywood has tried and tried to launch a film franchise with little success I wasn't initially very excited about the Hulk's inclusion in this film. I couldn't have been more wrong. Ruffalo is fantastic as the conflicted Banner/Hulk -- perhaps all the green guy needed was a group of other superhero types to play off of? Because the group dynamic between everyone else and the potentially loose cannon that is Banner is terrific and provides the film with some of its most entertaining, laugh-out-loud moments (of particular note is the beat-down he delivers to Loki). I do think there was a bit of a logic jump as far as the Hulk's powers go -- we go from blind rage Hulk to team player Hulk -- was that a result of Banner just applying himself during his transformations or what?

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is a fascinating character to throw onto a team like this -- because historically I don't think anyone is less of a team player than Iron Man, you know? I can't really complain, though, because Stark's ego and quick-witted comments (when he tells Thor he thought the demigod was playing Shakespeare in the park I could've died laughing) make my heart sing, I MEAN IT. Sarcasm of that type delivered with verve by RDJ -- it really doesn't get better than that for my snarkiness-loving-heart. *wink* It was nice to see how Stark's relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) has mellowed him just a smidge (speaking of Potts, her cameo is just one example of what a fantastic job Marvel does ensuring continuity in their films -- I LOVE that). Also, I adored the way Stark befriends (if that's the right word) Banner -- their shared scientific background means they speak the same language -- and Stark, impossible though it may seem, actually has the insight to know how to push Banner to use his alter-ego. LOVE THAT.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is of course a major player seeing as it is his brother wreaking havoc on the planet where his lady love resides (sorry, I couldn't resist waxing poetic -- I love Thor's more formal, courtly manner of speaking -- it's a small thing perhaps but it helps set him apart from the rest of the Avengers). I'm so happy that this movie continued to explore the strained relationship between the Asgardian brothers...it would be so easy to just have the two fill distinct hero/villain roles, but knowing their history, seeing how Thor impossibly still seems to care for Loki (while of course wanting to throttle him) adds fantastic layers to their respective characters. Is it perhaps the fact that Thor can't seem to quite write his brother off that lends Loki the hope of some sort of redemption? Food for thought. :) Stark and Thor are definitely alpha characters on the "team," so this movie explores the struggle to find shared purpose and balance. The Iron Man/Thor introductory fight was a highly entertaining way of working out those intitial personality clashes. :)

Obviously I loved everything about this movie, but I have a special soft spot for how this movie handled the Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) character. Seeing as how we last saw Steve waking up after a seventy year sleep to a very different world, he arguably had the biggest learning curve of the entire group. The thing that impressed me the most in his film last year was that Steve was very much an old-fashioned hero, just a nice guy with deeply held principles of honor and duty ingrained in his psyche. Whedon made the right call in choosing to tell most of the story from Rogers' perspective, as the outsider who has to come to terms with the 21st-century and his place within it. Rogers is very much a soldier's soldier, and his sacrifice at the end of last year's film cost him his brothers in arms, his family, so this film is in no small way about Rogers once again finding a sense of purpose and community. He is the very definition of selfless, so it's interesting to see how he clashes with the more self-absorbed Stark. But for all the angst the payoff during the climactic battle is a sweet one, when the rest of his Avengers cohorts cede to his battlefield expertise and look to him for command in the field.

Now, as much as it pains me I need to talk about Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). I ADORE COULSON. He's been a constant presence throughout the Marvel films, always bringing the everyman touch to the fantastic goings-on, with snarkiness, sarcasm, and class, completely unflappable. He apparently had a thing for Captain America, and his trading card collection and unabashed fandom was a stroke of comic genius (as well as the whole horribly awkward "I watched you sleep" speech). Coulson was the very definition of team player, how much so revealed by his death. HIS. DEATH. At the hands of Tom-freaking-Hiddleston no less. This is a filmic tragedy of epic proportions in my world, people! Now I realize killing off a well-liked co-worker, basically, someone everyone on the team liked, was needed, the impetus to make this motely crew of loners a team. But that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. *SOBS* WAY TO RIP OUT MY HEART AND STOMP ALL OVER IT, WHEDON!!! (And brings me back to the whole question of WHY COULDN'T SELVIG GET KILLED OFF INSTEAD?!)

I really enjoyed finally seeing Nick Fury in an entire film (as opposed to a teaser scene or two). One gets the impression he is extremely dedicated to his work, but not above using less than aboveboard methods to achieve his purposes (re: the trading card incident). I really hope this announced Nick Fury origin film is given the green light soon, as I'd love to know this guy's backstory, the council he is supposed to answer to (but ignores for most of this film), where he first got the idea for the Avengers Initiative. So many questions, so little time. :)

So, basically, EVERY LITTLE FLIPPING THING about this movie is just made of awesome from start to finish. Whedon did an excellent job weaving together the storylines and strengths of so many disparate, wildly dysfunctional characters into a family of sorts (Firefly, anyone? *wink*), replete with lots of humor and heart. The Avengers worked better than I ever could've dreamed -- a little slice of superhero film paradise. :) Keeping an action film character-centered is no small feat, and Whedon does an excellent job balancing the players with the action sequences. The latter are spectacular (I particularly liked the Chitauris' fishlike ships). And Alan Silvestri, who scored Captain America, provides a rousing score that given his recent history with Marvel films, provides a nice sense of continuity score-wise. With Thor 2 and Iron Man 3 scheduled for release next year, and the Nick Fury film in the pipeline, I can only hope their certain success will lead to a second Avengers film in 2014 or 2015. This formula worked so well, with the same team -- well a sequel just desperately needs to happen. Pretty please? :)

War Horse

War Horse was one of my most anticipated films of the holiday season. Much like the noble animal from which the film takes its name, this movie has a flawless and impressive pedigree -- based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, directed by Steven Spielberg, packed with well known British acting talent, this story of a boy and his horse set against the backdrop of a world at war is guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings. And for the most part, it works. The one glaring factor working against this film is its length. Clocking in at two-and-a-half hours, the film is at least a half hour too long. Told in a mostly episodic style, the length, combined with the narrative "chapters," results in a meandering movie that misfires when it strays too far from the core conceit of the story -- the extraordinary bond between Joey the horse and his boy, Albert (Jeremy Irvine -- after seeing Irvine in this film, I'm really looking forward to his turn as Pip in Mike Newell's big-screen adaptation of Great Expectations). That's not to say the movie is a wash -- far from it. But Spielberg's reluctance to tighten the on-screen storytelling does the movie no favors.

