Angel of Death round-up

Alright, Ed Brubaker's Angel of Death has finished its initial run on Crackle dot com, but you can still watch all ten episodes at that link. Chad (@crackledotcom) said that the DVD will be released in June. For those of you just joining us, Angel of Death is about a hitwoman named Eve who gets a conscience when she gets a knife to the brain and stars Kiwi stuntie and all-around kickass chick Zoe Bell (you've seen her all over and didn't even know it, but to actually see her do her thing, rent Double Dare and, of course, Death Proof.)

I've been talking up this show since it started and would have had this review up ages ago if I hadn't gotten all "ooh, shiny!" with work, writing, and Resident Evil 5.

I have really only one big complaint: the final three episodes felt severely chopped and rushed in order to make the short running time for each episode. I hope that's something that will be fixed when the DVD is released and the whole thing is stitched together into one cohesive unit. My other complaint is that there needs to be more and it needs to be longer! This 5 minutes of awesome at a time thing was kind of annoying...are all internet shows like that? I honestly don't know; I've only watched this and Dr. Horrible (Joss is awesome.)

My personal questions aside, I loved this show. Zoe Bell was awesome and it was great to see Monica Staggs (she's an American stuntie who was also in Death Proof as Leena Frank) and Lucy Lawless even if Lucy's character really didn't go anywhere...this is also something I'd like to see in an expanded version of the show on DVD or a second season (yes, please!) Some of the characters were a little too flat, but maybe that's part of the problem inherent in making something for such a short running time.

Technically, the show is great and the performances are ace. I highly recommend it!

I Blame Wil Wheaton

I'm sure Wil's an ace of a chap, totally boss and all (because I can tell all of that through his magnificent blog and books (I haven't gotten The Happiest Days of Our Lives yet, but I love Just a Geek and Dancing Barefoot), but my addiction to C.S.I.: Vegas is absolutely his fault. I'd never watched an episode in my life, and honestly had no interest, until he made an appearance back in 2005. I wanted to see some recent acting work from him and he was on as a crazy homeless guy, a red herring in the search for the murderer of a young kid. I was intrigued by the procedures and tests they did, all stuff I'd seen on non-fiction shows like the one Dr. Henry Lee was a part of (that was a good show.)

 

My mom, being a "true crime" and forensic science nut, is less enthralled with C.S.I. because these folks aren't taking precautions against cross-contamination of the scene, but I'm all like, "They're all too pretty to cover up like Cate Blanchett *..."

 

Then, Quentin Tarantino did a fantastic two-parter the same year (it's the one with John Saxon and where Stokes is buried alive in a plexiglass coffin.) Still, my addiction was a slow burn. I'd stop and watch if I passed by Spike TV and they were playing it.

 

Then, about a month ago, I discovered CSI Sundays on Spike and that was it. Now, I've got C.S.I. on my Netflix queue and I've been watching episodes through the CBS website, something I've never done before (it's actually really cool and the commercial breaks are only between 15 and 30 seconds.) My journey to the Dark Side is almost complete...

 

*transmogrifies into "William F'in Shatner" for a moment* WHEEEAAAAATTTTOOONNN!!!

 

* Cate Blanchett was in Hot Fuzz as Nick Angel's ex Janine...the one covered from head to toe in protective gear at the crime scene in the beginning of the film. If you're reading this and going, "Wha-?" rent Hot Fuzz. Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, but I loved it.