Sound of My Voice: Interesting experience

(Although I tried to refrain from spoilers, there might be some minor ones)

I had never heard about Sound of My Voice until yesterday when I walked to the rental booth. Released in 2012 at Sundance, the film follows Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius), a young couple trying to infiltrate a small cult as part of a personal investigative journalism endeavor. The cult is led by a charismatic and mysterious woman called Maggie (Brit Marling), who claims to be a time-traveler from 2054. As their visits to the cult continue, they start to question their intentions, truth, and each other. Is Maggie a charlatan or is she for real? are they in it for the journalism project or are they really involved?

The film is the debut feature film of Zal Batmanglij, and was co-written and co-produced by Brit Marling. Marling had previously worked on a similarly interesting indie film, Another Earth. Here she also plays the role of Maggie, the leader of the cult in a very subtle and ambiguous way. Even in moments where she seems to be psychologically harassing some of the characters, she doesn't lose her cool. Denham and Vicius are equally good as the lead couple. You actually wonder how involved are they in this as they continue to play along. Special kudos to Denham, who I thought really nailed his key emotional moments.

The film moves at a slow pace, with a lot of quiet, introspective moments. In a way, this can make the film feel a bit flat, since there really aren't too much peaks in it. And although that doesn't necessarily make it a bad film, it doesn't make it a memorable one either. Lots of questions are left unanswered, which I'm cool with. But most of the questions simply revolve around the "is she/isn't she" dilemma. Not much else to nibble at.

Overall, an interesting film with a solid cast. It's not a great film, but probably worth a watch. Grade: B+  

Face Off: The Final Six Episodes

(This review includes spoilers)

Six more episodes have come and gone after a promising start to the third season of Face Off. And in the end, a new Face Off champion has surfaced.

First, Episode 7 started with a surprising bang when all the eliminated contestants returned for a chance at redemption. After a brief Foundation Challenge, Nicole was chosen to return to the show. This kinda pissed me off a bit, because I felt it was unfair to the other contestants. But anyway, after 6 more episodes, here is my take on the last half of the show.

Weeks Seven and Eight
This two weeks presented two unique challenges that in the end fell flat to me. The first one had the contestants paired with a kid to create a monster based on a sketch from their kid. I thought the premise was so great and could lend itself to some interesting makeups. However, I thought that the kid sketches chosen weren't that creative. And second, I thought the execution from the contestants was really poor. Laura won this one, but I really didn't like her monster. I kinda leaned more towards Roy's blinking monster, but none of them really surprised me.

The following week, the contestants had to create a hybrid human based on Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book. This was another challenge were I didn't think the source material was that good. I'm not that familiar with Dr. Seuss, but judging from the book illustrations shown on the show, I think I've seen other Seuss books with more colorful characters. To me, most of the characters looked similar, which translated to some "meh" makeups. If I were forced to choose, I think that I would've agreed with Nicole as the winner. But like the previous challenge, none of them did much for me.

Week Nine

Episode 9 turned it all around, though. The contestants visited a junkyard and had to build a cyborg makeup using materials scavenged at the site. This was probably one of my favorite challenges from the season, and maybe the show. Most of the finished makeups were great and impressive, with the possible exception of Sarah, who ended up being eliminated. As for Roy, I was looking forward to his makeup, but I think he spent too much time focusing on the contraption in the back of his character, which should've gone to a much integrated makeup. As for the final two, I agreed with the judges that Derek and Nicole were the best. Nicole ended up taking the win, deservedly so; but I think I would've gone with Derek's. His character looked so cool, that I wanted to see it in a film or something.

Week Ten
In the last episode before the final, the contestants had to create a creature based on the show Grimm, using a different crime scene as inspiration. This was another challenge where I think that most of the contestants failed. Laura won with her insect-like creature, but I wasn't that crazy about it. For starters, looked too much like a Predator, and it didn't look as polished as other creations. If I were to pick one winner, I would've gone with Derek; but even his creature wasn't perfect. It looked sorta unfinished. Sadly, Roy ended up being eliminated after making a wig-wearing, snake/reptilian biker. It pissed me off, cause I was kinda rooting for him. His makeup was solid, but the choice to turn her into a biker, put her fangs outside of the mouth, and most of all, wear that awful, awful wig... Gawd, when he put that wig over her, I almost reached through the screen to yank it off. It killed him.

