levybob

I only recently learned to appreciate Billy Joel. I believe it was his 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant' that pushed me over the line to full appreciation of his talents. Before that I found his work derivative; sort of a copy of rock music genres of the past. And I'm not certain that that opinion was wholly incorrect. But I'm willing to say that Joel is a genius. And, since viewing the documentary of his career, a tortured one, at that.

And so I strongly recommend the film to anyone with even the smallest curiosity or opinion. It will be well worth your time. If nothing else, the film links much of Joel's music to the life he was leading at the time. Be it 'Angry Young Man' or 'Just the Way you Are', these songs describe life passages Joel was passing through. A life emotion-filled to the brim.

Finally, I never found Joel to be a particularly likable person; 'selfish' and 'self centered' are terms that come to mind. And having now viewed his story I like him not much more. But the music and its ties to that personality more than makes up for his personal shortcomings.

Enjoy.

Spike Lee's 'Highest to Lowest' is shockingly bad. For its first hour the viewer is bored to death by lifeless conversations and emotion-free reactions to horrible events. But then there comes the second hour during which, whatever drama might exist gets lost behind a blaring concert with Eddie Palmieri, the concert intercut with the action sequences aboard a racing NYC subway train. I was tempted, during these sequences, to simply get up and leave.

And I should have. Because as the film progresses, as the tension is meant to mount, the viewer is again tossed out of the action by a background music track dead wrong for the moment; a tinkling piano riff as our hero David King (played by Denzel Washington) closes in on the villain. But here is the irony. This is a film about music. Denzel's character is a music mogul. He is the man with the best ears in the music industry. Too bad his character was not consulted about this film's score.

But that only begins to describe what's wrong with this film. The film concerns whether Denzel should pay a 17.5 million dollar ransom in order to free the son of his friend (played by Jeffrey Wright) from kidnappers. But there is not an ounce of emotion in any of the characters involved; not Denzel, not his wooden wife and oh-so-perfect son, not the police, not no one. They seemingly did not care. And if they don't care, Why should I? And I didn't. And that's not good. No. Not at all.

There is a second (sub-plot) story going on, one concerning whether Denzel's mogul should sell his record company. There were moments when it seemed mogul David was about to declare bankruptcy, at other times his resources seemed unlimited. But most important was this; the future of his music company seemed somehow linked with the kidnapping in ways that seemed contrived to say the least. Another way to say it: that David's heroics result in the increase in the company's record sales is flat-out absurd.

Denzel plays mogul David King as twitchy and cautious and suspicious and not especially likable. I believe we're intended to see him as a tough street-corner New York kid now an adult. But I didn't. I saw him only as who he is at present; as though he were placed full grown into the world. As for Jeffrey Wright as his friend/employee Paul, his was a role that called for more than Wright was able to give it. Or more than Director Lee could get from him.

If there is a 'star' in this film it is ASAP Rocky as 'Yung Felon' an aspiring rapper whose face-to-face with David King is the film's most stirring scene; one man just beginning the downside of his life, the other, younger and hungry, willing to do anything to anybody to make his mark.

A pity there was not more in the film like this.

'Wire in the Blood' hooked me instantly. And throughout it's first season of three Episodes (originally broadcast in 2002) I remained hooked. What we have here is the fictitious UK City of Bradfield, a world within which serial killers are on the loose. And in each of the season's three episodes one of the killers is investigated and brought down.

The series stars Robson Greene as Dr. Tony Hill, a clinic psychologist who has the knack for sniffing out the characteristics - and often the identity - of the killers. He's hired by the local constabulary when they have no other choice and during the investigations a bond is created between Dr. Hill and the Chief Inspector Jordan played by Hermione Norris. Interestingly the killings have sexual overtones associated with them, while during the investigations, Hill and Jordan do their best to not give in to the physical attraction they both feel for the other.

An important note: 'Wire in the Blood' is not for the squeamish. The production holds back nothing when it comes to showing the effects of sexually-triggered abuse and murder. There are bodies a'plenty. There are portrayed ways of torture that the viewer may have never considered, and once seen, may never be forgotten. Should you have any qualms about viewing these scenes I advise you - truly - to choose another series.