A little over four years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. New Orleans and Mississippi are still recovering to this day. For those of us who witnessed the events only through news coverage, the scale of the devastation and loss can become rather impersonal. It can become a more intellectual understanding of suffering as opposed to a visceral feeling. Author Josh Neufeld on the other hand worked on the front lines as a Red Cross volunteer delivering food in Mississippi after the storm. He witnessed up close the individual stories of loss. This exposure led him to document some of these stories, and thus A.D.: NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE DELUGE was created.

A.D.: NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE DELUGE is a graphic novel that follows the stories of five groups of people as they survive Katrina. It shows them deliberating on whether to evacuate or not, how they survived the storm, and what happened to them after the devastation. The cross section of stories includes that of the Doctor who refuses to leave, and in fact hosts a hurricane party in the French Quarter, of Abbas who stays with a friend at his family owned convenience store to prevent looting, and of Leo and Michelle who leave the city with barely enough money for gas and have to leave Leo’s precious comic book collection behind. Denise, a social worker, and her family end up enduring the aftermath at the Convention Center, while Kwame and his parents and siblings flee the storm to stay at his older brother’s dorm room. Each of the stories show a different set of circumstances faced by the residents of New Orleans, and each story shows what real individuals chose to do under those circumstances.

As a cartoonist, it follows that Neufeld’s book would be presented as a graphic novel. It is the artist’s attempt to process what he has witnessed and to share that with the world. As a medium to illustrate the experience of Hurricane Katrina, the graphic novel is surprisingly successful. The beginning of the book consists of a series of panels showing the start of the storm and the ensuing flooding in New Orleans, and in this case a picture is worth a thousand words. Showing floodwaters overtaking buildings is much more effective than describing it. The graphic medium immediately brings the reader into the storm’s world. A single dark panel with large mosquitoes and one showing swimming rats gives the reader a visceral feel for what it would be like to spend the night trapped on a roof in a flooded city. The graphic novel also forces an economy of material in which the true cores of the stories are revealed. The section documenting life at the Convention Center strips down the experience to pictures of a father begging for water for his young daughter, of citizens baking in sweltering heat as Army tanks roll by and offer no assistance, of gang members keeping the peace and looting stores to provide food and water to the most needy, and of the fear of being trapped in the Convention Center to die. By hitting essential points in a graphic form, Neufeld’s book shoves the reader into the characters’ worlds and to a better understanding of what they experienced.

A.D.: NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE DELUGE tells the stories of real people surviving a catastrophic disaster and its aftermath. It shows what was lost and gained, and in the end, it is a story of hope and perseverance. It does us all good to be carried into that world and ultimately to have a better appreciation of the experiences of those around us.

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Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By bringing HERO to American audiences, Quentin Tarantino and Miramax allow us to see a movie that is essentially a perfect example of its genre. Director Zhang Yimou (CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER) creates a sweeping epic that combines excellent action sequences, an engaging story of heroism and love, and aesthetic brilliance. The story follows a nameless warrior (Jet Li) on his quest to assassinate the fearsome king of Qin who destroyed his family. The king is attempting to unite the seven warring states of China but has made many enemies in the conquered lands. To protect against assassination attempts, no one is allowed within 100 paces of the ruler. The nameless warrior must get within ten paces though to execute a move that is guaranteed to kill his foe. To gain access to the king, the warrior brings the weapons of three great assassins, Sky (Donnie Yen), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), and Broken Sword (Tony Leung). The story of how the warrior acquired the weapons and of his true intentions is slowly revealed, and then he must decide the fate of the king and of a united China.

HERO is defined by its visual brilliance. It is a sequence of one beautiful picture after another. From sweeping desolate vistas, to lush wilderness, to the grandeur of the King’s palace, each of the movies’ scenes is characterized by its own landscape and colors. In one fight scene between Flying Snow and Moon (Zhang Ziyi), a forest blanketed with golden yellow autumn leaves is perfectly complemented by the rich reds of the characters’ robes. In another, Li and Leung battle on a perfectly still lake surrounded by misty peaks. Every landscape used is stunning in its natural beauty, and the film’s color palette is rich and complex. Windswept empty moonscapes are contrasted with the sequenced multitudes of the King’s Palace (think Bejing Opening Ceremonies). HERO as a film becomes a lesson in visual harmony and balance.

