The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Tuesday, September 4, 2012 - 5D

Ensemble wins 'Game'

By DAVID TAO
SeniorArts Editor
APRIL 6, 2012 - "Game of
Thrones" is rapidly becoming
one of the most intricately plotted
TV shows since its
HBO counterpart,
"The Wire." The ****
backstory of the
series takes up lit- Game of
erally thousands Thrones
of pages. So before
we get this review Season 2
going, we should premiere
get a key piece of ndays at 9 p m.
background infor- HBO
mation out of the
way: Ned Stark is
dead. Our goody-
two-shoes hero and famed Inter-
net meme had his head cut off and
mounted on a spike at the end of
the first season. That would have
been a massive spoiler, but his
severed head currently decorates
a mildly polarizing "Game of
Thrones" promotional poster that
screams "Look at us! We killed
our lead in the first season, which
means we're edgy and shocking
and unpredictable!"
The poster is a bit much, but
its message holds true - in its
second season premiere, the tale
of political intrigue and decep-
tion that captivated audiences last
year wastes no time in -bringing
the explicit horror of George R.R.
Martin's dark, cynical fantasy
world to life. Our first minutes
back in Westeros feature fights to
the death staged for the amuse-
ment of Joffrey (Jack Gleeson),
the realm's new king. They're
soon followed by a character
that "marries" his daughters and
fathers his own personal harem.
Rounding everything out are sev-
eral instances of infanticide, as
well as typical "Game of Thrones"
material: attempted poison-
ing, plenty of topless prostitutes
and, of course, medieval torture.
While these scenes lose some
shock value for die-hard fans
who've pored over the books and
visualized these scenes countless

HBO

Damn, it feels good to be a Lannister.
times, it's certainly flinch-worthy
material.
Yet, beneath all the horror and
blood and crimes against nature
lie the things that make "Game
of Thrones" the best drama any-
body has made in averylongtime.
There's the wonderfully devel-
oped ensemble, which despite
- and in many cases, due specifi-
cally to - Ned Stark's beheading,
has come into its own. There's
Ned's son Robb (Richard Mad-
den), who returns as a seasoned
battle commander, with three
victories under his belt as he reb-
els against the crown. There's
Ned's widow, Catelyn (Michelle
Fairley), looking on helplessly as
her son is prematurely snatched
from her by the responsibilities
of adulthood. And there's Ned's
murderer, the aforementioned
boy king, whose love for opulence
and taste for sadism make for the
most easily hateable character in
recent memory.
But it's in the Westerosi capital
of King's Landing where the show
really picks up, giving us charac-
ters at their most vulnerable and
most devious. Cersei, who rose to
Queen Regent at Ned's expense,
reveals just how tenuous her grip
on power really is, as she reacts in
constant frustration to her son's
spoiled insolence. Her mental
instability is further exacerbated
by the arrival of her dwarf-broth-

er Tyrion (Peter Dinklage, who
won an Emmy for his perfor-
mance last season), whom their
father has sent to babysit. Ridi-
culed and underestimated due to
his stature, Tyrion delights in his
newly acquired power, pointing
out his sister's mistakes with glee
and swiftly consolidating control.
Sitting among it all is Littlefin-
ger (the perpetually underrated
Aidan Gillen), the kingdom's self-
made master of coin, who prag-
matically plays all ends against
the middle.
The performances them-
selves are leagues beyond even
pay-cable, but the characters'
interactions are the show's most
fascinating element, as we track
the machinations of the titular
"Game." In one particularly pow-
erful scene, Littlefinger reminds
Cersei that "knowledge is power."
Cersei responds by ordering
her guards to seize him and slit
his throat, changing her mind
at the last second as Littlefin-
ger squirms. "Power is power,"
remarks Cersei as she orders her
guards away, earning herself a
moment of smug satisfaction.
She doesn't seem to know that
she's earned herself a long win-
ter's worth of Littlefinger's enmi-
ty, but as we jeer (or cheer, as the
case may be), we know for a fact
that we're in for a long season's
worth of exceptional entertain-

Sundance USA returns to Ann
Arbor's Michigan Theater
A2 will be premiere to get the quality experience of was fantastic!'"
being at the Michigan Theater, As one of the larger Sundance
location for 'For a but also have that great, added venues, the Michigan Theater
bonus of watching a Sundance is trying to fill 1,700 seats for
Good Time, Call...' movie," Waller said. "For those an independent movie in Ann
who are new to being a part of Arbor, a relatively small city.
By ADITI MISHRA the Michigan Theater, it'll be a Some of the other cities selected
Daily Arts Writer great introduction. Everybody's include Los Angeles and New
going to be laughing, and why York - veteran cities for orga-
JAN. 25, 2012 - "Third time's not be in a shared experience nizing film festivals and should
the charm," said Michigan The- like that?" have no problem finding an audi-
ater director Drew Waller about Ann Arborites aren't the only ence for whatever movie set to
hosting Sundance USA for the ones who have something to premiere. But Waller is confi-
third year in a row, echoing the gain from this event. dent the theater will rise to the
2xcitement and anticipation "For filmmakers, it's an challenge.
within one of Ann Arbor's char- opportunity to connect with "Ann Arbor, though it is a
acteristic establishments. growing audiences in local com- smaller community, has a very
The Michigan Theater stands munities," Courier explained. smart collective of people,"
amidst central Ann Arbor as a Sundance will be premiering Waller said. "They get it, they
remnant of the glorious "good "For a Good Time, Call..." in Ann understand art, and they come
old days" of American cinema, Arbor tomorrow night. In atten- to us. We're able to present this
acknowledging and featuring dance will be first-time director as the thing you need to go to, so
of smaller-budget independent Jamie Travis, screenwriter and that's really worked in our favor.
productions that often tend to be co-star Lauren Miller ("50/50") The obstacle, if you'd call it one,
far more competent and master- and supporting actor and 'U' is getting people of all ages to
ful than their blockbuster coun- alum James Wolk ("You Again"). know that they need to come to
terparts. It seems a natural fit The theater had no idea what this."
for Sundance, which shares the they would be showing when Waller also said that. this
mutual goal of promoting inde- they were re-selected this year year's premiere appeals to one
pendent talent. for participation in Sundance. large part of Ann Arbor's popu-
Sundance's Senior Program- "This is a year for female lation: its students, members of a
mer David Courier discussed the comedies. ("For a Good Time, generation that he believes will
strong relationship that the fes- Call...") is about two friends who most appreciate everything "For
tival and Ann Arbor have built are enemies in college and end a Good Time, Call..." has to offer.
over the past three years. up becoming friends after. It's "The people behind this film
"(Michigan Theater CEO and definitely going to relate to a col- are them," he explained. "If they
Executive Director) Russ Collins lege town. It's a sexy, raunchy, came and watched this film,
is the greatest, and Michigan female-driven comedy," Courier the students would recognize
Theater has been remarkable. said. that the actors are their age,
This has been a very, very happy "This film was selected the screenwriters are their age
partnership. Ann Arbor was a because it will be a crowd-pleas- and the directors are their age,
no-brainer for us," Courier said. er," Waller added. "Sundance They're going to, perceive this
For the Michigan Theater, knows that even though we're in a completely different way
the collaboration is the perfect one of the smallest cities select- than some of our older mem-
opportunity to attract new the- ed, we're the largest venue. They bers. They're going to respect it
atergoers. want to make sure the film they because it was done on a shoe-
"We're hoping people under- give us is going to have every- string budget and, you know,
stand that they're not only going body walking out saying 'That anybody can do this."
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