True Detective [HBO] [** Spoilers **]

pickarooney

ixoy wrote: »

I used to think so but, for whatever reason, I find he grates now. And yes I've seen "The Machinist", "The Fighter", "American Hustle", etc.

He's kind of gone the same way as Daniel Day Lewis and, I suppose, Robert de Niro. The kind of actor who makes his name with big, physically draining performances but inevitably just gets a bit worn out and has to resort to hammy pastiches of himself. There are lots of better actors who don't get as much recognition because they just do a fine job without going to extremes.

drugstore cowboy

rockbeast wrote: »

Love it.

Bale is top of my 5 celebrities I'd like to fight list:D

He's a poor man's Tom Hardy.

Tom Hardy will have a best actor Oscar award in his pocket within the next 5-7 years.

Powerful screen presence and has the acting ability to back it up. I'm a big Bale fan as well btw!

don ramo

pickarooney wrote: »

There are lots of better actors who don't get as much recognition because they just do a fine job without going to extremes.

there are always gonna be actors that never get the recognition they deserve, but i think bale deserves the recognition he gets, he has a very diverse CV, and nearly always delivers, i dont care about him as a person but he is one of probably one of 20-30 actors or actresses that can sway me into a cinema just by having his name on the film, but if he doesnt wanna do TV fair enough, like i said there are plenty of options out there,

id love to see anyone like Colin Farrell, Brad Pitt, Idris Elba, Joaquin Phoenix, Jessica Chastain, these have been some of the people linked to it, and probably another 5 or 6, all of whom i would be happy to see cast

Da Shins Kelly

pickarooney wrote: »

He's kind of gone the same way as Daniel Day Lewis and, I suppose, Robert de Niro. The kind of actor who makes his name with big, physically draining performances but inevitably just gets a bit worn out and has to resort to hammy pastiches of himself. There are lots of better actors who don't get as much recognition because they just do a fine job without going to extremes.

I don't think you could say that Daniel Day Lewis has become a hammy pastiche of himself. His depiction of Abraham Lincoln, which was his last role, was quite understated, even though I wasn't the biggest fan of that film. He was the best thing about it. Daniel Day Lewis is as good as it gets, in my opinion.

I also don't have a problem with people going to extremes. Shows commitment to the craft if anything, I think. There are plenty of actors who would do well to take it as seriously.

I'd love to see Joaquin Phoenix in it too (another actor who could probably be accused of going to extremes). He's becoming more and more interesting with every role he does.

kumate_champ07

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I have my doubts about Farrell, but then plenty of people had their doubts about McConaughey I guess and that turned out great.

Im not sure anyone who knows about acting had doubts, he had done some courtroom dramas/thrillers before, but his reputation of starring in too many romantic comedies with his topless scenes made him a bit under-respected

Da Shins Kelly

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

Im not sure anyone who knows about acting had doubts, he had done some courtroom dramas/thrillers before, but his reputation of starring in too many romantic comedies with his topless scenes made him a bit under-respected

Well, yeah, that's what I mean. His tendency to star in total rubbish over the years may have clouded people's judgement. I know plenty of people who looked at me funny when I told them to watch True Detective just because Matthew McConaughey was in it.

jcsoulinger

People are getting carried away with the love of mcconaughy, its like expectations were so low that a good performance becomes a great performance. He was very good in this and Dallas buyers but I would like to see him in a role that's really out of his comfort zone.

JP Liz V1

jcsoulinger wrote: »

People are getting carried away with the love of mcconaughy, its like expectations were so low that a good performance becomes a great performance. He was very good in this and Dallas buyers but I would like to see him in a role that's really out of his comfort zone.

Killer Joe

jcsoulinger

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Killer Joe

Ya he's very good in killer Joe and the role couldn't have been in his comfort zone but still the general back round of that character would be very familiar to him.

JP Liz V1

Ewan McGregor latest name linked

buyer95

Just got round to watching this now. Have to say I thought it was exceptionally good. McConaughy is insanely good, Harrelson is Harrelson and it is brilliantly writter and directed. Loved it.

I hear our own Colin Farrell will star in season 2?

rockbeast

buyer95 wrote: »

Just got round to watching this now. Have to say I thought it was exceptionally good. McConaughy is insanely good, Harrelson is Harrelson and it is brilliantly writter and directed. Loved it.

I hear our own Colin Farrell will star in season 2?

He could be great - I hope they can make the deal.

Earlier I said Jeff Daniels would be my dream partner for him - a few days later and my madness insists John Goodman(!) would be perfect...

