So ‘True Blood’ is trashy, it is also a Gothic Southern tale of a world where vampires are ‘out’, fighting for their rights and interacting with a set of dysfunctional town folk in the deep south of America, along with their attachments to religion, drink and small minds. This HBO show based on a set of novels, takes its own interpretation of vampire mythology and introduces the town of Bon Temps, Louisana, its inhabitants and a murder mystery. Central to the story, though apart for much of the series are brother and sister, Sookie and Jason Stackhouse. Sookie, portrayed by Anna Paquin, in what is a much travelled trip to TV for an established movie actor, is the most notable name amongst the cast of ’seen them somewhere before’ actors. Sookie, unique in her own way, falls for the vampire, who comes with much baggage, while Jason seems primarily concerned with being naked for most of his time on screen and soon develops an addiction to vampire blood, a prime example of the atypical take the show brings to real world events. Surrounding them are a mix of characters, caught up in very real problems each laced with supernatural elements.

The show is dripping in sensuality with the characters southern drawls and not unattractive physiques, and the cast are all excellent, no one coming across as having any reservations and giving a strange weightiness to what could be bizarre storylines, which could alienate a more mainstream audience. Supernatural events occur, are not overly explained and we are asked to take then on board as a matter of fact in these peoples lives as much as the fact their parents may be alcoholics or their bosses may secretly love them. The show shamelessly aims for drama, with each episode ending on a cliff-hanger; there is almost an exploitive approach to how episodes are constructed, but the paceful, humorous and again trashy vibe keeps you gripped. Its a proper calibre of guilty pleasure.

Season 1 is airing on FX at the moment and coming to 3E shortly and Season 2 is receiving high praise, which is against the mould for a TV series normally. There are some bum notes to Season 1, including an anti-climactic season finale, but True Blood is a smart unique take on a conventional drama series, with characters, fang bangers and a who-dunnit to tap into our instinctive watching interests.

Visit the official website here: http://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/zombieland/

Last night, Season 1, Episode 5, ‘Jack-tor’ and I realised it was at this point ‘30 Rock’ hit its stride and produced the magic formula of multiple storylines, Star Wars gags, the characters at their bizarre best and beautiful pay offs. Drilling down further into the minutae of the episode, there was an inspired video reel of Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghey being filmed for a 3 minute promo to advocate including brands in TV shows, and the emerging reality it took 2 days to film this clip and the spiralling ludicrousness of how fazed he is by acting to camera and the upset the TGS crew feel considering he is to appear on live TV the following weekend. There is not a single joke to witness but instead tickling humour pouring off the screen from Alec Baldwin, not cracking a single joke but a machine gun of wit, slapstick and characterisation. The character interaction and exchanges are absolute dynamite. The battles to steady the behaviour of my hero Tracy Jordan, the outstandingly unique chemistry between Tina Feys Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghey and even the insecurities of the least likeable character Jenna Maroney, who is made all the more likeable for being called to stage with Ghost Face Killah to perform a song called ‘Muffin Top’ which has gone to No. 1 in Israel make this a character comedy show rather than a situational one. Characters to date, have stayed so tue to themselves, layered and silly, never a cliche, never made to do things out of character. I always remember an early episode of ‘Friends’ where Phoebe claims she never lies, the subsequent 9 series saw her in situations where she constructed lies almost every week becuse of the situation the writers put the now caricatured Phoebe in. Three series in and there is no sign of such slips in ‘30 Rock’. Here’s hoping they look to a plentiful source for their inspiration at ‘30 Rock’

Certainly, the context matters, but the assault of jokes from the characters and the one-liners come on a steady stream so that you may need to re-watch episodes to make sure you catch them all. To see these people interact devoid of a plot would be wonderous viewing if its own. A Season 3 episode, titled ‘Larry King’, may quite possibly be the key to saving me from every bad situation I get into for the rest of my life. What worked with this episode for me was the genius that was Tracy Jordan, financial analyst as his visit to Larry King, improbable enough as it was, turned into a session wherein Tracy told America to panic, recited the plot to Teen Wolf, explained that he was shooting for two weeks on Rush Hour before being replaced by Jackie Chan, and in perhaps his finest moment warning American to prepare for the thunderdome

There is no doubting that a Quentin Tarantino movie can be a love or loathe experience – people label him as over indulgent, dialogue heavy, stylised and serving his own geeky interests. But while Tarantino can deliver a reviled movie like ‘Death Proof’ (undeservedly so in this writers opinion) remember that Francis Ford Coppola has brought us The Godfather and also the tale of a 40 year old primary school kid in the form of Robin Williams in ‘Jack’, and that Steven Soderbergh can deliver an audience repelling movie like ‘Bubble’ in between the Oceans’ movies. Any director, his style, the story he chooses to relay and how he brings the movie together can work a treat or leave you disappointed. This was most recently affirmed, not that recently, when we watched the Kill Bill movies at home and I found my mother engrossed by the movies – totally engrossed in The Brides struggles, and paying such attention to the whittering prose so that the detail of the final fatal five point punch had stayed with her, and she counted the five steps out aloud as Bill walked to his death. I’m glad to say that having brought this same criteria to my viewing of ‘Inglourious Basterds’ last night I can’t but think my mother would have loved it, as did I.

A thriller, a warped comedy, a farce, an excellent ensemble of acting talent that chimes wonderfully – for once the snippets chosen to praise the movie on its poster are justified and not cynically chosen. The story will keep you guessing, slight overlap in time lines, multiple arcs of revenge and plotting and an escalating sense of tension is a surprising result. The movie appears in fact to be a succession of tense encounters with some form of beverage poured, followed by a steely stare off, silences, cover stories and a mix of outcomes – stays of execution and brief reprieves, or brutal bloody deaths. All this is delivered in a glorious (pun intended) looking movie, with shots and a style familiar of Tarantino and an old school style which is of itself probably a conscious decision of he director as part of an ode to a class of movies.

The Basterds of the mispelt title do not own the movie by any stretch, they share screen time with an vengeful blonde, movie critics, a heavily disguised Mike Myers for a brief cameo and the most recent addition to the great characters of Tarantinos characters, a Jew Hunter. There isn’t a sour note among the performances, and the cast are genuinely engaging and add to the enjoyment of the movie, whether you are laughing at Brad Pitts caricature, the delivery of the constant supply of one-liners or caught up in the tension of the opening interrogation. At one point we know Diane Krugers character ruse had been unfurled. The evidence is subtly but confidently stacked against her, and even though we the contents of the coat she reaches into the pocket of, Kruger, who has excelled without the burden of her accent seeming out of place face is wordlessly shell shocked at her inescapable situation. This moment is one of a number of turns in the story, moments which are seamlessly constructed, acres away from any plot convention you could forecast. To conclude I can’t think of more praise to heap on ‘Basterds’, than the quality of the pub post-dissection and the unanimous praise my company and I praised on it. Favourite parts, glowing reviews of Christopher Waltz’s performance and highlight jokes will be chosen from a rich crop and a movie that isn’t an acquired taste, or one for Tarantino fans, or an oddity – it is happily a good movie.