Breaking Bad Series Finale Predictions

Tonight will see the very final episode of Breaking Bad air in the US, with the episode set to appear on Netflix this side of the pond by tomorrow morning, so the final fix is not that far away, so it's time to get my thoughts and predictions down. Obviously it goes without saying that this will involve spoilers for every episode but the finale, up to and including Granite Slate, so if you don't want to know, look away now. Otherwise: read on below the fold.

When we left our (anti)hero the show was finally caught up to the flashforward. Walter White has left New Hampshire and is on his way to fulfill his destiny, whatever that may be. I honestly believe the machine gun we see in the back of the car in the flashforward will bring an end to Todd and the Nazi Brigade, as Walter makes one final bid to save Jesse but that Walt himself will get caught in the crossfire, dying with at least a shred of redemption having saved his friend, while still getting everything that we all know Heisenberg deserves. Walt will die in Jesse's arms, and Jesse - heartbroken at all that has happened, and disgusted in himself for his part in the deaths of Joan, Andrea, Hank, the kid on the bike and now his father figure, will hand himself into the police to confess once and for all and serve his time - the final shot of the series being Jesse walking into the police station resolutely.

The Nazi's won't be Walter's only kill of the episode though, as lets not forget the more recent flashforward, which saw him fetch the risin poison from the house. As to who will fall victim to that, I think probably Lydia would be the most likely candidate - they go on about her tea almost every time we see her, and I feel like Walt may look to tie up the loose ends by slipping the deadly concoction into her cup when she's distracted. The other outside option would be that he takes out the guy who facilitated his move to New Hampshire, again just because he will think he needs to tie up some loose ends before he goes to face his maker.

So that's what I think is going to happen as far as the central story goes. On the periphery I hope we see Walter Jr and Marie get some kind of closure, as their character's have been through so much, that if anyone is going to get a happy-ish ending (is that even possible anymore) then it should be them. I don't know what form that will take, and as I said, I don't even know if its possible at this stage, as they've both been through too much to ever just adjust to it and live happy lives, but

Skyler meanwhile is going to prison, for a very long time. Walt's phone call when he knew the police were listening brought her something, but with Walt dead (and there is no way he makes it out of the finale alive, no matter who ends up killing him) then the cops are going to make sure someone goes down for Hank's death and everything that surrounded Heisenberg's activities, and its pretty clear that Skyler knew everything - its only going to take a court of law to put her away forever.

Who knows whether my version of events will look anything like what will happen in practice, but one way or another I think at this point it will be nigh on impossible for the finale to not feel both epic and indeed final - Vince Gilligan's story is over, and we can only hope that he doesn't leave some kind of cliffhanger ending with Jesse looking down the barrel of a gun pointed at Walt and then the screen goes black. Because you know...that'd be terrible. This has to end. No Sopranos stuff here!

Gilligan has said on a number of occasions that he wanted to take Mr Chips and make him into Scarface, and he achieved that. By the end of Granite Slate, just as Gretchen opined, Walter White had truly gone. only Heisenberg remained. Now all that remains is for Felina to make some effort at redemption for Walter, to see if he can be resurrected and save Jesse's life one final time before he and Heisenberg bow out of our lives for good.

Review: Movie 43

Over the past couple of years we’ve seen a new genre of movie rise up, in which filmmakers get as many big name stars into a movie, (for the purpose of packing a trailer primarily) as they can, with the hope that in doing so the movie will sell itself, and they needn’t be bothered with frivolous details like plot or character development. Movies like the utterly dreadful Valentines Day, and a movie I have genuinely named my least favourite film of all time (New Years Eve) fit in this category.

This brings us to Movie 43. Produced by Peter Farrelly (one half of the Farrelly Brothers) the film is filled with more stars than you can shake a stick at, from Hugh Jackman to Kate Winslet to Halle Berry, Emma Stone, Stephen Merchant, to Johnny Knoxville and Sean William Scott and what seems like hundreds more.

The “stars” are split into smaller groups, each performing sketches throughout the movie, held together by a central story in which a group of kids search for a banned movie (the titular Movie 43) coming across each sketch on their way deeper and deeper into “the darker corners of the internet”

I should start by saying: this movie isn’t for the faint hearted, as it plays fast and loose with the rules of acceptability (one skit involves Chloe Moretz as a 7th grader who gets her period for her first time in front of her boyfriend and his older brother, and frankly the sequence is just tasteless and disgusting).

