Reviews
The 4400 (2004)
Seasons 1-3 excellent, season 4 not worth a dime so far
My vote is based on seasons 1-3.
The show is brilliant, complete and amazingly written, with suspense and fast pacing, and everything so well thought-out it's pleasure to watch. Always surprising. I never knew what was going to happen next, on the plot level, and on the big questions level (good vs. evil) I never knew who exactly was bad and who was good. They managed to include never-before-seen POVs of everyone around: the heroes, the government, the 4400, the future - in other words, we had first-hand view from everyone around. That helped deepen the characters and make everything real-life complicated. And with no easy answers. Excellent.
In short, amazing television, I'd say it's better than anything I've seen so far, except maybe for Farscape and Babylon 5. No wonder it won all those Emmys.
Season 4, though? I won't even talk about it. It's just... well, just not worth your time. AT ALL. Same crap we see everywhere else.
Thankfully, seasons 1-3 are a complete and amazing story, and from what I can see from the show's credits, the creators and writers of the show did tell us a complete story - and then it all changed, because the people behind the show apparently went somewhere else. I don't know if it's the network or some other powers that be, but I'm really angry right now - they turned a very good show into a weak, overly sentimental and easily predictable caricature of itself. Goodbye 4400, you had a good run.
Ten Inch Hero (2007)
Touching, subtle and sunny... and I want the DVD!
Ten Inch Hero is a touching, elegant and sweet movie about people not quite so ordinary, and the masks they wear for each other without even knowing, without even wanting to. It's also a movie about tearing down the masks and - simply - finding what's really important.
The movie is worth watching at least several times. The dialog is witty and sharp, the plot elegantly constructed and absorbing, the music masterful (and funny, because it perfectly mirrors the plot and - surprisingly - brings comic relief in a few carefully chosen places), the filming beautiful and professional, and the actors good, funny and entirely believable.
Clea DuVall is, as usual, a quiet but very intense presence on the screen, yet the filmmakers don't let her steal the show entirely. Same goes for Jensen Ackles, the central "fun" character, who has quite a few superb moments that show both his comedic ability and enchanting subtlety. Alice Krige was a wonderful casting choice, and her presence (complimented by the music) transforms the scenes in funny and touching ways.
In other words, I want the DVD, and I want it right now!