But let's talk about what works. At a livestock auction Ted Narracott (Peter Mullan), a poor, hard-drinking Devonshire farmer with a gimpy leg -- a souvenir of his service in the Boer War -- sinks his family's precious savings into the purchase of a thoroughbred colt, all in order to pique his landlord Lyons (David Thewlis). Unknown to Ted, his son Albert had been eyeing the horse from afar and is thrilled with his father's purchase, promising to train the animal himself and christening him Joey. And so the groundwork is laid for an extraordinary friendship -- these two become everything to each other, and that faith and trust in each other is what enables the pair to conquer mountains (or, as is the case in the film, plow a rock-strewn field). But when the crop fails, the only way to save the family farm is to sell Joey to the army, now preparing to head across the channel to Europe thanks to the recent declaration of war.

Before I touch on Joey's wartime experiences, I have to say that I think what interests me most about this film, and what works best, is the relationship between Ted and Albert. THIS is something that I wish had been explored in greater depth. It's obvious that Albert is devoted to his family, but Irvine shades his performance with jus the right touch of youthful frustration and shame. Frustrated with his father's drinking, with his constant struggles to provide for his family, Albert like so many of us at one point or another just doesn't get his father, sure he can do better. It isn't until his mother Rose (Emily Watson) reveals the cost of Ted's war service that we get an inkling of what made the dreamer the drinker he is today. Ted, for his part, wants to do better, wants to be more, but he's spent so long repressing his Boer experiences he doesn't know how, I think, to come out of that protective shell. Mullan's performance is really quite powerful in its restraint.

Through Joey's wartime experiences we witness the best and worst of humanity, all the more starkly drawn because our guide, the constant throughout each vignette, is an innocent animal. In my opinion the best aspect of this "second act" of the film are the war scenes the bookend Joey's experiences -- the beginning, when he's trained as a cavalry horse, one of a noble company full of honor and ideas about how this war will be fought, little realizing the crushing blow to come that will strip away those ideals and along with them, so very many lives. And the end of the war, full-blow trench warfare when Joey, and the men around him fighting are thrust, quite literally, into the middle of hell on earth. I am sure some will disagree with me, but I could've done without Joey's brief respite at the French Grandfather's (Niels Arestrup) farm with the horse-loving granddaughter Emilie (Celine Buckens). The forward-moving narrative slowed to a crawl during this scene, and the grandfather's later appearance, solely in order to throw a convenient wrench into Albert's attempts to buy back Joey, felt a little too contrived and unnecessary.

The advent of the war brings several familiar faces to the screen, namely Benedict Cumberbatch as the ill-fated Major Jamie Stewart and Tom Hiddleston as Joey's first soldier-owner, Captain Nicholls. While I love Cumberbatch (thank you for Sherlock), this sequence was all about Hiddleston (my appreciation for him has been well documented on this blog). He is ADORABLE. I loved how seriously Nicholls took his promise to Albert to watch over Joey, and it broke my heart when he was killed in the group's first charge. The concluding scenes of the war also featured several familiar faces, from Liam Cunningham as the Army doctor who treats Joey's wounded leg, to Pip Torrens as Major Tompkins, in charge of overseeing transport back to England after the Armistice, to Eddie Marsan as the hard-nosed Sgt. Fry, whose bluster hides a heart of gold.

As is the usual with Spielberg's period films, the attention to period detail is astounding. Every frame of film is a miniature work of art, from the sun-drenched, idyllic Devon countryside to horrifically realized trench scenes. There's a great deal of restraint in the war scenes -- this is not on an R-rated Saving Private Ryan level -- but nevertheless those sequences chilled me. I couldn't help but think of my father's stories about one of his uncles, who was a machine gunner during World War II, and who, much like Albert's father, could never talk about his wartime experiences. This was a war that changed everything, how the world fought and viewed combat, and was in many respects a great equalizer between the aristocratic officers and the "commoners" they commanded. I loved how the latter is realized in the understanding Albert reaches with David Lyons (Robert Emms), the previously insufferable son of his family's landlord, after saving his life in the trenches -- it was an extraordinarily well-done moment.

As the film ended, I found I wasn't focusing on Joey specifically as much as what Albert's homecoming would mean to his parents. Joey, Ted Narracott's one-time folly, the horse he purchased in a fit of pique -- that folly brings his son home -- and that may have been the film's most powerful moment for me. Because while so much had remained unspoken between those two characters, Albert's survival signals the possibility of a healing and a deeper understanding and appreciation between father and son. Whether or not the novel suggests that, whether or not that was intended I don't know -- but that to me is one of War Horse's most powerful moments. A father's folly brings his son home -- "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Though overly long, War Horse is a beautifully rendered film with many powerful moments -- definitely a worthwhile big-screen experience. (And film score fans -- John Williams has delivered yet another stunner with his work on this film -- that man is amazing.)