I should also preface by saying: while there are some funny skits, overall the film is just dreadful

The three young actors in the main storyline have little to no screen presence to hold the piece together, and of the probably 10 skits (I’ll admit I haven’t counted them, but that probably about right), only 3 were really funny, while the rest simply took their gross out gags too far, and in doing so actually pulled the viewer out of the scene entirely, which is a shame.

Perhaps the one saving grace is a particularly funny sequence with the ever hilarious Stephen Merchant and a surprisingly comedic turn from Halle Berry as they try to one up each other in an impromptu game of Truth Or Dare on their first date. Berry throws herself into it in a way that many of the other stars seemed not to (with several sequences just feeling forced) and it really helped this scene.

This is not a film which is going to stand the test of time by any means and its true home will be in a supermarket’s bargain dvd bin where some unwitting soul will buy it for the cast list. Lets put it this way: when you can tell just by watching it that half the cast didn’t really want to be there, why would you want to be yourself?


EDIT TO ADD: Apparently there are two different versions of the film (one screening either side of the atlantic) where the framing devices are completely different (apparently the US version features Dennis Quaid as a director or something for their framing story, this was NOT in the version I saw)

Unofficial Answers to the Frequently Asked Leakycon Registration Questions

UPDATED AT 22:50 BST on 14/9/12 to clarify answers to most recent official information

Over the past weeks since LeakyCon registration opened (and then closed again) the conference’s facebook and twitter pages have been inundated with people asking several questions - questions which have been answered in various forms and by various people on multiple occasions. To try and save everyone a little time I’ll try and do my best to give (admittedly unofficial) answers to some of the most frequently asked. 


Q: When will registration reopen? You won’t just spring it on us will you? I don’t want to miss registration, please don’t randomly reopen it. (and any other form of this question you can think of)
A: Registration WILL NOT reopen randomly. Portland Registration will open at noon Portland time on September 22. For those with incomplete London registrations (see final question below) the system will reopen at 6PM London time on September 22 to complete registration, in the original order, with everyone else on the list going onto the waiting list once the conference completely sells out.

Q: I seem to have been charged in USD not GBP for London, is this right?
A: Simply: no it isn’t. You should have recieved an email last week with a link to pay the difference. Due to various issues with the previous registration company, this link is currently unavailable, but once it becomes available again you will receive another email. From there you will have one week to pay the difference before your registration is refunded and resold.

Q: How many tickets are left for London? How long is London likely to take to sell out?
A: There are less than 100 tickets left for London, and more incomplete registrations than that, so it is likely the event is going to sell out INCREDIBLY quickly.

Q: So if I haven't already started registration when do I get to register?
A: There will be a waiting list once registration sells out (which at this point it almost certainly will do on the back of incomplete registrations), so once the waiting list is open you can sign up to it.

Q: I got an email saying my registration was incomplete, but also got my confirmation emails. Which should I believe?
A:  If you got an email that you had an incomplete registration even though you successfully purchased one, this was because you had started the process of adding another person to your party. Your completed registration is fine; your incomplete one is not. You will need to try and log back in at 6PM on Sept22 to try and recomplete this incomplete registration, which you will be given the opportunity to do so as the block of 100 people including your registrations comes around. 

Review: The Dark Knight Rises

First I must be clear: what follows is a review which will hold no punches back spoilers wise. If you have yet to see the end of the Dark Knight trilogy, and do not want to read anything before you go into Dark Knight Rises, then stop reading right now. You have been warned.

It was always going to be a difficult third act for Christopher Nolan to create. With a near perfect first two installments to Nolan’s Batman trilogy, he had a lot to live up to. My oh my did he deliver on that and so much more.

Starting out eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne has turned recluse, hanging up the cape and mask for good, while Commissioner Gordon has managed to clean up the streets of Gotham in Harvey Dent’s name.

Before long though the mysterious Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway presenting a near definitive version of the character) informs Bruce - and the audience watching - that “there’s a storm coming”.

That storm comes in the form of the frankly terrifying Bane. Introduced here as an agent of Ra’s Al Ghul and the League of Shadows, its nice to see the trilogy tie up the loose ends that we’ve seen come through from the first film, while moving the story forward as Bane makes good on the Leagues promises, and we see the fall of Gotham and particularly of Bruce Wayne himself.