Week Eleven

The final challenge had the three remaining contestants preparing two different makeups: a demon, and a queen inspired by one of the four elements. Also, they had a chance to choose two partners from the previous contestants. The end results were, overall, pretty good. All three queens had a lot of impressive qualities. The overall concept and color of Derek's Fire Queen was impressive, while the details and application on Laura's Earth queen were pretty good, although her body didn't look as detailed. But Nicole's Water Queen really looked like a complete character from head to toe. Her work was impressive, and so was her demon. They both looked like characters from the same universe, and those teeth! Really cool. Derek and Laura's demons weren't that successful. Laura's was just a mess, IMO, while Derek's looked really good up-close, but not so much from a distance. The winner, however, would be chosen by the public, and announced on another episode.

The twelfth episode worked as some sort of reunion, with all the other contestants answering questions from the audience, while they all shared anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories. They all looked really cool and relaxed, and I enjoyed watching the camaraderie between them. In the end, Nicole was crowned as the winner. It was an impressive win, considering she was eliminated on Week 4. But she came back with a bang, and most of the work she did after her return was among the best of the show.

Overall, a really great season, even though it hit a couple of bumps on its last few episodes. I look forward to the next season.

(All pictures belong to Syfy and its affiliates)

Playing the Game: Game of Thrones Season 2

(This review includes spoilers about both seasons)

"I'm not Ned Stark, I understand the way this game is played."

-Tyrion Lannister; Episode 2, Season 2

This quote from Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) to sleazy eunuch Varys (Conleth Hill) during an exchange of subtle threats, in a way, shows us how the second season of Game of Thrones unfolds; in a web of deception, backdoor deals, opportunistic alliances, and machinations. Tyrion is probably the best at it. After what was arguably a linear first season, centered around the character of Ned Stark, it can be said that Tyrion assumes the lead of the show, as he becomes acting Hand of the King and tries, in his own peculiar way, to maintain peace and common sense in the Kingdom.

The plot, however, feels more scattered than in the first one. Whereas in the first season, we were following Stark most of the time, the second season starts and ends branched all throughout Westeros and Essos. The first season started with most of our characters in the same place: Winterfell, and then slowly sent them all on different paths. In the second season, most of the characters begin and end in the same place, with most of the characters separated, which makes the plot feel a bit flat or even stagnant, at least when compared to the first one. This isn't a slight to the show, considering how hard it would've been to top the ballsy conclusion of the first season, but I still felt that the show lacked the "highs" that the first season had.

Some of the plots that the second season follows are:

• The rise to the Iron Throne of Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), under the guidance of his mother, Queen Cersei (Lena Headey).
• The threat of aspiring kings Renly (Gethin Anthony) and Stannis (Stephen Dillane), brothers of the late King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy). Both brothers start building massive armies while plotting to take over the kingdom from each other.
• Tyrion Lannister takes Stark's place as Hand of the King, at the request of his father, Tywin (Charles Dance), and tries to knock some sense into the king, his nephew, who grows more vicious and cruel every day.
• Stark's older son, Robb (Richard Madden), marches against the armies of the Lannisters, seeking revenge for his father's murder.
• On the other side of the kingdom, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) continues her march towards King's Landing to reclaim the throne that was taken from her father, now with the help of her three baby dragons.

I felt that the subplot of Stannis was one of the least effective. Dillane did a decent job, but I don't think there was much to see there. I actually think that the character of his right-hand, Davos (Liam Cunningham), was more interesting than Stannis himself. On the other hand, kudos to Jack Gleeson for his continuing improvement in the portrayal of Joffrey. It's impressive how far the character has gone from the first season to now, and he has become one of the greatest villains I've seen on TV.

Other plots include the rest of the Starks children: Arya's captivity in Harrenhal, Sansa's enslavement within the kingdom's walls, and Jon Snow's service as part of the Night's Watch. This last subplot, despite feeling detached from the rest, actually plays a very important role in the long run. Like I read in a review on Time, Snow and Co. are "playing the show's long game" as they prepare to face the threat of the mysterious White Walkers. Kit Harrington's performance as Snow is a strong point, because he manages to convey a sense of inner tragedy and maybe some self-loathing within himself, but without overdoing it. I also thought that the interactions between Arya and Tywin Lannister were great and perfectly acted.