Midnight in Paris

I love it when a movie surprises me, and succeeds in exceeding all of my expectations and completely and utterly capturing my imagination. Surprisingly, Midnight in Paris is such a film. I say "surprising" because historically Woody Allen and I have not been the best of friends. Prior to Paris there was a grand total of two, yes two Allen films I could say I liked - The Purple Rose of Cairo and Scoop. Midnight in Paris blows past its slim competition in Allen's filmography, and indeed shoots past most of its contemporary competition to achieve the elusive mark of ultimate favor from me - that of a modern-day classic. This is one of those rare films that I can best describe by saying it "gets" me. This is a film that engaged me on all fronts, emotionally and intellectually, best experienced in a packed theater full of like-minded patrons who feel the exact same way.

Woody Allen gets me on that deep a level? Yes. Apparently so. File that under things I never thought I'd type. :)

Gil is a romantic, who longs to escape his hum-drum existence as a scriptwriter in Hollywood to pen a novel like his literary heroes who inhabited Paris in the 1920s - Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, etc. He's engaged to his complete opposite, Inez - a pretentious, nagging twit who has no understanding or sympathy for Gil's literary aspirations or romantic nature. In keeping with the theme of "firsts" for this movie, Gil is played by Owen Wilson, who is absolutely delightful, funny, and charming - and again, those are three adjectives I never thought I'd apply to that man. Wilson fills the requisite "Woody Allen" role with dash and endearing style, and if he would tap into this side of his acting personality more often I could be a huge fan. Rachel McAdams, as Inez, I can take or leave quite easily. I thought she was excellent in the Shakespearean-themed Slings and Arrows series, and later this year we'll get to see her take on Irene Adler in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (which sounds more like a video game than a film, but whatevs). She plays the incredibly clueless, annoying Inez really, really well. (I'm ignoring the oh-so-unsurprising Republican stereotyping mercifully and briefly employed vis-a-vis Inez's parents.)

I was an English major in college, and this film actually succeeded in making me really and truly miss school, homework and deadlines and all. Midnight in Paris is a lit lover's dream come true. Whether or not you cherish the works of Fitzgerald and Hemingway, their own special brand of genius and impact on literature cannot be denied. Watching Gil geek out over meeting his writing heroes is like the ultimate in English major wish fulfillment, simply imagine yourself in his shoes, standing opposite a favorite author, and voila, the magic of Midnight in Paris is instantly personalized.

The soundtrack to this world is glorious. Allen had the good taste to liberally sprinkle the soundtrack with Cole Porter songs - the man is a absolute favorite of mine, so witty and urbane and intelligent. The song choices and instrumental pieces provide a glorious soundscape for Gil's time-tripping Parisian adventure.

One of the film's biggest charms is its characterization of literary and artistic giants like Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Picasso. While Adrien Brody was absolutely hilarious with his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of Dali, Corey Stoll, I think, stole the show with his interpretation of Ernest Hemingway. Dry, hilariously monotone, and just positively seething with an over-the-top, excessive sense of hyper-masculinity, Stoll just owned the screen as Hemingway. Which was good for Hemingway, because I have never been a big Hemingway fan...

F. Scott Fitzgerald, however, is another story, my friends. And this isn't just a Great Gatsby thing, Gatsby is all well and good but it's his short stories that make my heart sing. I absolutely wore out my reprint edition copy of Flappers and Philosophers. Anyways, if you've been around the blog for a while, you know I'm a ridiculously excitable Tom Hiddleston fangirl, and when he came on-screen as Fitzgerald I nearly jumped out of my chair. One has to admire the man's acting range - he covers Masterpiece fans with his turns in Cranford and Wallander, and comic book movie fans with utterly memorable, completely beguiling, loved-every-second-of-it turn as Loki in Thor (my review). Hiddleston and Alison Pill as Zelda did a superb job bringing a little slice of the Fitzgeralds' stormy, passionate relationship to life.

On his "accidental sojourns" into the past Gil meets Adriana (Marion Cotillard), one of Picasso's on-again, off-again lovers. The two instantly click, in no small part due to the fact that they are both die-hard romantics by nature. Cotillard positively shines as Adriana. She looks as though she were made to inhabit 1920s Paris (just one way of saying she is class personified) - her turn in Public Enemies (my review) also proves her affinity for the period - and Allen plays up her etheral beauty to great effect, making it easy to see how she captivates Gil from the moment they meet.* I loved Cotillard's appearance in Inception (my review), and I'm really looking forward to seeing her in The Dark Knight Rises next year.

*The scene where Gil tries to hide the fact that he was going to give Adriana a pair of Inez's earrings was comedy GOLD. Also, while I'm on the subject of Gil and women, his scenes with Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) are wonderful. Blunt, forthright, and brassy, Bates was wonderful in the role.

Unlike Gil and to his ever-lasting shock, Adriana does not hold the belief that her time is a golden age. She longs to live in the Paris of the 1890s, when artists like Edgar Degas (Francois Rostain) and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Vincent Menjou Cortes) frequented the Moulin Rouge and restaurants like Maxim's, a gathering place for the glittering social and artistic elite of the day. It was a real treat to see this film's recreation of Maxim's, as my first filmic introduction to that famous address was in the 1958 film Gigi.

It's only after Gil follow's Adriana into her dream world that he realizes living in the past isn't all its cracked up to be (i.e., a lack of vaccinations in 1890s Paris). Living with one's eyes completely on the past blinds one to the charms of the present, and strips the era in question of its uniqueness and beauties. Balance is the key, and it's a concept that Allen beautifully articulates on-screen. Midnight in Paris knows what makes nostalgia lovers like me tick. We can't recapture a golden age, but we can love it and appreciate it, and through that appreciation enrich our present.