There are sequences in the film which probably struggle to stay below the 12A rating, as the audience is forced to come to terms with the mortality and vulnerability of their hero, outmatched physically and mentally by a man even he must accept is his superior in every way.

The film’s emotional heart though is found through Michael Caine’s Alfred. Always an important part of the trilogy in a comedic sense, it feels like Nolan really moved the character forward here. It is him who gets many of the most poignant lines as he begs Bruce to simply give in, telling him simply that he “won’t bury you.” and that “he has already buried too many members of the Wayne family”. Your heart breaks as he speaks, and you literally feel yourself getting angry with Bruce as he ignores his oldest friend.

On Bane himself, there had been alot of talk before the release of the film about Bane's voice - especially following the prologue to the film which was shown in cinemas last year. Thankfully the vocal track has been completely redubbed since then, meaning thankfully that the voice was completely understandable (if a little raspy) throughout. Thomas Hardy's huge dominating figure is something audiences will come away talking about having seen the film, and while he is not as big as the character in the comics (like everything in the Nolan universe he is at least to some extent grounded in reality) he still towers over his fellow screen presences, and you truly feel a sense of dread whenever he is on screen.

The action sequences have all been ramped up from the previous installments too. Following the terrific lorry chase in The Dark Knight, there are several superb scenes in this - most notably a sequence in which about 100 police cars chase the caped crusader on the batbike (who in turn is chaisng Bane and his cronies), as they race across the streets of Gotham.

It feels like Nolan looked back at everything which had worked in the previous installments - a villain worthy of a superhero movie from the maniacal point of view, while still being firmly grounded in reality, a witty and fast moving script, and a concentration on the true angst and suffering of the hero. This Batman (and it has been alluded to in the previous films) is only a man, and you truly find yourself believing he could die at any moment - especially as this is the final act of the trilogy.

The supporting cast are great, as ever - from the appearance of Cillian Murphy’s psychotic Dr Crane as a judge in the kangaroo court Bane has setup to be judge jury and executioner, to the ever watchable Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox, everyone is superb.

New comer to the franchise Marion Cotillard too does a fantastic job as Talia Al Ghul. While perhaps not the best kept secret - indeed I think just about everyone who announced her casting the movie originally attributed the role to her - the twist ending surrounding Cotillard’s true identity in the film was remarkably well handled, coming at a moment of true power in the film, and to say there was audible gasps in the cinema I was in when the revelation finally came through would not be an exaggeration

The film is as close to perfect as anyone could honestly hope for, making good on the promises of the franchise, and improving across the board to produce that most wonderful of things: a trilogy ender that is not just as good but better than what came before. I cannot wait to see it again, as I know there will be things I missed the first time around, but to be clear, this is the best movie this year to date. Not the best superhero movie, not the best blockbuster, THE BEST MOVIE. PERIOD.






Footnote: It was awesome to see Nottingham's Wollaton Hall double as the newly rebuilt Wayne Manor. Seeing my town on the big screen like that was mental :D

Review: Katy Perry: Part Of Me

Over the last several years, a new genre of film has grown into being: the 3D-concert-movie-cum-documentary. The latest example of the breed, featuring pop megastar Katy Perry brings forth plenty which will keep her fans entertained, and enough good cinema to keep everyone else on board.

The film sets about explaining Perry’s christian upbringing, and how at seventeen, she felt almost rebellious writing songs which her strict christian mother comments that she “would not her own daughter perform on MTV.”

This struggle only intensifies as the singer moves out to LA, coming up against rejection and manipulation from several major record labels before she is finally able to hit the big time.

Of all the 3D concert movies recently, its definitely not the worst, although it doesn't live up to the high watermark of something like Justin Bieber's Never Say Never - which I reviewed here - or Michael Jackson's This is It.

Somehow as believable and frankly adorable as Perry’s zany personality is, the whole product just feels a little too over produced. Too afraid to ever say anything against her (while being unafraid to point the finger elsewhere) or to show Katy in the wrong.