HERO is also an action movie, though not in a “beat them up” kind of way. While there is no lack of martial arts in this film, including an amazing, and long awaited, scene reuniting Jet Li and Donnie Yen, the martial arts are very balletic with an emphasis on wirework. The result is a flowing action that compliments the visual beauty and story of the film. HERO is a subtle and harmonious blend of action, story, and cinematography with no aspect overshadowing another. The balance of HERO is further augmented by a lovely score featuring violinist, Itzhak Perlman and traditional drummers, Kodo.

HERO is a film that immerses the viewer in its vision and world. It is a movie to be absorbed by the senses and to be fully experienced moment by moment. It addresses issues of loyalty, love, and the true nature of heroism while it entertains with stunning displays of martial arts. It made me better recognize and appreciate the beauty in the natural world and in the human spirit.

HERO is a rare film in that it is perfect within itself. It is quite simply, great art.

For the Blu-ray release, Miramax is including a digital copy of the film to allow viewers to play the movie on the go via their computer. There are a couple of documentaries, including a nine minute “Close-Up of a Fight Scene,” interviews with Quentin Tarantino and Jet Li, a storyboard section comparing the film’s storyboards to that of the finished product and a twenty-four minute making of featurette “HERO Defined” where director Zhang Yimou gives insight into some of the challenges the cast and crew faced filming in such remote areas of China. Overall, the bonus features are exactly what one would expect and provide informative insight into the making of this epic.

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Movie Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Blu-ray bonus features rating: AVERAGE

In a game of opposites, what is the opposite of black? While one might naturally say white, in Norman Lebrecht’s finely wrought THE GAME OF OPPOSITES, the answer is gray. Black and white are the absolute absorption and reflection of light respectively while gray is the in between. Lebrecht explores the thesis that there are no absolutes in the human experience by following the story of Paul Miller in the aftermath of what is assumed to be World War II. Paul is a survivor of a concentration camp who is saved by a girl in the village through which he and his fellow inmates were whipped each day on their way to labor in a quarry. Despite the proximity to the horrors he has experienced, Paul ends up staying in the village and marrying his savior, Alice Hofmann. Paul becomes a successful and influential part of the village, he has a loving and devoted wife, a son, and friends, yet he cannot forget the fact that these people turned their backs on the starving and dying prisoners in their midst.

Lebrecht’s THE GAME OF OPPOSITES sets up a story in which there should be absolutes but leaves the reader contemplating shades of gray. As a mistreated prisoner of a fascist regime, Paul and his fellow inmates should be good. As the sadistic camp commander, Hans should be evil. By not helping the prisoners, the villagers should be condemned. As the story unfolds, however, the reader sees that nothing is cut and dry. The village doctor is no more guilty for staying quiet and protecting his family than Paul is for keeping quiet when Hans abuses and kills other prisoners. Paul finds that “the difference between him and the doctor was one of degree.” As time progresses, though, victims can become victimizers. Each of the characters’ actions, whether relatively good or relatively bad, reverberates through the lives of the others.

Lebrecht’s genius is to set an exploration of the ambiguity of human behavior in the context of a war that is generally thought to have good and bad sides. Not only does it show that no side is absolutely good, it also shows how bad war itself is. All sides are harmed by the war. Alice’s brother comes home broken and missing an arm, while Paul’s family was brutally killed by the losing regime and his hometown was completely bombed by the winners. War forces people into no win situations, and decisions made in wartime affect the rest of lives. As Alice wants to be remembered by her son, “he should think of us as good people who did their best in circumstances beyond their comprehension.”

While THE GAME OF OPPOSITES deals with such topics as war and human brutality, the book remains an entertaining story. Lebrecht is honest but not heavy handed with descriptions of the camp and war. He never actually names the war and the countries involved, though the connection to War World II is strongly implied. As such, the war becomes a generic war with specific politics removed. At its heart, the story is one of human connection, and the characters are well developed and satisfyingly complex. While everyone has his or her flaws, the reader sympathises with them and cares what happens to them.