As Gil discovers, it's best not to live in one's dreams, you might say, but to use those dreams to enrich one's present - and when one finds like-minded souls that share the same passions, so much the better, no? :) I was excited to see Gabrielle, a fellow Cole Porter aficionado, played by Lea Seydoux, last seen as Isabella in Robin Hood (my review) and later this year in Mission Impossible.

I adored every second of this movie. Midnight in Paris is a film for dreamers, a love letter to romantics, a rare movie-going experience for lit lovers to savor. Packed with glorious shots of Paris, past and present, to savor, gorgeous costumes and period detail, top-notch acting, and hilarious one-liners, get thee to a theater to see Midnight in Paris ASAP. If you need more convincing, read Rachel's fantastically articulate take on the film at a Fair Substitute for Heaven.

Thor

I have clearly underestimated the hold Kenneth Branagh has on my psyche. When the Thor trailer was released a few months ago, all I could do was laugh. Odin repossessing THE HAMMER cracks me up. But when I discovered that Tom Hiddleston played a major role in this movie, and Rachel kept reminding me of the Branagh Factor, and Kaye kept exclaiming CHRIS HEMSWORTH!!, I decided I had to go. After all, my dad is extremely proud of his Danish Viking heritage, so this movie is practically a cultural necessity in my life.

Growing up, movies like The Vikings, starring Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas, were regularly viewed - after all, when you stop and think about it, there really aren't all that many movies out there that center on Viking types (TRAGIC OVERSIGHT, HOLLYWOOD!). So, given the fact that Odin in a major player in Thor got me to thinking about all of the times people scream for "ODIN!!!!" in The Vikings. Thankfully for you, some kind soul on YouTube uploaded this priceless montage:



You're welcome for that. :) So, now's the point I tell you that yes, there are times when Thor really is as cheesy as those clips. But I really liked it nonetheless. :)

So as a kid I was a big Justice League girl, and didn't really know anything about Marvel's The Avengers until the Iron Man movies came out, and I developed this thing for Tony Stark, and talk of any Avengers film began to take shape. Now, I have very little knowledge of Thor's comic-book background. In fact, even after seeing this movie I have got to say he still strikes me as an odd superhero to stand alongside the likes of more - mortal or self-made, I guess is the classification I'm looking for - superheroes like Iron Man and Captain America. If anything he's more of a Superman type.


"Do you like my hammer?"

Branagh's film is a sort of mash-up of Superman and Clash of the Titans (alternating between the original and the much cooler, more watchable remake). It's impossible not to think of Olympus when viewing this film's glossy, star-strewn recreation of Asgard, the headquarters of the Norse gods. There's lots of sturm und drang in the Asgard universe, as Odin's sworn enemies THE FROST GIANTS OF JOTUNHEIM (yes, really) conduct a successful raid on the Asgardian stronghold. This does not go over well with Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Odin's (Anthony Hopkins) heir-apparent, who wants to go and remind the Jotuns who's boss. Daddy Odin does not approve, as he wishes his firstborn would show a little more prudence and realize that kings should not simply go around knocking in the heads of anyone who looks at them cross-eyed. But since Thor thinks he knows best, he takes his crew - brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the "warriors three" (wait for it) - Fandral the Dashing (Josh Dallas), Hogun the Grim (Tadanobu Asano), and Volstagg the Volumunous (Ray Stevenson, who's playing Porthos in the upcoming The Three Musketeers) - and the warrior maiden Sif (Jaime Alexander) to "talk" to the Jotuns, and to make a long story short, things don't go well and Odin has to ride in to save the day.

Hoping to teach his arrogant, cocky, jolly Viking princeling some humility, Odin strips Thor of his godlike powers, which are all wrapped up in the gigantic hammer named MJOLNIR (yes really), and exiles him to Earth. There he runs into (literally) Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), a brilliant scientist type researching the idea of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge (which I know all about thanks to season four of Eureka), and finds Thor's abs a bit distracting. Her colleague, Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) finds Thor's delusions of Norse god grandeur a bit troubling, and knows an awful lot about S.H.I.E.L.D., the mysterious federal agency he's understably wary of butting heads with. There's also a plucky graduate student assistant sidekick, Darcy (Kat Dennings), who provides occasional moments of comic relief (in addition to the Vikingish shenanigans, mind). They must all band together as Thor seeks to recover his powers, care about others, and save mankind and the Nine Realms from his crazy brother Loki (who, SHOCKER!!, isn't really his brother). I LOVE FAMILY DRAMA IN SUPERHERO MOVIES!

Anthony Hopkins was awesome as Odin - if you want to lend a movie with a potentially ridiculous superhero gravitas, clearly it is necessary to cast someone like Hopkins in the mentor role. And I have to give a shout-out to Rene Russo as Thor's momma, Frigga, because that is a flipping awesome name. If you don't get to do much in Asgard, well the name more than makes up for it.