With so many plots and so many characters, the lack of a true protagonist could be seen as a drawback to the show. But the writers manage to flesh out the cast so much that even characters that could be thought as minors are given some depth. Characters that could've been seen as just despicable villains (like Cersei or Jaime), are given room to grow and maybe even develop empathy. This is another strong point of the show because there are really no black and white characters.

One of the best examples of this is the character of Theon Grejoy (Alfie Allen). Theon grew up along the Starks after his father was defeated by them in a previous war. Even though he grew with the Starks, Theon still carries the resent of being abandoned by his father and given away as a slave. Despite being well treated by the Starks, the inner conflict inside him arises as he is forced to choose either Robb or his father, while trying to prove himself. Those moments are some of the strongest and most powerful in the show, thanks also to Allen's portrayal. He is so great that you can almost feel how his soul is torn between the two sides. The episodes where he takes Winterfell are some of the best of the season.

But perhaps the best example of the complexity of the characters is with Tyrion. His character is as scheming and deceitful as the rest, but you can't help but root for him. Both the script and Dinklage's performance give the character such a great depth and complexity. He is arguably the smartest guy in the room and knows indeed how to "play the game". But when he forgets about the game in favor of the realm, and chooses to take the lead in the battle against Stannis, he ends up being backstabbed himself. This is the harsh truth about the game, and if it wasn't for his squire, he would've ended dead, like Stark before him. Like Cersei said in the first season, "you either win or die". I have to add that the episode that follows that battle ("Blackwater") was one of the most intense episodes of the show. Great direction, excellent effects and production values.

Overall, the season was really strong, albeit a tad below the first one. Like I said, this isn't a knock at this season, but rather a testament of how great the first one was. The high points here were the battle against Stannis, and perhaps the fall of Winterfell. The acting remained as stellar as in the first one, and the expectations for the third season are there, particularly after the chilling last shot beyond the Wall. As for this season? I'm torn between a solid A or an A-.

(All pictures belong to HBO and its affiliates)

      

Homeland: Four episodes in, what now?

(This review includes spoilers on the first four episodes of the second season)

A lot has happened since Homeland's season 2 premiere. A lot. In four episodes, this show has done what others do in a whole season, which leads me to the titular question. What now? After a pretty good first episode, the show has sped through the next episodes, with a lot of intense moments and unexpected twists. Saul discovering that Brody is a terrorist, and his eventual capture, came as a shock to me, and I'm sure to most viewers. This is not new to the show. The writers did the same during the first season, when they unexpectedly revealed Brody's nature way earlier than most people expected. And still, they managed to deliver a kick-ass season with a gripping finale. So, perhaps we shouldn't worry about where will they head now.

Until now, the show has been one of the best. The second episode, "Beirut is Back", delivered some extremely intense moments as the CIA tries to kill Abu Nazir, and then when Saul and Carrie go to pick up Fatima Ali in the middle of Hezbollah-controled Beirut. And to finish things off, Saul discovers the video where Brody confesses to be a terrorist. Wow. I mean, I was expecting this on maybe episode 4 or 5.

The third episode, "State of Independence", was equally solid, although seeing Brody handling the extraction of The Tailor required a bit of a stretch in believability. I mean, you have a deep-seated terrorist within the highest ranks of the US government, about to become Vice-President, and you send him to do a routine extraction? C'mon! I'm still waiting for them to reveal that there was something else going on that forced them to have Brody do that. But still, the episode had its share of great moments, as we see Carrie's psychological struggles. The scene where she goes back to her apartment and prepares to go out, only to swallow a dozen pills later, was excellent.

Fourth episode in, Saul shows Brody's confession to Estes, who agrees to have a surveillance team on Brody in order to identify his mission and his superiors. As we get to meet the leader of the surveillance team, Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend), and see all the logistics put in place for the operation, it seems that the show is preparing for it. At this point, I'm thinking "well, they'll probably milk the whole surveillance plotline for a couple of episodes." Which is why I was baffled when, after meeting with Brody at a hotel bar, Carrie went up to his bedroom and blew the whole mission to him, forcing the CIA to detain him. Again, this is something I was expecting to happen maybe on episode 7? 