I highly recommend THE GAME OF OPPOSITES to anyone who wants an insightful and engaging look into human nature. Hopefully it will give us all a little more understanding of our fellow humans.

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Freedom, sexuality, fortune, power, magic, love, immortality, adventure, and knowledge: according to Mayan legend whoever collects the nine plants of desire will have everything that he or she desires, but collecting them has a price. Before Lila Nova crosses paths with the nine plants, she is a recently divorced copywriter living in a sterile white cube of an apartment and becoming disillusioned with the detachment of her modern New York City existence. In an attempt to bring life back into her world, Lila is drawn to the mysteries of tropical plants and her journey into another reality begins.

Tropical plants lead Lila to the discovery of a magical Laundromat and to the enigmatic Armand who soon assists her in her journey through the rain forests of the Yucatán, to the understanding of the wisdom of plants, and ultimately to the knowledge of love and self. On her way, Lila encounters witch-children, dancing rattlesnakes, traitorous lovers, the Cashier’s tortured garden, and the legend of the passion plant which has been lost for so long that its name has been forgotten.

In HOTHOUSE FLOWER AND THE NINE PLANTS OF DESIRE , author Margot Berwin has created an adventure as exotic, steamy, and as removed from the modern world as the Yucatán rainforests themselves. It also, however, is a story about finding one’s true identity. The book is full of curious characters whose strength comes from the knowledge and acceptance of self. From Armand and his wife, Sonali, who is as captivating as the orchids she grows, to the Huichol healer Lourdes and her spirit-talking son, the characters are strong in that they know themselves. For instance, Sonali’s character is described as, “someone so sure of herself that what you thought of her not only did not matter to her, but probably didn’t even cross her mind.” This theme of the power derived from the knowing of the self is repeated throughout the book and serves as the novel’s overarching theme.

As interesting as the human characters are though, the wisest and most magical characters are the plants themselves. HOTHOUSE FLOWER AND THE NINE PLANTS OF DESIRE takes the reader into a realm where plants teach us, help us, and communicate with us. Armand uses plants to teach Lila about herself, and plants repeatedly lead the characters on their adventures through the jungle wilderness. The people that inhabit this world not only use plants, but they respect their wisdom and curry their favor. They know that the plants can help but also carry dangers. They know to respect and learn from the natural world around them. As Berwin explains, “I hope that the readers will take a peek behind the veil and notice the magical side of life. I hope that they become or remain excited about all the twists and turns life can take and that they feel maybe just a tiny bit more connected to the earth and all of its inhabitants.”

That being said, the book is not meant for those wanting a more serious take on ethnobotany. Berwin includes facts on native plants, but it feels at times that random facts are being forced into the story, and there is little insight into the cultural relationship between the plants and local peoples. The author also includes some judgment statements that are a bit jarring in the context of the novel of allowing oneself to become open to the natural world. For example, an introduction paragraph on scorpions begins, “disgusting as it may seem, there are over two thousand species of scorpion.”

Berwin does, however, succeed in writing an exciting and entertaining story that also asks readers to examine their relationship to the self and to the world around them. I definitely recommend it for someone who wants to enter a magical and exotic adventure and leave the mundane world for a few hours. It might also change the way you look at that world around you when you come back.

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Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Photo courtesy of Touchpaper TV and BBC

The new series, a joint production for the BBC from BBC America and Touchpaper Television, follows three flatmates, a vampire, Mitchell (Aidan Turner, “The Clinic”), a ghost, Annie (Lenora Crichlow, “Doctor Who”) and a werewolf, Geroge (Russell Tovey, “Doctor Who”) as they each try and seek out exactly what it means to “be human.” It shows how these characters each deal with the unique supernatural qualities that separate them from the human world around them, and in this respect, the show explores issues of alienation, isolation, and liminal populations. The friends are unlike each other, but their greater separation from the common human experience binds them together as they depend on one another for support and to blend into the “normal” world. It is a bit of what we all do to be human.