The only thing I've seen Chris Hemsworth in prior to Thor is his brief appearance as Kirk's father in the last Star Trek (and sadly for him, he didn't even merit a mention in my review). Physically he fits the role of Thor perfectly, but I have to admit that for the first hour or so I was a little worried he was only capable of brawn, and entirely lacking in brain cells. But as the film progresses and Thor is humbled and becomes willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others, the character actually became a superhero I rather cared about. And really at the end of the day what's not to like about a guy who can pull of a dashing red cape with such aplomb? Anyways - as is the norm with Branagh's films, Thor is liberally sprinkled with light comic touches, and Hemsworth reveals a decent aptitude for comedy, especially playing the straight man in all of Thor's "fish out of water" scenes as he learns Earth ways (like how to order a second cup of coffee). Incidentally, Hemsworth is the brother of Liam, who made a good impression on me last year in The Last Song. Talented family. :)

I was a little worried Natalie Portman's Jane might prove annoying, but Portman seems to be having fun with the role and she's always struck me as being highly intelligent, so she fits her character's occupation rather well. She and Hemsworth have some decent on-screen chemistry (really I would worry about Portman if she didn't with Hemsworth! *wink*), and I really got a kick out of Jane's reaction to Thor's chivalrous language and rather "courtly" demeanor, especially when he kisses her hand (twice! what a lost art! *swoon*). And I loved the fact that Jane's the one who kisses him at the end of the movie - and the ending, oh the diehard romantic sap in me LOVED it. Separated by a broken wormhole, a desolate Thor is assured by the stoic gatekeeper Heimdall (Idris Elba) that his lady-love has not forgotten him and is working tirelessly to find a way to Asgard. *swoon again* I'm convinced only Branagh could've successfully directed such a gloriously over-the-top romantic lovers-across-time-and-space moment like it.

Tom Hiddleston proves to be a frankly inspired casting choice as Loki. He's lean to Hemsworth's brawn, and his angular features and lithe appearance fit the role of "god of mischief" PERFECTLY. Hiddleston should be a familiar face to Masterpiece fans (and blog readers), as I loved him in Return to Cranford and Wallander. Hiddleston to his everlasting credit is wholly believable right from the start of the film - he really seems to relish playing the conflicted, over-looked second son and bad guy, and isn't at all put off by the ridiculous headgear he gets to sport for the climatic fight with Thor. Speaking of the fight, please, for the love of all that's good and holy in comic book movieland, please work on Thor's flying skills for The Avengers. Because I did not like finally getting to a place where I could take Thor (relatively) seriously, only to be forcibly reminded of Superman circa-1978 when he started to glide...I mean fly. AWKWARD.

One of my favorite characters from the Iron Man movies is Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) from S.H.I.E.L.D. Gregg is amazing, he brings whole new, delightful levels of snarkiness and sarcasm to the screen, like his exchange with a captured Thor after the god's failed attempt to retrieve his hammer - Coulson is equal parts disgusted by the ease with which Thor dispatched his agents and intrigued. I just love how Coulson is completely unflappable by pretty much anything (except perhaps Asgard's Destroyer, which is sort of like Iron Man without the man inside). I want to write the man an ode. Heck, I want a whole movie dedicated to Agent Coulson's background and how he came to be involved in S.H.I.E.L.D. During the S.H.I.E.L.D. scenes, look for a brief Jeremy Renner cameo - I'm so, SO happy Renner is going to be appearing in The Avengers as Hawkeye next year.

2nd gratuitous Agent Coulson pic!

The more I think about it, the more I realize it's glaringly apparent Branagh was the perfect choice to direct a film on the origins of a superhero from Norse mythology. No man-made superhero would do for Branagh - something about tapping into ancient Norse gods just screams for Branagh's flair for Shakespearean drama. He keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, and injects a healthy dose of humor into the film to keep things interesting. I was thrilled that once again he worked with longtime musical collaborator Patrick Doyle, who provides a gorgeous, epic score.

(Side note: I couldn't decide which poster I preferred. Thoughts?) Thor was an unexpectedly fun diversion, and I'm looking forward even more to Captain America's release in July. Little beats a good comic book movie for for a thoroughly entertaining summertime diversion. Thor delivers in spades with an old-fashioned adventure movie sensibility, lots of humor and heart, and an entertaining myth arc (and goodness knows I love a good myth arc and heroic journey rife with sacrifice and angst). If you've seen the film, I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)

Wallander: The Fifth Woman

Wallander concluded its superb second season on Masterpiece Mystery with The Fifth Woman. Now, I read a few reviews here and there on the internet expressing some dissatisfaction with this episode - apparently it deviates somewhat from the original Mankell novel. However, as I mentioned in a previous Wallander review post, I'm not familiar at all with the books, so I really enjoy viewing these films with no foreknowledge of the storylines. If the filmmakers made significant changes in this adaptation, I'm rather glad I didn't know - because I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I know I say every time that Kenneth Branagh is brilliant, but this episode is the crowning jewel of his acting during this season - it's quite the experience. Here's the story summary for this episode from the PBS website:

A bird-watcher falls to his painful death while being observed by a masked figure. A florist with a violent past has gone missing, stains of blood spotting the floor in his orchid-lined shop. Inspector Kurt Wallander (Kenneth Branagh) is torn between two disparate murders while dealing with one harsh and heartbreaking reality — the demise of his father. When another victim is found, it is clear that a serial killer is at work in Ystad. It is one of Wallander's most personal and harrowing cases — one that will even bring him into an unexpected kinship with a killer. The Fifth Woman is based on the novel by international bestseller Henning Mankell. (One episode; 90 minutes, TV-PG)

This episode opens with a heart-breaking preview of what's to come. Wallander is visiting his ailing father, Povel (David Warner), in the nursing home - for the first time in ages Wallander has appeared relatively healthy and functional when in the same room as his dad. Throughout the series their relationship has been highly volatile - tragically the two were more often at odds than not. But Branagh always made sure that as viewers we knew Wallander wanted to get this father/son thing right - he wants to have close relationships, he's just never sure how to make them work, or make the relatively good times last. Povel wants to go home to die, and Kurt obliges, little realizing that his father's death is imminent.

