Office Space (1999)

 "The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy. It's that I just don't care."

It's a shame I waited so damn long to see this film. So long, in fact, that the office life it depicts is not really that of the present generation with its working from home, no office dress code and less use of printers.

This is, simply put, brilliant. It's interesting that this is the year before The Office and ploughs similar ground- albeit through the delightfully twisted mind of Mike "underappreciated because a lot of his stuff is animation" Judge. Yet it's extraordinary how low budget this film is, and how- Jennifer Aniston aside, for 'tis the 90s- there is so little star wattage. This film stands or falls by whether or not it's funny. And it is, by God.

We've all been Peter. I certainly was, circa 2003 to '05, only without the embezzlement, or the cubicles, which seem to be very much an American thing. But the petty office jealousies over things like staplers ring very true. And I love the concept of Peter ceasing to give a crap about work and suddenly finding his career in the ascendant; alas, the world isn't quite like that. 

The period details have dated. But the underlying points haven't. The gentle digs at the "I can't be bothered to pronounce your name" racism directed at Samir rings true. So do all those annoying microaggressions of management. Fortunately I'm now promoted just far enough for that not to be a part of my life, but I've certainly been there.

This film is exquisite. Watch it. And be glad it isn't 1999 any more.

Masters of the Universe: Revelations- The Poisoned Chalice

 "Cry havoc and let slip these cogs of war!"

I was going to blog The Boys tonight, as I like to alternate. Alas, I'm pushed for time, so the shorter alternative it is.

This is another brilliant episode, shattering the staus quo of an old early '80s filmastion cartoon by removing the reset button and introducing an arc, an ever-changing status quo and a milieu in which any character can die- as Tri-Klops (Henry Rollins!) says, we are no longer in an era of Skeletor's repeated absurd and moribund plans. We're all fortysomethings now, after all.

At firt, it seems as though we have a story of the week to introduce a new staus quo as Teela and her new friend, some time having passed, work as mercenaries. We get a whiff of Stinkor, played by Jay of "and Silent Bob" fame.

We also get a fascinating elaboration of the backstory. Magic is dying, as in Visionaries. Tri-Klops is leading a cult of cyborg technology, complete with body horror transformations. Eternia was the first planet, and both it will rot without magic. A newly cynical Teela, and Andra, must quest for the two halves of the sword of power, in Heaven and Hell. With Evil Lyn. 

The plot thickens, deepens and becomes more interesting. This is such a fresh take. I love it.

Masters of the Universe: Revelations- The Power of Grayskull

 "You can't tend a garden without pulling a few weeds..."

Obviously I was never going to blog the original '80s cartoon. Xennial that I am, and as important Masters of the Universe was to my primary school days as well as those of ever other little boy born in 1977 or thereabouts, I prefer to leave such never-ending cartoons with their big red reset buttons out of the blog. There wouldn't be anything of substance to write about, and I'm no druggie.

This, however, is quite another prospect. For some reason, after blogging more that 750 films, I've never got round to  doing any by Kevin Smith, but in my twenties I was a massive fan of Jay and Silent Bob. His involvement makes this a must-blog.

And it doesn't disappoint. We begin by leaning into the nostalgia, with the introductory art even deliberately homaging the art style of those little comic books  you used to get with the toys. It shows us all our favourite characters being themselves, wallowing in nostalgia, although having a bit of metatextual fun with the catchphrases.

And then, magnificently, it punctures everything as surely as Adam punctures Orko's semi-metaphorical bubble.We learn the secrets of Castle Grayskull- and the whole edifice is a massive exercise in misdirection, to distract Skeletor from what lies beneath- the lair of the Elders, and the Orb that is the source of Eternia's magic and, apprarently, creation itself. At last, as reflected in the dialogue, Skeletor's endless failures are over. At last, as Skeletor sardonically remarks, He-Man finally uses his famous sword to seemingly kill his nemesis. The narrative rules are ended, and that big red reset button is destroyed, never to be pressed again.

The first to die is obscure (and smelly!) goodie Moss Man, but He-Man and Skeletor soon die and, in a dramatic- and perhaps too sudden- final scene, it all collapses as the King and Queen learn simulaneusly that their son was He-Man and that he is dead. Randor's, er, rancour, his banishing of Duncan and Teela's own outburst are perhaps a little too much to accept, even with this stellar cast, bt it all feels so fresh, and Masters of the Universe is at last unpredictable. Hooray.

If one must wallow in nistalgia, one must at least do something new and interesting with it, and upset all the right people. So far Kevn smith certainly seems to be doing that.

True Blood: Plaisir d'Amour

"There's vampire in your cleavage..."

Apparently Bill is in trouble with Eric, "sheriff of area 5", for killing Longshadow while saving Sookie, which means he has to go on trial and stuff. This is dodgy. Why are vampires on the cusp of legality and civil rights of they presume to operate an entirely parallel legal system? If I were Sookie then I would simply tell Eric that, if he has a problem, he should simply call the police- and, if he doesn't, call them herself. Simples.

Ok, perhaps realistically that wouldn't help now, I grant you, but the State simply can't tolerate this in the long term.

Meanwhile, Amy and her himbo bitch Jason are keeping Eddie in the basement, milking him for blood like a cow while they have trippy hippy sex. Tara is being treated little better, beating charged $800 for some deeply unpleasant quack "exorcism". Oh, and someone has killed Sookie's cat when she gets home. So, you know, all sweetness and light.

But, as the series is nearing its end, things inevitably get worse. Tara dumps Sam out of nothing but self-loathing. Eddie tells Jason his life story, and it's a tragic one: it's clear that vampires, as a minority, can be a metaphor for sexual orientation rather than race and, tragically, Eddie stillhasn't embraced his true self as a vampire. And now it's too late.

We end with a big reveal- that dog that's been hanging around the bar is in fact Sam. Wow. Wasn't expecting that. This sublime series has such a capacity to shock and surprise.

True Blood: The Fourth Man in the Fire

"I don't think my boyfriend likes silver!"

Yeah, this is another good episode, let's just say that straight up. A lot of it consists of Amy's and Jason's trippy relationship, full of good sex, good drugs and bad vibes, especially when Amy gets Jason to help her kidnap Eddie, the rather docile vampiric source of Lafayett's supply, so they can presumably use him as a V-Juice cow until he dies. Lovely.

Bill isn't dead. Quelle surprise. And he makes quite an entrance. Cue lots of sex and a happy Sookie. Poor Tara isn't so happy, with her mother having swapped hardcore addiction to drink with a hardcore addition to religion, which she is pushing on to her daughter with appalling aggression. Poor Tara isn't having an easy time of it, and manages to mess up her ambiguously sexual relationship with Sam. Poor Tara.

We end with Sookie being summoned to (groan) "Fangtasia by the mysterious boss-man Eric, "sheriff of Area Five", who uses her to find out who's been embezzling money off him. She finds out who, but only at the cost of a perilous cliffhanger...

Oh, and a prediction: one of either Arlene or Rene will die before the wedding.