As writer Toby Whithouse explains, “I like the idea of suggesting that there is some kind of underworld, another life, another story that is going on in the world that we’re unaware of that’s hidden. I wrote an episode of “Doctor Who” a couple of years ago that was set in a school. The Monday after it transmitted I heard reports that teachers were walking out to the front of their class and saying, ®˜Physics, physics, physics’, which is what the Doctor said. It made the kids wonder if their teachers were really aliens.”

While that may be the underpinning of the series, there is definitely a sexy and dangerous gloss on top. There is the threat of George killing someone while in his werewolf state, Mitchell’s struggle against his inherent vampire nature to kill, the question of what unresolved matter is keeping Annie around as a ghost, and a mysterious vampire plot to overthrow humans. There is even an underground vampire group that is trying to bring Mitchell back into the fold, going so far as to send him video recordings of kills to remind him what he truly is. While some may feel that “True Blood” is addressing what it is like for a vampire to go against their innate instincts, what is intriguing here is how Mitchell interacts with the others in his flat who are all approaching the meaning of their humanity from different perspectives. Only two episodes into the series, there is already plenty to keep an audience entertained, and coupled with the promise of multiple plots just beginning to unfold, “Being Human” is definitely a must watch show of the summer.

Photo courtesy of Touchpaper TV and BBC

The three lead actors are all brilliantly cast and each bring a unique introspection into playing their respective characters. Although he is playing a werewolf, actor Russell Tovey still approaches the role from a basis that most people would be familiar with. “He’s a screwed up fellow but he’s also got a heart of gold, he’s a sweetheart and he doesn’t want to hurt anyone. I think people will find him a bit odd but he’s a very endearing, loveable guy. He just wants to be normal, and I suppose a lot of people in life struggle with this if they’re somehow different. They just want to be the norm but the point is, what is the norm?”

All in all, the show is definitely worth checking out. It is not only entertaining, but it does make you think a bit about the nature of being human.

“Being Human” airs Saturday nights on BBC America.

Creator and executive producer Russell T Davies chose to present the third Torchwood series as a continuous story in a five-day miniseries aired July 20-24 on BBC America. The whole series, along with a behind the scenes special feature, is now available on Blu-ray and is worth a look by Torchwood fans as well as those just interested in an exciting and well written and imagined story. Just a caveat though, this is definitely not for those looking for “light” viewing.

The story essentially follows how England reacts to the coming of the alien 456 that wants the world’s children. Sure, Torchwood is a Doctor Who spin-off that commonly features alien threats of world destruction, but, like Doctor Who, its real interest centers on fascinating characters who also have a dark side. “Children of Earth” begins with a 1965 event from Captain Jack’s past that now, forty-four years later, threatens the children of the world and the very existence of Torchwood. It is this dark event that puts everything into motion and shows that although Captain Jack can never die, he is very human and has much that he hides. Played to perfection by John Barrowman, Captain Jack becomes even more intricate of a character, and instantly draws the audience in. We are also shown a bit of the lives of the other Torchwood members, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones, played brilliantly as always by Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd respectively. The beginning of the series also shows the destruction of the Torchwood Hub, and the result allows the audience to see that Torchwood is not some indestructible team sweeping down to save the world with special gadgets, but are at the core, people who make unimaginable sacrifices and face personal and ethical dilemmas while combating the mysterious 456.

This is not just a story of Torchwood, either. It also follows how the British government handles the threat posed by the 456 and the resulting cover-ups. It is vicariously satisfying to see politicians face consequences, and the policy meeting scenes are as equally interesting as are the action sequences.

The brilliant part of this series is that writers Davies, John Fay, and James Moran have complex characters, and they allow the story to go where the characters take it. There are some brutal parts in this series. This is definitely not a situation of Hollywood candy-coating to keep the audience happy. But, it is good drama that stays honest and is very well acted by the entire cast. And for those who have been following the series up to “Children of Earth,” sorry, but as Davies stated when recently asked about “Torchwood” at Comic-Con, “those who are dead are dead.”