At the same time Wallander is trying to deal with - or suppress, depending on how you look at it - his father's death, a serial killer seems to be at work in Ystad. Two men, seemingly unconnected, are murdered in brutal, public ways. That has to be one of the most awful things in the world to try and fathom - the apparent, vicious randomness of it all. But of course there's a connection - Wallander just has to find it. One of the cases introduces a tantalizing possibility into Wallander's life - he meets a woman. But can it possibly work in our highly dysfunctional detective's life?! Oh the stress! *sigh* Vanja (Saskia Reeves) is the secretary and one-time lover of one of the murdered men. I love watching Branagh's face when the two first meet on-screen - there's this little spark, this little breath that lets you know how interested he is - but it's been so long he's not sure what to do with those feelings.

As Wallander tries to work the murder cases, he ends up interviewing several family members and acquaintances of the victims - it's interesting to see him probe their grief as he attempts to work through his feelings about his father's death. The murdered men were, by all accounts, difficult at the very least - in that respect similar to Kurt's father. He really struggles trying to figure out exactly how he's "supposed" to feel about the whole situation - the key of course being, I think, that sometimes you just need to be, you know, and *try* not to overanalyze everything, or as Kurt often does, repress it all. Povel's final words to his son were an admonishment to "find someone to sit with him," since no one can or should do life on their own. There's an hilarious moment when Kurt decides getting a dog will do for him - silly man. *sigh*

So, on to the crimes. Three unconnected men have been murdered, and all had a penchant for violence and abuse towards the women in their lives. The break comes when Vanja recognizes a photograph of the third victim's latest lover - it turns out all the men were related by their relationship to a group of women, including Vanja, who belonged to the same support group for abused women. It was at this point in the film that all of the pieces fell into place with absurd ease - the perpetrator wasn't just telegraphed, her name was put up in flashing neon lights. But the crimes weren't really the point of this story - it's why they were committed that's really fascinating, and it's the reason this case has the potential to be a major turning point in Wallander's life. I like the way the summary on the PBS website phrases this - "Thinking about the death of his own father, Wallander recognizes that grief can be drenched in guilt" - and this proves to be an unexpected bond with the murderer.

I desperately hope that Wallander is back for a third series next year. I really, really want to see more of the Kurt that Kenneth Branagh gives us in this episode - the Kurt that confronts his rawest, most painful emotions and finds the courage to set the past aside and take tentative steps into the future. The Kurt who decides that maybe, just maybe, he isn't so damaged that he could never be in a relationship again. Kurt and Vanja's scenes are quite simply a delight to watch. Both of them are so damaged by the past, they carry so much baggage between them, but you don't see that when the two of them are on-screen together. Instead, you see hope. Fantastic acting and on-screen chemistry by both Branagh and Reeves. Wallander goes from still wearing his wedding ring and awkwardly dealing with his ex-wife and daughter (Jeany Spark) at Povel's funeral to leaving his ring at Povel's headstone, symbolically laying that part of his life to rest with his father. Oh, and I have to tell you how much I LOVED the fact that Vanja had one of Povel's paintings in her apartment. At that moment you can see Kurt receive his father's blessing; it's as if he could hear Povel say this is all I've wanted for you, a bit of peace. Such a beautiful moment, and it's a fitting capstone to the most emotionally wrenching yet emotionally satisfying episode of the series to date. I look forward to the show's return.

To those blog readers who could care less about Wallander, thank you for sticking with me as I've tried to catch up on my reviews of this show. I'll try to shake things up over the next few posts. :)

*Random aside - Sadly I don't really have anything to say about Magnus (Tom Hiddleston) in this review, but doesn't he look positively de-lish in the photo? Love ya, Tom. :)

Wallander: The Man Who Smiled

Wallander's second series continued with the episode, The Man Who Smiled, earlier this season on Masterpiece Mystery. This was another superb entry in this second season. Following the events in Faceless Killers, Kurt has left the police force indefinitely after killing a man in the line of duty for the first time in his career. Here's the story summary from the PBS website:

Gustaf Torstensson quietly chants "Mea culpa, mea culpa," as he drives to his death. His son Sten Torstensson, a friend of Inspector Kurt Wallander (Kenneth Branagh), begs the detective to investigate the suspicious case — Wallander is his last hope. But hope has all but drained from Wallander's life, as he's now on indefinite leave from his work and has been all but forgotten after enduring an on-the-job trauma. When Sten is found dead, an apparent suicide, Wallander is drawn back to inquire. The clues and suspects are provocative enough — postcards with death threats, a respected and reviled philanthropist working in Africa and a former cop tormented by his own personal demons. But Wallander's reentry is an uneasy one, and even as the case comes together, his fragile stability and increasingly questionable judgment are severely tested. Rupert Graves guest stars in The Man Who Smiled, based on the novel by international bestseller Henning Mankell. (One episode; 90 minutes, TV-PG)

Branagh's acting once again absolutely shines in this episode. When the story opens, Wallander is on indefinite medical leave, staying at a solitary seaside inn. (Personally, if I was the woman who owned that inn, I'd be extraordinarily depressed having a "guest" as "cheery" as Wallander around 24/7. Just sayin'.) He's not sure if he can rejoin the land of the living, or if he's even willing to try, until he gets a visit from an old lawyer friend asking him to look into his father's death - supposedly a tragic car accident, but he doesn't buy it. It's fascinating to watch the push-pull of emotion play across Branagh's face during these scenes. Wallander might want to deny the fact that he was born to be a police officer, but the overwhelming pull to uncover the truth, to help a friend, is such an integral part of him that it cannot be denied. The cost of Kurt's professionalism on his family is not easy to put into words. His father, Povel (David Warner), is in the last stages of Alzheimer's, and his daughter Linda (Jeany Spark) is understandably frustrated that everyone else seems to be a priority for Kurt except his family.