Once there are no Christian Bales involved I'll be happy

FloatingVoter

I'd love to see Bruce Willis do it. Don't laugh. He went toe to toe with Paul Newman in Nobodys Fool and showed he could act. You'd need to pair him off with someone younger and cheeky. Our Colin maybe. Or Ewan.

rockbeast

FloatingVoter wrote: »

I'd love to see Bruce Willis do it. Don't laugh. He went toe to toe with Paul Newman in Nobodys Fool and showed he could act. You'd need to pair him off with someone younger and cheeky. Our Colin maybe. Or Ewan.

Bruce and Colin don't get on apparently...

...could make for some interesting chemistry though...:)

NegativeCreep

I really want Ellen Page to do it for some reason!

rockbeast

NegativeCreep wrote: »

I really want Ellen Page to do it for some reason!

That'd be "Blue Detective" and I'm sure there will be an adult version/porno parody of this out soon:pac::pac:

FloatingVoter

rockbeast wrote: »

Bruce and Colin don't get on apparently...

...could make for some interesting chemistry though...:)

Last time they crossed paths (Harts War)...Colin might have been a little medicated. But like you say, chemistry.

rockbeast

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Last time they crossed paths (Harts War)...Colin might have been a little medicated. But like you say, chemistry.

Farts War? War of the farts?

Too late to google but there was definitely some "friction" between them.

Actually, Bruce and Colin will be just fine for season 2:D

johnnykilo

Not sure if this has been posted already but it gave me a chuckle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W6g0PS_zvE

mafaa

‘True Detective’ Season 2 Story & Character Details Revealed?

This is one of those shows that I've been looking at since it aired and trying to find the time to give it the attention it deserved. Started it on a number of occasions in the past few months but it was only this afternoon that I finally had the chance, and was in the mood for to sit down and watch it.

Episode 1, “The Long Bright Dark” may initially draw comparison with Hannibal but it is the criminally underrated Rectify with which the show has most in common, as events unfold here it's clear that this is a show less concerned with murder as it is in exploring the people at the heart of the mystery. With the focus on the human element and how it shapes and molds those it will hopefully mean that the show won't bogged down in trying craft a over the top, meticulous murder mystery. We've seen far too many shows start with a bang, only to get side tracked by the spectacle of death.

The most striking moments of “The Long Bright Dark” involved the manner in which both men attempted to get to know one another. The scenes where they invite each other into their homes hints at a burgeoning relationship that we know will end poorly. It's a credit to the writing that within the first 20 minutes there's a real sense that we know who these men are, there's some blanks to be filled in but it's clear that neither character is going to do something drastically unexpected in the name of narrative convenience. Much of this is down to the performances, Harrellson and McConaughey are both superb in their respective roles. McConaughey in particular is exceptional, the contrast between the Rusty of 95 and the one of 2012 is a wonder to watch though the show has a habit of burdening him with some questionable dialogue. Some of his insights are a little hard to swallow and feel like the writer showing off but when your biggest complaint comes down to a few lines of dialogue, well then you ain't got much to complain about.

Watched episode 2 and I really think that all the talk of how the show is "ground breaking" and "exceptional" really do it a disservice as the show then comes burdened with those expectations.

There's little here that hasn't been done before, from the manner in which the story is told, to the characters to the way in which everything plays out. It's all been done before but what the show excels at are the small things. Rusty feels like a dozen other fractured men and as we feel like he's in danger of becoming a caricature the show throws in something like Rust's hallucinations and things take a turn up. True Detective may be somewhat familiar but it's also a rather unique take on a tired format.

The most striking aspect of the second episode was once again McConaughey. Watching the two variants of Rust is fascinating. On one hand we have the broken down current day Rusty who appears at first to be a shell of the man he once was but the more we learn about him the more we come to realise that he is in fact the better man. The Rusty of 95 wears the same tempered expression throughout and appears like a man lost in himself. There's a real sense that the Rust of 95 is playing a character, he's obviously experienced some horrible **** but he's it all bottled up within himself and his only outlet is his work. There's a danger to him that we see in moments such as interrogation by tool box or the nonchalant manner in which he shrugs off his visions. It's only in these moments that the facade drops and we see something of the real Rust, the one whom in 2012 holds nothing back and calls it like it is. Once we learn that he's "been off the grid" for most of the past decade a it becomes clear that in that time he was finding himself and as such I'm hoping that in the remaining 6 episodes we'll see the first steps of this.

Mezcita

Deleted User wrote: »

Watched episode 2 and I really think that all the talk of how the show is "ground breaking" and "exceptional" really do it a disservice as the show then comes burdened with those expectations.

Give it time. It's worth it.

Mezcita

Mezcita wrote: »

Give it time. It's worth it.