The Blu-ray special feature consists of the 30 minute behind the scenes documentary, “Torchwood Declassified.” It features interviews with cast and crew and gives a good idea of what went into making the series from special effects and creating the 456 aliens, to cast reactions. I found the interviews with Davies particularly interesting in that he talks about how the story took shape and about some of the tough choices he had to make as a writer.

“Torchwood: Children of Earth” is well directed by Euros Lyn, and the views of London in HD are stunning. It has fast-paced action, political intrigue, great characters, and will have you reaching for tissues along the way. I recommend it to anyone who is interested not just in sci-fi, but who is also looking for a solid and exciting drama.

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Series Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Blu-ray bonus features: AVERAGE

Just released on Blu-ray yesterday is the recent Easter episode of “Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead.” This is the start of the last four hours of David Tennant’s tenure as the Doctor and is the first time the series is available in HD. It lives up to a Doctor Who fan’s expectations brilliantly!

As writer and executive producer Russell T Davies states in the bonus material, the attitude for the episode was to “go for broke,” and they certainly did. The story follows the Doctor and fellow London bus passengers through a wormhole to a deadly alien world where they must contend with humanoid flies and a swarm of armor plated stingrays. As exciting as the action is, the real draw of the series is the depth of the characters involved. The adventures through space and time provide an interesting backdrop to a story of the last member of a destroyed race who is destined to travel the universe essentially alone forever. Tennant continues to play the Doctor with the same quality that has earned him a National Television Award for Outstanding Drama Performance, and the highlight of this episode is the addition of Lady Christina de Souza, brilliantly portrayed by Michelle Ryan (“The Bionic Woman”). Ryan plays the sexy blue-blooded jewel thief with strength, wit, and an edge of irreverent fun and is a quality match to Tennant’s Doctor. The chemistry between the characters drives the story as the Doctor meets an equal. One of the great aspects of Doctor Who is the strength and intelligence of the Doctor’s companions. These are characters that don’t just go around being saved by the Doctor but actively help him save the universe. This episode continues that tradition in spades.

This is the perfect episode to launch Doctor Who in HD. The alien world features the stark beauty of the Dubai desert, and the panoramas of the desert dunes set against cloudless, arid skies are great in HD. The special effects and alien creatures also look good as do Tennant and Ryan, which can’t be said for all actors in HD.

The bonus material consists of the 60-minute special, “Doctor Who Confidential.” It features interviews with the cast, crew, and creators, as well as behind the scenes footage of the making of the episode. It is quite a story that includes bringing a London double-decker bus into the middle of the Dubai desert, dealing with sandstorms, and creating alien flies. Some memorable moments include the crew sweeping the desert by hand to remove footprints in order to create a “pristine” set. It gives a good sense of all that goes into the production of the episode. Davies gives insight into how the story developed, and the actors share where their characters come from.

All in all, the Blu-ray version of “Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead” is entertaining both visually and dramatically, and the bonus documentary is just enough to add to the experience without overloading the viewer with less than quality material. I recommend it to Doctor Who fans and newcomers alike.

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Episode Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Blu-ray bonus features: AVERAGE

Russell T. Davies and David Tennant at Comic-Con

The panel included executive producer Julie Gardner, director Euros Lyn, writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies, and the 10th Doctor himself, David Tennant, and was attended by an extremely enthusiastic capacity crowd. There were more than a few Doctor costumes out there. When Tennant came out wearing a black t-shirt emblazoned with a sequined Stormtrooper helmet, the crowd went wild and then promptly started calling for him to take his shirt off. Being a stage actor, Tennant played the crowd, raising his arms and saying it was “too bad no one knows Doctor Who in America.”

The event had a bit of a melancholy feel though as it focused on the last four hours of programming of Tennant’s tenure before Matt Smith takes over as the 11th Doctor next year and Russell T. Davies departs from the series. Davies said that Doctor Who was “the most beautiful and brilliant time of my life,” while Tennant added that there were “so many brilliant memories.” Tennant did say that it could be a little overwhelming to be part of a show that is such a part of the British culture. “You find your face on cakes, t-shirts, children’s pants. They don’t prepare you for that in drama school.” When asked what advice he has for Smith, Tennant said that Smith is “going to be brilliant…it’s annoying.” He added that everyone who has worked with Smith has nothing but praise for him and that Tennant had nothing to say that Smith doesn’t already know.