The subsequent scenes where Wallander returns to his house and attempts to re-establish something close to "normal" life is quiet eye-opening - it really drives home how personally empty Kurt's life really is. No one's been paying the utility bills, so he has no electricity, and his refrigerator is a disgusting repository for all sorts of new varieties of mold. And when bird crap falls on the hood of his car right in front of him? Well, it's a funny scene but it's also a pretty sad statement about his life in general. Kurt's also battling an addiction to what I assume are painkillers - Branagh plays those scenes brilliantly. The pull of addiction and the equally painful pull to resist it all openly play over his features and every mannerism in achingly painful detail. Wallander's personal struggles to just function day-to-day are really the crux of this episode and the most fascinating part of the story for me.

As Wallander attempts to re-enter the police force, he has to contend with some professional tension, mainly from Magnus (Tom Hiddleston). Magnus was the lead officer on the car-related death, and he doesn't even try to mask his annoyance when Kurt returns, with no warning, and starts trying to shoot holes in his case. This was an interesting angle for the filmmakers to touch on - I've always sort of viewed Magnus as Kurt's protege, and of course it can be a very touchy situation when someone in his position is trying to branch out and establish themselves, only to have to admit they don't know everything (yet, anyway). For the most part, Magnus handles Kurt's re-entry into his professional life with fairly good grace, though Hiddleston does have some priceless facial expressions that flash whenever he's especially exasperated with Kurt.

The stakes escalate when both of a wealthy philanthropist's legal representatives end up dead (one of them being the friend who'd attempted to get Kurt to investigate his father's death earlier). The philanthropist, Alfred Harderberg, is played by Rupert Graves, who can currently be seen in the first season of Sherlock as Inspector Lestrade. At first blush, Harderberg is as much of a potential victim as his legal counsel - all three of them had received threats. Harderberg is deeply involved in a foundation he established in Africa - if everything he's doing is so good, why the threats? This is a role that really plays to Graves's ability to be creepy on-screen. Harderberg's smooth-talking, philanthropic exterior masks the heart of a cold-blooded, money hungry killer. The name of this episode couldn't be more fitting - "the man who smiled" turns out to be absolutely, chillingly, soulless.

Wallander has a potential "in" for investigating Harderberg - his head of security is a former police officer names Anders, who was kicked off the force after killing an innocent bystander during a car chase. Anders is played by Vincent Regan, who has appeared in a couple of good programs, from Miss Marple to ShakespeaRe-Told. Kurt's relationship with Anders is an interesting one. Both men have killed people while on duty - however, Kurt gets a pass, if you will, because the death he was involved in was self-defense. The film makes clear, though, that the effects of each death were equally devastating on both Anders and Kurt. Both men have been through nearly identical shock and grieving processes, but it's clear that Anders clearly envies Kurt, because Kurt has a way back "in," the chance to continue to do the work he was born to do, but he must choose to accept that opportunity.

As the investigation progresses, Kurt discovers that Harderberg's foundation is merely a front for selling organs "harvested" from those he claims to help in Africa. While most of the paperwork was in the names of Harderberg's lawyers (which is why the were silenced), Anders is able to provide Kurt with hard proof - after all, who's going to view a has-been cop as a threat? This case provides Anders with a shot at redemption, a way "back in," though he pays for it with his life. It's also the impetus that drives Kurt to fully embrace his life as a police officer - he can't run from his job anymore than he can stop breathing. When he answers his office phone in the final scene I can't help but cheer. Branagh is brilliant in these final scenes and as far as I'm concerned deserves any acting accolades he gets for his performance in this series. (I will say I thought the scriptwriters pulled a pretty good bait-and-switch with Anders's character - up until the end I wasn't sure whether or not he'd turn out to be one of the good guys.)

This season of Wallander reminds me of Joseph Campbell and his definition of the hero's journey (separation, initiation, and return). The over-arching theme of this season is whether or not Wallander can accept his destiny to be a policeman. The events at the end of Faceless Killers sent Kurt running from his calling, but the case of The Man Who Smiled brings Kurt face-to-face with his demons, ready to face his future with renewed focus and purpose. It remains to be seen in the third installment whether or not Kurt will win a decisive victory... :)

Wallander: Faceless Killers

Poor Wallander got the short end of the stick on the blog this year, I’m afraid. Due to time constraints and various other issues that came up when Series II aired a few weeks ago on Masterpiece Mystery, I was unable to review the episodes as they aired. Now that Series II is on DVD, I’m hoping to rectify that situation. Better late than never, right? Last year Wallander was a great surprise. Thanks to some less than intriguing (in my view at any rate) previews, I’d nearly made the mistake of writing off the show entirely despite my long-time appreciation of lead actor Kenneth Branagh. Thankfully, I didn’t make that mistake – Wallander is the perfect vehicle for Branagh’s acting talents, and the stories are wholly absorbing. The first episode of Series II was ominously entitled Faceless Killers. Here’s the story summary from the PBS website:

An elderly couple is brutally assaulted in their rural farmhouse. As Swedish inspector (Kenneth Branagh) arrives at the horrific scene, he holds the old woman as she dies, shouting to her one final, urgent question — "Who did this?" She sounds out something that could be "farmer" or maybe "foreigner." But is Wallander reading into it? Is he swayed by his struggle to relate to his daughter's new boyfriend of Syrian descent? The press takes hold of the foreigner angle, inciting swift and deadly retribution against local migrant workers. But there is more to the case — a potential mistress, a lost son and a large sum of money. Wallander's inquiry takes him deep into his own damaged psyche, forcing him to examine and question his own motives before he can even begin to understand those of a killer. Faceless Killers is based on the novel by international bestseller Henning Mankell. (One episode; 90 minutes, TV-PG)