I must also add that I'm very pleased with how the show is handling the character of Dana. The performance of Morgan Saylor is so subtle. I love her.

But anyway, as I've said, I'm shocked at how fast the show is moving. I have no idea where are they taking the story now, and what will happen to Brody. Or Carrie, for that matter. After all, she blew an operation that was set to capture one of the most wanted terrorists after just one day of work. The way the writers handled the first season gives me faith that they know what they're doing, but I won't deny the fact that I'm worried they've run out of steam too early. We'll have to keep watching to find out.

(All pictures belong to Showtime and its affiliates)

The Voice: The Battle Rounds

Another week went by, and with it, another chapter of The Voice. After the Blind Auditions, each coach paired two of their artists on what is known as The Battle Rounds. The paired artists will perform a duet of a song picked by their coach. After a live performance, it's up to the coach to select one of the artists to stay in the competition, while the other goes home.

Overall, the Battle Rounds were a mixed bag. First, as opposed to the Blind Auditions, there were several very impressive performances in this rounds. On the other hand, there were several odd, surprising, and irksome choices made by the coaches. One gripe that me and my wife have is the fact that either the producers or NBC decided not to air all the battles. I know it would mean a lot more screentime, but then what's the point of picking up more artists, and making bigger teams, if you're not going to give them a glimpse of the spotlight anyway?

Also, one of the new spins of the show is the ability of the judges to "steal" an artist after his coach chooses not to take him during the Battle Rounds. This is a great opportunity for great artists to remain on the show, considering the penchant the coaches have for pairing two great artists together.

But anyway, here's my take on what I considered to be the most notable battles of this round:

Terry McDermott vs. Casey Muessigmann ("Carry On Wayward Son")

Great opener for thr the battles. Ironically, Terry was also the first audition to be shown during the Blinds, and one of the few that really surprised me. Plus, I love this Kansas song. Terry was practically flawless and won, but I'll be damned if I wasn't surprised by country-boy Casey. He took the challenge and brought it, making the decision more even than I would've thought.

De'Borah vs. Nelly's Echo ("Message in a Bottle")

Yet another song that I love on the voice of one of the singers that impressed me the least. Like I wrote on my earlier entry, I thought De'Borah was pretty weak in the Blind Auditions. Nelly's Echo, on the other hand, was pretty good. During the rehearsals, I thought Nelly had it. His voice was perfect for the song and he seemed to sing it perfectly. But on the night of the performance, I don't know what got into him, he was a mess. I think he actually felt threatened by De'Borah and tried to do way too much. I actually liked some of the improvisations and counter-vocals he did, but overall, his performance was too over the top and disorganized. De'Borah wasn't that great either, but I thought she was better than in the auditions.

Trevin Hunte vs. Amanda Brown ("Vision of Love")

Trevin Hunte made a name for himself during the Blind Auditions. His powerful performance turned the chairs of all four judges, and was one of the most featured in promotions for the show. Amanda, on the other hand, slipped by with an average performance and just Cee Lo's chair turned. However, their rendition of Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love" was one of the best and most powerful battles of the whole show. So great was it that even after Cee Lo picked Trevin, the remaining judges all chose to "steal" Amanda. Ultimately, she chose to be a part of Team Adam.

Julio Cesar Castillo vs. Terisa Griffin ("Conga")

This battle had one of the results that baffled me more. My respects to Julio, but Terisa sang her way around him. That's not to say that Julio's performance was bad. He held his own, but just wasn't on the same level as Terisa. Blake still decided to take Julio, I suppose for the novelty (or rating?) of having a Latin artist. Luckily for Terisa, Cee Lo "stole" her.

Sam James vs. Benji ("You Give Love a Bad Name")

This was a pretty cool battle. Both artists went at it with the right attitude, and vocally, both killed it. I know most people, including the coaches, were praising Benji's performance, but I thought he relied too much on his "waaaaaaaah!" moments. Sam seemed to be more versatile, and had a cleaner voice, so I agreed with Adam's decision. Still, I was surprised that no one "stole" Benji, after all the praise he got.