As a special award, the Guinness Book of World Records announced during the panel that Doctor Who is not only the longest running science fiction show, but also officially the most popular. Davies accepted the award and said that “now there will be a sci-fi war. ‘Supernatural’ (referring to the panel going on next door) can eat it. ‘Supernatural’ can eat me.”

When asked about a Doctor Who movie, Gardner said there was no announcement as rumors had predicted, but that the crowd interest “made them think about it.” Tennant chimed in that there was a new rumor a day at Comic-Con. “Apparently I’m playing the Hobbit, though no one has contacted me about it.” When asked about future guest appearances on the show, Tennant did say that it is the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who in 2013, but that, “that is not an announcement, don’t go Twittering that. Not yet.” Gardner did announce, however, that Tennant’s Doctor will feature in two episodes of the upcoming “Sarah Jane Chronicles” on BBC and BBC America. We were shown the teaser for tonight’s airing of the “Planet of the Dead,” for the two-part “Waters of Mars” airing in October, and for the first time ever, the trailer for the finale coming Christmas 2009. All I can say for you Doctor Who fans out there, the Master comes back. Also, according to all of the panelists, prepare to cry.

So it is yet another end to a Doctor. Talking about watching Tom Baker’s last episodes as an eleven year old, Tennant said how hard it was since he idolized him and wanted to be him. “But then Peter Davison came and in three weeks I thought he was the best Doctor ever. That’s how it should be.” We will just have to watch the last of the 10th Doctor and be excited for things to come.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS is essentially a Faustian drama in which a monk, played by Christopher Plummer, losses a bet to Tom Wait’s Devil and must give up the soul of his daughter when she turns 16. The movie takes up the story 1000 years later on the day before Valentina’s, played by Lily Cole, sixteenth birthday. At this point, the Doctor and his troop are traveling around modern London in a horse-drawn carnival wagon and trying to peddle trips through a mirror and into imagination to an increasingly disinterested public. Their hope lies in the person of Tony, played in various incarnations by Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, a silver-tongued con man who will either save them or lead them to their doom. Gilliam admitted that Tony was based on former British PM Tony Blair and his involvement of Britain in the Iraq War.

Gilliam called the movie the “most mature, most juvenile thing I’ve done,” adding that it is the culmination of all of his work and ideas to date. Visually, the clips and specially commissioned Comic-Con trailer we were shown were stunning. The cinamatography created one beautiful picture after another. This world is full of bright colors and sweeping panoramas as opposed to the gritty visions of 12 MONKEYS and BRAZIL. While there is beauty, there is also a dark side to the Imaginarium. Gilliam said that he likes to show all sides of life and to be honest about the good as well as the bad. He said that one of his problems with Hollywood is that it often does not allow the darker sides to be portrayed. He suggested that everyone study a Pieter Bruegal or Hieronymus Bosch painting to see the full spectrum of the human experience, from good to bad to ridiculous. In fact, Gilliam said that his ideas are informed more often from paintings, literature, and music than from other films. If he runs low on inspiration, he walks around London’s National Gallery for the afternoon and fills up on ideas “stolen from old paintings.”

When asked about working with Heath Ledger, both Troyer and Gilliam said it was a pleasure and that he will be missed. Gilliam said that Ledger continued to expand as an actor and that if he had been able to reach his full potential, he would have been the greatest actor of his and several generations. The role of Tony was not written with Ledger in mind. Gilliam told how he had lent Ledger some space in his offices during the making of THE DARK KNIGHT, and how during one of the meetings going on about PARNASSUS, Ledger was listening in and slid a paper over to Gilliam that said “Can I play Tony?” Gilliam responded, “Of course.”

The panel ended with Gilliam saying that he had finally secured the rights to Don Quixote again and that it had been rewritten after its ill-fated first attempt. Jeramy Thomas is producing and they are currently looking for actors and money. I left the panel excited to see THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS and with a bit of an insight into how Gilliam’s creative process works. And, of course, I was able to check off seeing another Python.