The opening scene of this episode has to be one of the most chilling in the series. An elderly farming couple, Joannes and Maria Lovgren, appear to be enjoying a quiet meal when they’re interrupted by two masked intruders. Maria’s final scream, as the camera cuts away, is positively blood-curdling. When Wallander is called to the crime scene from a dinner with his daughter, Linda (Jeany Spark, due to appear in this week's upcoming Sherlock episode!) and her new boyfriend, Jamal (Arsher Ali), he’s just in time to hear Maria’s final words. “Fffff….” – was she trying to say “farmer,” or “foreigner”? Could Wallander be projecting his own struggle over his latest war of words with his daughter, whose boyfriend is a doctor of Syrian heritage – a fact that surprised the detective, and awakened possible prejudices within him that he didn’t know he had, much less wanted to admit to or risk projecting on a case. Though Wallander refuses to commit to the possibility that Maria may have been muttering “foreigner” with her dying breath, the potential lead is leaked to the media and soon the police are dealing with an overwhelming tide of anti-immigrant sentiment. Now the overworked, stressed Wallander must try to stop revenge killings while attempting close the Lovgren case, which proves more complex than originally thought.

I have no idea how faithful these films are to the original source material, the crime novels of Henning Mankell. In fact, I’d never even heard of Mankell until Wallander premiered on Masterpiece Mystery last year. In a way I’m quite grateful for my lack of pre-knowledge about the storylines, because that allows me to approach each entry in this series with fresh eyes. The stories and character backgrounds are utterly unknown to me, so watching Wallander’s character develop over the course of this series has been a fantastic, completely absorbing treat. I do have a feeling that those with insider knowledge would probably argue that this show is a case of the Brits “doing” Swedish culture, but for me there’s enough of a difference in mood, setting, and presentation to make Wallander stand out from typical British mystery fare. The sense of atmosphere created by the filmmakers is superb – moody, creepy, and absorbing. And whether or not this version of Kurt Wallander is wholly faithful to the original novels, I absolutely love Kenneth Branagh in this show and I really feel like he was born to play this character. After every episode I feel emotionally drained, because it’s impossible not to feel like I’ve just watched a great actor pour every ounce of his heart and soul into the role.

When this episode initially aired on Masterpiece, I watched it with my mom, and we both commented on how the migrant worker aspect of the storyline felt so relevant given how that discussion has figured in the news for the last few years. It was quite eye-opening to see tension like that play out in another country, albeit within a fictional framework. Neither of us had any idea that Sweden had a vibrant Middle Eastern population, with a significant portion of those individuals apparently working as migrant workers on farms. I thought the way that Wallander tried to work through his flash of prejudice when he meets Linda’s boyfriend, and subsequently through the investigation, was handled quite honestly and realistically. Wallander is, at his core, a man who strives to constantly do good, to bring some justice to his little corner of the world. The idea that he unconsciously harbored any sort of racial prejudice horrifies him, and his reaction is quite raw, and if you let it, I think could provoke some interesting moments of self-reflection.

It’s been a while since I’ve watched the first three Wallander episodes, so my memory may be hazy, but starting with Faceless Killers it was driven home to me in a fresh way that Wallander is a character so driven to matter, so desperate to run from his inner demons that it may kill him. He’s more than good at his job, he’s brilliant, but he drowns in his work at the expense of the relationships that might just provide a salve for his wounded heart. Wallander’s relationship with his father continues to be strained as Povel’s (David Warner) Alzheimer’s continues to worsen. This ongoing aspect to the series will absolutely break one’s heart. Wallander and his father, an artist, apparently have never been able to see eye-to-eye on much of anything. But it’s obvious that Wallander cares about his father and wants to do the right thing by him, but he’s so emotionally crippled, both personally and professionally, that for every step forward he takes ten steps back (at least!).
And then there’s Wallander’s tumultuous relationship with his daughter, Linda. Branagh and Spark play brilliantly off each other each time they appear on-screen – which, quite frankly, isn’t often enough to suit me. I can’t remember exactly how long Wallander’s been divorced since the series started, but he’s continued to wear his wedding ring. There’s a part of him that refuses to let go of that piece of his past, as if by desperately holding on to the symbol of his now-defunct marriage he can somehow be a better man and father. I have to give the character of Linda a lot of credit for not shutting her father completely out of her life. She’s not always as patient as I’d like to see, given how fractured her dad is, but they both continue to try. Their relationship rather encapsulates a recurring theme of the series – life may continue to knock you down, but never stop trying, because there’s always hope, even though it may be barely a glimmer in the distance.

Between his personal and professional issues, this case brings Wallander to the breaking point. It’s interesting to see how his unraveling affects how his coworkers view and interact with him. The closest thing Wallander has to a friend is Nyberg, played by Richard McCabe. It’s not a huge role, but I love how McCabe really “gets” Wallander, and knows how to ask the right questions, and to keep trying, until he can get his friend to open up. My absolute favorite member of Wallander’s team is Magnus, played by Tom Hiddleston. I fell hard for Hiddleston when he appeared in Return to Cranford, so I was looking forward to his reappearance in Wallander. Magnus is an interesting character – I view him as Wallander’s heir or protégé. He seems to respect Wallander, but he’s not above getting frustrated with his personality and methods. Magnus is one character that I’d definitely like to see more developed in future episodes.

I thought the final scenes of Faceless Killers were superb, and exercise in brilliant acting and staging. The Lovgren case, and the violence that horrific act birthed, brought Wallander to the absolute brink. He thinks he can’t take it anymore, so our brilliant detective walks. What a cliffhanger! It would be a worthy season finale, but since there are two more episodes in this season, I can promise you Wallander’s journey back from the brink of this breakdown is riveting viewing. More to come...

• Read heidenkind's thoughts on Faceless Killers.
• Read Vic's thoughts on Wallander's second series at Jane Austen's World.