I'm real enjoying it but think that all the talk of how ground breaking the site is does it a disservice. It's great TV but it's not ad revolutionary as some of the critics claim. Though the one shot take at the end of episode four is truly breathtaking.

NegativeCreep

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm real enjoying it but think that all the talk of how ground breaking the site is does it a disservice. It's great TV but it's not ad revolutionary as some of the critics claim. Though the one shot take at the end of episode four is truly breathtaking.

I don;t think a day has gone by since I watched that scene that I haven't thought about it. It's amazing!

Episode 3 is where the show really starts to come into it's own. The manner in which Rust and Marty's relationship is being explored is beautiful to watch and it's inconceivably rewarding to put the pieces together as you watch it.

The obvious growing resentment between Marty and Rust is expertly handled and it's fascinating to watch Marty's life fall apart around him. Marty sees himself as a beacon of all things good and views Rust as something less than what a man should be. On the job they are the perfect pair who can bounce off one another but off the job they're the very antithesis of one another and Marty's contempt is quickly coming to the fore.

It's Harrelson who really impress this time around, he's had the less showy of the two roles and has been consistently brilliant but here he's just a towering presence. The manner in which he just shrugs off his kids school issues and spends a night consumed with jealousy, oblivious to his wife are two startling moments which single him out as the hypocrite he is. Harrelson underplays it just the right amount and it's hard not to feel sympathy for Marty as you watch his life start to crumble around him.

One of the most startling aspect of the show is the manner in which colour is used. The show has a very noirish look and feel but the use of colour hints that darkness isn't about to consume everything just yet. It's a nice little touch which adds a lot to the show.

"Who Goes There" is pretty much the episode where the show ups the ante significantly. The 6 minute, one take tracking show which follows Rust and the botched drug raid is stunning. It's a wonderful piece of cinematography and one of TV's most gripping sequences. It works as a nice contrast to the rest of the of show which has been subdued and kept violence off scree. Here for the first them we see the chaos that surrounds Rust and Marty on a daily basis and most striking off all perhaps is how intimate the moment is. There are no sweeping camera movements of elegant wide shots of the chaos, instead the camera stays tight on Rust throughout and there's a real sense of danger to it. It's a great contrast to the earlier helicopter shots of the ghetto which gave a real scale to the events unfolding. It reminded me somewhat of The Shield by ways of Children of Men meets New Jack City and is every bit as good as that sounds.

The rest of the episode was equally great. After speeding the last episode driving a wedge between Marty and Rust this week was all about bringing them back together through necessity. With Marty's home life in disarray he now has to rely on Rust for a place to stay and in turn Rust places his life in Marty's hands. What really sets True Detective apart from others of its ilk is the manner in which it explores the complex relationship between the two without ever feeling like it's going through the motions.

It was only while watching episode 5 that something which had been bugging me since episode one finally made sense. Every time there was mention of The King in Yellow and/or in Carcosa I kept thinking that it sounded familiar. It was always at the back of my mind that I should recognise and I kept meaning to google it but never bothered, then suddenly it all clicked and much of what the show was trying to accomplish suddenly came together.The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, it's been years since I last picked it up but during the interrogation scene where Rust discovers that the killer may still be alive it all came flooding back.

I'm sure it was discussed here when the show was airing but the book was a series of short stores, many of which involve The King in Yellow, a play which drives those who read it mad. It's one of those books I was turned onto as a teenager when I started getting into the work of H.P. Lovecraft as it was key in inspiring the Cthulu mythos. The Yellow Sign is prominent in Lovecraft's The Whisperer in Darkness and much of how the supernatural elements were vaguely alluded to by Lovecraft were directly inspired by Chambers book.

I went through all my Call of Cthulu games and found that the King in Yellow features in one of the add on packs and I'm almost certain that there was a reference to it in Persona 2 or 3.

Suddenly all those small touches which seemed somewhat out of place all made sense. The use of the colour yellow throughout the show, he black stars which in the diary of the dead girl and on the neck of one of the girls they interview. Rereading through the book today and there's mention of black stars rising and strange moons. I can't believe that I didn't make the connection between the book and the show before now, but I suppose I would have been 12 or 13 when I read it last but I'm seriously considering staying up tonight to get through it all again before I settle down for the final two episodes of True Detective.

I'm wondering if the Supernatural will come into the final 2 hours, it's been subtly hinted at throughout the series, small touches such as the preacher blessing himself backwards upon hearing of the dead girl. I assumed at the time that maybe it was the way it was down in the South but now I'm thinking that there may be something far more sinister behind it. There's so much going on in the show and it's so richly layered that I can see it being even more rewarding with subsequent viewings. Much like the tshirt Marty wears in epsidoe 5, we've gone to the Dark Side of the Moon.