Interestingly it’s at it's best when the whole fairy tale falls down and you see her as a human being,  especially in a key sequence during her divorce from Russell Brand (a moment the entire movie feels like it is building towards). It feels like you are finally seeing Katy in a real raw moment, and this particular sequence is perfectly mixed with the live performances to bring meaning to the lyrics.

If you are a fan of Perry’s music you are going to love this film, and for those who aren’t, it has some interesting things to say about the way people cope with juggling fame and relationships. Its a long way from perfect, but it’s undeniably fun, with a soundtrack which will have even fairweather fans wanting to sing along at the top of their lungs.

The Amazing Spider-man

Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, Rhys Ifans
Release Date: 3rd June 2012
Rating: 12A

When I first heard Marvel were rebooting the Spider-man franchise, I couldn't help but feel it was too soon. Tobey Maguire had only just had his turn, and what a great turn it was.

Having seen The Amazing Spider-man though, Marc Webb has crafted a universe which lets the audience forget about what has gone before, grounding Peter Parker’s story closer to reality, coping more with the human issues and his human relationships - with his parents abandonment, and with his struggle to find love, among others.

The always excellent Andrew Garfield steps into role of the webslinger, bringing a rather cock-sure interpretation of the role to screen. He uses his powers because he can, sometimes to the extent of almost abusing them.

This is perhaps best emphasised when we see Peter discuss the “masked vigilante” wreaking havoc on the streets with police chief George Stacy over the dinner table, as Peter tries (and fails) to argue that what Spider-man is doing is in the public interest.

It is not just Garfield who shines though. The peripheral cast is equally impressive, from Emma Stone’s turn as love interest Gwen Stacy, to Rhys Ifans’ maniacal portrayal of Dr Curt Connors (the villain of the piece, The Lizard). On the subject of The Lizard, it must be said that the CGI surrounding the mad scientist's transformation is incredible. They manage just the right mixture of physical effects and CGI to bring the dark creation to life.

It is Martin Sheen though who is the real revelation. If ever there was someone who you would think of to play Uncle Ben it would be him. He is such a trustable, loveable screen presence, and when the inevitable comes, your heart breaks in a way which somehow it never did in the original Spidey movie.

All in all, this film is a reboot which achieves exactly what it sets out to do. Marc Webb has managed to create a universe which really does overshadow everything which came before, and gives a much more rounded look into the backstory of the world we are inhabiting. This really is: The Amazing Spider-man

Review: Prometheus (SPOILERS)

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron
Released: 01/06/2012

In space, no one can hear you scream. That was the tagline to 1979's seminal science-fiction-cum-horror film Alien. There have been several sequels to the film over the years, but now, more than thirty years later Ridley Scott is going back to space to explore where the story (not just of Alien but of mankind itself) all began.

When two archaeologists find a series of cave paintings from different civilisations, all pointing to the same constellation, and all suggesting a race of super beings coming down to earth, it isn't long before they realise they must assemble a team and head out there in search of the origins of humanity.


Noomi Rapace impresses  with her Elizabeth Shaw, a devout christian, searching for answers, but refusing to give up her faith despite what she discovers. It is a weighty role but she does not disappoint, drawing the audience in and really making them care about her fate.

Michael Fassbender also has an excellent showing as David - an android, and by far the most morally ambiguous character in the film. His motives seem to suggest he is on one side one minute, while going completely the other way the next. Intriguing to note of course that we find ourselves questioning morality more for the only being without a soul in the film than anyone else.

From sweeping views across a harsh alien landscape to more familiar structures and interiors which hark back to the original film, no one could accuse the film of going half heartedly about its design, and this is to the credit of all involved.

Unfortunately as good as the film looks it is far from flawless. It certainly starts well, raising intriguing philosophical questions while not forgetting its horror roots, but the film rather falls flat in its final act. Some dodgy CGI, as well as a need to leave something for the inevitable sequel, means that in the end not everything gets tied up and you're left scratching your head.

If Prometheus 2 comes along and answers these questions, all may be forgiven, but for now nonetheless we have a fun and thrilling (even if not entirely sound) horror film which will no doubt have audiences on the edge of their seat throughout. From a scene of self-inflicted surgery which makes the scene of the alien eating it's way out of John Hurt's stomach look like child's play, to the very final shots, there is plenty here to keep fans of the franchise happy from start to finish.

Verdict: Not without flaws, but thoroughly entertaining and plenty of thrills. 3.5/5