Nicholas David vs. Todd Kessler ("She's Gone")

This one could easily be one of my favorite performances of the whole battles. Competition aside, the pairing of Nicholas and Todd was so perfect, their voices blended so well together, that I can even say their rendition of the song was better than Hall & Oates'. I think I kinda liked Todd a bit more, but Nicholas was just as good. So Cee Lo picking him was still a great choice. However, I'm pissed that nobody decided to "steal" Todd. He had a great voice.

Other random notes on some of the battles:

• I'm happy Domo was eliminated. She was really, really annoying.
• Dez Duron continues to surprise me with how much he has grown from last season.
• I wasn't happy with Christina picking Sylvia Yacoub. Didn't like her performance. But thankfully, Blake "stole" her rival, Joselyn.
• Avery Wilson was yet another performer that was excellent.

All in all, the Battle Rounds were pretty solid. Now, coaches will continue chipping away five more artists. Let's hope that the best ones stay.

(All pictures belong to NBC and its affiliates)

Win or Die: Game of Thrones Season 1

"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

-Queen Cersei; Episode 7, Season 1

This quote from Queen Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) to lead character Lord Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) lies at the core of HBO's medieval-themed show Game of Thrones. The quote, which gives title to the seventh episode of the first season, exemplifies the cold, cutthroat nature of war and politics in this world. We see it in the life of reigning King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) and his right-hand, Stark; and in the lore of past kings that instills the background story of the show.

I've been hearing great things about this show for awhile, but for some reason, I wasn't able to watch it until recently. After watching the first season, I can say that it has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite shows, along with The Shield and Breaking Bad. The show is based on George R. R. Martin's series of fantasy books A Song of Ice and Fire. It is set in the fictional land of Westeros, where a power struggle for the Iron Throne arises among several noble families. Meanwhile, an impending threat of an upcoming long and harsh winter and mysterious creatures from the North also loom over the kingdom.

Leading the cast is the great Sean Bean, who plays Stark. Lord of the Kingdom of Winterfell, he feels forced to move to the capital of King's Landing at the request of his friend and reigning King Robert. This unleashes a series of events as Robert's wife, Cersei, plots to take over the throne for his son Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), along with his brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Stark's family is also thrown into the chaos. His wife (Michelle Fairley) feels forced to take matters in her own hands to protect her family after several attempts against her family, his oldest son Robb (Richard Madden) has to step up to protect Winterfell in Stark's absence, and his oldest daughter Sansa (Sophie Turner) has to deal with the fact that she has been promised as wife to Prince Joffrey.

All this is just a layer of what lies within the show. I have to say that, after the third episode, I was officially hooked. The show has many strong things on its favor. First, the story is so rich and deep, and all that background is beautifully transmitted into the show. You believe in the setting, the mythology, and the characters. Granted, I was shaking my head at one point, trying to keep tabs on all the characters seen and mentioned, but one just has to stick with it and have patience.

Second, the cast is excellent. Led by Bean, I honestly can't recall a single bad performance on the show. Even though some characters might seem to be caricature villains, like Jamie, or cookie-cutter noble men, like Stark, they all seem to have a more complex nature within. Kudos also to the child actors. All of them are simply amazing, most notably Maisie Williams, who plays Stark's youngest daughter Arya, and Jack Gleeson who starts playing Joffrey as a spoiled brat, but slowly becomes into one of the most despicable characters of the show. Gleeson's performance in the last 2-3 episodes was stellar. If anything, I had some minor issues with Aidan Gillen as Lord Baelish, but mostly because I kept seeing him as Mayor Thomas Carcetti, from The Wire, which happens to be another one of my favorite shows.

One of the most interesting and complex characters is Cersei and Jaime's younger brother, Tyrion Lannister, known as "The Imp". Brilliantly played by Peter Dinklage, Tyrion is a smart man that is usually overlooked for his short stature and vulgar behavior, but who manages to use this to his advantage as a cunning manipulator. Although his performance and delivery are usually funny, it is a product of his cynicism and bitterness, and not because he is used as a comic relief. The depth his character develops as the show progresses is so good that one can't help but root for him.