Mike Litoris

Great little write ups there, Darko. I'm actually looking forward to them!


Looking forward to the overall view at the end.


It was a great journey when it was first aired with all the buzz and speculation after each episode. The whole thing does really pick up pace after ep3.

Mardy Bum

The show has the best cinematography of any show ever produced for television. Secondly the only show to create such an intense atmosphere was Twin Peaks made by the master of atmosphere and I think TD out does Twin Peaks in this regard. The show is the pinnacle of mini series which was probably The Corner.

Finished up the series last night and really enjoyed it. It's great TV, of that there is no doubt but I don't think that it's one of the all time greats. There's a lot to love here, the way the story is told, the oppressive atmosphere of foreboding, the gorgeous visuals, the performances, but nothing here is what I would consider ground breaking. It's just a good story told really well.

Episode 7 was the weakest of the bunch, there was something rather ordinary about it and felt like the first episode of a second series. It was all about the catch up and by jettisoning the framing device of the interviews it all became a little too familiar. Even the performances this episode felt a little one note, Harrelson in particular seemed to be off his game. The episode featured two moments for Marty that should have been the series most emotional, his reaction to the snuff tape and the baby in the microwave. They are moments which should hit home, that should humanise Marty but they both lack the impact you expect.

What really did work this week was the relationship between Rust and Marty, no longer accountable to anyone bar each other they were able to trust in one another in a manner which the earlier episodes lacked. For the first time in the show, the mutual respect they had for one another felt more like a love between men. The moment on the boat where it was clear that they would die for one another felt real. Rust seems to not so much have mellowed out in the years but became a whole new person, the joy he took in the sniper scene was palpable and the most interesting aspect of the entire show has been how the case took over his life and became his reason for living. As we approach the end, his dialogue took on a fatalistic note and it seemed as if Rust would die happily, once they got their man.

The final scene in episode 7 felt off, the need to unmask the killer in such a manner felt like something done after the fact, as if Pizzolatto wanted to put to rest the theory that Rust may be the killer. In a show which had so deftly handled the intricateness of the case, it felt a little too convenient though it did allow me a moment of smugness as I'd called him as the killer when first we met him. It's always that a little to eloquent odd ball.

“Form And Void” was perhaps not the series standout episode but it was one of the most memorable. Throughout the series the most apt word to describe it has been nihilistic, there's been a pervasive grimness to the show and how it implied that there was a darkness in all men. The show went out of it's way to show the evil around us, even in moments such as the transition from 1995 to 2002 there was a sense that evil was lurking just beneath the surface. In fact that scene was perhaps the most unnerving of all, I was waiting for something truly awful to happen and in a way it did. It seemed that Marty when presented with what his daughter had done was less concerned about her as he was the perceived insult to his manhood.

What really worked about the final episode was the manner in which the show finally admitted that while there is darkness all around, the light hasn't yet been extinguished. Rust's monologues about evil and how it dominates may sound impressive but really, they're just the ramblings of a drunk. As such you have to take them with a pinch of salt. Rust is someone touched by the dark but not defined by it. True evil is people like Childress, he can hide in plain sight and no one can recognice the inherent evil within him. The manner in which he stalks up and down the coast and no one gives him so much as a second look is his greatest tool. Out in the world he is just another face and it is only when at home, in an environment he can control that the real evil comes out. And yet, his identity doesn't matter. True detective has been all about finding out who the Yellow King is but in those final 55 minutes we realise that the show is less concerned with exploring evil as it is the mundane nature of detective work. All along the key was right beneath Rust and Marty's noses. It was so simple and all those clues along the road such as the snuff tape really don't matter a damn. Sure they offer some closure to people but in the overall solving of the crime they may as not even exist.

Perhaps the shows most memorable moment is way in which Carcosa was brought to life. The rambling, maze through which Rust stumbles as the unhinged worses echo throughout was stunning and the sequence is every bit as visually playful as the 6 minute one take chase. The sense that we were in another world and that Rust had stumbled down the rabbit hole gave proceedings an off kilter feel enhanced by the stick sculptures which took on a whole new level. The barrier between reality and supernatural came tumbling down and Rust's vision in the center of it all was the perfect metamorphosis of how all things are connected. The Yellow Kings calling card is as were told, a spiral and is the perfect visual representation of how everything in True Detective is connected.

At the end of the day, when the dust has settle there's that great moment in the hospital where Marty is being presented by the facts of the case and he no longer cares. He's realised that life is perhaps for living and that he spent most of his deluding himself that he was a decent guy. Much like Rust, he lost his way somewhere along the road and it was only through facing death that both men found what it was that had been eluding them for so long.