Finally, aside of the story and the cast, the other strength of the show lies on its crew. The direction and production values are top-notch. The way the story flows from one episode to the other is flawless. The show takes its time to build the groundwork for its plots, like the mysterious creatures from beyond the Wall, or the mythology of the dragons. These two aren't even necessarily addressed on the first season, and yet, the show takes its time to build the story and not make it feel forced later. Also, there are so many great scenes in the show: Arya's "dancing" classes and the "crowning" of aspiring king Viserys Targaryen come to mind.

(Although I tried to refrain from spoilers, some might infer what happens at the end of the season from this next paragraph. If you want to go in the show with nothing spoiled, PLEASE, skip to the last line)

One of the most surprising things of the show is what happens on its last two episodes. I was warned by a friend not to read anything about the show before watching it, so I managed to avoid any spoilers. My advice to anyone who hasn't seen it is the same, because when "it" happens, your jaw will probably hit the floor, like mine did. Like the opening quote on the review says, either triumph or death lies in front of the characters, sometimes not in the most satisfying ways. Some of the events that happen might have that bitter taste, but like that other HBO show, The Wire, Game of Thrones manages to stay away from clichéd resolutions and crowd-pleasing confrontations. It just tells the story the way it is: with some people winning, and others dying. The event in question was such a powerful shock for me that on the upcoming episode I was still hoping that it would've been a dream, or something. Easily, one of the most unexpectedly shocking scenes I've seen.

(End of potential spoilers)

Looking forward to the second season, but I can easily give this first season an A+.

(TV pictures belong to HBO and its affiliates. Book cover belongs to Bantam Spectra)

The Town: Just Another Heist Film

(Although I tried to refrain from spoilers, the review might include some minor ones)

Ben Affleck has been on the spotlight during the last weeks, what with his new film - Argo - being released and getting good reviews. Ever since Affleck released his first directing effort (Gone Baby Gone), critics and audiences have been surprised by his skills behind the camera, as opposed to his talent (or lack of it) in front of it. And I agree. Gone Baby Gone was a well-acted, skillfully directed, thought-provoking drama. So, with all this Affleck talk revived, I decided to check his second film, The Town.

The Town is set in Charlestown, Massachussets, where a group of childhood friends use their free time to rob banks. The group is led by Doug MacCray (Affleck), a former hockey prospect whose father is in jail. The other member of the group is Doug's best friend, Jem Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), a career criminal with a bit of a short temper. The other two members of the group barely get lines or screen-time. Their robberies are ordered by Fergie (Pete Postlethwaite), a local crime lord who uses a flower shop as a front for his illegal business.

The film opens with one of their robberies at a bank, where Jem ends up taking the manager (Rebecca Hall) as hostage. As they wonder if they have any heat on them, Doug decides to follow the manager to make sure she doesn't lead the authorities to them. Eventually, he falls for her and decides to walk out on the life, but not before he is convinced to two additional jobs, the first one by Jem, and the second one by Fergie. All the while, FBI Agent Frawley (Jon Hamm) is on his tail.

Now, if you've gotten this far, you've probably noticed my main issue with the film. It borrows so much elements from other similar films that it ends up feeling formulaic, clichéd, and by-the-numbers. Most of the characters follow a template that we've seen on other films:

• The noble criminal that wants out of the life,
• His unstable, trigger-happy friend who forces him to stay,
• The crime lord that is actually the man behind the crimes, and the actual "bad guy"

Even elements of its narrative and plot are borrowed from similar films: noble criminal falls for female mark, noble criminal has father in jail, the one big hit he has to do before he can walk out, and so on. 

That's not to say that the film is bad, but its lack of originality surely hinders its overall effect. On the good side, Affleck does show his directing skills. Most notably, the chase and action scenes are well handled and intense. Plus, he also handles the lead role quite well. Most of the cast delivers, although I'm not sure that Jeremy Renner's performance was Oscar-caliber (he was nominated for a Supporting Actor Oscar). The film also features one of the last performances by the great Pete Postlethwaite. His performance, although brief, was pretty good.

So, all in all, the film is a decent effort, brought down by its own formula. I know it's based on a novel, but a bit of originality on its script wouldn't have hurt. Grade: I'm torn between a low B- or a high C+. I'll leave it at that.

(All pictures belong to Warner Bros. Pictures and its affiliates)